Style Tips for Wearing Stripes

I'm a creature of habit. Honestly, it's awful. If you know me personally, you know I wear three things: Neutrals, Stripes, and Florals. But above all, there's nothing I love more than the classic look of stripes. They can be dressed up or down, and are perfect for adding dimension to any outfit. A lot of women are nervous to wear stripes. But, if they're styled correctly, they can look great on everybody. Today, I'm gonna share my Top 5 Tips on how to Style Stripes!

First off, I'm gonna start with some general rules about horizontal stripes:

• Avoid putting horizontal stripes across the larger parts of your body.
• The wider the stripe, the wider and shorter the area will appear.
• The higher the contrast in color, the more dramatic the widening effect.
• You can minimize a stripe’s widening effect by mixing with vertical design elements.

Tip #1 Add a Statement Necklace

Adding a statement necklace or a scarf in the colder months highlights the neckline, breaks up the stripes, and adds dimension. All of these things will allow the stripes to highlight but not overtake your body frame. The larger the statement necklace, the less the stripes will be the spotlight of your outfit. See below for Olivia Palermo's take on this tip. 

​Tip #2 Do a V-Neck instead of a Crew Neck

Crew necks and stripes are hard to pull off for women, unless you were granted with beautifully slim shoulders + a small bust. Then, by all means, rock those crew necks like Audrey Hepburn. Most often, though, they widen the shoulders too much and can cause the "linebacker" effect, especially in long sleeves. V-necks help to highlight your neckline and slim your bust. Plus, this the perfect excuse to wear the choker trend even more often this summer!If you aren't a fan of v-necks, definitely use Tip #1 to highlight your neckline.

Tip #3 Layer Stripes over a Neutral

 My personal favorite for this tip: A striped blazer over a black column. So chic and flattering at any age. Another great option is to do a striped long-sleeve and add a vest over top! This breaks up the stripes and minimized the widening effect that can occur with stripes. Any way you add dimension and layer stripes will always make the body looker thinner in clothing.

Tip #4 Wear Long-Skinny Stripes​

Long skinny stripes can help elongate your figure and make you look skinnier. A tight, striped blouse looks great with a tight pair of black pants and high black heels. This will draw people’s attention down and make your frame look taller and thinner. Pants or skirts with vertical stripes are also flattering, especially paired with a solid colored top or bottom.

Tip #5 Avoid Horizontal Stripes on your Bottom Half (usually)

Wear a fit and flare style where the stripes are tighter on the relatively small part of the body and loose on the larger part. Add a contrasting cardigan and necklace for some vertical details. Don't wear the lighter part of a stripe tightly on the widest part of your rear (unless you happen to have a very tiny bottom and want to draw the eye to that area). 

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If you have small hips, you can go for a horizontal striped pant, but most often, I'd suggest women wear vertical stripes on their bottoms. They elongate the leg and look chic.

I hope these tips help you style some stripes into your outfit! And remember, don't be afraid to take a risk. 99.99% of the time it pays off + you love the look you went with! 

xoxo, 
Brittany