Timeless Staples: Blinded by the Stripes

It is hard to walk the streets of St Andrews without catching a stripey outfit. In the past semester alone, I have seen striped jumpers, trousers, hats, gloves, blouses, skirts, scarves, caps, shoes, bags— pretty much any item of clothing (or accessory) you can think of. 

Credit: Ivana Furundija on Pinterest

The popular stores are stocking their shelves with stripes to fit the recent demand. According to Potter & Co on Instagram, ‘Stripes were set to dominate fashion in 2025, making a strong return in fresh and unexpected ways. This year, they're appearing in everything from striking, high-contrast patterns to subtle, delicate designs, proving their versatility across both everyday wear and sophisticated ensembles.’

And, well into 2026, stripes have not stopped dominating, arguably having an even stronger hold on fashion, which can be seen daily on the streets of St Andrews. As someone who has grown to include stripes in many of my outfits, I was interested to see where the pattern came from and what is causing its recent resurgence in popular clothing. 

A History of Stripes

Stripes are one of fashion’s most enduring wardrobe staples, but their history is surprisingly complicated. They’re one of the oldest patterns in existence, appearing in woven fabrics across ancient cultures. Even so, stripes have actually held a lot of meaning in different contexts and have not always just been for fashion.

In the Middle Ages, stripes actually carried negative connotations. They were often used to mark people seen as outsiders, including prisoners, which is where the idea of the striped prison uniform originates. Historian Michel Pastoureau notes in The Devil’s Cloth that medieval Europeans even linked stripes to disorder and evil, partly influenced by early biblical ideas about mixing materials.

By the 18th and early 19th centuries, stripes began to shift in meaning. In Regency interiors, they appeared in elegant upholstery, but in North America, they still marked prisoners, used for visibility and control. Around the same time, the French navy introduced the striped sailor shirt — practical for spotting men overboard and distinguishing rank.

Credit: Orcival

The real turning point came in 1917, when Coco Chanel reworked the Breton stripe into high fashion. What had been a working uniform became a symbol of relaxed, coastal luxury — a look tied to French summer style.

Credit: Jadorais

By the mid-20th century, stripes had another reinvention. Figures like Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, James Dean, and Brigitte Bardot made them part of a creative, slightly rebellious image. At the same time, intellectuals and designers, including Jean-Paul Sartre and Jean Paul Gaultier, helped cement stripes as both artistic and high-fashion.

Credit: Atelier Marnière

Stripes also became embedded in student life. From the 1920s onwards, striped ties were worn in schools and universities, evolving into markers of tradition, status, education, and identity. Pinstripes later reinforced this, becoming associated with confidence and ambition, particularly in professional settings. 

Stripes in St Andrews

The dynamic and long-changing history of the stripe, along with the nautical theme, definitely suits the demographic of St Andrews students. 

With a history even older than the university, stripes have likely been rocked up and down the streets of St Andrews for generations, going in and out of style, and the pattern has evolved in meaning and shape. For example, while rugby shirts were originally striped so they could be seen in muddy and wet conditions, now they’re a trendy striped top anyone can wear. 

Credit: Lyst

Ultimately, stripes have become embedded in St Andrews fashion, and this can be seen everywhere, whether it be the blue and white striped ties donned by the rugby team, or a blue and white striped jumper to remind us that we live by the sea.

Today, stripes don’t carry a single meaning. They’ve gone from outsider symbol to elite fashion, from uniform to rebellion. That flexibility is probably why they still work — especially somewhere like St Andrews. Walk through town, and you’ll see them everywhere: in formal wear, thrifted jumpers, and beach layers.

Stripes have meant almost everything at some point: creative, intellectual, rebellious, polished. The adaptable and expressive nature of stripes makes the pattern fitting for life as a student, and they are constantly being redefined depending on who’s wearing them. So, wear your stripes, and make them mean whatever you want them to!