Monica is really starting to learn how to analyze design lines. She’s learned so much over the last several weeks. She sees clothes in a totally new light. What she finds interesting is that shopping isn’t so overwhelming anymore. In fact Monica sees it as a game.
This week she’s looking for a formal outfit for a wedding. The problem is that she really doesn’t like wearing dresses because in the past she didn’t find any she liked on her. When she wears pants she just feels more comfortable and confident.
Monica has been going through Macys.com to find an outfit for the wedding. These are some options she’s come up with:
In this post you’ll see how much Monica has learned when analyzing design lines in the above clothes.
This post is divided into the five different Body Elements plus Scale Strategy:
- Body Shape
- Face Shape
- Color Skin, Hair and Eyes
- Body Proportion
- Scale Strategy
- Summary
Analyze Design Lines -- 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.
In a prior post you learned that Monica has an O Body Shape. Her waist is wider than both her shoulders and hips.
Silhouette
All the tops and pants have an angular silhouette which matches Monica’s body shape. She’s lucky that most ready-to-wear clothes have this silhouette.
Horizontal Lines
The R & M Richards Glitter Lace Top & Jacket has five horizontal lines:
- Shoulders — Neckline (two horizontal lines created by the sequins around the neckline)
- Below the bust to the waist — Lapel
- Waist — Sleeve hems
- Mid-hips — Top hem
- Hips — Jacket hem
The R & M Richard Necklace Jacket & Blouse has four horizontal lines:
- Shoulders — Neckline
- Waist — Sleeve hems
- Mid-hips — Jacket hem
- Hips — Top hem
The MSK Sequined Chiffon Asymmetrical Blouse has one horizontal line:
- Shoulders — Neckline
The best horizontal line placement for Monica’s O Body Shape is at the shoulders, mid-hip and hips. Of these tops/jackets the MSK Sequined Chiffon Asymmetrical Blouse is the best.
The two R & M Richards ¾ length jacket sleeve hems create horizontal lines at the waist area. Now these models are taller than Monica so the sleeve length might be different for her. If she likes both, she should order them. She needs to try them on to determine where the horizontal lines created by the jacket sleeve hems hit her.
Vertical Lines
The two R & M Richards jackets’ center front openings create a vertical line which is perfect for Monica because it moves the eye from the shoulders to her hips.
The second R & M Richards top/jacket comes with a long necklace moving your eye to the knot at the bust and then to the tummy/waist which isn’t a great place to stop for Monica.
The MSK top’s asymmetrical hem also creates a vertical line. It moves the eye from her right elbow to her left hip.
Analyze Design Lines -- 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.
Monica has a round Face Shape. This means her best design line shape is curved, so collars, pockets, cuffs and prints should all be curved.
The necklines on all three tops are curved, perfect for her Face Shape. The lace print on the first R & M Richards top and second one’s jacket are also curved.
However the lapel of the first R & M Richards jacket is angular and the center front hem of the second one is also angular. This isn’t a major problem. If all the other design lines and colors work for Monica, these jackets can work for her. She just needs to determine how she feels when she’s wearing them.
I have an angular face shape and have determined that I can get away with curved accessories like belt buckles and necklaces. However every other design line and color needs to match my body clues. Monica needs to play and try on different design lines and colors to determine what works for her.
Analyze Design Lines 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:
Monica has black hair, medium tone skin and medium brown eyes. Her neutral colors are black, grey and tan.
Monica’s Color Contrast Profile is medium.
Favorite Colors
Monica loves bright colors but felt at this event she needed to wear something dark. Black is a good neutral for her and that’s why she picked these items.
Scale
Monica’s Color Contrast Profile is medium, which translates into a medium scale clue. To discuss the scale of the lace print in the two R & M Richards tops/jackets, go to the Scale Strategy section below.
What To Wear -- Body Proportion
The clues Body Proportion give you are:
- Placement of horizontal and vertical lines
- The second clue to the scale of prints and accessories
To review Body Proportion and the clues it gives you, go to Body Proportions — Out Of Balance?
Monica’s Body Proportions are:
- Chin to bust — Same
- Bust to waist — Long
- Waist to crotch — Long
- Crotch to Knees — Short
- Knees to floor — Short
- Torso — Long
- Legs — Short
Horizontal Lines
Monica is long between her bust and crotch and short between her crotch and floor, resulting in her torso being much longer than her legs. Horizontal lines in her torso are critical to create visual balance. The problem is her waist is the widest part of her body so horizontal lines in this area don’t work for her. The best places for horizontal lines are above the bust and below the waist.
With respect to all three tops/jackets, the placements of the horizontal lines are perfect for her when looking at the models. Monica will need to try the outfits on to make sure the lines hit her in all the right places. However the neckline on the first R & M Richards top has two horizontal lines created by the sequin band. This creates more balance for Monica.
