What design element can make or break any outfit? The answer is the placement of horizontal lines. If they are placed in the wrong spots they cause the wrong focus and the body to be out of balance. As a result one’s confidence decreases.
If you have a “V” Body Shape and you wear a vertical line at your shoulders, you bring focus to your shoulders and they appear even wider than they really are. However placing the horizontal line at your hips brings the focus to your narrow hips and they appear wider creating balance with your shoulders.
If your body’s torso is longer than your legs and you wear a pair of capris pants, then your legs look even shorter than the rest of your body. On the other hand if you wear ankle pants and place a horizontal line in your torso area, then your torso will look more in balance with the rest of your body.
In my post Horizontal Lines: Friend Or Foe? I explain the properties when wearing horizontal lines. A horizontal line:
- Stops your eye
- Emphasizes that area making it appear wider
- Cuts the body and makes it appear shorter
In this post we will review why horizontal lines are critical design elements. We will review:
- Body Elements that give you clues to horizontal line placement
- Design elements that create horizontal lines
- How to know if the horizontal line placement is right for you
Body Elements -- Horizontal Lines
There are two Body Elements that give you clues to the placement of horizontal lines:
When placing a horizontal line consider Body Shape and don’t place them in your wide areas. For example:
- “V” Body Shape — at the shoulders
- “O” Body Shape — at the waist
- “A” Body Shape — at the hips
Also if you have an area you don’t want to emphasize, for example a big bust during working hours, then don’t put them in this area. When women emphasize this area I see men’s eyes go there causing unwanted attention.
Do put horizontal lines in smaller areas, causing the smaller areas to appear wider, creating balance with wider areas.
- “V” Body Shape — at waist or hips
- “O” Body Shape — at shoulders or hips
- “A” Body Shape — at shoulders or waist
When looking at your Body Proportions don’t place a horizontal line in short areas because they cause those areas to appear even shorter. Do put them in long areas because they cause those areas to appear shorter and in balance with the rest of your body.
Design Elements -- Horizontal Lines
A horizontal line can be created by:
- Collar, pocket, cuff, placket, waistband
- Accessories — Jewelry, belts, scarves, shoes, handbags
- Design lines seams
- Hems
Right For You
After you determine the general area for horizontal line placement, it’s now time to fine tune that area. You do this by determining what makes you feel the lightest. (Blog post Your Body Know explains this concept.)
Whenever you’re trying on an outfit or placing accessories, look at all the horizontal lines created. First make sure they are right in general for your Body Shape and Body Proportion.
Whenever you’re trying on an outfit or placing accessories, look at all the horizontal lines created. First make sure they are right in general for your Body Shape and Body Proportion.
If you feel light, then the placement of these lines are right for you.
When you feel heavy you know the horizontal lines are in the wrong places. Look at the lines to determine if you’re able to move them around, for example a hem line or necklace length or placement of a scarf. Move the items around to find the best placements for you.
Find the spots that make you feel light. Otherwise take them off and put them in the do not wear pile.
If you can’t move a horizontal line, take off the piece causing heaviness and replace it with something that has a better placement.
Whenever I’m putting together a new outfit I always ask myself, “Do I feel light or heavy?” When I feel heavy I look at the horizontal lines to make sure they are in the right spots. If not, I move the items around until I find the right spots or take them off and put on something else.
Where should you start putting your horizontal lines? How do you feel when you put them there? Tell us in the comments below.
Wear Your Greatness!!
