How to Wear Your Striped Shirt in 2017 — Straight From J.Crew's Head Designer
:upscale()/2017/03/28/017/n/1922564/8a02035c58daf0b7bec7f0.33413334_edit_img_front_page_image_file_43365538_1490741109.jpg)
J.Crew's a destination for the classics, for sure. But what keeps the customer coming back is a fresh twist on the essentials we love — and you'd be hard-pressed to find a fashion girl who doesn't consider her striped tee an essential. With that in mind, we tapped J.Crew's head designer, Somsack Sikhounmuong, to talk styling hacks and outfit solutions for women as stripe-obsessed as we are.
From a brand that's so in love with stripes that they made up a holiday (Yes, really! National Stripes Day is on March 31), it's safe to say they get it. When pressed about the way he styles his own stripes, Somsack rebuttled, "How don't I wear stripes! I'm sure the 30 striped shirts and seven striped pants currently in my closet can answer that, but as of late, I've been sporting my fave red and white striped PJ-style shirt to the office with jeans and sneakers." So, you can rest assured he's practicing what he preaches. Read on for the styling hacks to take your classic stripes into trendsetting territory and more, straight from an expert.
:upscale()/2017/03/29/691/n/1922564/86ba2b3a58dbd44329ce08.51081252_FWFA17_WM_12_Nina_Z_096.jpg)
Taking Stripes Beyond "Preppy"
"Context, context, context — I love a pair of beat-up distressed jeans with a mariner stripe tee or a striped rugby with a satin ball skirt, as seen in our Fall '17 show. It’s often times what you pair the stripes with that bring them new life."
:upscale()/2017/03/28/989/n/1922564/38af454f6da2d69d_FWSP17_WM_03_Amy_R_091.jpg)
Dressing Up Your Stripes
"I’m a huge fan of stripes for night or a dressier occasion. We showed a great sexy men's shirt unbuttoned ever so slightly with a sequin stripe skirt for Spring ‘17 that I really loved. If the shirt is too much and you want to do something a little simpler, a well-fitted striped t-shirt would be great too."
:upscale()/2017/03/28/989/n/1922564/a70121713c7bbda1_FWSP17_WM_11_Michelle_B_025.jpg)
Making Stripes Work For All Body Types
"For me if you are little “stripe-shy” I say classic is best in terms of color, smaller in terms of scale, and vertical in terms of direction!"
:upscale()/2017/03/28/989/n/1922564/8e75dfa113a947ea_FWSP17_WM_01_Julia_H_047.jpg)
The Styling Trick That'll Make Your Stripes Feel Fresh Right Now
"I think fit is really important when it comes to stripe tees right now. I’m a huge fan of the slightly roomier fit — I know this isn’t for everyone, but if the neckline is slightly wider and falls off the shoulder, that can make it feel really new."