Is Your Apparel Properly Scaled

While I know my readers in Australia, New Ze+aland, South Africa, and Brazil are enjoying warm weather this time of year, those of us sitting here with snow on the ground are awaiting the arrival of spring - and not just for all those darling spring clothes. I'm talking leaves, flowers, the sound of lawn mowers, cute guys in shorts - oops, too much information. But I think you get the idea. Enough of the snow already! :-)

Speaking of summer, one of the projects I worked on LAST summer has finally hit the electronic bookshelves, FabJob's newest release, BECOME A FASHION DESIGNER:

It also spotlights several designers, including one of your fellow Clothing Chronicles subscribers, Alice Asquith, of Asquith, Ltd. in London, who designs stunning yoga and Pilates apparel. You can learn more about her here:

So what's on tap for today's article? How to make sure your apparel is of the proper scale.

>> FEATURE ARTICLE

Is Your Apparel Properly Scaled?

One of the neat things about clothes is that you can use them to create illusions. Whether you want to look taller, shorter, younger, older, thinner, heavier, or whatever, you can choose clothing styles and details to help you accomplish this goal.

But if you're not careful, you can find yourself creating an undesirable effect by overlooking the importance of scale in creating a pleasing aesthetic.

What am I talking about?

Let's say that you walk into a room filled with children. Everyone there is five, except for one ten-year-old. Where are your eyes drawn? To the oldest child, because he's bigger than everyone else and looks out of place. Or let's say it's a room full of ten-year-olds, with one five-year-old. Where does your attention go? To the littlest one in the room, of course.

It's simply human nature. Our attention is drawn to the one thing that's different from everything else.

Now let's apply this same concept to your clothes.

Let's say you're a small-size petite and you fall for a dress with a big, splashy print. Should you buy it? Probably not - because that big print is going to overpower you, and make you seem even tinier than you are.

Both Dresses From ColdwaterCreek.com

How about a small print on a large body? Nope. That small pattern will make the backdrop (your body) seem bigger, which is probably not what you're after.

The rules here are simple: small goes with small, large goes with large, medium can go with small, medium, or large, so long as the scale is appropriate.

Now whether this seems fair or not is beside the point. The "fairness" judge wasn't around when the rules for optical illusion were drawn up, so you need to figure out where you stand on the size range and work with what you have.

Were you given a small face? Avoid "big" hair, big earrings, and bulky things (necklaces, scarves, collars) around your face.

Have annoyingly large hips? Skip the small prints, piping on the trim, and small pockets that pull attention to this area.

Hate that expanse of skin known as your upper arms? Then forgo the small sleeves, tiny prints, or any clothing details that put them in the spotlight.

It's pretty easy, all in all. Think about your goals, think about the different elements you're wearing, and make sure they mesh with each other.

So what are some of the apparel and accessory items that can easily be out of scale with your proportions?

Clothing Details

Prints

Stripes

Trims

Buttons

Pockets

Zippers

Accessories

Hats

Hair

Glasses

Earrings

Collars

Necklaces

Bracelets

Rings

Fingernails

Bags

Belts

Boots

Shoes

Heels

Is there a person
under that bag?
Pompous Pleasures

In the 1980's, hair, glasses, earrings, and belts were often worn so large that they dwarfed the wearer. Today, bags and heels are frequent culprits. So be mindful of the impact of different styles and don't allow yourself to be lead astray by trends that create havoc with your image goals.

Instead, to quote Shakespeare, "To thine own self be true." Once you learn what works on you and what doesn't, you won't have to stand in front of the mirror any more, wondering, "What's wrong with this picture?" because you'll know what it is in an instant. And that's the very essence of dressing well.

So consider scale when you pick your prints, trims, and accessories, to make sure they fit your body. Your image will thank you for it.

Want some other clever ways to create illusions with clothes? Grab a copy of the all-new WARDROBE MAGIC

http://www.wardrobemagic.com

To see how easy dressing well can be.