Why Fashionistas Can't Get Enough Stripes

Dora Fung
·Market Director

Even though stripes have been having a moment for the past several seasons, I’ve always been a fan of the look. My passion for the graphic started when I was 14 years-old and vacationing in France. I bought my first classic Breton striped sailor shirt and I was hooked. I’ve become a bit of a snob when it comes to stripes— not all stripes are created equal. Meet three fashion enthusiasts, who give the scoop on their beloved pattern.

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Allison Sparkuhl- Publicist

Yahoo Style: When did you first start wearing stripes?
Allison Sparkuhl: I’m pretty sure I’ve been a fan of stripes most of my life, though I guess in the early days I could attribute that to my mom’s love of me in stripes. There’s something really cool about the graphic that’s eye-catching without being overstated, obnoxious, or trendy (like most prints) - stripes are timeless.

YS: Are stripes a seasonal pattern?
AS: I think I naturally wear more stripes in the summer because good striped tees, tanks, and dresses are so much easier to find than good striped sweaters. Finding one that doesn’t make you look bigger is like finding a unicorn. If I ever see someone wearing a good striped sweater I will definitely stop them to ask where it’s from. Usually it’s either crazy expensive or from some cool store in Europe that I can’t order from.

YS: Are stripes tricky to wear?
AS: I think a lot of people get intimidated by stripes, but they’re really not hard to incorporate! You just have to find the kind that you like and own it. Plus there is so much variety, that there’s something for everyone. My baby cousin wears stripes, I wear stripes, and my dad wears stripes - they’re great at any age!

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Lola Rykiel- Granddaughter of Sonia Rykiel and PR Director of the brand

Yahoo Style: When did you start wearing stripes?
Lola Rykiel: I was young, yes, indeed just a little girl! The Rykiel enfant tee-shirt my mother would make my sister and I  wear usually were striped. Most of our dresses and pull-overs were stripped too. Because it is deep in the Rykiel brand and DNA, I always thought of stripes as a neutral!

YS: Do you have a style icon known for their striped look?
LR: Jean Seberg in her striped tee, and her pixie hair cut but also in that feminine striped dress in “ Breathless”.  Brigitte Bardot in “Le Mepris,” and finally Jean-Paul Gaultier-I imagine his closet being a gold mine of “mariniere”

YS: Do you have a favorite striped piece that you cannot live without?
LR: Yes! A horizontal multicolored long sleeves striped sweater Kate Moss wore in our SS’96 show. The sweater is in my closet now!

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Poppy Edmonds- Publicist

Yahoo Style: When did you start wearing stripes?
Poppy Edmonds: YOUNG! In youth I favored the 1980s omnipresent striped Osh Kosh dungarees

YS: What does your favorite stripe look like?
PE: Horizontal. Navy and white, always. The only exception is PJ’s and shirting - always vertical

YS: Who is your stripe icon?
PE: Venetian gondoliers, their shirts are highly regulated, even the stripes must be a certain width. Stock up at the official store in Venice, Bampa. Picasso is up there in icon status. I also loved this Nike French Football Federation Away Kit.