Jul 12th, 2017

Author: J Moxy Johnson

Category: Moxy Style

Pattern Play

Not sure where it’s come from, but I’ve sorta developed a thing for stripes. Wide ones, thin ones, black, white and navy ones. There’s something about them that’s both fun and fashion-forward. Whether in a top, skirt, dress or pant, the bold print is a statement-maker and a definite attention-grabber. While a thin subtle pinstripe gives a more conservative vibe, wide, thick stripes say something altogether different. They suggest confidence. Feeling particularly sassy this particular day, I thought I’d give the look a try.

Seemingly picking up where my previous post left off (all about the fabulous shoulder-bearing trend), I went with this off-the-shoulder top, found during one of my recent (and regular) perusals of eBay (Remember, I don’t believe in spending a lot to be stylish). I immediately fell in love, not only with the eye-catching print, but the fun choker detail too. Spent less than $20 on it but felt like a million bucks as soon as I put it on. The power of fashion never ceases to amaze me.

With the top being the main attraction, I chose to keep the rest of the ensemble pretty basic: solid black shorts (Macys, $16), black sandals (Charlotte Russe,$20) and clutch (can’t remember where I got it). Just the subtle addition of a cocktail ring and a pair of cat-eye sunnies and voila, the look was complete. Perfect for a summer night out on the town or maybe Sunday brunch with the girls. (Sidebar: HUGE shoutout to Coretta Johnson, whose natural skincare line, 803 Natural, has really transformed my skin and made it summer and off-the-shoulder-top ready! Check her out on Etsy, www.etsy.com/shop/corettajohnson)

While I chose to break up the print, mixing it with solids, this is certainly not a rule. You can go nuts with it, layering stripes on top of stripes on top of stripes like these bold bloggers. They show us how to effortlessly pull off the look.

I also love, love, LOVE this blogger’s playful striped expression.

And because I’m all about the notion that style is for EVERYONE, I had to give props to this curvy beauty who is straight up stuntin’ on em with this ensemble. Yasssssss #hereforit

So whether you want to play it safe and keep the stripes to just one small piece of your look or you’re daring enough to go with a head-to-toe approach, don’t be afraid to give it a try. You might be surprised by how much fun you have and the power of a little pattern play.