Stripes: show and tell - YouLookFab Forum

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Dressing

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Stripes: show and tell

JG

Interesting to read the comments on M's post, BF doesn't like stripes. (Sorry I can't link on my phone. Having tech problems on all my devices. TIA to the person who links in the comments.) Apparently Mo's BF is not the only one hereabouts who doesn't like stripes. I'm on the "It's complicated" team: I like stripes that are irregular in width, broken, space-dye, hand-painted, in odd color combinations, mitered, dolman-sleeved...Complicated, not classic.
What about you? How do you wear stripes and what do those stripes say about your style?

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Dressing

18 replies

Latest reply was from JG

Aziraphale

Veteran

I like stripes with a punk-pop-princess vibe, rather than a nautical or preppy vibe. Black and white stripes are best. Black and grey bar stripes or rugby stripes are good too -- in fact rugby stripes can be really weird colours, like on a rugby jersey, and I'll still like them. I like tiny pinstripes on collared shirts. I liked striped skirts or dresses perhaps more than striped tops. I don't care for uneven stripes. I might take pictures later -- right now I've got to get ready!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I like chevron or zig zag stripes. BF has since backpedaled and explained his anti stripe positions a bit, but did say he's totally on board with pinstripes. Many of his dress shirts are a subtle stripe pattern.
I do not like what I think is called a Breton stripe. Likely because it is so classic.

EDITed to show the stripes I have (#4 for some reason I only have a back pic of my zig zag stripe suit)

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Inge will be showing you her entire wardrobe.

I love stripes. High contrast black/ink with white. Pinstripes. And light blue and white vertical shirt stripes too.

dustt

Veteran

love.them.ALL - big stripes, skinny stripes, vertical stripes, horizontal stripes, diagonal stripes, all color combos, on shirts, scarfs, jackets, skirts, dresses, shoes, socks, pj's - well basically they appear in all iterations except for one lone pair of pinstripe pants...... hmm never noticed that before!

columbine(erin)

Veteran

I think the only stripes I have are narrow, preppy looking navy and white. I wish I'd find some more complicated interesting ones as you've shown.

JG

Aziraphale, hope we see your pictures. And I'm going to Google rugby shirts when I have time. I'd love to have one. Yes, yes to pinstripe shirts, too, although I wore them more when I was working.
Mo, I can't do Bretons, either, even though I'm a Francophile. I love how the other pieces add edge to your classic stripe top. I like everything in your wardrobe!
Angie, I hope Inge does show us all her stripes. I've seen many of yours and could have predicted what you would say. My lifestyle is very casual these days and my clothes are tomboyish and quirky. I love your strict perfection but think I look overly conservative in such looks.
Dustt, I hope you get to show pictures. Your comments made me remember that I love railroad stripes.
I'm off to the movies, will check in later.

Anonymous

Pre YLF I was not a fan of stripes but now like and wear them often. They are fun to mix with other patterns. I like stripes that are of even width and evenly spaced best. I am especially drawn to diagonal stripes. Here are a few old photos using stripes that happen to still be on my pad.

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Gaylene

Veteran

My first response would be to wholeheartedly bat for Team Stripes but I now realize, as you say, it's a bit more complicated. I adore Breton stripes which counts as a pattern in my sea of solids. But I've never liked stripes on pants, nor do I like horizontal stripes on skirts and dresses. I'm ambivalent about uneven stripes, stripe variations, and vertical stripes on shirts. Some I like, but most I'd leave on the rack in a store. So my support for Team Stripes comes with a lot of qualifiers.

JG

Back from lunch, the movie, and dropping off the car for repair...
Columbine, thanks for showing my odd assortment some love. I often think I should be buying higher quality, more sophisticated clothes, but these throw - on - and - go tops are perfect for my activities and visually interesting enough to make me happy.
Joy and Gaylene, I think of both of you when I think of YLF's stripe lovers. Joy, your uniform stripes and classic shapes look great on you. I think my face and frame aren't symmetrical enough for them, although diagonals work and are among my favorites. Gaylene, I never considered myself a stripe lover but, reflecting on my photos (and other striped items not pictured) I realize that stripes play a huge role in my clothes and provide the angularity that I miss now that I'm older and rounder. You have lots of qualifiers to your love of stripes, and I have a lot of exceptions to my neutral attitude toward them.

shiny

Veteran

Interesting thread, JG, thanks for starting it.

