How to Wear Horizontal Stripes as a Plus Size

You’ve probably heard the rule that curvy girls should not wear stripes. There’s a misconception that horizontal stripes tend to make you look bigger than your actual size. Forget this past fashion advice.

Horizontal stripes are fashionable and can be worn any time of the year. You only need to know how to make the stripes work for your body shape.

Our detailed guide covers some of the unique ways you can incorporate horizontal stripes and still look stylish.

woman wearing blue and white horizontal stripes dress by the window feeling the sunlight

Making Stripes Work for Your Body Shape

Being plus size doesn’t define your body shape. You may be plus-size with an hourglass figure or a pear-shaped body.

Here’s how you can make stripes work for your body.

Pear Body Shape

A pear-shaped person has a wider waist and wider hips. You can use horizontal stripes to bring attention to your shoulders and bust to balance your overall look.

Find dresses and shirts that have horizontal stripes on the chest and sleeves. Alternatively, you can wear a striped top and solid color pants to balance your figure.

Rectangular Body Shape

Having a straight-line figure doesn’t have to be challenging to dress. You can incorporate wider horizontal stripes to add the illusion of curves.

Opt for a bold striped dress or skirt to add to your hips. Check that the width of the lines falls perfectly across your figure to give you an hourglass shape. Wide stripes at the bust and waist and narrow stripes through the waist work well.

plus sized woman wearing v patterned stripes

Apple Body Shape

If you have a busty figure and broad shoulders, you may be tempted to avoid stripes. Contrary to popular belief, stripes don’t accentuate the features you’d like to hide. Horizontal stripes can show off what you want and hide features you’d like concealed.

Choose narrow stripes to downplay some features. You can add a blouse or shirt with narrow stripes and a bottom with wider stripes for a balanced look.

Hour Glass Shape

As someone with an hourglass shape, your choice of stripes should emphasize your waist.

Pick horizontal striped tops, bottoms, and dresses that add attention to your waistline.

Stay away from any loose clothes as they fail to emphasize your best features.

Extra Tips to Make Horizontal Stripes Work for You as a Plus-Size Woman

If you are confused about how to wear horizontal stripes and still look chic, here are some fantastic tips to have in mind.

Avoid Wearing All Stripe Outfits

As a beginner, avoid going full stripe as it can look out of place.

Start by pairing your horizontal striped top with solid color pants or getting striped pants with a solid top. Experiment with different combinations to have a feel of the outfit before going full stripe.

Don’t Be Afraid of Color

While it’s tempting to stick to neutral colors, try and add a pop of color to draw attention to areas you’d like to accentuate. You can add a bold striped skirt, pants, dress, or tops to your collection to add more color.

Remember to stick to two colors. Wearing a multicolored dress may be unflattering and you may end up looking out of balance.

woman wearing striped clothing and pointing sideways

Choose Narrow Horizontal Stripes Rather than Wide Stripes

The width of the stripes you choose can have an overall effect on how you look. You’ll be surprised to learn that wide stripes tend to look unflattering for certain body shapes.

These stripes can appear larger and make you appear bulkier.

However, narrow horizontal stripes have a slimming effect on any plus-size figure.

Research carried out by Anglia Rusin University discovered that clothes with a 2.5cm stripes width have a slimming effect. They also found that this same effect was achieved with clothes that have 20 stripes or more.

Also, wear stripes that are even as they tend to give you a slimmer figure. That means the width of white stripes should be similar to that of the black stripes.

Style the Stripes With a Plain-Colored Jacket

To avoid an exaggerated effect on your outfit, balance out a striped dress with a plain color jacket.

A plain jacket not only balances the outfit but also makes you look chic and well put together.

When choosing something to layer your horizontal striped outfit with, avoid anything with flowy fabrics like polyester and silk. Instead, opt for something made from thick cotton, faux leather, or tweed fabrics.

plus sized woman wearing accessories at the beach

Balance Your Look With Simple Accessories

Don’t be afraid to style your horizontal stripes with simple accessories.

Accessories like necklaces and earrings are an excellent way to dress up a casual look. Choose earrings that flatter your face shape and give you an elongated appearance.

Wear heels or flats to balance the effect that stripes have on your body.

Stay Away from Round Neck or High Neck Striped Tops

If you’re planning on wearing stripes, avoid anything that has a round neck top or high neck. Striped tops with round necks shorten your neckline and make you appear chubby and your face rounder.

Stripes should balance things out, which is why you should find V-neck tops as they define the neckline and balance the overall look. You can also wear off-shoulder horizontal striped tops as they make your shoulders appear slimmer.

beautiful plus sized woman wearing striped clothing

Pick Horizontal Stripes in Different Designs

Find different designs of stripes that complement your body shape.

For example, chest-level stripes bulk up the chest area and give you a fuller look.

You’ll also find tight horizontal-striped pants can have an exaggerated effect on your entire look. Wear something loose, whether it’s the top or bottom, to balance the look.

Final Thoughts

Forget all the fashion advice that you’ve heard about wearing horizontal stripes as a plus-size woman. Remember that rules are meant to be broken.

Your curves are more emphasized with some horizontal stripes. Wear your stripes with confidence and use our style tips above to balance the overall look.

How to Wear Horizontal Stripes as a Plus Size