With respect to the asymmetrical hemline of the MSK blouse, because of its asymmetrical hem line, it can act as both a horizontal line and vertical one. In Monica’s case this is perfect. The band of sequins moves the eye away from her waistline and at the same time creates two horizontal lines, which visually shortens her torso.
Vertical Lines
The two R & M Richards jackets create a vertical line from the shoulders to the hip. These lines alone wouldn’t be good for Monica’s long torso. However, the horizontal lines created by the neckline (shoulders) and top hem (mid-hip) balance the center front vertical lines.
There are two vertical lines between the shoulders and top of the sequin band on the MSK Sequined Chiffon Asymmetrical Blouse. These vertical lines are created by slits along the outside of the arms. As a result, these vertical lines might create length but the asymmetrical sequin band might cancel it out. Monica will need to try it on to figure it out.
All three pants create strong vertical lines, which are perfect for her short legs. If she wears heels, she can create even more visual length. Take a closer look at the second pant; it has a slit with sequins on the side seams between the knees and floor. This little added design detail creates an even stronger vertical line creating even more length.
Scale
The scale clues from Monica’s Body Proportions are:
- Chin to Bust — Same
- Bust to Waist — Increase
- Waist to Crotch — Increase
- Crotch to Knees — Decrease
- Knees to Floor — Decrease
- Torso — Increase
- Legs — Decrease
To discuss the scale of the lace print in the two R & M Richards tops/jackets, go to the Scale Strategy section below.
Analyze Design Lines -- 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.
Monica’s Body Frame Size is large resulting with a scale clue of large.
To learn whether the scale of the lace prints in the two R & M Richards tops/jackets are right for Monica, go to the section below.
Analyze Design Lines -- 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.
Monica’s scale clues are:
- Color Skin, Hair and Eyes — Medium
- Body Proportion
- Chin to bust — Same
- Bust to waist — Increase
- Waist to crotch — Increase
- Crotch to knees — Decrease
- Knees to floor — Decrease
- Body Frame Size — Large
Monica’s overall Scale Strategy is medium/large:
- Medium — Color of Skin, Hair and Eyes
- Large — Body Frame Size
With respect to her body proportions, this overall Scale Strategy is adjusted:
- Chin to Bust — Same
- Bust to Waist — Increase
- Waist to Crotch — Increase
- Crotch to Knees — Decrease
- Knees to Floor — Decrease
- Torso — Increase
- Legs — Decrease
Her overall Scale Strategy for her torso would be large because she increases her medium/large Scale Strategy to large because she has a long torso.
The lace print scale for the first R & M Richards top looks to be medium. The second jacket’s lace print scale appears to be large. The only way for Monica to know if they work for her is for her to try them on. It’s really hard to tell from a website picture.
Analyze Design Lines -- Summary
First R & M Richards Top/Jacket -- Analyze Design Lines
This top/jacket works for Monica on many levels. It has an angular silhouette and the placement of horizontal lines appears to be perfect for her, especially the band of sequins around the top’s neckline. This creates a double horizontal line widening her shoulders and shortening her torso compared to her legs. The horizontal lines created by the jacket and top hems also create balance to her body shape, shortening her torso.
The color black works for Monica.
The top’s lace print appears to be curved and medium in scale.
She’ll need to try it on to make sure the horizontal lines created by the jacket sleeve hems and the top’s hem hit her in the right places so they don’t bring attention to her waist area. At the same time she’ll need to look at the lace print scale. Monica plans to purchase this top so she can try it on.
Second R & M Richards Top/Jacket -- Analyze Design Lines
This top/jacket combo also works for Monica on many levels. Most of its horizontal lines (neckline, top hem and jacket hem) are great for Monica and the jacket’s lace print and scale and color also works for her.
The vertical line created by the necklace is a deal breaker because it creates visual length in the torso and brings attention to the waist/tummy area. Monica is taking this top/jacket out of the running.
MSK Sequined Chiffon Asymmetrical Blouse -- Analyze Design Lines
The asymmetrical blouse is a clear winner when it comes to its asymmetrical sequin band. It’s both a vertical line moving the eye over the waist area and a horizontal line shortening the length of the torso.
Monica will need to try it on to make sure all the horizontal and vertical lines work on her. She also plans to purchase this one.
Evening Pants -- Analyze Design Lines
All the pants’ design lines and colors work for Monica. She likes the second two best because the legs aren’t as wide. It’s more about personal taste. She thought the first R & M Richards top/jacket would go great with the MSK pants with the sequins down the side because they might mirror the sequin band on the top. The MSK chiffon pant might also work for this top/jacket because the jacket is also made out of chiffon; however it could be too much chiffon.
The MSK chiffon pants could work with the MSK asymmetrical blouse, so she’s also purchasing them to try with both tops.
Monica’s excited about the prospects of these two outfits. They can become staples in her closet for evenings when she needs to dress up.
Next week I’m starting a new series of posts called: What To Wear for Different Body Shapes. The first one is called: What To Wear For An “A” (Pear, Triangle) Body Shape.
Wear Your Greatness!!
