Monochromatic is often misinterpreted as boring. In reality, the opposite can be true: sticking to one color palette only increases the opportunity to play around with prints and fun details. Junior fashion design major Maddie Hofmaier proves that sticking to shades of black and white and is anything but dull.

Hofmaier is wearing an H&M T-shirt and a Madewell sweater. Her cool Adidas sneakers add a sporty kick to the look. The focal point of her outfit, though, comes in the form of her plaid black and white Zara pants. Hofmaier said that she had wanted plaid pants for a while and finally bought them over the summer. She wanted a smaller plaid print that would be more flattering on her than an oversized print.

The best part of a black and white print is that it can work for almost any season. Everyone’s heard the no-white-after-Labor-Day rule, but that doesn’t apply when a black pattern is there to balance out the white. Depending on what they are paired with, these pants can transition from summer to winter and everything in between.

Take style inspiration from Hofmaier by rocking a print in an unexpected way. Most people have plaid sweaters or flannels; Hofmaier stands out with statement-making pants. Also be conscience of the size of the print. Typically, smaller patterns are more flattering for petite frames, while vertical stripes or patterns with overlapping figures are more flattering on larger frames. However, don’t be limited by those guidelines—prints were created to add interest and fun to clothes, so choose one you love and embrace the power of print.

Jackie Homan is a sophomore magazine journalism major. You can email her at jahoman@syr.edu or follow her @jackie_homan on Twitter.