Knowing how to analyze the design lines and colors of an outfit is the easiest way to create a closet full of clothes you love to wear.
When you go shopping, do you look at mannequins for inspiration? If you do, you’re not alone. Most women look at mannequins. The problem arises when you try on the clothes and you hate them on you. This is because the outfit’s design lines and colors don’t match your body’s ideal ones. You can learn how to analyze both design lines and colors.
And you still can use the mannequins for inspiration. The key is to analyze design lines and colors on the outfit and adjust them to fit your Body Element clues.
In past posts I have analyzed design lines on mannequins and outfits from my closet. Today I will add in a fictitious person with her unique Body Elements and show how she can become inspired by a mannequin in Macy’s at the Galleria Mall in Roseville, CA.
In this post you will learn about Alice’s Body Elements and the clues they give her. Then in next week’s post we will evaluate a mannequin she is inspired by and learn how to change various pieces of clothing so the design lines and colors match her Body Elements.
Let’s meet Alice!
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.
Alice is 5’5” and has a “V” Body Shape. Her shoulders are wider than both her waist and hips. She is big busted and she carries her weight there and in her stomach area. However she has no butt and skinny legs.
Analyze Design Lines -- Clothes Silhouette
Since Alice has a “V” Body Shape her silhouette is angular which translates to an angular clothes silhouette.
Because her shoulders are her widest area, she finds that when tops, dresses and jackets fit her shoulders, the waist and hip areas are too big. As a result she will need to have the side seams taken in at the waist and hips so this area fits better.
Analyze Design Lines -- Horizontal Lines
Horizontal lines are her friends at her waist and hip areas. These lines bring balance to her shoulders.
However, horizontal lines at her shoulders are not her friends. These lines in this area make her shoulders appear even wider.
Analyze Design Lines -- Vertical Lines
Vertical lines are Alice’s friend in the shoulders because they will make them appear visually slimmer creating balance. On the other hand vertical lines at the waist and hips don’t create balance.
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.
Alice’s has a rectangle Face Shape which is an angular shape.
Analyze Design Lines -- Shape Of Design Lines, Prints And Accessories
Having a rectangular Face Shape, Alice will wear design lines like collars, cuffs, and pockets with an angular shape. The same goes for prints and accessories.
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:
Alice has light skin, blonde hair and hazel green eyes. Her Color Contrast Profile is light.
Analyze Colors -- Favorite Colors
Alice’s favorite colors are olive green, coral and violet. Of these colors, olive green is her power color. Every time she wears it she feels like she can conquer her world.
You will find these colors on the Intensity Color Wheel.
Her best neutrals are warm grey and tan.
Analyze Colors -- Color Combinations
The relative lightness and darkness of her colors are low meaning the analogous colors should stay on the same rung of the color wheel.
The relative lightness and darkness of her colors are low meaning the analogous colors should stay on the same rung of the color wheel.
Analyze Colors -- Scale Of Prints And Accessories
Since Alice’s Color Contrast Profile is light, her clue for scale is small.
Body Proportion
The clues Body Proportion give you are:
- Placement of horizontal and vertical lines
- The second clue to scale of prints and accessories
The clues Body Proportion give 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?
Alice’s Body Proportions are:
- Chin to bust — Long
- Bust to waist — Same
- Waist to crotch — Short
- Crotch to Knees — Same
- Knees to floor — Same
- Torso to legs — Same
Analyze Design Lines -- Horizontal Lines
Alice has a dilemma when it comes to horizontal lines. She is long between her chin and bust so a horizontal line would be beneficial. However because she has a “V” Body Shape horizontal lines would make her shoulders appear wider. As a result she needs to be strategic about her horizontal lines in this area.
Analyze Design Lines -- Vertical Lines
Alice has the same dilemma with vertical lines. She is short between her waist and crotch so vertical lines will create length in this area. Because of her “V” Body Shape, vertical lines in this area will make it appear even slimmer making her shoulders appear even wider. She also needs to be strategic when it comes to vertical lines in this area.
Analyze Design Lines -- Scale Of Prints And Accessories
The scale clues for Body Proportion are:
- Chin to bust — Increase
- Bust to waist — Same
- Waist to crotch — Decrease
- Crotch to Knees — Same
- Knees to floor — Same
- Torso to legs — Same
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.
Alice’s Body Frame Size is medium.
Analyze Design Lines --Scale Of Prints And Accessories
Her third and final clue for the scale of prints and accessories is medium.
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.
Alice’s scale clues are:
- Color Skin, Hair and Eyes — Small
- Body Proportion
- Chin to bust — Increase
- Bust to waist — Same
- Waist to crotch — Decrease
- Crotch to knees — Same
- Knees to floor — Same
- Body Frame Size — Medium
Analyze Design Lines -- Overall Scale Strategy
Alice’s overall Scale Strategy is somewhere between small and medium. She will need to test the exact size by trying on different sizes of prints and accessories and determine which size she feels the lightest in.
Analyze Design Lines -- Scale Strategy For Body Proportion
Once Alice determines her overall scale strategy, she can adjust prints and accessories between her chin and bust, and waist and crotch. For necklaces and scarf prints, Alice can increase the scale to medium.
Theoretically speaking she can decrease the scale of prints and accessories between her waist and crotch. However, by changing the scale in this area, she will bring attention to it. Bringing attention to this area could create imbalance so Alice should not make a change.
You now understand all of Alice’s Body Elements and the clues they give her. In the next post we will analyze an outfit on a mannequin at Macy’s. Several of the design lines won’t work for Alice. So in the next post, you will see how you can swap out different clothing items to create an outfit with your body’s best design lines and colors.
It’s called, Analyze Design Lines — Jacket, Pants, Blouse and Sweater.
Wear Your Greatness!!
