Mainstream petite stores frequently carry garments with horizontal stripe patterns. This always baffles me as one of the common rules of petite fashion is to draw the observer’s eye up and down in a continuous flow. Horizontal stripes impede this by drawing attention side to side.
I avoid horizontal stripes as much as possible, but let’s face it – sometimes you just want to wear stripes, and vertical styles are few and far between. Here are 6 tips to prevent horizontal stripes from making you look shorter:
Tip #1: Choose thin stripes. Large stripes will look disproportionate on small bodies.
Tip #2: The color of the stripes should be similar to each other. The less contrast the better! Instead of black and white stripes, think light blue/white, navy/black, red/tan, or even better: two different shades of the same color.
Tip #3: Carry the color tones of the striped garment into your whole outfit. Evaluate if the stripes are dark, medium, or light shades, and in a cool palette or a warm palette, then aim to have even shoes and cardigans fit into the same tonal family.
Tip #4: Wear heeled, closed toe boots. An extra few inches of height will help offset the horizontal stripes, and simple styles without peek-a-boo cutouts help keep the look flowing together.
Tip #5: Opt for a form fitting cut. A baggy, boxy, or boyfriend style will add even more width rather than helping to balance the horizontal stripes.
Tip #6: Accessorize minimally. The stripes are already a focal point, so go with thin, delicate metals rather than chunky costume jewelry.
Here are a few great stripes on the market: a long sleeve tee in heather grey/pink stripe or blue/grey stripe, a dress in olive/black stripe, or this moto jacket in grey/black or pink/grey. I hope these tips help open you up to new outfit options!