Scientific research suggests that horizontal stripes do not make us look fat. I find that conclusion questionable. First of all, very few of us are shaped anything like the lovely little figure used in this research. Then there’s the psychological factor. Maybe stripes really don’t make a difference but if we look at a, shall we say, rather wide person wearing stripes and we think the stripes make her look fatter does it really matter whether or not we can prove scientifically that they do or do not make her look fatter? Also, the color, contrast, and width of the stripes probably make a difference.

I don’t have a lot of striped clothes. It’s not that I avoid stripes I just don’t happen to have any right now. I have one dress with a floral paisley stripe. This is the fabric. I made the dress nearly two years ago but have never taken a picture of it. I used the same pattern as the first photo in this post and made it with the stripes going vertically in the skirt and horizontally in the bodice. I don’t notice if it makes me look fatter or thinner. Anyway, I don’t know if it counts since it’s not a plain stripe. (Hmmmm… maybe I should experiment with stripes.)

Did you know that stripes used to be associated with bastards, serfs, prostitutes, and Satan? It seems it was we Americans who first made stripes respectable. Ah, such rebels we are!