Sam learned how to dress for her body type but that doesn’t just mean her body shape. It also means her: face shape; color skin, hair and eyes; body proportions and body frame size. She’s amazed how when she dresses for all 5 elements she feels like she can conquer her world. As a result, her confidence in herself and her abilities has grown. She’s doing things she only dreamt of doing before.
Because she learned how to dress for her body type, Sam pursued her dream project. As an architect, she dreamed of designing a multi-use neighborhood. She discovered a developer who wanted to create such a neighborhood and pursued being the architect on that project. Before feeling like she can conquer her world through clothes, she didn’t have the confidence to pursue such a project.
The developer is having a get together for all the companies involved on the project so they all can get to know each other. It’s a barbeque at his home. Sam was looking for an outfit to wear. She didn’t want something that she would wear to work, but showed her brand. As a result of understanding which design lines and colors work for her, she has been exploring different styles of clothes which still represent her.
Sam totally surprised herself. Keep reading to find out what she bought.
Sam’s Body Elements
As a review, these are Sam’s Body Element clues:
- Body Shape — H (Body Shape — The Girls)
- Angular clothes silhouette
- Can place horizontal and vertical lines almost anywhere when considering Body Shape
- Face Shape — Oval (Face Shape — The Girls)
- Curved design lines, prints and accessories
- Color Skin, Hair, Eyes — High Color Contrast (Color Skin, Hair & Eyes — The Girls)
- Favorite Colors — Blue, Pink (red/violet), Green
- Color Combinations (other colors) —
- Triadic — Blue
- Triadic or Complementary — Pink
- Complementary — Green
- Color Combinations (relative lightness and darkness) — High contrast
- First Scale Clue — Large
- Body Proportions — Short between chin/bust, long between waist/crotch (Body Proportions — The Girls)
- Horizontal lines — Don’t place them between her chin/bust but do place them between her waist/crotch
- Vertical lines — Limit the amount between her waist/crotch but do place them between her chin/bust
- Second Scale Clue — Decrease overall scale between chin/bust and increase it between waist/crotch
- Body Frame Size — Medium (Body Frame Size — The Girls)
- Third scale clue — Medium
- Scale Strategy — Medium/Large (Scale Strategy — The Girls)
- Decrease it to medium between her chin/bust
- Increase it to large between her waist/crotch
Dress For Body Type -- Top
When Sam was looking around for a top to the barbeque she liked this top. It’s slightly out of her comfort zone because of the sleeve and the print but she loved the colors. As she understands her body’s clues and gains confidence in what design lines and colors will work for her, she’s seeing more possibilities in the store. When she tried it on she knew it was the top for the barbeque.
Design Line & Color Analysis
Silhouette
The first design line Sam looks at is the silhouette. Because she has a H Body Shape she looks for an angular silhouette. She learned her H Body Shape falls into the angular category which gives her the clue of an angular silhouette.
The silhouette of this top is unusual because it can be worn by both angular and curved Body Shapes. This is because of the elastic at the waist.
Horizontal Lines
The next design line Sam looked for were horizontal lines. These lines stop the eye, emphasize the area and make the area appear wider and shorter. Her Body Shape and Body Proportions gave her clues as to the placement for these design lines.
For Sam’s H Body Shape she can place them anywhere because her shoulders, waist and hips are all even. Therefore she needs to look at her Body Proportions to determine their placements. She is short between her chin/bust and long between her waist/crotch. This means she wants to avoid them between her chin/bust and wants them between her waist/crotch.
This top has three horizontal design lines: hem of the sleeves, waist and hem of top. The hem of the sleeves lands at Sam’s bust and the hem of the top lands at her mid hip. All three of these horizontal lines work perfectly for Sam’s Body Proportions.
Vertical Lines
Sam next looked for the vertical design lines. These design lines move the eye up and down and make the area appear thinner and longer. Her Body Shape and Body Proportions give her clues as to the placement of these design lines.
As with horizontal design lines, Sam can place them anywhere for her H Body Shape and will look at her Body Proportions to determine the best placement for them. She wants them to be through her chin/bust area to make this area appear longer, but wants to avoid them just between her waist/crotch.
This top has several vertical design lines: the flutter sleeves and cross-over neckline. The flutter sleeves create vertical lines between Sam’s shoulders and bust which creates length in this area. The cross-over neckline moves the eye down to the waist and creates length in this area. Both are perfect, giving visual length to her short chin/bust area.
Shape Of Design Lines
Sam next looks at the shape of the design lines. She finds them in the top itself, like the neckline, pockets, cuffs and seam lines. Also she finds them in prints. The shape of design lines falls in two categories: angular and curved. Her Face Shape gives her clues to which category she should wear.
Sam’s Face Shape is oval which falls in the curved category. This means she should look for curved design line shapes.
The neckline of the top is V-shaped and the hem of the flutter sleeves give an overall curved feel. The print in the fabric is floral with lots of curves. The sleeves and prints are perfect for Sam’s curved Face Shape, but the V neckline isn’t. Over the last couple of years she learned that it can be difficult to get every design line exactly right. It’s not about perfection but how she feels in the total outfit.
Color
Sam turns her attention to the colors in the top. She learned she needs to look at the colors, color combinations and the relative lightness and darkness of the colors. The color of her Skin, Hair and Eyes give her clues as to which colors look best on her, the color combinations and relative lightness and darkness of the colors.
