By Judith Rasband, AICI CIM with Sarah Ward, Conselle Affiliate
Liv Tyler wearing black and white stripes. Photo c/o Getty Images
A popular trend right now is black and white stripes. As dramatic of a trend as it is, not everyone has the coloring to pull it off.
So who can pull off black and white stripes?
- Women who have strong dark/light contrast represented in their personal coloring (example: light skin, dark hair) can pull off black and white stripes beautifully.
- An extremely vibrant blonde with a larger, fuller hairstyle can likely compete with the black and white stripes.
- Black women can pull it off because they have such strong, dark personal coloring. And they may pull off black and white stripes with a big, white hat. Can’t you see Michelle Obama sporting a look like that?
Black and white are the extreme of dark and light, creating the most extreme contrast. Attention always goes to contrast, therefore if you have softer personal coloring, the black and white stripes are going to take all attention, overpowering you – the stripes wear you. All the attention is going to go to the black and white pattern, be it stripes, plaids or prints.
To get the look but soften the effect, you can opt for ivory and black stripes instead. Since ivory is a lighter version of the general skin color, it provides slightly less contrast for a less stark look, allowing for better blend and a more harmonious appearance. Another way to soften the effect is to wear a black and white top underneath a blazer or a cardigan, playing down the amount of contrast.
The purpose of eye makeup is to give the wearer strong dark/light contrast. Moderate use of eye shadow, liner and mascara will increase your dark/light contrast, making you better able to compete with strong patterns, including black and white stripes.
Keep in mind if you want to follow this trend, the wearer needs strong personal coloring in order to pull off black and white stripes.
Copyright Judith Rasband and Conselle L.C. 2010
Judith Rasband is the Image Expert and would be happy to help you on wear black and white stripes. Visit www.conselle.com or call 801-224-1207 to learn more.
I wore too much black and white during my year and a half of Beauty School! It was overpowering to my fair skin and red hair. Several times I wanted to “protest” to allow brown and creme.
This look is not for me!
Thanks for your comment, Marian. I’m sure you felt completely washed out by the black and white you wore during Beauty School. Sounds like you managed to soften this look for a look that is much more harmonious with your personal coloring.
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