Three Ways to Wear a Striped Tank
By Anne Davis
, last updated December 7, 2011
If you're going to wear stripes, there are some suggestions that you should consider beforehand. These tips will help you take the striped tank top and wear it casual or dressed-up for a bold look.
A professor at the University of York in the United Kingdom asked individuals to compare more than 200 photographs of women wearing both vertical and horizontal stripes. His experiment proved that horizontal stripes may actually make a woman appear thinner than vertical stripes do. Throughout the course of the experiment, when two women with identical or similar body types were compared while one was wearing vertical stripes and the other was wearing horizontal stripes, the latter woman, the one in the horizontal stripes, actually appeared to be the thinner of the two.
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This experiment confirmed another, the Helmholtz square illusion, conducted by a 19th century scientist named Hermann von Helmholtz. Helmholtz drew two identical squares but covered one with horizontal stripes and the other with vertical stripes, just like in the University of York experiment above. The square that was decorated with horizontal stripes actually looked taller and thinner than the other square, which featured vertical stripes.
So pair that striped tank top with a pair of jeans and some heels for a night out on the town. Be confident with your choice and rock it.
Wide stripes make a bold statement. It's true. If you're nervous about delving into the world of stripes, begin your journey with pinstripes and work your way wide. Pair a pinstriped tank top with shorts or trousers and a sport jacket for a great business casual look.
Black and white is a classic color pairing for stripes, but don't be afraid to try something else. For a 4th of July party, pair a bold red-and-white striped tank top with blue jeans or shorts for a classic Americana look. And don't discount the value of multi-colored striped tank tops.
Stripes don't have to be vertical or horizontal. Look for pieces that incorporate several stripe directions for a funky modern look.
