Forget Polka Dots—This Is the Print Trend It Girls From London to L.A. Are Wearing

Jasmine Fox-Suliaman's avatar
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Published In Features
Collage of women wearing summer outfits with brightly printed stripes.
(Image credit: @emmanuellek_;  @ninasandbech; @salome.mory)

What do you consider synonymous with summertime? While travel might come to mind, fashion people are always thinking about one thing: print trends. Yes, really! Don't get us wrong. We love an emerging destination too, but we find just as much excitement in exploring things closer to home—in this case, within our closets. It's a phenomenon no more apparent than at the start of summer, when our social media feeds are flooded with new print trends. Blame the heat, but there's something about this time of year that makes people want bolder wardrobes, and the default is patterns like leopard, gingham, and polka dot. While there's nothing wrong with these timeless prints, they're not the most thrilling options for those who are craving more adventure. Enter colorful stripes into the chat. We know stripes aren't groundbreaking, but hear us out. These aren't the ubiquitous ones that are often associated with summer.

We've seen countless fashion houses, from Jacquemus to Ralph Lauren, give this pattern a contemporary spin by embracing thicker, often Technicolor versions that resemble the umbrellas you'd spot at a beach club in the South of France. The result is a print trend that can make you feel like you've escaped to a far-off destination, hence the appeal. Beyond inducing wanderlust, what's made this print trend so popular among the fashion crowd comes down to two things: It's not as played out as polka dots, and it's pretty versatile. Colorful stripes can be worn effortlessly to the coastline or the coolest brunch spot, and with so many classic staples being adorned with this print (e.g., T-shirts, tote bags, and trousers), it's never been easier to incorporate it into your closet. Need proof? We've rounded up a few styling examples of how to wear stripes this summer along with a curated selection of the best striped pieces to buy. Adventure awaits!

A woman wearing an orange T-shirt with pink striped pants, jelly sandals, oversize sunglasses, and a pink bag.

(Image credit: @morganstewart )

A woman wearing a long black-and-white striped tunic shirt styled over a white shirt, black pointed ballet flats, and a red clutch.

(Image credit: @katyaklema)

A woman wearing a striped bikini top styled with matching retro swim shorts and a raffia hat at the beach.

(Image credit: @emmanuellek_)

A woman at the beach wearing a multi-stripe midi-dress styled with a black woven bag and black flip-flops.

(Image credit: @salome.mory)

A woman wearing a white coat over a white tank styled with white trousers, gold bangles, oversize sunglasses, and a striped clutch bag.

(Image credit: @ninasandbech)

A woman wearing a striped frog-closure blouse styled with matching capri pants, silver thong sandals, and a yellow shoulder bag.

(Image credit: @helenabeckmann)

A woman wearing a striped crochet kerchief scarf, a sports jersey, striped linen shorts, a Gucci bag, and black sunglasses.

(Image credit: @emilisindlev)
Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
Freelance Fashion Editor

Jasmine Fox-Suliaman is a freelance writer and editor living in New York City. What began as a pastime (blogging on Tumblr) transformed into a lifelong passion for unveiling the connection between fashion and culture on the internet and in real life. Over the last decade, she's melded her extensive edit and social background to various on-staff positions at Who What Wear, MyDomaine, and Byrdie. More recently, she’s become a freelance contributor to other publications including Vogue, Editorialist, and The Cut. Off the clock, you can find her clutching her cell phone as she's constantly scrolling through TikTok and The RealReal, in search of the next cool thing.