Stripes are considered a classic pattern that can be used both in winter and summer. Every year, cross-striped fabric gets new updates. In the wardrobe of any fashionista there is at least 1 striped item.
But what do people know about this popular striped fabric? How did it appear in our lives? What can be sewn from it, and where can it be used? This article contains answers to all the above questions.
History of Striped Fabrics
Nowadays, everyone is used to striped fabric; the sailor's shirt has been a trend for 20 years. But it wasn't always like that. French researcher Michel Pastoureau in his book "The Devil's Story, or the History of Stripes and Striped Fabrics" told the story of the print from time immemorial, based on art, literature and cinematography.
During the research it was not found out who came up with the idea of using the stripe. It was also not possible to find the original location of the print. But other important facts and features were found out.
The story begins in the Middle Ages. At that time, striped fabric was associated with violation of the norm, crime. Accordingly, it was worn by prostitutes, executioners, gypsies, cripples, heretics and jesters.
Striped clothing distinguished negative characters. If a person has something striped on, it means there is something wrong with him.
The print had to win love slowly and persistently. First it began to appear in the clothes of servants, and then their masters. King Henry VIII in his ceremonial portrait flaunts in red trousers with gold patterned stripes. In those years, the fashion for stripes came back and quickly went away again.
The attitude towards the striped pattern finally changed during the Renaissance, when society came out against stereotypes. Supporters of freedom turned the brand into a symbol of democracy and independence. Since the second half of the 18th century, the stripe has won universal love and appeared in the wardrobe of blue bloods. Not only girls and men showed interest. Striped suit vests and trousers became popular.
The heyday of fashion comes in the 1770s. Indian, Chinese, Turkish fabrics inspired girls all over the West.
Types of striped fabric
Striped prints and patterns have been popular for 2 centuries, but fashion is fickle. From season to season, new bold solutions are invented, which makes it difficult for fashionistas to track the changes. So what fabrics do modern designers prefer to see stripes on?
Today, 6 types of fabrics are most often used for applying stripes:
- Cotton is a light, pleasant to the touch material. Despite its insignificant thickness, the material retains heat well and lets air through on hot days. Cotton is easy to print on. Products made from it are inexpensive.
- Acrylic is a high-quality artificial fiber. Unlike other materials, it is easy to care for. Acrylic fibers are easily dyed, so the yarn can be made in bright, saturated colors. Winter clothes with a striped print are most often made from acrylic.
- Satin is a silk fabric with a smooth, glossy surface. It is characterized by high density and durability. Items made from it have a noble appearance and cost. Dresses, shirts, pajamas, and scarves are often sewn from satin.
- Culinary satin is one of the lightest fabrics for the summer period. Flexible, stretchable, but durable. The material is most often used to make the well-known striped shirts. It is also used to sew robes, T-shirts, sundresses and blouses.
- Kashkorse is a cotton fabric with high plasticity. Narrow blouses for children with long sleeves and a neck are most often made from this material.
- Viscose is a soft to the touch, thin, silky, shiny fabric. It has pleasant thermal conductivity. The range of viscose applications is diverse, so it is used to make both clothing and decorative elements.
How to Wear Striped Clothes Properly
A striped pattern, if chosen correctly, can not only stylishly decorate the image, but also visually get rid of figure flaws. If a person decides to buy a striped item, he should definitely know the nuances of choice.
So, how to wear striped clothes correctly? How to choose a model to wear that best suits your figure? Here are some tips:
You shouldn't buy a top made of transversely striped fabric if you have a noticeable tummy. On the contrary, it's better to wear a striped skirt or trousers, and leave the top plain. This combination will perfectly cope with 1 function - it will balance a large part of the body.
Please note! The color of the stripes is also important. Black and white striped fabric allows you to camouflage unflattering spots, while bright ones attract attention. Clothes made of green striped fabric will look advantageous.
If a lady wants to hide large hips and buttocks, she should choose vertical stripes, which will visually make her taller and slimmer. And in order to distract attention from a few extra pounds, it is worth choosing a solid-color bottom and a bright striped top.
