Horizontal Stripes: Yea or Nay?
Sonia Rykiel at Net-a-Porter, $670
Talbots Collection, $89
Marc by Marc Jacobs, $84
One of the Rules when I was growing up was Thou Shalt Not Wear Horizontal Stripes If Thine Proportions Are Abundant. (And “Abundant” meant “Other Than Twiglike.”) Do you wear horizonal stripes? If so, do you follow certain guidelines with regard to size, contrast, etc? Are there any other Rules of Style you grew up with that now seem outmoded but that you just can’t break?
We haven’t done a poll in a while, so I’ve added one to the right.
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I’m only 5′ 2″, so I never wear horizontal stripes on my torso. I made one exception to my ‘no stripes’ rule for a Sonya Rykiel sweater that was black with multi color striped sleeves.
Some times they’re okay on tall thin people, but I still think of prison wear when I see most of the stripped sweaters and tops of today’s styles.
In your examples, the Talbot’s sweater is not too bad. Not that I’d wear it, but the balance of colours and sizes of the stripes seems to be less ugly.
I seem to recall reading somewhere that horizontal stripes are in fact slimming — contrary to everything we’d been taught! I’m 5’6″ and a size 18, and I wear horizontal stripes in the form of tees. The secret is for the top to fit well — so that your curves show through. Otherwise, you just look like a striped box. Not a good look.
I don’t like blanket rejections of any fashion (except for crocs), beause there’s always an exception to the rule and a way to make something work. It has a lot to do with fit. If you’re wearing that Marc Jacobs dress and it doesn’t fit and the stripes across whatever your problem area is stretch or distort, it’s basically a big blinking sign shouting, “PROBLEM AREA!” But if things fit well, stripes function like any pattern & can be great camouflage. Just beware the Marcel Marceau effect, as I found out the hard way.
I don’t wear stripes often, from having the same mistrust of them inculcated through the years. But especially in summer, I’ll often add a Gap T in navy/white ’cause that look is so irresistible in summer. Generally, if I wear stripes, they’re either slim-ish ones or, if they’re wider, they’ll be in a more subdued palette.Right now, I have a Club Monaco V-neck fine merino pullover in grey with cream stripes — I’ll tend to wear heels if I’m wearing it and to wear a long, grey (Grandpa-style) cardigan over for a contrasting vertical line.
I never wear horizontal stripes. I have an “ample” bust and stripes in this direction are truly not flattering to me! I love putting stripes and polkadots on my two year old daughters though–they are still of the age that these patterns are adorable!
H to the E to the double L yes.
I wear horizontal stripes all the time…and I’m a fat girl. And I look fabulous. As Style Spy says, it’s all about the fit.
Horizontal stripes are one of my favorites patterns. Being traditionally apple shaped, I find that if I buy the right stripes, they’re actually flattering.
I usually stick to larger stripes, though I have had smaller ones in the past. Typically I make sure the darkest color hits my narrowest point, with the lightest around my bust and hips. It helps create a more hourglass figure.
They’re probably ok if narrow and not too eye popping. I like the ones from Talbot’s and BR the best. The Sonya Rykiel might work because it has that strong vertical accent caused by black bands.
Miss J no longer wears horizontal stripes… even when she id, it was “tops only”.
Horizontal, diagonal, vertical — I don’t care which way the stripes are. If I like the piece, I wear it!
There’s no category for “stripes on this butt!?”
My slender and stylish 14-year-old looks great in them, but I definitely don’t.
These days, I shy away from most patterns now, favoring solid-colored clothes and adding the pattern/stripe/accent with accessories.
I’ve been enjoying your blog ever since I ran across it a few months ago. Thanks for writing so thoughtfully and sensibly about fashion and life.
No horizontal stripes! (Right up there with “NO WIRE HANGERS!”) And no white after Labor Day…ivory, yes, white, never! But then, I wear hats, and would wear white gloves if I could just keep them clean. Well, maybe not so much with the gloves. And does anyone know why it was considered tacky to wear jewelry on the outside of opera length evening gloves? I always thaught that looked beautiful in the old movies, but someone once told me it was Simply Not Done…
I’d wear the BR one. Since my bottom half is the Non-Twiggy area I like to bring attention to the top half – and I this sort of short/wide visual might do the trick.
Darla
NEVER-EVER-NEVER.If I wasn’t clear that was a no.
