Stripes in underwear and how they sit on the body

Short answer: Narrow stripes settle down at a distance and read as a tone. Wide stripes show clearly through light outer fabric and lay horizontal lines across the body.

Width decides everything

A stripe under half a centimetre merges into an even tone when seen from a couple of metres. A stripe over two centimetres becomes a graphic element that pulls the eye horizontally. Choose according to the effect you want.

Under light clothing

Stripes show through a light shirt more clearly than a plain undershirt does, because the contrast changes all the way down. If the underwear has to be invisible, choose plain in a skin tone. See bamboo undershirts for men.

Stripes in nightwear and loungewear

Here visibility does not matter, and stripes make a set less dull without being loud. Narrow stripes in two close tones are easiest to combine. See bamboo nightwear for men and bamboo nightwear for women.

Frequently asked questions

Do horizontal stripes make you look wider

The effect is small in practice and depends mostly on stripe width and on the fit of the garment.

Does striped fabric fade unevenly

No, but the dark stripe fades faster than the light one, so contrast decreases over time.

Can striped items be washed with white

Only after the first few washes. The dark stripe bleeds at the start.