Are you striking or striked out in stripes?

FASHION A'LINED'

Stripes go a long way in creating a whole new you. They can make you look thinner if you wish, make your hip look bulkier if you’re too skinny, and even give you a slimmer waist! But only if you know how to pick the right kind of stripes and what to pair them with, checks-out Sarah Thomas

If you have gone shopping anytime in the past you would have noticed an increasing number of striped shirts, pants, and dresses in the market, and it is most likely that you would have picked one up too. These striped apparels are not just a timeless classic but they have a magical effect on the way one perceives your body structure. No doubt the pattern is eye catching but a right sense of the stripes can make you look striking or in a literal sense can strike your look completely!

Stripes create an illusion in the mind of the viewer, you can seem taller, slimmer and curvier than usual. However, this would depend on the size of the stripes, pattern direction, colours used and what you team it up with. “Vertical stripes make a woman look thinner and taller as well. Funny how a few lines could do wonders. If you are on the bulky side, then vertical stripes are a good choice,” says  Anushka Mishra, Visual Communication student. Vertical stripes direct the eyes of the onlooker in an up-down motion so it provides an illusion of length and makes you look slimmer as well. The horizontal stripe on the other hand has a reverse effect making you look wider than usual.

Diagonal stripes gives you a sleek look, here the waist seems narrower. But that is not all, for you have to keep in mind the size of the stripes as well, says Akshay Chopra, an ethnic wear designer. He further adds, “Stripes with a huge amount of spacing is not something I would advise, however, it works differently for different women.”

There are different kinds of stripes based on the size or the spacing, between them, ‘pencil stripes’, ‘hairline stripes’ and ‘pin stripes’ are thin bands compared to the thicker, ‘candy stripe’ and ‘awing stripe’. Outfits that have large bands of horizontal stripes makes you look fat. Draped stripes, which are stripes on fabrics that can be draped, add volume and if you are not well endowed on the upper half of your body, these stripes can just be the solution.
The talk of stripes brings images of black and white bands to a person’s mind, but stripes can be of any colour. Akshay is of the opinion that narrow stripes with subtle colours look gorgeous on women, high contrast between the stripes would be loud and in some cases slightly disturbing, but if one has the confidence and the body to carry it off, then there’s no harm in experimenting. If you don’t want to take chances and want to play safe then stick to dark colours; they look elegant.

“The problem most people encounter with streamlined patterns, is that they do not know what to wear it with, you can either team a striped top with a plain complementing coloured bottom or you can mix the stripe top with another striped bottom, experimenting with the sizes of the lines,” says Neetha Mehtha, a fashion designer.

Always remember when it comes to mixing between two striped garments, stick to one colour, too many colours will turn you into a clown! Plain coloured outfits can be worn with striped blazers. This adds a bit of dynamism to a dull, boring attire. It can be done the other way too, wearing a plain jacket to complement the lines you have worn underneath.

Neeta also threw light on the popularity of striped pants and skirts. Most people do not go in for striped bottoms because of the misconception that it makes one look large, but that is not true, striped bottoms are equally great.

They make a bold statement and it is extremely fashionable. For the pear shaped figures, striped pants can just be your saviour, provided they are vertical and not horizontal as they elongate the lower part of the body. Stripes worn on other patterns can be an extremely risky choice, it is best if you refrain from such combinations.

Also the fitting of the garment matters as much as the patterns do. Do not wear extremely loose clothes; you do not want to be swimming in those stripes. The garment should draw attention to your curves; fitting clothes make you look slim and the patterns will look much better on you. Try striped pencil skirts and pants they make the waist look more shapely.

Another way of making use of stripes is by limiting them to accessories and belts. Stripes are very eye catching. Striped belts can be worn on a solid coloured dress. If your waist is where you want to draw attention, then that is where the stripes should be also never forget the basics of stripes, verticals make you seem thin and the horizontal ones do right the opposite.

There are various ways to wear stripes,, but what if you are on the bulky side and you still like horizontal stripes. There is a solution to that too, you can wear horizontal stripes provided you wear a shrug or a jacket. This acts as a barrier and does not allow the eye to travel along the complete horizontal path, hence it does not make you look bulky.

Throughout the years there have been arguments regarding stripes and how they must be worn. While a few people thought horizontal stripes to be better at accentuating a woman’s curves, a few others were of the opinion that it looked dowdy and made the wearer seem larger than what she is. But the truth is no argument holds good before a mirror. What works for one may not work for the other, and with stripes it is important to be sure.

So experiment, have fun but remember to swirl in front of the mirror before walking out the door.