Northmoon – I guess one of my poll categories should have been Jailhouse Rock, eh? 🙂
Rubiatont – I’m recalling that as well; was it on Duchesse’s blog perhaps?
Darla – I’d give that BR one a try as well if only the sleeves were a bit longer. It’s cute, though.
Style Spy – LOL regarding M. Marceau! I think I’ve had some similar “oops” moments.
Materfamilias – sometimes those striped tees just look so darn Petit Bateau Chic, they’re tough to resist. I had one Ralph Lauren one that I wore out and haven’t been able to replace.
spacegeek – two year old girls can get away with wearing just about anything. The cuteness overrides all other considerations. In fact, the more they mix patterns or wear mismatched socks, the cuter they look!
madame suggia – it sounds like you’ve been able to make the horizontals work well for you, kudos!
LBR – but tell us how you *really* feel about horizontal stripes…
😉
Ashe – it sounds as though you too have figured out how to make this style flatter you. Très bon!
Nancy – The thing I like about both the Talbot’s and BR is that there are stripes going in different directions. It seems to break up the horizontal line a bit. And Rykiel seems to love her stripes; since posting this I’ve seen several other items in that line with similar stripes.
Miss Janey – I think most of us would be *ahem* a bit reluctant to wear horizontals on the bottom half, though I have seen some cute horizontal striped tights…
Wendyb – you manage to always make it work, too. You seem to have a fantastic sense of what looks good for you. (LOVE your horizontal striped dress you posted a few days back!)
writingbabe – I tend to follow the same philosophy, and usually let my accessories carry any distinctive pattern. And thank you for the lovely compliment, so glad you enjoy the blog!
Karen – oh, I’ll bet you’d look just darling in a striped tee. But you rock the patterns, I must say.
Maravonda – I’ve never heard that rule about the jewelry and opera length gloves. I think it’s a totally elegant look. I have a box of little white cotton gloves (unused) in my garage somewhere; they belonged to my grandmother.
I’ll only wear the horizontals if they are skinny and if my stomach feels really really tight and I have been doing tons of Pilates work. Translation: Not often.
I don’t wear stripes, I’m too busty. But I like the fresh look of a fairly thin striped tee or jersey. As the texture bulks up, stripes are iffy on anyone, which is why the local Gaps had stacks and stacks of those striped cardigans on deep discount.
Other rules my mother imparted: skirt should not be longer than coat (unless a ‘stroller’ or ‘fingertip jacket’), shoes should match bag (ha!) and one I believe to this day: women should not smoke on the street.
The rules with horiztonal stripes is that the narrower the stripe, the more flattering it is, the wider it is the less flattering (and more widening).
It’s all about fences and ladders – and I shall do a post on it for you.
I think I know what Imogen is going to say about “fences and Ladders.”
If you wear a CARDIGAN open over the striped tee, you have created long visual lines that actually make your waist look smaller! The stripes have a “boundary” now, which is much smaller than your own middle. So the stripes actually are saying, “my waist is only 8 inches wide!” And if you say, button the cardie under your bust, leaving the rest undone, you have created a nice “hourglass”!
Make sense? Just slap me upside the head if I am way off-base here…
I like stripes and I think stripes such as an interesting pinstripe or a striped oxford can be a great way to add a fun/sporty but still classic “punch” to more corporate clothing.
I also love rugby shirts and classic striped tees–both have such a fresh, summer-y vibe. It truly is all about fit and proportions–a striped tee that fits properly and hits at the right point can be extremely flattering.
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Wait, why do we obsess this much about looking thinner? Horizontal stripes aren’t the enemy; ill-fitting clothing is.
Tim Gunn has decreed that horizontal stripes should not be worn by those over age 40, but hey, screw him; he is a wax figure from Madame Tussaud’s.
The whole where vertical stripes don’t wear horizontal stripes is so wrong. Although I am not overweight I am definitely curvy and I only where horizontal stripes. They not only make women’s tatas look super big they even everything out. If you have any kind of bulges in the stomach or padded hips vertical stripes will only accentuate that. Bottom line wear horizontal stipes.
Staar
Really like all the comments. At 5’2″ and 112 and curvy, I love horizontal stripes.But only on top. I find them very elegant. The Rykiel paired with black trousers and a great heel would be yummy. I pay no attention to rules, but look in a full length mirror. One knows when one looks good. We smile.