HABITS many moons | Page 9

3 2 1 A Study in Pattern. Words b y: Zsuzsi Pop T his season’s biggest trend seems to be monochromatic stripes, both horizontal and vertical. If you know anything about fashion, you’ll know how stripes are considered a big fashion no-no. If asked, most people would react to the phrase monochrome stripe outfit by saying its reminiscent of the old school prison uniforms, And to a certain extent, they have a valid opinion however the brave few trendsetters have made it the thing to do this spring. This particular trend is very reminiscent of the Audrey Hepburn era, with a little bit more flair. According to Erica Archambault, we shouldn’t “ be afraid of wearing horizontal stripes. They’re always going to be a big fashion statement. It’s all about wearing them for your body type.” So there you have it. Stripes are the big thing; I’ll now break down styles for different body types. Bigger and curvier bodies are more suited to thin stripes. Contrary-wise slim builds are flattered by bigger stripes. I personally find when wearing stripes; oversize clothing items are more aesthetically pleasing, especially if you’re going to keep to the black and white colour scheme. Alternatively if you’re keeping to tradition for spring, a good colour scheme includes pastels. Candy stripe items are a very appropriate for that casual and   sweet spring look. My personal favourite look for this season so far entails oversized black and white stripe tunic dresses. I prefer white with thin black stripes, white brogue shoes and some gold jewellery. This is not too heavy on the black but keeps it classy in my opinion. Oh! And hats! Never forget a hat, good hats can make or break the success of an outfit. However there are many alternatives wear your stripes. Experiment and find a way that’s appropriate to you. 007