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Whether the inspiration is jailhouse rock or courtside referee, the line has been drawn—vertically and horizontally—and stripes are here to stay. The two-tone optical illusion is rife with history. True, the first trend-setters were social transgressors and revolutionaries, but then court jesters, sailors, prisoners, and punk-rockers caught on.
Taking a cue from Pablo Picasso himself, consider your new uniform incomplete without some form of the visual trickery. Twinkle’s 14GG Striped Tank is the central element of your knock-‘em-dead without looking like you tried outfit. Punky but polished, the look is complete with a pair of black skinny jeans, a la J Brand’s 14” Cigarette Leg in Jet Black, and some killer, gravity-defying heels.
C&C California’s Katie Striped Tunic is the ultimate in Parisian chic, and easily pairs with jeans or tights and a hip-grazing jacket for a timelessly stylish look.
Equally whimsical is Betsey Johnson’s Carribean Striped Linen Dress. The flirty hemline and breezy fabric are more island-hopper than castaway, and the muted colors are not as contrasting as most striped garb, allowing for a more feminine version of the beloved pattern.
If solids better suit your taste for dress, let Lacoste’s Laurie Striped Flats make a more discreet style statement on your feet—the signature croc on the outside sole is so adorable even a mime would find the need to cry out with excitement.
Make sure you don’t leave him out of the loop; Nine Lives’ Grey Striped Sweater is the perfect way to introduce him to the foolproof trend, and its distressed detail and comfy fit will allow him to feel at ease in his attire, rather than stuffed into a foreign-feeling fad.
For a bolder gent, the Regatta Stripe Sport Coat is tailored with the utmost attention to detail, and the daring regatta striped wool will have him betting big at the racetrack and partying in style. Not everything has to be black and white—vibrant, summer hues have their own, light-hearted take on the trend.
Adidas’ Men’s Freizeit Stripe Track Top boasts a palette tastier than rainbow sorbet, and the sporty details meld the fashionable and the athletic harmoniously.
So whether you are combating British rule in colonial America, storming Bastille and overthrowing the French government, or simply honing your pantomime game, the uniform remains the same. The verdict? Stripes are for the fearless, the defiant, the proud…convicts and zebras alike.
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