What to wear this Christmas day will be different for many of you. There won’t be the hustle and bustle of going house to house, visiting family and friends. Instead most people will be going from one Zoom call to another. Others will just be home with family, spending time together. Why not wear something cozy like jeans with layered sweaters.
(Macys.com: Dollhouse Juniors’ Roll-Cuff Button-Fly Jeans; Hippie Rose Juniors’ Pointelle-Knit Cardigan (sold out); Gypsies and Moondust Juniors’ Ruffle Trimmed Sweater; Lucky Brand Two-Tone Paddle Charm and Bead Layered Necklace)
I can hear you saying, “But Joy I can’t wear junior sizes.” I know; me neither. However, you can use this outfit as inspiration. That’s what looking at mannequins is all about. You like the overall look but you adjust it for your body. I will help you do that in this post.
I divided the section into the five different Body Elements plus Scale Strategy:
- Body Shape
- Face Shape
- Color Skin Hair and Eyes
- Body Proportion
- Body Frame Size
- Scale Strategy
What To Wear For Body Shape
Body Shape gives you clues to the silhouette of the clothes and placement of horizontal and vertical lines. To review the different Body Shapes and the clues they give go to What Are Your Body Shape Clues.
Silhouette
Just looking at this whole outfit, you can see that it has an angular silhouette which is great for angular body shapes of “H,” “O” and “V.” You will find most clothes are designed specifically for the “H” Body Shape. If you have a curvy body shape (“A,” “X” or “S”) add a belt to transform the sweaters into a curvy silhouette.
Also if you have a curvy silhouette look for jeans with a curvy fit. For junior jeans, Celebrity Pink comes in curvy fit. In women sizes INC and Style & Co have curvy fit jeans.
Horizontal Lines
This outfit has many horizontal lines which are important in regards to Body Shape:
- Cardigan hem creates horizontal lines between the waist and hips
- Cardigan sleeve hem creates horizontal lines between the waist and hips
- Sweater hem creates horizontal lines at the waist
- Jean distress holes on legs creates horizontal lines at the hips and thighs
Having horizontal lines at the waist is great for most Body Shapes except for the “O” Body Shape. However if anyone carries a lot of weight in this area it will bring attention to it. If this is you, look for sweater and sleeve hems that hit between the waist and hips.
Horizontal lines between the waist and hips are great for all Body Shapes. You just need to make sure the exact spot is right for you.
For those of you who are “A” Body Shapes, horizontal lines at the hips are not flattering because it will bring attention to the hips and make them appear even wider.
The jean distress holes create horizontal lines. For the ones in the thigh area, these lines are not flattering for those who have wider thighs. If you like this look, find jeans with long skinny distress holes.
Vertical lines
This outfit has several vertical lines created by the cardigan which are important to Body Shape:
- Raglan sleeve
- Center front opening
- Design line from bust at side-seam to waist center front
Although raglan sleeves create a great design line detail, they’re not great for “A” and “O” Body Shapes. For the “A” Body Shapes it makes the shoulders appear even smaller making the hips appear even wider. The same goes for the “O” Body Shape. The shoulders appear even smaller and the waist appears even wider. If you are either of these body types look for sweaters with set-in sleeves.
The center front vertical line created by the cardigan sweater is great for all Body Shapes. You just need to make sure the hem (a horizontal line) is right for you. Also consider the “V” shape neckline. Go to the Face Shape section below.
The vertical lines created by knit design lines from the bust at side-seam to waist at center front are great for most body shapes because they move your eye in creating the illusion of a smaller waistline. However if you carry weight in this area these lines point right to it.
What To Wear For Face Shape
Face Shape gives you clues as to the shape of:
- Inside design line details
- Prints
- Accessories
To review the different Face Shapes and the clues they give go to How To Keep Your Feet From Resembling Olive Oyl’s Feet.
Several design line shape details are created in this outfit:
- Cardigan “V” neck
- Sweater neckline
- Shape of distress holes in jeans
The cardigan “V” neck has a little curve in it. Most “V” neck shaped necklines have an angular feel; therefore are great for angular face shapes. This one with its curve can work for curved face shapes. You just need to try it on to make sure it works for you.
If you have an angular face shape and love everything else about it, pair it with a very angular necklace.
The distress holes in the jeans have an angular feel. If your face is curved look for jeans with curved distress holes.
