Choosing prints for a woman’s wardrobe can be a lot like Saturday night at a singles bar: There are many attractive choices on display, but only a select few you should consider taking home. It’s easy to let emotions take over the process, so having a clear-cut set of criteria in advance improves the chance of a meaningful long-term relationship.

In my experience as a fashion and image consultant and teacher, I’ve noticed that most sewers tend to buy too many prints, resulting in wardrobes with limited mix-and-match opportunities. Admittedly, prints are more engaging on the bolt than solid fabrics, but they should be the “icing” in a wardrobe: They need some “cake”—basic pieces in solid colors— with which to wear them.

When you’re choosing prints for your wardrobe, how do you know which are the right ones to buy? The secret is what I call…