Stripes aren’t a fad. Everyone knows that. They are a hard-and-fast, multi-season fashion staple, if you will. This season though, it’s time to add a slight twist to your favourite linear tale – simply add a dash of colour. Multicoloured stripes that swirl, smudge, cross and clash with each other are a hot favourite on the ramps and off of it and we thought, what better way to say hello to spring than to explore this colourful trend?

While this trend might challenge the brave heart, maximalist in you, we think being a little experimental never hurt anybody. If the resort runways are anything to go by, self-tie shift dresses with wide trapeze lines, formal and casual duster coats, midi sweater dresses and maxi skirts are doing all the talking. It seems like co-ord sets in stripes are back in the biz too.  “Since the prints have so much colour, it’s best to style it with a solid top/bottom in a more neutral colour. It might also be fun to pair it with a colour that is already in the print!” says designer Karishma Kristina Singh. “Unusual colours give stripes a whole new look. I think, what makes it so popular is the simplicity of it,” she says.

A multi-colour, striped maxi skirt can be matched with a top of the same colour like this local model in designer Karishma’s creation.

If this trend is too much for you, dip your toe and test the waters by trying on a fab topper. Pair it with a chunky sweater and jeans or a flirty onesie – like on the Giorgio Armani runway. You can also take a hint from Salvatore Ferragamo’s show and break the head-to-toe striped monotony by flashing some skin in an off-the-shoulder silhouettNothing quite complements colours like white does! Wearing stripes with an off-the-shoulder silhouette is another trend to watch out for, like this model in designer Shloka’s creation.e.

Even as Deepika is turning heads in vertical striped Ferragamo numbers and multi-toned Fendi dresses, you can’t possibly forget that Anushka Sharma rocked the ethnic road in a colour-blocked Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla anarkali. “For me, it’s the whole idea of adding a little fun and structure using colour-blocked stripes to a blouse, and pairing it with a monotone lehenga,” says Akshita Totlani. The young, city-based designer and stylist who often uses them in Western outfits is now adding the touch to Indo-western wear. “Today’s ethnic ensembles are infused with fun element aka stripes to add a peppy look. Coloured stripes have taken over florals too for the experimental young crowd when it comes to destination wedding wear as well,” she notes. “Aside of multicoloured striped lehengas that are all the rage, you can also work a multicoloured striped floor length jacket over a kurta or a plain coloured skirt and crop top,” says designer Shloka Sudharkar, adding that placing them horizontally makes a person appear bigger than they actually are, while vertical stripes make them look thin and tall! If you’re not one for trends, you probably ought to give the multicolour stripes a shot for its sheer versatility.