Operation MILF - How to Wear Stripes for Spring

One of the Prettiest trends of Spring '12 is the stripe - not just with the resurgence of the classic French sailor shirt, of which I own approx. eleventy billion, but also the modern take on this preppish trend.

The thing is, wearing stripes can be a tricky business for those of us - ok, me - who are not six feet tall and six pounds wide. There's that old saying about not wearing stripes if you're attempting to look slender - while I don't entirely agree with that, I have found there are more flattering ways to incorporate this trend if you have some areas you'd prefer to, shall we say, de-emphasize. With the ways this trend is showing up in stores - asymmetrical lines and colorblocking - it's also easy and inexpensive to do.

I should add that I include myself in this strategizing; though I luuurve me a stripe - seriously, stop me before I stripe again - and I'm finally back to pre-baby fighting weight, the look of my landscape has changed. That flat stomach I'd always taken for granted? The arms that knew no waddle? Um. Let's say that though I'm a wee bit obsessed with this trend, I cannot just throw on any ol' form-fitting top anymore.

Anywhoo, here are a few favorites, all the way from J. Crew to JC Penney . . .

With their respective asymmetry & longer hemline, these first two might particularly suit those of us - ok, me again - looking to conceal things around the stomach or hip area:

Left (I own & adore this one) / Right

And for those of us wanting to emphasize, from left to right, our non-existent bust or downplay arms; note how the lighter color & colorblocking directs the eye:

Left (showing as sold out, sadly) / Right

Same here, for anyone else wanting to minimize the stomach damage; the darker/thicker striped area on the left does minimizing stomach magic, while looser fit on the right helps there & with arm coverage as well:

Left / Right

For the Pretty plus-sized crowd, two from Old Navy - note again how the diagonal lines & color-blocking draw the eye up . . . 

Left / Right

Anyone else sweet on stripes?