When horizontal stripes can back in style, it was hard to tell if they were going to stick around or have only a short shelf life. They stuck around for a season or so, but as designers moved from winter and spring onto summer, they needed to do something different with the pattern. They went nautical. After all, it's not a big jump from stripes to sailors, when you consider that the traditional sailors' outfits that are played up in films and histories consist largely of navy-and-white stripes.
You can see the look in the summer/fall Balenciaga collection, which had a sailor outfit showcased in Harper's Bazaar, and in the New York Times, which wrote up a piece highlighting the nautical tattoo-inspired designs at Sailor Jerry. For something in between those two style extremes, try an outfit like this Crossback Dress by Nina Ricci. It has the blue and white sailor stripes, but wraps them around the body on a thick ribbon, instead of using the pattern on the dress itself. The white dress is made of silk and is fully lined, with flattering, flowing pleats. Price: $3,290.
