How to wear stripes: spring 2022’s cheerful fashion trend

Paul Smith SS22

For SS22, designers played with different colours, textures and stripe sizes to create an impact, from bold, bright stripes at Brandon Maxwell, Emporio Armani and Christian Siriano, to a fringed woven striped dress at Chloé. And you can’t talk stripes and not mention Paul Smith (above): multicoloured stripes have been at the heart of the brand from the start. This season they were mixed with sunflower prints and contrasted with a palette of sun-bleached lemon and rich terracotta.

Lashana Lynch all-in Stripe at the Charles Finch and Chanel 2022 Pre-BAFTA Party — Lashana Lynch all-in Stripe at the Charles Finch and Chanel 2022 Pre-Baftas Party

Successful stripe-wearing is all in the styling. Take one striped piece as a focal point. The shirt is a great starting point: Kitri’s frilled shirt (1 below), or La Redoute’s long-sleeved version (8 below), are both perfect to style with denim from wide-leg jeans to a mini skirt, finished with chunky loafers.

A diagonal wraparound stripe can be easier to wear. Stine Goya’s Scharla jumper (7 below) in pastel hues looks great with crisp white wide-leg trousers. We Are Thought’s pink and white Breton (£39.95) is a fresh take on the nautical trend, as is Boden’s contrast sleeve in pink and red (£35). Or go all-in like Lashana Lynch (left) in a fully striped ensemble for maximum wow factor. Asos’s yellow and white striped seersucker mini dress with puff sleeves and a high neck (£85) is the perfect sundress and can be dressed up for an event with gold accessories. Meanwhile the quickest way to cheer up an outfit is a colourful striped bag. Oxfam’s roomy shopper (£4.99), and Oklahoma’s market bags make the supermarket run joyful and will double as beach or picnic bags.