This week’s analysis of what to wear comes from my closet. As I write this post, I’m still in quarantine.
This is one of my favorite outfits. It’s made of clothes I designed and created (pants and shirt) and purchased (cardigan and belt). The ribbed duster cardigan is from Macy’s INC department and the belt is from Macy’s belt department. (Macys.com: INC Ribbed Duster Cardigan, Web ID 11682711; INC Oversized-Buckle Stitch Belt, Web ID 9338112)
I remember the first time I put this outfit together. Each piece had been hanging in my closet individually and one day it came to me. It was like I bought a new outfit.
I work with someone who is fashionable and comes up with some interesting combinations. Her name is Gantiga. That day when I first wore it, I received a lot of complements. I told everyone that my inner-Gantiga was coming out.
Whenever I wear this outfit I still get complements.
Do you have items hanging in your closet that you haven’t tried putting together? Once you understand your Body Elements and the clues they give, you will be able to create new outfit combinations without ever going shopping.
This post is divided 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.
My Body Shape is a combination of “X” and “A.” The width of my hips is the same as my shoulders. However I have lumps at the top of my thighs that create the appearance of wider hips.
These lumps are commonly known as side saddles. I have had them since I was 12 years old. At that time I was 5’7” and weighed 105 pounds. They are created by bone structure and muscle.
Yes, as I got older, fat was deposited there but the underlying cause isn’t fat so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Remember you’re perfect just the way you are. It’s a matter of understanding what design lines enhance your body.
Silhouette
My Body Shape has a curved silhouette, therefore I look for clothes with a curved silhouette.
My Body Shape has a curved silhouette, therefore I look for clothes with a curved silhouette.
Both the pant and shirt have a curved silhouette, while the cardigan is angular. This is why I added the belt. The belt turned the cardigan silhouette into a curved one. This is the main reason I love wearing belts.
Horizontal Lines
The major horizontal line affecting Body Shape is created by the belt. I like bringing focus to my waist.
The major horizontal line affecting Body Shape is created by the belt. I like bringing focus to my waist.
There was a time when I didn’t like to bring attention there because I was 25 pounds heavier. During this time I didn’t wear belts. I would wear tops and jackets with hems mid-hip or upper thigh. By adjusting the hem line I was able to tap into my confidence and personal power.
Remember let go of all shame related to your body. You are beautiful just the way you are. The key is to find your sweet spot for design lines which enable you to tap into your confidence and personal power. Your greatness lies within. Clothes are a tool to help you tap into it.
Vertical Lines
The cardigan center front opening creates a strong vertical line bringing the focus between my knees and floor.
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.
I have a long skinny rectangular face with a jawline that appears curved. Even though my face has a little bit of curved shape, I find angular shapes help me tap into my confidence and personal power.
The cardigan really doesn’t have any design lines except the transition from the center front opening and the hem. It’s angular. The shirt’s design lines are created by the collar and cuffs which are also angular.
I love the print of the shirt which has an overall angular feel.
However, the belt is a different story. It has both angular and curved design lines:
- Buckle — outside curved, inside angular
- Stay — curved
- End — outside angular, inside curved
If I can’t find an all-angular belt, I look for ones with both angular and curved lines.
You will find this a lot, accessories with both curved and angular shapes. I find it’s difficult to get just angular shaped accessories.
Also I will purchase ones that are curved; for example belt buckles. Then I load up every other design line as angular, which is what I did in this outfit. When I find a gold angular belt buckle with a wide belt like this one I will buy it. Until then I’ll wear this one.
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:
My favorite colors are jewel tone red, fuchsia, blue/purple (the color of a tanzanite stone) and royal blue. However my power color is red. My Color Contrast Profile is high because my hair and eyes are dark and my skin is light.
The print of the shirt has the following colors: red, royal blue, green, gold, white and black. When looking at color theory for color combination schemes, this shirt has two:
- Triadic: red, royal blue and gold
- Complementary: red and green
Both of these color combinations are perfect for me being high contrast.
The relative lightness and darkness of these colors are high contrast which also matches my Color Contrast Profile. I find if I don’t create a high color contrast in my outfits they don’t enhance my coloring to the fullest. Even when wearing solid colors I always find a way to create high contrast through accessories, like scarfs, necklaces and belts.
