Inadvertently, I seem have adopted stripes again. I wore a lot of stripes for many years, but over recent years had not added many new ones in, perhaps I overdosed. Well that has changed in 2025, and now I have to be careful to call a halt on the stripey pieces.

I have added the brown long sleeve tee (almost a sweatshirt) to wear over summer at the beach on cooler days, or evenings. It will be good for the sort of casual summer living we do and into autumn as well. I think it will work well with blue and cream jeans in particular. This is a wardrobe hole I have been keen to fill.

I also added the striped tee (it is black and white,but could read navy and white) as a return to a fitted style of tee. I like it but after one wash (warm not hot) it seems to have shrunk in length so I need to stretch it out again. It is NZ made (as is the first long sleeve top) so that means they are not inexpensive. I am keen to support these retailers.

I had added the two striped dresses previously - one at the "Op Shop" and one in Paris

Whilst not stripes, but they kind of read that way, in the Black Friday sales I picked up the navy and cream Goodsole sneakers. They are yet to arrive but I am familiar with the brand after adding a yellow pair earlier in the year. And the plaid navy and cream top is also two sets of stripes, one horizontal and one vertical.

Why the return to the stripe? I am really enjoying contrast right now, especially white/cream and another colour. I have experimented with tonal looks, and they don't feel like me. We will see how it all goes, I have had good wear out of the existing pieces already so fingers crossed....I have to be careful as I do like long lines and stripes can read more gamine than I am, but they do feel as though go with my sporty natural style as well.