Looking to incorporate stripes into your wardrobe? This guide will give you all the outfit ideas you need.

If you’re looking to break away from solid colors, stripes are a great entry level pattern. They’re geometric, look great on most guys, and are pretty straightforward to wear and combine.

They can be your bold statement or a subtle detail, and they also play well with most of the other pieces you probably already have in your closet. 

Table of Contents

Keep the stripe width of the actual pattern slim if you’re going for the lengthening visual effect. 

Horizontal Stripes

Horizontal stripes for men can have a widening effect. If that’s something you’re sensitive to, try layering them or varying the width of the stripes. It’s easier to play with stripe width in the pattern when they run horizontally. 

These stripes tend to be a better fit for casual styling. You’ll most often see them in a blue and white color combination, also giving them a more nautical look.

How to Wear Stripes

For this guide, we’ll break it down into casual, smart/business casual, and formal looks to help build a variety for you. When I say formal, think business formal and not black tie formal.

I’ll also share outfits with different stripe orientations (directions), and I’ll note when you can switch in vertical for horizontal stripes or vice versa.

Casual Outfit Ideas

Casual outfits are always the easiest to style with bolder patterns because you have a lot more freedom. It’s the best way to start experimenting with a print like stripes if you’re new to the pattern game.

We’ll start simple here and gradually build in some layers and other elements.

#1 Tee and shorts

Make this one easy on yourself. Just switch in one of your solid t-shirts for a striped shirt.

If you keep the shorts a solid neutral color, you can choose any color of stripes. This is also a look where you can choose horizontal or vertical stripes.