In the Netherlands, animal print clothes are not just a passing trend but something that has been a part of Dutch fashion for years — and it’s here to stay.
Animal print is one of the staples in the Dutch wardrobe, right alongside flared pants and the black leather jacket.
Bored with your outfit? The Dutch would recommend throwing on a zebra print ruffle skirt and calling it a day!
What is it?
Whether it’s leopard print, zebra print, or tiger print, these patterns can be found in almost every Dutch person’s wardrobe.
On what kind of clothing? There are no limits. You’ll find these patterns on flared pants, shirts, dresses, skirts… the list goes on.
Ever been to a Dutch student city? You’ll notice that cheetah print, in particular, seems to be the uniform of many Dutch sororities. You’ll also see it in shop windows at almost any time of year.
READ MORE | Dutch quirk #8: dress the same as every other Dutchie (AKA the Dutch uniform)
Why do they do it?
The Dutch love a little flare in most things that they do.
Whether it’s to become an orange dot from the sky on Koningsdag or to spend more than €100,000,000 a year on fireworks and set them off all on one day of the year.
The Dutch love breaking free from conventional ways, and this is reflected in their clothing.
READ MORE | 7 times the Dutch did it first: fun facts from the Netherlands
Why is it quirky?
In many European countries, fashion is known for its clean lines and minimalist style.
The Dutch went in the opposite direction, celebrating all of the lively patterns and colours, including, especially, animal print.
And while some “fashion rules” often recommend not to layer multiple pattern pieces in one outfit, the Dutch don’t limit themselves.
Their fashion choices add to the list of ways that the Dutch culture proudly loves to stand out.
Should you join in?
If you enjoy wearing jazzy clothes, do join in and have fun with what you wear!
You’ll most likely receive plenty of compliments, and no one will look at you funny. Plus, you’ll never run out of clothes to buy in stores.
And if leopard print every day is just not for you, that’s okay too.
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in March 2022, and was fully updated in September 2023 for your reading pleasure.
I am so glad to hear that Dutch culture like animal prints . I also love them as long as they are fake prints not real exotic animal skin .here in California USA not many woman wear the animal print . They connect the animal print with real animal skin and sometimes they get angry lol