Stripes are one of those evergreen prints that will never go out of style. Plus they can be super flattering. And, if you need another reason to wear them, they’re very much on trend this season. In this article, we will show you all the chicest striped clothes and accessories we’ve found, as well as how to put together your striped outfits.

Why we love stripes

There are so many reasons to add stripes to your closet. These are just some of them.

1. stripes are never out of style

Stripes have been worn for centuries. First, they were worn by the ‘outsider’ and as part of uniforms. But they’ve come full circle and are now an absolute classic. From the sailors of the French navy to iconic striped designs by Chanel, stripes have a timeless appeal that transcends trends. If you invest in stripes, you can be sure it’s a pattern that won’t date.

2. Stripes are figure-flattering

Stripes can help to balance out your silhouette or can make you look taller and slimmer.

Tanasha wears a red and white striped outfit | 40plusstyle.com

Tanasha @letsrecreatethelook above opts for a beautiful red and white outfit.

Recreate her outfit with this similar top, pants, sandals, handbag and earrings.

3. Striped outfits bang on trend

While stripes are always in style, they are particularly on trend right now, as you can see in our round up of trends for 2024.

4. Stripes look great with denim

Stripes are easy to combine with any kind of denim for a relaxed but hip casual look.

Stripe shirt, denim skirt and sneakers | 40plusstyle.com

Shirt from H&M (similar options here and here), skirt from H&M (other options here and here), similar sneakers and sunglasses

What to think about?

Because stripes are so effective at balancing out your silhouette, you can be really strategic about how you wear them. For example, wear horizontal stripes to create width, and horizontal to slim and add length. If you’re pear-shaped, for example, you can wear stripes horizontally across your top to balance out wider hips.

Who should wear them?

Everyone! Stripes look fantastic on all body shapes. They can be particularly good for rectangle shapes as the stripes mirror the athletic shape of your body. It’s all about how you wear them for the most flattering effect.

Stripe shirt, denim jacket and cargo pants | 40plusstyle.com

Shirt from H&M (similar options here and here), jacket from H&M (another option here), cargo pants from H&M (another option here), similar sneakers, sunglasses and fedora hat

which style personalities are stripes good for?

You can adapt the way you wear your stripes to fit into any style personality. But they work especially well for classic and preppy styles.

On the right lines: how to wear stripes this season | 40plusstyle.com

Alison @wardrobe_oxygen above (read her style interview here) shows how you could mix your stripes.

Check out this similar dress, 2-pc set or this top and skirt that you can wear with this similar pair of sandals, bag and earrings.

Stripes on the catwalks

There were stripes of all different colors and all different directions on the catwalks for this summer season, so you can be sure every type of stripe is on trend. Just choose the stripes that look best on you.

Stripe outfits on the catwalks | 40plusstyle.com

Louis VuittonBottega VenetaChanel

Striped outfits

Now let’s move on to look at some of the most stylish stripes we’ve found in stores.

Striped outfits for women over 40 | 40plusstyle.com

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15

Striped tops

Starting with tops, you really can’t get any more classic than a striped shirt. But we love the fact that rag & bone had given the classic striped shirt a twist with the overlapping hemline. We also love the way that Proenza Schouler has combined the feel of stripes with tie-dye, and the little twist at the waistline from Tanya Taylor.

Plus, while you might think stripe is a choice of horizontal or vertical, diagonal stripes are also a great choice because they have an asymmetric feel and draw the eyes down and across, creating a visual slimming effect.

Striped tops | 40plusstyle.com

Proenza Schouler White Label Finley Stripe Tie-Dye T-ShirtTanya Taylor Jacobs Striped Knit Toprag & bone Indiana Striped Twisted ShirtTanya Taylor Imara Striped Tie-Waist Long Sleeve Blouse

Carmen wears a striped top and print pants | 40plusstyle.com

Carmen @carmen_gimeno above shows how you can mix your stripes with other patterns. You’ll find more advice on print mixing in this article.

Steal her look with this similar shirt (another option here), pants, sneakers, handbag and sunglasses.

Striped jackets and cover-ups

Adding a striped jacket or cardigan is a great way to update your jeans and t-shirt outfits. You can go as subtle or as bold as you want with your stripes. You could also think about a striped caftan as a swimsuit cover-up or to wear over your tank top and shorts on vacations or warm days.

Striped jackets and cover-ups | 40plusstyle.com

J.Crew Collection Linen Blend Tuxedo Blazer – NIC+ZOE Fringe Knit Cotton-Blend Jacketba&sh Massimo Striped Cotton & Wool CardiganVince Oversized Stripe Cotton Caftan

Striped cardigan and jeans outfit | 40plusstyle.com

ba&sh Massimo Striped Cotton & Wool CardiganCinq à Sept Kylen Ruched Jersey T-ShirtL’AGENCE Ruth Mid-Rise Slim-Straight Jeansadidas Grand Court Alpha Cloudfoam SneakerThink Royln The Original Crossbody Bum BagHSWE Statement Collar Necklace

pants and jeans

Striped pants are fantastic for creating a leg-lengthening effect, and you can opt for whatever color or shade best suits your figure. For instance, pear-shaped women can go with dark-colored pants with a pale stripe. Inverted triangles can do it the other way around, where you will want to balance your body out to create width at your bottom half. Stripes also work well if you are petite and want to create the illusion of height.

