Star in hot summer stripes

Hail stripes, summer’s newest, boldest star. Last season, the Breton stripe – those “ahoy matey” navy and white standards – reined supreme. “It was all very Jackie O., Pablo Picasso classic and chic,” says Gregg Andrews, Nordstrom fashion director.

This season, he says, “we’ve seen stripes morph into being more of a ‘70s graphic with a pattern-like appeal.”

“Stripes are much kookier this year,” says Bloomingdale’s fshion director Stephanie Solomon. “And there’s a love affair with color. It’s fun but still classic.”

Variations on the theme are endless. There are tie-dyed bands, zebra prints, awning stripes, and graphic flame stitches, all with the added oomph of brazen color – think neon and highlighter shades. And stripes are showing up everywhere, from little tees and halters, to bathing suits, floor-grazing maxis, bags, gauzy scarves, hats and even shoes.

Lest you think stripes are for the junior set, it should be noted that first lady Michelle Obama has long been a fan, wearing striped frocks by brands such as Marc Jacobs, Tracy Reese and Talbots, proving that many types can carry the strong, new look.

“Everyone should spice up their wardrobes with an unexpected striped color combination,” says Andrews. “It’s a great twist, an easy way for women to wear a graphic pattern, but it can be modern and traditional at the same time.”

And there are benefits to stripe-wearing that go beyond fashion, says Solomon. “They make you feel happy!”

Do stripes make you look fat?

Fashion know-it-alls have long stigmatized stripes as a big no-no for anyone not stick-thin.

Bloomingdale's fashion director Stephanie Solomon pooh-poohs the whole fattening issue, saying "stripes are always chic and they do not make you look wider to my eyes." But others still have their reservations, despite the sizzling hot trend. Style expert Charla Krupp, author of "How to Never Look Fat Again" (Central Publishing, $15.99), says be careful. "The thinner the stripe, the better." She suggests random stripes topping neutral backgrounds. "Watch where they are on your body. Stripes top and bottom are a deadly combination. Wear something neutral -- black or white -- to balance them out if you're not a toothpick."

Nordstrom fashion director Gregg Andrews agrees that stripes aren't exactly slimming. "If you put a horizontal stripe across your body, you may look a little wider," he says. "Pay attention to what you pair with your stripe. Wear a coordinating color; use footwear that blends with the hemline. It's about counterbalancing the horizontal effect and getting as linear as you can."

Good Housekeeping magazine's director of fashion, Jasmine Chang, suggests people relax about the whole thing. "It's summer," she says. "Stop worrying about how your body looks for a change. Save it for the fall when the furs and multilayers really add the pounds."

Uh-oh.