My Color Contrast Profile being high results in a scale clue of large. To discuss the scale of the shirt print and belt, go to the Scale Strategy section below.
What To Wear For 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?
My body proportions are:
- Chin to Bust — Long
- Bust to Waist — Long
- Waist to Crotch — Same
- Crotch to Knees — Same
- Knees to Floor — Short
- Torso — Long
- Legs — Short
The skill of placing horizontal lines and vertical lines is one that is learned by experimenting once you understand your body clues and the gifts of these lines.
Horizontal Lines
This outfit has several strong horizontal lines:
- Collar of the shirt
- Belt at the waist
- Cuffs of the shirt
- Hem of the cardigan
Because I’m long between my chin and waist I’m always adding horizontal lines. This outfit is no exception. The wideness of the belt actually creates two horizontal lines. These horizontal lines bring balance between my torso and legs.
Since I am short between my knees and the floor, you might ask, why are you wearing a duster cardigan? The answer is for variety. I’m able to get away with it because I have so many horizontal lines in the torso area and only one in the leg area. Also I have a strong vertical line in this area.
Vertical Lines
There are two vertical lines created by this outfit:
- Cardigan center front opening
- Pant legs
From the chin to waist the cardigan vertical lines are broken up by the collar, shirt print and belt. Once the eye gets past the waist, it flows straight down to the hem, creating length along the way.
I bet you were surprised to learn that pant legs can create vertical lines. I have tried this same cardigan with a dress and it doesn’t work for me. I need the vertical lines of the pant legs to create the appearance of length. If your legs are shorter than your torso, many women are, use pant legs to create balance.
One more trick is for trousers: press in a center front and back crease like these pants have. It also creates vertical lines.
Scale
The scale clues from my Body Proportions are:
- Chin to Bust — Increase
- Bust to Waist — Increase
- Waist to Crotch — Same
- Crotch to Knees — Same
- Knees to Floor — Decrease
- Torso — Increase
- Legs — Decrease
To discuss the scale of the shirt print and belt, 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.
My Body Frame Size is small resulting with a scale clue of small.
To learn how the scale of the shirt print and belt are right for me, 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.
The scale of the shirt print is medium/large and the belt is large.
My overall Scale Strategy is medium:
- Large — Color of Skin, Hair and Eyes
- Small — Body Frame Size
Because I’m long between my chin and bust and bust and waist, the scale for these areas increases. As a result I can wear medium/large scale prints in this area.
The scale of the shirt is perfect for my torso; however it wouldn’t work for my legs. I avoid pants with prints because of the disparity between my torso and legs. Part of that also reflects my personality.
I like using large scale belts because I want to create two strong horizontal lines to visually shorten my torso.
Summary
Cardigan
The INC Rib Duster Cardigan has an angular silhouette. It can be transformed into a curved silhouette by using a belt. The only horizontal line is created by the hem which falls between the knees and floor. The center front opening creates the only vertical line. The knitted ribs create an interesting visual texture.
Pants
The red pants have a curved silhouette and the pant legs create a strong vertical line creating an increase in visual length.
Shirt
This red, blue, green, gold, white and black silk shirt has a curved silhouette. The collar and cuffs create angular design lines along with the print shapes. The color scheme creates both triadic (red, blue and gold) and complementary (red and green). It also has a high color contrast. Finally the scale of the print is medium/large.
Belt
The belt has both angular and curved shapes and its scale is large.
This outfit has both ready-to-wear and custom items. This is a great way to keep costs down. For those clothes you have a hard time finding design lines and colors that match your body clues and/or fit your body, have them custom made. Everything else, purchase them in the ready-to-wear market. For me, my main problems areas are:
- Length of my torso
- Smaller waist than hips
- Length of legs
I tend to custom make my pants, jackets, shirts/tops and dresses. I have a few of each which I found in the ready-to-wear market. They are hard for me to find. I also know how to alter them to make them fit my body.
I hope giving you a step-by-step analysis of my body and the clothes I love to wear gives you a better understanding of how to analyze your body and the clothes you love to wear. What “ah ha” moment did you have? Tell us in the comments below.
Since I’m remaining in quarantine, next week’s post will be another ensemble from my closet. The post is called: What To Wear — Dress With Jacket.
Wear Your Greatness!!