Pants and jeans | 40plusstyle.com

FRAME Le Crop Striped High-Rise Cropped Boot-Cut JeansFRAME Le Slim Palazzo Bardot Striped PantsLoulou Studio Enyo Stripe Linen-Blend PantsSimon Miller Jabber Striped Wide-Leg Pants

White t-shirt and striped pants outfit | 40plusstyle.com

Cinq à Sept Kylen Ruched Jersey T-ShirtSimon Miller Jabber Striped Wide-Leg PantsBernardo Goldy SandalsLongchamp Le Pliage Marinière Recycled Nylon Canvas Travel BagMadewell Droplet Hoop Earrings

Striped dresses and skirts

A striped dress or shirt is perfect for vacations. Look out for shirt dresses and full skirts. We also love the way that the Tanya Taylor dress (below) uses stripes in different directions for a stylish effect.

Striped dresses and skirts | 40plusstyle.com

J.Crew Striped Cotton Poplin Midi DressTanya Taylor Cody Striped Sleeveless DressJ.Crew Pleated SkirtMarie Oliver Sasha Striped A-Line Midi-Skirt

Cathy wears a striped dress and white blazer | 40plusstyle.com

Cathy @themiddlepageblog above (read her style interview here) opts for subtle stripes with her belted green and blue dress, and adds a blazer over her shoulders. This outfit would be perfect for summer events.

Check out these dresses from Knitss, Staud, Tanya Taylor and Amazon that you can wear with this similar blazer, sandals, bag and sunglasses.

shoes

You don’t have to wear stripes on your clothing. Instead, you could update your outfits by adding a pair of striped shoes. You can opt for any style, whether you prefer sneakers, sandals, or loafers.

Striped shoes | 40plusstyle.com

Aerosoles Pastel Wedge SandalDolce Vita Halley LoaferAMBELIGHT Striped Pump adidas Grand Court Alpha Cloudfoam Sneaker

Tank tops and jeans outfit with striped accessories | 40plusstyle.com

ATM Anthony Thomas Melillo Matte Silk Charmeuse TopL’AGENCE Ruth Mid-Rise Slim-Straight JeansDolce Vita Halley LoaferTory Burch Ella Print ToteHSWE Statement Collar Necklace

accessories

Or, add striped accessories to your existing outfits to update the looks you already have from your closet. Look out for striped tote bags, clutches, and scarves. Or, combine two big trends in one by choosing a baker boy hat with stripes.

Striped accessories | 40plusstyle.com

Tory Burch Ella Print ToteLongchamp Le Pliage Marinière Recycled Nylon Canvas Travel BagKurt Geiger London Medium Kensington Convertible Crossbody BagNordstrom Tissue Print Wool & Cashmere Wrap ScarfHSWE Statement Collar Necklace – Lauren Ralph Lauren Tortoise Shell Hoop EarringsBrixton Fiddler Baker Boy CapBurberry Caroll Checked Square Sunglasses

J.Crew Striped Cotton Poplin Midi DressDr. Scholl’s Shoes Felicity Too Block Heel SandalsKurt Geiger London Medium Kensington Convertible Crossbody Bag – Lauren Ralph Lauren Tortoise Shell Hoop Earrings

What to wear with stripes

You can mix and match your stripes. Wearing stripes in different widths and different directions is particularly effective. But it’s unlikely that you want to dress completely in stripes. Below are some classic ‘basics’ that you can wear to partner with your stripes. Look out for flattering jeans, as well as other trendy clothes such as cargo pants.

Plains to wear with your stripes | 40plusstyle.com

Cinq à Sept Kylen Ruched Jersey T-ShirtATM Anthony Thomas Melillo Matte Silk Charmeuse TopL’AGENCE Ruth Mid-Rise Slim-Straight JeansHudson Jeans Cotton Wide-Leg Cargo PantsThink Royln The Original Crossbody Bum BagDr. Scholl’s Shoes Felicity Too Block Heel SandalsBernardo Goldy SandalsDean Davidson Nomad Drop EarringsMadewell Droplet Hoop Earrings

Kim wears a striped blazer and graphic prints top | 40plusstyle.com

Kim @kimair above (read her style interview here) puts together an unexpected and super stylish striped outfit. Note how she teams a striped blazer with a graphic print t-shirt.

Check out these blazers from Boden and Amazon that you can wear with this similar tee, jeans, peep toe sandals, handbag and earrings.

Your striped outfits together in one capsule

Below, you can see the striped outfits from above together in one capsule, so you can see how easy it is to mix and match stripes and put together many different outfits. For example, you can pair any of the blazers with any of the pants, the pink striped shirt with the white cargo pants, or the tie-dye stripe t-shirt with the black striped pants.

Stripe capsule wardrobe | 40plusstyle.com

shop the best stripeD outfits in stores now:

Continue reading:

  1. Stylish Graphic Print Outfits To Create A Hip, Modern Look
  2. Modern Florals: Floral Outfits And Dresses To Wear This Season
  3. How To Print Mix Black And White Outfits

Like this article on how to wear stripes? Share it on Pinterest!

On the right lines: how to wear stripes this season | 40plusstyle.com

Feature image by Alison @wardrobe_oxygen

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