There’s a new stripe in town!
The striped shirt has been a beloved institution in fashion since March, 1858 when it became the uniform of the French navy after Napoleon’s victories. It became known as the Breton shirt, named after the Breton workers who increased its popularity throughout the later half of the nineteenth century.
In the early 1900?s, Coco Chanel took a trip to the French Riviera. There she saw the workers in the marina wearing their knit navy and white striped shirts and the inspiration for a new nautical collection was born. Paired with her wide- leg pants and high waisted belt, Coco Chanel was a vision of casual, seaside sportswear.
And guess what? It’s back for us to wear this Spring/Summer. Stripes this season come either horizontal or vertical. The key thing is they are BOLD, often with thicker lines contrasting with a third skinnier stripe. Think posh school boys in preppy blazers.
Wear vertical stripes to elongate your body – they get extra points there from me, at a mere 5ft 2in, I need all the help I can get with looking taller and therefore slimmer.
Currently they are around in monochrome, as the new season hits the shops we will see everything in stripes from shirts to knee length pleats coming in candy stripes and bright hues.
Even though we may want to follow fashion and embrace the stripe, we need to know our body shape before deciding how to wear it. See my tips below, before you invest.
Busty and curvy
Horizontal lines contribute to the feeling of width as the eye is drawn across the fabric – so not ideal. Why not wear a cardigan or jacket over the striped top so you see a pop of the stripe rather than the whole expanse and team with plain bottoms?
Boyish
With your great figure you can go horizontal or vertical. Tight horizontal lines and thin stripes across the hips and bust will create shape and give the illusion of movement, accentuating what little curves there may be.
Alternate black and white blocks for instance will exaggerate where areas start and finish giving the impression of someone more voluptuous.
Triangle
Hurrah you can draw attention to your top half. If you are also smaller in the bust, wear horizontal stripes on your top to draw the eye away from the challenging area of your bottom half. Choosing plain skirts and trousers will also deflect attention.
Stripes will also broaden shoulders to balance out your hips.
Petite
The size of stripe you wear should ideally work with your scale (this is decided by your shoe size). You would be known as petite scale if you have a shoe size of 4 (37) or under.
You need to achieve harmony with your scale when you are wearing a stripe so don’t go too large or you will look overwhelmed and all we will see is the stripes and not you looking gorgeous.
So if you are not sure how to tackle the mesmerizing array of prints this year – take a graphic approach – stripes are one of the easiest ways to dip your toe into the trend – think Coco Chanel, think St Tropez and the French Riviera!
Written by Shan Williams, Personal Stylist.
Why not book a full make-over just for you to ensure you buy exactly what suits you and save money by wearing all your clothes. Click here to find your nearest consultant and send them an email. We are a friendly lot!
Lots more to look at on www.pinterest.com/colourmebeautuk/stylish-stripes/
Photo credited: Mariana Cassou On: São Paulo Fashion Week | The Tory Blog
The striped shirt has been a beloved institution in fashion since March, 1858 when it became the uniform of the French navy after Napoleon’s victories. It became known as the Breton shirt, named after the Breton workers who increased its popularity throughout the later half of the nineteenth century.
In the early 1900?s, Coco Chanel took a trip to the French Riviera. There she saw the workers in the marina wearing their knit navy and white striped shirts and the inspiration for a new nautical collection was born. Paired with her wide- leg pants and high waisted belt, Coco Chanel was a vision of casual, seaside sportswear.
And guess what? It’s back for us to wear this Spring/Summer. Stripes this season come either horizontal or vertical. The key thing is they are BOLD, often with thicker lines contrasting with a third skinnier stripe. Think posh school boys in preppy blazers.
Wear vertical stripes to elongate your body – they get extra points there from me, at a mere 5ft 2in, I need all the help I can get with looking taller and therefore slimmer.
Currently they are around in monochrome, as the new season hits the shops we will see everything in stripes from shirts to knee length pleats coming in candy stripes and bright hues.
Even though we may want to follow fashion and embrace the stripe, we need to know our body shape before deciding how to wear it. See my tips below, before you invest.
Busty and curvy
Horizontal lines contribute to the feeling of width as the eye is drawn across the fabric – so not ideal. Why not wear a cardigan or jacket over the striped top so you see a pop of the stripe rather than the whole expanse and team with plain bottoms?
Boyish
With your great figure you can go horizontal or vertical. Tight horizontal lines and thin stripes across the hips and bust will create shape and give the illusion of movement, accentuating what little curves there may be.
Alternate black and white blocks for instance will exaggerate where areas start and finish giving the impression of someone more voluptuous.
Triangle
Hurrah you can draw attention to your top half. If you are also smaller in the bust, wear horizontal stripes on your top to draw the eye away from the challenging area of your bottom half. Choosing plain skirts and trousers will also deflect attention.
Stripes will also broaden shoulders to balance out your hips.
Petite
The size of stripe you wear should ideally work with your scale (this is decided by your shoe size). You would be known as petite scale if you have a shoe size of 4 (37) or under.
You need to achieve harmony with your scale when you are wearing a stripe so don’t go too large or you will look overwhelmed and all we will see is the stripes and not you looking gorgeous.
So if you are not sure how to tackle the mesmerizing array of prints this year – take a graphic approach – stripes are one of the easiest ways to dip your toe into the trend – think Coco Chanel, think St Tropez and the French Riviera!
Written by Shan Williams, Personal Stylist.
Why not book a full make-over just for you to ensure you buy exactly what suits you and save money by wearing all your clothes. Click here to find your nearest consultant and send them an email. We are a friendly lot!
Lots more to look at on www.pinterest.com/colourmebeautuk/stylish-stripes/
Photo credited: Mariana Cassou On: São Paulo Fashion Week | The Tory Blog
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