If you’ve been out shopping lately, you may have noticed lots of striped clothes in stores and I’m not talking pyjamas!
Stripes tend to feature on both the catwalks and the High Street season after season due to their timeless appeal. Think of the Breton top – often seen as a classic item to own which rarely changes or ages.
Will stripes suit you?
In the main yes but there will be a better way of wearing stripes depending what your body shape is.
Remember that your underlying body shape rarely changes (sorry ladies – even with diet and exercise) so knowing how to dress for your shape and proportions makes shopping easier!
Lean column / rectangle body shapes
For those of you with straight body shapes then the good news is that stripes are made for you! (You’ll know your straighter as you’ll have fewer curves and rarely have any lines going in and out. Fitted and shaped clothes will often make you feel uncomfortable or restricted).
The clean, straight lines of your figure lend themselves perfectly to wearing stripes.
For those of you with a Rectangle body shape, vertical stripes will look great.
If you have a Lean Column body shape then try and have a play around; mix stripes with other patterns if you’re daring or perhaps look at wearing a combination of horizontal and vertical stripes to create the illusion of curves.
Triangle (pear) / inverted triangle body shapes
If you wear different sizes on your top and bottom halves then stripes can work wonders to give the illusion of balancing out your proportions.
If you have a Triangle body shape, try wearing horizontal stripes on your top half. This will balance out your figure and draw the attention upwards.
For those of you with an Inverted Triangle body shape, you want to wear your stripes on your bottom half. Horizontal, or vertical, the choice is yours. A striped skirt with a little fullness will even out your proportions beautifully whilst also showing off a slim waist.
Oval (apple) body shapes
Try to choose stripes that are softer, tonal or faded as they can be trickier to wear.
Full / neat hourglass body shapes
If you have a Full Hourglass figure, you may want to try avoiding stripes altogether; they will have to do a detour around your gorgeous curves! As an alternative; try a pattern that complements your shape batter such as florals. Opt for a stripey accessory (for example, a scarf or bag) to add a little interest to your look instead.
The neat hourglass can wear stripes, but note the curvy comments aboveboard.
All
As with any pattern, ensure you select stripes that complement your size.
If you’re petite, thinner stripes will work best as they won’t overwhelm you’re frame.
If you’re grand in scale (5 foot 7 or taller) then make a statement with bold stripes!
Be in the know
To learn about body shapes, proportions and dressing for your personality, you can book an individual or group style consultation with me.
Get in touch today to book your session.