C h a o t i c Favourites: Stripes are the new black

We've been wearing stripes since well, forever, but have you noticed that stripes have been amped up a bit lately?

There used to be a "rule" that told us that horizontal stripes made us look wider, and to avoid them at all costs. Fast forward a few years and we've learnt how to make them work for all sorts of body shapes, Hooray!

Don't get me wrong, horizontal stripes can make the eye look across the body, creating a perception that the size of your belly or bust is bigger. However, you don't need to search for vertical stripes, instead you just need to know how to make horizontal stripes work for you.

Stripes have become so popular of late that they can even be overlooked as a print. Stripes have become such a basic in our wardrobe that they can be mixed with all sorts of other prints with ease, as easy as a piece of clothing in plain black. This is why I'm calling stripes the new black! It's now perfectly acceptable and bang on trend to pair a striped blazer with a busy printed dress, shirt or scarf. Take our gorgeous Elouise as an example....

Stripe DOs

DO pair a striped top or dress with a vest, blazer or cardi if you want to slim your torso.
DO wear a rib cage length pendant necklace to draw the eye to your waist.
DO try a collar bone length necklace to keep the eye up and away from your torso.
DO try stripe t-shirts in a size or two larger than you'd normally wear to give you a relaxed look and prevent adding any unwanted width.
DO mix stripes with other prints - eg: stripes and plaid!

Breaking up my torso with a vest

Stripe DON'Ts

DON'T wear horizontal striped trousers (unless your have legs like Elle Macpherson) - vertical stripes are your friend here.
DON'T be limited to just navy/white and black/white stripes. Try shades of grey and other colours too.
DON'T just opt for a 'nautical look'...yes, stripes will always be "nautical chic" but that's so yesterday girlfriend!

Stripe-spiration...