Stripes Are the NYFW Trend You Can Start Wearing Now

Some of the biggest names in fashion are debuting their upcoming spring/summer collections all over New York City this week, on ferries, in movie theaters, and everywhere in between. From Ralph Lauren’s Western-ready collection to Collina Strada’s feminine, flowing dresses and Area’s avant-garde eveningwear, collections as varied as New York’s neighborhoods. But one trend stands out: stripes.

Stripes are a staple at pillars of preppy style Like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, where nautical references and beachy looks are often on display. But this season, they’re popping up in more unexpected places, with designers stripe reproduction outside of their usual nautical context. “This season’s stripes have ushered in a new way of thinking about nautical wear. The scale of the stripes varies, but there’s an overall streamlining effect to the designs that makes them feel modern yet wearable,” says InStyle fashion director Kevin Huynh.

At Proenza Schouler, a striking coat features thin, evenly spaced stripes, almost like a striped through a magnifying glass. A series of blue and white striped dresses from the same collection take inspiration from classic boat shirts but add asymmetrical halves to twist the pattern into something new.

Monse, meanwhile, showed striped looks that combined menswear-inspired pieces with sports accessories, honoring the design’s more formal roots. One model wore a brown and white striped jacket with boat shoes and a football bag; another wore an oversized football jersey and baggy, studded jeans. Both evoked the star athlete of a New England prep school or the early 2000s. Abercrombie model.

Menswear elements appeared again at Sergio Hudson, where a striped suit and similarly striped corset looked right at home among several separate, tailored outfits. At Nanushka, stripes appeared in more subtle ways. Brown and beige stripes appeared on a cardigan worn under a dress, and later, on a pair of super-short shorts for a beach look.

With stripes dominating the runways this month, they’re sure to be all over the street style scene next. Want to try the trend yourself? These 13 looks will provide plenty of inspiration.