Stripes can be a great way to bring interest into an outfit-as long as the stripes are chosen with care. To create an ensemble that incorporates stripes that work for you, consider the following points:
- Vertical for business.Rugby and polo shirts often use horizontal stripes, but in business clothing, vertical stripes are more appropriate.
- Thin is in. While not all stripes need be pinstripe width, choosing thin stripes over thick, blocky stripes will generally look more refined.
- Variation works. Your stripes need not be uniform in either color or width. A shirt or tie with a variety of multi-width and multi-colored stripes can be quite pleasing to the eye.
- Combinations matter. If you're creating an attention-drawing outfit, colors that sit opposite each other on a color wheel are highly effective. If you're crafting an elegant business ensemble, your colors should be closer to each other on the wheel.
- Subtlety in a pin. Your pinstriped suit is an excellent way to incorporate the visual interest of stripes without overwhelming an outfit.
- The sock question. Use the same guidelines-vertical, thin, multi-width, multi-tone stripes-when choosing socks, and you'll be able to safely go beyond the standard solid black or brown socks.
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