This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Oregon chapter.
People often shy away from wearing stripes for fear of how they will look in them, or lack the confidence they need to pull the pieces together. But I am here to tell you, you never need to be afraid of stripes again. Anyone from Kim Kardishan to a regular college student can wear stripes and look fabulous. You just need to remember these seven easy tips.
1. If you lack the confidence to wear stripes or just do not like the way you look in them, start small with some accessories. Buy a cute pair of striped sunglasses, shoes, or even an oversized bag. Accessories with stripes will make your outfit pop and will give your outfit some spice.
2. Wear vertical stripes if you want to elongate your body.
3. Forget that old wives’ tale that horizontal stripes make you look bigger. They don’t. You just need to select the right sized stripes for your body type. In fact, horizontal stripes can make you look thinner! If you are unsure, stay away from very thin or very thick stripes.
4. For a pulled together look in no time, pair a horizontal striped shirt with long pants, like skinny jeans, or a maxi skirt, as this will elongate your look and give you the height that have always wanted. If you want to wear shorts with a striped top, try wearing a longer top. This will prevent your outfit from looking too choppy.
5. When deciding which striped shirt to buy, keep this in mind – the smaller the stripes, the smaller you look. So, if you want to hide your hips, choose smaller stripes. If you want to accentuate your chest, wear bigger stripes.
6. To prevent stripes from overwhelming your outfit, I suggest pairing stripes with solids.
7. The main tip I can give you is to own your look. Confidence is key when wearing stripes.