Nov 22, 20222 min read

Meaning of stripes in fashion.

Let's talk about stripes today. While you might consider stripes to be an endlessly chic and classic style, stripes have less favourable origins.

Stripes are one of the examples of textiles which continue to be seen many times in the fashion industry throughout history. For example, in the middle ages, striped clothing was a sign of an outcast or someone who needed to be restrained. Servants and court jesters wore striped cloth; so did prostitutes, madmen, and criminals, not voluntarily but by official orders. This bold pattern is hard to ignore and therefore used to be linked to individuals who did not want to play by social rules. As history has taught us, time and time again, society becomes incredibly fearful of those who reject the conventional, so this aversion to stripes only grew into the 13th century, when Europe law made it a legal obligation for certain types of citizens to wear the style.

While stripes never truly lost their connection to deviance, by the 18th century, the design became a much more regular part of fashion in Western cultures. In the 1920s, we see stripes making a statement again, where stripes showed up in newly liberated women's activewear. That was the first time when women were publicly allowed to participate in some sporting activities. Fast forward to the mid-1940s, and that gangster uniform led to the infamous "Zoot suit" worn to make a political statement by communities that were often ignored.

Studying the story of stripes is for me very surprising, and we can learn a lot from their history. To shorten this post, I want to share that stripes clothing is hard to ignore; therefore, stripes are a statement. It is a statement of elegance and mental power. It represents freedom and rejection of the conventional, which is totally me. I love to stand out for whatever I believe is right. We need more individuals who are not scared to be different. So stand out and enjoy some more stripes in your life.

Have a wonderful day!