Prints, patterns and plaids are popular

KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Never mind that old-fashioned dictate about wanting people to remember you, not your clothes. This spring the fashion scene offers acres of prints that may overwhelm the most powerful style diva.
The array includes vintage Italian scenic prints from Prada and flowers and fruits so giant-size they could have come off a museum wall, from dozens of designers and manufacturers. Gap's tropical patterns make you think of a romantic Southern cruise. And stripes and geometrics are so bold, they remove any ambivalence from your personality.
Vogue magazine says the trend was kicked off by Italy's Dolce and Gabbana last year. The team said the idea was to "exude joy, happiness and vitality." And it didn't take long for the patterns to take flight.
The new rule is to forget all the rules and don't be shy. Mix vintage and new patterns, stripes and plaids, and flowers with flowers to your heart's delight. You'll just have to tune out the voices in your head that say, "What about that little black dress?"