Sam’s favorite colors are Blue, Pink (red/violet), Green. This top has all her favorite colors, one of the reasons she was drawn to this top.
When the main color is blue she looks best in a triadic color combination. A triadic color combination with blue is: blue, red and gold. This print has the blue with reds and splashes of a light gold. These colors are perfect for Sam.
The last color aspect Sam looks at is the relative lightness and darkness of the colors. The relative lightness and darkness of her color contrast profile will get her this clue. Her color contrast profile is high because the color of her skin is light and the color of her hair is dark. The colors in the top also have a high contrast. There are dark greens and reds and splashes of light gold and white. This high contrast is perfect for Sam.
Scale
The last design aspect Sam considers is the scale of the print. It’s determined by combining her Color Skin, Hair and Eyes, Body Proportions and Body Frame size clues as to the best scale size for her. Her best scale strategy is medium/large.
The scale of the top’s print is medium/large, perfect for Sam.
Dress For Body Type -- Pants
After finding the top, Sam turned her attention to finding a pair of pants to pair with it. Her first thought was green pants but didn’t find anything she liked. Then she turned her attention to white pants. She liked the flow of these pants and they were a little out of her comfort zone. When she put them on with the top, she knew they were the one.
Design Line & Color Analysis
Silhouette
Sam learned that most pants in stores have an angular silhouette and is grateful she has an easy time finding them. She looks at the label to make sure. If the pants had a curvy silhouette, the label would say “curvy.” It doesn’t so she knows the silhouette is right for her.
Horizontal Lines
Next Sam looked for the horizontal lines. She found three: the waistband, bottom of the patch pocket and the hem. All three of these horizontal lines work for her Body Proportions.
Vertical Lines
Finally, Sam looked at the vertical design lines. She knows the center front seam of the pants creates a vertical line between her waist/crotch and the patch pockets create two vertical lines in the same area. Vertical lines between her already long waist/crotch area isn’t the best for her. However, she knows the placement from the top’s hem will cut these vertical lines in half. As a result they’re no problem.
Dress For Body Type -- Shoes
Normally Sam goes for flat shoes. Because she goes to construction sights on a regular basis, heels aren’t a good idea. As a result she never wears shoes with any height. The pants are a little long so she needs to wear sandals with a heel or get them shortened. She decided she’ll go with a heel because much of this outfit is already out of her comfort zone so she will keep going. As a result, she looked for a wedge heel because they are more stable and she can walk on lawns easily with them. She loved the color and texture of this pair.
Design Line & Color Analysis
Shape Of Design Lines
Sam learned that the shape of the toe is an important aspect of any shoe. It should match her Face Shape category. Her oval Face Shape falls into the curved category and therefore she should wear shoes with a curved toe shape. This sandal has a curved toe shape.
Dress For Body Type -- Necklace
Sam next looked for a necklace with a pendant. She learned that this type of necklace works well for her Body Proportions. So she looked at all the brands and finally found this one. She loved the etching on it, a sunrise. It represents her new journey of being the architect of this new neighborhood and working with this developer.
Design Line & Color Analysis
Vertical Lines
Because she is short between her chin/bust, Sam looked for necklaces which create vertical lines. This is why she looked for one with a pendant. This necklace will help create visual length in this area along with the neckline.
Shape Of Design Lines
Sam looked for pendants with a curved shape because her Face Shape is curved. The shape of the pendant is perfect for her.
Dress For Body Type -- Earrings
(macys.com: Anne Klein Gold-Tone Small Loose Braid C-Hoop Earrings, Web ID 13696677)
The last piece of the puzzle are earrings. She loved the organic feel of these c-hoop earrings and the fact they are gold which brings out the gold tones in the top and sandals.
Design Line & Color Analysis
Shape Of Design Lines
Sam looked for earrings that created a curved feel and braids give that feel. She knew this was the last piece of the puzzle.
Final Thoughts
Sam learned to dress for her body type, her: Body Shape; Face Shape; Color Skin, Hair and Eyes; Body Proportions and Body Frame Size, so she will feel like she can conquer her world. By dressing this way, her confidence in herself and her abilities grew. As a result, she started to pursue her passion of being the architect of a multi-use neighborhood.
Sam has also learned the importance of wearing the right clothes for her. Before she thought clothes were just to cover her body. She was never interested in them. Now she’s building a closet full of these clothes so every morning she starts her day feeling like she can conquer her world.
Next week Monica will be sharing the outfit she will be wearing to a social media conference. She will be a presenter and on a panel discussing the future of social media marketing. Like Sam, she too has learned to dress for her body type and her confidence in herself and abilities have grown. To find out how she dresses for her body type go to: Dress For Body Type — Monica.
Wear Your Greatness!!
I love your work. I think your fashion advice is the best I have seen, and I have seen a lot. Thank you for sharing your expertise in fashion.
Thank you Heidi. My advise is about helping women feel like they can conquer their world so they have the confidence to persue their passions, to create impact and make this world a better place to live. If you want keep learning what design lines and color work for you then start receiving my weekly newsletter by downloading the free pdf “Feeling unsupported? Change Your Bra, https://wearingyourgreatness.com/feel-unsupported-change-your-bra/.