Stripes will play favorably on the chest if used in decorating single-color clothes. An additional vertical line can be created with a scarf, jacket, vest.
Thin girls should choose a wide stripe at the waist, or alternate it all over the body.
Wide stripes are suitable for everyday wear. The narrower the print, the more formal the occasion should be.
There should be a moderate amount of striped clothing. Let only one thing be striped, then the image will look OK. The rest of the clothes should be monochromatic. In no case should they have a colored ornament or geometric pattern.
Important! Thin stripes make you look longer and slimmer, while wide stripes, on the contrary, make you look fat.
Another option to distract people from full hips is to wear a flared or A-line skirt with horizontal stripes.
If a lady has curvy shapes and does not want to emphasize them, then she should avoid tight-fitting striped clothes.
Small breasts can be visually enlarged with the help of scarves or shawls.
Girls should not be afraid of striped clothes and believe myths. It is a common belief that horizontal stripes make you look fat, while vertical stripes make you look thin. In fact, it is horizontal stripes (on clothes that are not tight) that help make your figure visually proportional.
Large vertical stripes, on the contrary, make the body look bulky. Wide stripes are contraindicated for those who want to look graceful. They only make the figure heavier and make the image more masculine.
Application of such materials for curtains
The design of the apartment usually ends with the decoration of the doorways. For modern as well as classic interior design styles, striped curtains were often used.
Now young people insist that it is no longer fashionable. Is it so? Designers believe that it is not. A rich choice of striped fabrics, as well as colors, allows you to harmoniously complement the space of almost any room.
Home decor experts follow 3 rules when decorating a room using striped tulle:
- The narrow space between the walls is widened.
- Low ceilings visually increase the space.
- A lighted room is darkened, while a dark room, on the contrary, is lightened.
The design of an apartment and a private house using the fabric furniture strip for curtains is a unique find. If there is not enough sunlight in the room, translucent inserts will let in the missing rays from the street. But the use of two or more shades will organically fit the canvas and complement the design of any interior.
Striped curtain fabric is an ideal option for expanding the space. For example, if the ceilings in the living room are low (less than 2.2 meters), the situation can be visually saved by curtains with vertical narrow stripes. The same situation with the bedroom, only here the horizontal stripe acts as a visualizer.
But don't overdo it with stripes. Striped fabric furniture covers are gaining popularity now. If you use them together with patterned curtains, the room may look motley and disharmonious.
Perhaps the most frequently used place for striped curtains is the kitchen. They can perfectly fit into this part of the house if you follow a few rules. There are a lot of smells and smoke from frying in the kitchen, so you should be careful when choosing fabric. Dense materials are preferable. Roller blinds in the tone of the interior will fit well into the space.
Traditionally, vertical and horizontal stripes are used in design. In modern art, a combination of two classic options has become popular. The result is a beautiful cage that can decorate a kitchen or a bathroom. The oblique cage is the hallmark of English living rooms.
The combination of different color solutions allows you to decorate the design harmoniously. But you should pay attention to the natural light in the room with striped curtains. It should be sufficient, otherwise the space will be darkened.
What can be sewn from striped fabric
Stripes are a classic trend that have remained at the peak of popularity for several years now.
Once upon a time, Vivienne Westwood, Alberta Ferretti, Christian Dior, Kenzo, Missoni, Tommy Hilfiger and other famous designers gave the print the green light. Since then, models around the world have been strutting their stuff on the catwalk in seamless striped clothing, winning everyone's love.
Therefore, those who know how to create something beautiful from fabric can safely experiment and sew something new. This is an opportunity not only to save money, but also to surprise people with design skills.
But what exactly can you sew from striped fabric? Anything! Here is a basic list of what you can create if you have cross-striped skeletal fabric at home:
- Dresses, sundresses;
- Shorts;
- Trousers, pants;
- Bracelets;
- Curtains;
- Toys;
- Tablecloth;
- Hats;
- Blouses, shirts;
- Jacket, vests;
- Towel;
- T-shirt;
- Children's things.
Cross-striped fabric is a unique solution that appeared in the Middle Ages. Having gone through a long and exciting history, the print pleases our modern fashionistas and designers in different interpretations.