The overall feel of the necklace is curved with its tear drop shaped charms and beads, which are great for a curved face shape. If you like the look of this necklace but have an angular face shape, look for ones with angular charms.
What To Wear For Color Skin, Hair And Eyes
The color of your skin hair and eyes give you clues to:
- Colors
- Color combinations
- The scale of prints and accessories
There are four posts explaining this Body Element and the clues it gives you. To review them go to:
The colors in this outfit are monochromatic red-orange with the neutral color of blue. If these colors aren’t your favorite colors, look for sweaters which are. Most stores have a variety of sweater colors. Look for ones with your colors and create the monochromatic set.
This sweater set is great for those who have a medium Color Contrast Profile.
The necklace chain has the metal color of gold with various colors of brown beads. This also creates a medium Color Contrast Profile.
To discuss the scale of the necklace, go to the Scale Strategy section below.
What To Wear For Body Proportion
The clues Body Proportion gives you are:
- Placement of horizontal and vertical lines
- The second clue to scale of prints and accessories
To review Body Proportion and the clues it gives you go to Body Proportions — Out Of Balance?
There are horizontal lines between the:
- Chin and bust — sweater neckline and necklace
- Bust and waist — sweater hem
- Waist and crotch – cardigan hem and jean distress holes
- Crotch and knees – jean distress holes
- Knees and ankles – jean cuffs
If you are short in any of these areas, adjust the outfit to eliminate the horizontal line. For example, if you’re short between your crotch and knees, find a pair of jeans without distress holes.
Horizontal lines in short areas will make the areas look shorter and more out of balance.
If you’re long in an area horizontal lines are your friend by making that area appear to be shorter and more in balance. When your legs are much longer than your torso, the horizontal lines created by the jean distress holes will make the legs appear more balanced.
To discuss the scale of the necklace, go to the Scale Strategy section below.
What To Wear For Body Frame Size
Body Frame Size gives you the third clue for scale of prints and accessories. To review this Body Element and the clues it gives you go to Body Frame Size — Bone Size Clue.
To determine if the scale of the necklace is right for you go to the section below.
What To Wear For Scale Strategy
Scale Strategy is determined by bringing together the scale clues from:
- Color Skin, Hair and Eyes
- Body Proportion
- Body Frame Size
To review or determine your Scale Strategy go to Scale Strategy — Bringing It Together
In this outfit the only scale to consider is that of the necklace. Because it has many strands it has a scale in the medium range.
If your overall scale strategy for the area between your chin and bust is small look for one strand necklaces. However, if your overall scale strategy is large in this area, then look for chunkier chains.
Summary
Jeans
The jeans have an angular fit which is great for angular Body Shapes. The color is a neutral blue which can be paired with any color. The distress holes create horizontal lines that can make the legs look shorter. This is great for those whose legs are longer than their torsos, creating balance. These distress holes are also great for slender legs which can handle horizontal lines making them appear wider. The cuffed hem also creates a horizontal line between the knee and ankle. If your body proportion is short in this area, look for jeans with hems that land below the ankle.
Cardigan Sweater
The cardigan sweater has an angular silhouette, which is also great for angular body shapes. However, if you have a curved body shape and horizontal lines at the waist work for you add a belt. It has horizontal lines between the waist and hips resulting from the hem. Vertical lines are created by the centerfront, design lines from the bust to the waist and at the shoulders created by the raglan sleeves. The color is in the red-orange section of the color wheel and has been lighted with white.
Sweater
The sweater has an angular silhouette but can be transformed into a curved one by adding a belt. It has a horizontal line at the waist. The neckline is curved, which is great for curved faces. The color is a darker red-orange. When paired with the lighter cardigan, it creates a monochromatic, medium color contrast profile.
Necklace
The necklace is medium in scale and has an overall shape of curved. It has a gold chain with different tones of browns creating a medium Color Contrast Profile. The colors in the necklace pair well with the sweaters.
Does this sweater/jean analysis of what to wear help you look at mannequins in a whole new way? What did you learn?
In next week’s post the mannequin will be wearing INC sequin pants with a top and cardigan. I know you’re not going anywhere to celebrate the holidays, but you can do it at home in style. It’s called What To Wear — INC Sequin Pant, Top and Cardigan.
Wear Your Greatness!!