I am in the camp with Mo and Joy here - I prefer stripes that are black&white or navy&white. I have only one striped shirt that is otherwise, and now that I see your selection of striped shirts, I realize I like that one precisely because it is "complicated" as you say. It is a VC asymmetrical bandage top in mint & black - this one:

http://www.lyst.com/clothing/v.....-aqua-ice/

I am sensitive that the stripes need to be scaled right for my frame. I would love bold wide stripes like Mo's skirt, but I'm not sure that scale would work for 5'0 tall me. I am still experimenting.

Stripes aside, I'm a total sucker for patterns. Especially paisleys. I can do and have paisley tops dresses etc in a rainbow of colors. Paisleys for me are like crack. B&W stripes PLUS paisley's... I am in heaven... when I looked at your colorful stripe collection, my first thought was that you love stripes the way I love paisley's, and they probably play a similar role in your closet as my paisley's play in mine -- which is different role than stripes for me?

kellygirl

Veteran

I never saw a stripe I didn't like or at least that is how it seems when I look in my closet. In fact, stripes are like neutrals to me. I didn't even realize my affinity for them until I started posting WIWs and noticed that almost every top I have is striped! I love your stripe collection--in fact yours looks quite similar to mine. That navy blue one from target is one if my faves too!

jackiec

Veteran

Well....I'm not really a stripe lover (on myself). I never really thought about it. I don't have a lot, and what I have I don't wear much. Something about high contrast B&W doesn't do much for my colouring (or at least that's what I've deduced...). As for other colours....hmmm...could work but stripes just don't seem to be something that I've ever been drawn to. I wonder if they are too dramatic for me? Heck who knows!? I'm probably in the minority here I'd guess

JG

Shiny, your VC top is striking! I have a cheapie knockoff that looks great on me when my weight is down and makes me look like a truck when it's up or I'm bloated. I'd love to try a well - made version. And you love paisleys! I loved paisley blouses with blazers when I worked. I always wore paisley more during fall and winter but have a summery one in my Finds.
Kelly, I'm tickled to learn that you and I are Target tee twins. I wear my striped tops almost daily this time of year. No separate lounge wear or gear.

Carla

Veteran

Variations on the Breton stripe are my favourite. Below is what I wore just this weekend on a 4 day trip to visit my mother. Didn't get pics of the other outfits, but day 2 was white shorts with a blue ombré T with white stripes, day 3 was black shorts with a black and cream striped Breton T. Day 4 was rolled jeans and a bicycle and floral motif T.

*3 days / 4 for stripes!*

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lyn67

Veteran

I too love stripes a lot! Esp. the narrow, breton type. Navy, black or red AND white for summer and navy or black AND tan or red for winter.

But, as Shiny said, the scale is important, not only with my body frame, but with the clothing item/and the outfit itself. Chevron and patchwork of different stripes and angles is difficult for me, not really loving it. But I still have some items with alternating widths I like. I like stripes because of their clean, geometric appeal, I guess.

crutcher

Veteran

Interesting post...I never saw a stripe I didn't like...Count me in to wearing la mariniere, classic and all...Each of the pictures in this post had me drooling, I had to smile at my reaction.."I like this" and "I like this"...Wonder what this says about my style...smile...

Anonymous

I am a fan of stripes too! I prefer rugby style and high contrast, but I do like tone on tone vertical stripes on shirts also.

JG

Jackie, all your outfits are perfect (phone problems have limited my comments). You probably don't need the graphic or angular effects. I think we're often instinctively drawn to what flatters us. What you are doing works.
Carla, your classic stripes are great on your toned figure and with your energetic, get-it-done persona. Enjoy and keep the photos coming.
Lynn67, sounds like you're a stripe classicist. Scale is key, isn't it? I prefer medium contrast and medium size stripes on me. My wider striped items are low contrast and my fine stripes are either vertical or show more skin at the neck and/or arms.
Crutcher and Kate, I'm getting dizzy from thinking of stripes and seeing "patterns" in my use of them. I have a new appreciation of stripes- I'm JG and I'm a stripe lover, too- but today I'm wearing solids!