The really wild show: meet your favourite new animal prints

It’s never been easier to remain in neutral where our wardrobe choices are concerned. The influx of wearable neutrals and brands that have built whole empires around one well-fitting white T-shirt stand as firm proof of that. And yet our appetite for prints – the more out there, the better – remains urgent with everything from florals to flamingo prints as in demand as they have ever been.

A renewed appreciation for animal prints – among them snake motifs and zebra – stand out among this season's most coveted options. Just as a floral can lift an otherwise ubiquitous look, a flash of animal magnetism is the ultimate mood lifter – and you only have to scroll your Instagram feed to find confirmation of its photogenic appeal. Whether you are loyal to leopard or spoiling for snakeskin, here’s a guide to embracing the animal within this spring.

Anyone harbouring the outmoded idea that leopard print belongs on Kat Slater’s micro minis, may find themselves pleasantly surprised by this season’s take. It seems anything goes with this print with leopard emerging as a new base layer that can be useful to our wardrobes in the same way that a neutral shade is. Is leopard the new navy? Potentially: try teaming a leopard top with a classic navy jacket and you’ll see that it just might be. A leopard bag also emerges as a surprisingly useful accessory. Your ability to embrace this wild idea depends on your willingness to keep things toned down elsewhere so avoid clashing prints and anything beyond a neutral colour palette.  

Reptilian prints have been winning fans for seasons now with big budget Italian houses among the first to bite. Certainly, it makes a welcome change from the real thing. A snakeskin print is exotic in its own way, as well as a viable wardrobe option. If leopard print is too loaded with stereotypes to appeal, and a floral a little too twee for your taste, get acquainted with snakeskin. A skirt in the print – seek out fluid, bias cuts – is a fine companion for a crew neck sweater, while the right pair of snakeskin boots – think knee-high with a heel – are an autumn wardrobe staple you'll be returning to for years to come.

If leopard print is a failsafe of this group, zebra is the disruptor. An animal print for the woman who resists the obvious choice, this wild card is a breath of fresh air. Having already led the charge on the catwalk, zebra is exploding on to our high streets at pace – with everything from 18-hour dresses to clutch bags recast in the print this season. A sweater boasting the motif looks great with denim. A flash of red lipstick is an equally palatable running buddy. As a general rule, seek out oversized incarnations of the motif.