Stripes.

Oh goodness. I am curvy by all accounts. I think it's beautiful and feminine. But I think it is very important to focus on your best. Everybody type has certain design aspects that can improve it.

I have been seeing this everywhere and I feel like it's not being done quite right and sometimes its done very badly. There are so many poor girls who just don't know how to do it right. So here is my two cents. First of all stripes are classic. They have a purpose in design, they make things look bigger. Thats why they are so great on a wall, they can expand the room because they draw the eye horizontally. As clothes though, you have to be careful. Thats why people watch shows called, "What not to wear". You see things that are "in trend" are usually not the best for everyone. Like horizontal strips, they are only ok for really skinny people and the occasional baby bump. Lets take a look.

When Stripes are everywhere... things like this happen.

She looks so wide. (and i know its oddly cropped) 

And she just had a baby, so i know how she feel,s and i feel kind of bad she gets to be my bad example. But she is a judge on Fashion Stars... she should have known better.

I would take this picture off if i didn't feel it could do the world some good.

So here is another example... on a tiny model.

She's the same model.

             

 

 Can you not see it? How much wider the stripes make her look? and she is even wearing white in the skinny picture, which is not forgiving.

So now that everyone gets it. Lets talk about they ways we should wear stripes.

 Diagonal

Diagonal is the closest you can get to horizontal. It has this magic of making the clothing look bigger on purpose, so whatever is underneath becomes a mystery. A good mystery.   

             

                               Bebe: $35.95                               White House Black Market: $128.00

                     Express : $19.90                                                   Express: $19.90

Vertical

The very best stripe of all. It elongates your body. It makes you look leaner and taller. Plus it draws the eye up to your beautiful face, making it a focal. 

              

             Pleats are a great way to do vertical in a subtle way.          LOVE This swim. Sorry its sold out.

j

 

                                                                                                                     Oasis: $115.00            

Chevron

But be careful, its can still be wee bit widening, but in a diagonal sort of way.

                    Brittany Snow                      White House Black Market: $78.00

                                             Bebe: $89.00                                Bebe: $69.00

Mix it up

do multiple directions so your eye doesn't just go side to side.  

            Dorothy Perkins: $29.00 (I LOVE THIS)                                          Bebe: $89.00

do a Shoe

                     

                  J Crew $138.00                                                                  J Crew: $138.00 

Zappos: $79.00

But

If your still gonna wear some horizontal stripes, at least take this into account.

Use it to your advantage. (like if you want to make your chest look bigger) 

White House Black Market:$68.00

Modcloth: $77.99

If your Pregnant your belly becomes your best asset its totally always ok to show it off.

Plus your body is off proportion so the lines draw the belly forward. see.

Put a solid over it. 

It gives the stripes a bound so it doesn't get out of control.

Make sure its not too tight. Make it bag on purpose.  

Stripes are great. So fun and bold. And Just like everything in the world, they can be misused. 

Take pride in who you are with what you wear. Clothes are the best way for you to wear your heart on your sleeve. Its the first thing people see when they meet you. Accentuate the best things about you and thats what people will focus on.