Chanel Iman punked it up at the 2013 Met Gala with dip-dyed hair and a striped J. Mendel dress. French actress Olga Kurylenko hogged all the attention at the ‘Oblivion’ Japan premiere in a striped Christian Dior gown. Irish TV presenter Laura Whitmore looked lovely even in the rain during the wardrobe-malfunction-riddled 2013 TV BAFTAs in a Sophia Kah black-and-gold striped maxi skirt.
We’re going to invoke the rule of three for these three celebrity spots and call this out as an emerging dress trend: striped formal gowns are becoming hot picks for red carpet wear, and we here at Your Next Dress are loving all of them.
Chanel Iman at the 2013 Met Gala in New York City on May 7, 2013; Olga Kurylenko at the ‘Oblivion’ premiere in Tokyo, Japan on May 8, 2013; Laura Whitmore at the 2013 Arqiva British Academy Television Awards in London, England on May 12, 2013
Stripes are generally used on casual wear, so to see stripes used on full-length formal gowns is new and exciting. We’re also surprised to see that stripes have a youthful effect on formal gowns. That clearly stems from the pattern’s for-casuals-only image, but stripes make that image work in formal gowns by making them look less stiff and stuffy.
Striped formal gowns have got a fun and fresh feel to them, which is why you should most definitely consider wearing one to your next dressed-up event. Try accessorizing with a brightly colored purse like Chanel Iman’s if you’re going the black-and-white route, go for full geometric and use a faceted clutch like Laura Whitmore’s. You could also do it like Olga Kurylenko and let your striped dress do all the talking because not much has to be said when you’ve got big, bold stripes all over you!
Kay Unger New York Strapless Striped Gown, $650
Amaya Arzuaga Orange Striped Knit Wool Knit Gown, $849
Katie Ermilio Pinstripe Sport Gown, $2,885
Marc Jacobs Striped Silk Gown, $1,900
Tadashi Shoji Sleeveless Boat Neck Lace Ribbon Gown, $595
Katie Ermilio Fit & Flare Multistripe Gown, $4,500
Raoul “Jane” Stripe Gown, $325
Oscar De La Renta Striped Evening Dress, $7,400.92
Credit: Lia Toby/WENN/Kento Nara/Future Image/Daniel Deme