Photo: Brent Gambrell / Flickr

Horizontal stripes get a lot of bad press: many guides to dressing will tell you that they make you look wider and that it’s always better to go for the vertical option. As a result, most people are inclined to avoid them even when they’re in fashion and can be found on plenty of great-looking items of clothing. The fact is that stripes can actually make you look thinner, so read on to find out how to avoid missing out on a great look.

If you don’t believe that horizontal stripes can be slimming, there’s proof in research that shows that they create a visual illusion of a slimmer figure. Try on different kinds of stripes: a bold blue and white nautical look might be too much for you, but a grey-on-black stripe may create a subtler effect that you love, with all of the same benefits.

It’s where you wear them

More conventional advice about wearing stripes says that the best way to avoid an unwanted widening effect is to make sure that the stripes don’t draw attention to your problem areas. If your hips bother you, you can wear an eye-catching striped shirt to draw attention away from them while sticking to black at the bottom. Try breaking up the striped effect – a striped cardigan over a plain t-shirt or a striped top under a blazer keeps an outfit interesting but understated.

Weight not your worry?

If it’s not the widening effect of stripes that bothers you, but the other fashion faux pas that can go along with wearing them, fear not. A good simple rule if you’re nervous about wearing stripes is to not combine them with any other patterns – you can wear jeans and a solid-coloured jacket with a great striped top to show it off to its best advantage. Since striped clothes show creases easily, keep them well-ironed, and choose fabrics that don’t require too much care to always look your best in stripes.

Tags: fashion, Fashion trends