Like little navies, my sisters and I were once dressed in nautical stripes many years ago by our mother when going to the beach for a swim one hot afternoon. Looking back at the picture that we still have in our photo album, stripes touché seem to reappear each season, as the trend varies slightly with each designer’s interpretation.

Crisp stripes, knotted bows, and canvas or rope fabrics are some of the basics of the trend. However, changing from navy blue and white to black and white is a great way to modernize the stripe look, yet it still remains with its simple, crisp theme. Black and white stripes can be very striking, but they can also be subtle when the colors are not stark, but rather slightly blended together on soft fabric.

The nautical look was made fashionable by Coco Chanel in the 20’s. The fashion icon was having an affair with the Duke of Westminster, a huge yachting fan, and began to take on the attire of a sailor after observing fishermen on her holidays. She wore wide-legged sailor pants, striped boat neck sweaters and flat boating shoes.

Her androgynous style appealed to other independent women of the time like Katharine Hepburn. Michelle Obama wore her bold navy blue and ivory striped dress on the campaign trail of her husband.Now looking around celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Nataliya Piro, not forgetting Rihanna seem to also adore their stripes which comes in black and white contrary to the old navy blue and white.

Despite the colour changes both abroad and locally stripes seem to have again attracted a huge number of followers, my sisters here are also not left behind, if you go to the shopping malls, you will note a few fashionistas wearing them in all forms and designs as they come in. What nautical does to an outfit is that the bold and dominant stripes are the key to drawing the attention to the outfit.

While most looks rely on bold stripes, you’ll see that the trend is just as effective when the stripes are thin. Nautical stripes are one of the most minimalist of patterns, and look great combined with classic pieces like blazers and high-waisted trousers. But for this season, the patterns have been taken to a whole new level of form and function.

The good thing with nautical stripes is that it can come as an official outfit when the patterns are small in size, or they can come as an informal outfit when the patterns are big and bold. Nautical stripes can also be paired with outrageous prints, like oversized polka dots or patterns from the seventies. There are many pieces of fashion that one can own which comes in nautical stripes;

Blazer

A nautical striped blazer is the obvious choice for this season for many celebrities. This blazer can be thrown on top of a little black dress transforming the office wear to an evening wear. Or can look delicate and chic when teamed with well cut trousers or a well made skirt. This is a must piece to look out for when replenishing your wardrobe for the season.

Shoes

Nautical striped shoes are very sexy and chic, when paired with a little black dress or a skirt they make the legs appear longer. The shoes are also eye catching since a person is always judged by the shoes they wear.

Handbag

Nautical striped bags are all in for the season. What is adorable about the bags is the fact that one can have a wide variety to choose from, since it does not need to be all white and navy, or white and black but other colours like red, ivory and blue as well.

I always find the men in navy dark service uniform with their authoritarian look very groomed and chic, and this understated fashion has become my favorite fashion pick for the season. Just as the navy’s uniform allowed an overboard sailor to be spotted more easily, nautical stripes are sure to attract a second glance wherever you go since the whole point is that it is a classic clothing!

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