Stripes have never gone out of fashion: they are classic, perpetually hip and somehow effortlessly chic.
Although horizontal stripes have been given a bad name, this is in fact a bit of a myth. As is the belief that vertical stripes are flattering (not true). Horizontal stripes can be extremely flattering - the trick is in the thickness of the stripe.
Oddly enough, thin stripes that are close together are less flattering than thicker stripes that are spaced further apart. Vertical stripes that are skinny and close together are not particularly flattering either.
The best pieces to consider are those that combine stripes in different directions.
Kristie, for example (right), has picked a dress that features horizontal stripes across the bodice, vertical stripes down the length of the piece and diagonal stripes that point inwards at the arms. This automatically draws the eyes inwards and creates a slender (or even more slender) silhouette.
Another factor to consider is the colour of the stripes. Starkly contrasting colours are often more slimming than colours that bleed into each other - perhaps because the higher the contrast the more there is to distract your eye.
