I’m just putting it out there, I love striped clothing! There is a certain ageless and magic appeal about stripes. They can hide a multitude of sins or highlight your best assets and there are plenty of reasons why this print is a wardrobe staple and a fashion favourite.
Stripes make you stand out
Who doesn’t love that timeless cult classic – a Breton striped shirt. Hard to believe that this humble favourite got its start as a uniform for French sailors and sea lovers. Ooh la la.
The original shirts were thickly woven for warmth and had 21 stripes on them to signify each of Napoleans victories. The striped pattern chosen so as to make anyone who fell overboard more visible. Practical and pretty, then and now – who doesn’t want to stand out a bit more in midlife?
Vertical or horizontal…or both?
The original thinking was that wearing vertical stripes would give the appearance of elongating your body (therefore making you look thinner). Interestingly though, according to the Helmoltz illusion, a square filled with horizontal lines actually appears taller than one filled with vertical lines. So in theory, horizontal lines could actually make you look longer and slimmer than wearing vertical lines. Long story short – don’t be afraid to wear horizontal stripes people!
Stripes are eternally cool
Wearing stripes with a contrasting pattern, or mashing various stripe colours and print sizes is no longer a fashion no-no either. Add a clashing print for some quirky spunk or contrast your stripes for an instant wardrobe lift. Use colours that complement each other or contrast well for best effect. Add a different texture to the mix to further sex up a striped ensemble.
Stripes are both cool chic and rock chick funky …. smart business and weekend brunch – they’re a timeless classic which I plan on wearing forever.
