Aug 02, 2026

Striped shirts for women: horizontal, vertical and what to wear with them

Almost everyone owns something striped, and yet it often stays in the wardrobe. Usually an old rule is to blame, one that was never true. Here you will find a calm explanation of what the direction of stripes actually does, how wide they may be and what to wear with a striped shirt.

Why stripes are so easy to wear

Strictly speaking, a striped pattern is just a repeated line. It brings structure to an outfit without telling a story of its own, and that is exactly why it feels calmer than most other patterns.

Classic combinations such as white with black or cream with beige consist of colours that are already in your wardrobe. That makes a striped shirt almost as easy to wear as a plain basic.

Everything else follows a single idea: one piece carries the pattern, the rest stays quiet. You will find matching plain counterparts in our Basics and T-shirts and long sleeves.

Horizontal or vertical: what the direction does

To our eyes, vertical lines look longer than horizontal lines of the very same length. This effect has a name, the horizontal vertical illusion, and it is the entire reason why vertical stripes enjoy such a good reputation.

Horizontal stripes, by contrast, lead the eye outwards and divide the surface into sections. They do not make anyone look larger, though, which is the most stubborn myth of them all. What really adds bulk is a cut that sits too tight or digs in.

In practice that means vertical stripes are especially lovely on the lower half, because they lengthen the leg. Horizontal stripes sit comfortably on top as long as the piece falls loosely. Wide styles with vertical lines are in our trousers and skirts.

Width matters more than direction

From a few steps away, fine stripes almost merge into a single-coloured surface. That makes them calm and elegant, and the easiest choice if you would like to approach the pattern slowly.

Wide block stripes do the opposite. They measure out the surface they sit on and thereby become the star of the outfit. That is not a drawback, it simply asks the rest to step back.

Fine lines. Calm, suitable for every day, easy to combine with almost anything.
Medium width. The visible classic, clearly recognisable and still restrained.
Wide block stripes. They make a clear statement and need plain calm beside them.
Uneven stripes. Changing widths look livelier and less strict.

A helpful thought from practice: the larger the surface, the more width a stripe can take. On wide trousers it may be bolder than on a narrow top.

These colours suit a striped shirt

It becomes easiest when you pick up a colour that appears in the pattern itself. A cream bottom with a shirt in a cream base tone looks coherent straight away, without any long deliberation.

Quiet tones such as white, beige, black and denim always work. A colour accent works too, as long as it stays on its own and does not compete with the pattern for attention.

You will find matching plain tops in our tops and bodies, and quiet bottoms in our jeans and fabric trousers and shorts.

Proportions: wide below, narrow above

With stripes the rule is the same as with any other pattern. If there is a lot of fabric below, everything above stays narrow, and the other way round as well.

Wide striped trousers therefore call for a narrow top, ideally tucked loosely into the waistband at the front. That keeps the waist visible and lets the vertical lines run through undisturbed.

Our picture above is built exactly like that: wide trousers with vertical stripes, worn with a cropped top in a single tone that picks up one of the stripe colours.

If a striped top feels too present, an old trick helps: an open plain jacket over it narrows the patterned surface in the middle. You will find suitable pieces in our jackets and knitwear.

Stripes with stripes: does that work?

Yes, and more easily than you might think. Two striped pieces get along when they clearly differ from one another instead of resembling each other.

Three routes are safest: a different direction, a clearly different width, or the same colour family in two shades. What does not work is two nearly identical patterns side by side, because then the eye starts comparing.

The most comfortable special case is a ready-made set. Top and bottom come from the same fabric, so the pattern matches by itself and you do not have to weigh anything up. You will find such two-piece sets in our tops.

Three outfits to copy

For every day. Finely striped shirt, straight jeans, white trainers. Keep the jewellery minimal, a fine chain is quite enough.

For hot days. Wide trousers with vertical stripes, a plain top in a colour from the pattern and flat sandals. In the evening a light blouse goes over the top, worn open.

For the office. A striped shirt in a muted colour, tucked into the waistband at the front, with quiet trousers and loafers. You will find new styles every week under New In.

Care and fit

Striped pieces live from clear edges. Wash them cool and inside out, then the colours stay cleanly separated for longer and the contrast is preserved.

For ribbed shirts there is one more rule: do not stretch them while wet and do not hang them at full length over the hanger. The exact right temperature is always on the care label in the item.

One size is not standardised and can vary from model to model. Please check the size and fit information plus the material on the relevant product page and compare with a garment that fits you well.

Frequently asked questions

Can you combine horizontal and vertical stripes?

Yes, it is in fact one of the most reliable combinations. Because the directions differ clearly, the two patterns do not compete with each other. It looks even better when the colours come from the same family and one of the two pieces is more quietly patterned than the other.

Do vertical stripes really make you look slimmer?

They do lengthen, because vertical lines look longer to our eyes than horizontal ones of equal length. The effect has its limits, though: very wide vertical stripes emphasise the width of the surface again. Fine lines lengthen most reliably.

Can you combine polka dots and stripes?

That works when one pattern clearly leads and the other is smaller. A finely striped shirt with a skirt with small dots in the same colour family looks coherent. If both patterns are equally large and equally bold, it becomes restless.

What is a Breton striped shirt?

A Breton striped shirt has even horizontal stripes in which the base tone and the stripe colour alternate at a constant spacing. The classic is white with blue or white with black. So every Breton shirt is a striped shirt, but not every striped shirt is a Breton shirt.

Which sizes is one size intended for?