Preamble
For your convenience I have listed other posts in this series:
The Effects of Fabric on Your Figure
The Effects of Color on Your Appearance
I taught color theory, textiles, visual communication and design at the University of Newcastle (Australia) for a number of years - see Visual Communication and Design. Being a colorist implies that you have a natural interest in the various effects that fabrics have on the appearance of a person. Today's post highlights some of these effects.
Introduction
The optical illusions that are accomplished by proper use of line can often be achieved or heightened through the use of patterned fabrics such as stripes or prints.
Artist: Marie-Therese Wisniowski.
Title: Marks 1 (section view).
Technique: Dyed, multiple over dyes, shibori over dye, discharged, over discharged, foiled and silk screened on silk habotai.
Size: 114 cm (wide) x 193 cm (high).
Photograph Courtesy of Marie-Therese Wisniowski. Note: The effect of the striations give this ArtCloth work an added dimension.
In wearable art, these effects may often be more difficult to accomplish than those that depend upon line alone, but the figure flattery you can achieve may be well worth the effort.
Vertical and horizontal striped dresses.
Remember: Never be ashamed of your body shape! Clothes are there not only to keep you warm and to complement your figure, but more importantly they advertise to the world your personality!
New Arrival: Burgundy long-sleeve lace chiffon celebrity dress. Oprah Winfrey at 2014 BAFTAs Red Carpet Gown plus size Evening Gowns
Tricks With Stripes[1]
Stripes are a perennial favorite, and variations in widths, colors and arrangement give them a new look every year.
Horizontal striped dress, mid-high length.
Not only do stripes produce interesting effects, they can also create flattering illusions. Usually stripes running in the vertical direction will make a person look taller and thinner, but this is not a hard-and-fast rule.
There are times when stripes can make the figure appear much wider.
Stripe Button Dress.
Note: the color and width of the stripes alter the taller, thinner look that stripes normally restore on a figure.
The same principle holds true when using stripes horizontally. Although usually stripes moving from side-to-side make the figure appear stockier and shorter it is also possible for this direction to make the figure look taller. It all depends on how your eye reacts to the width of the stripes and the distance between them.
Short striped casual navy blue party dress.
Note: The color of the dress and the spacing and thinness of the stripes alter your perception of width versus height.
If this is hard to believe, notice how the different arrangements of lines shown below seem to create varying illusions. If the vertical lines keep the eye moving upward, it creates a feeling of height, but if other vertical lines carries the eye from side-to-side, it increases the illusion of width. If you cannot quite believe what your eyes are telling you, measure each of the areas to be sure. When the spaces between the stripes are proportioned so that the eye moves easily from one line to the other without stopping, a sideways illusion is created.
Using the stripes in a diagonal direction can also create optical illusion of width. Notice above how the diagonals converging on one spot can make two parallel lines seem to bulge.
In summary, it is very important to analyze a stripe fabric before you purchase it. Always keep your dress pattern in mind and visualise the direction the stripes will take. Ask yourself, will this have the effect on your figure that you desire? Usually, a simple strip design, whether horizontal or vertical, will give the most pleasing results.
Horizontal thin stripes retro hemp t-shirt.
Tricks With Prints
Like stripes, prints can also be used to create desirable effects. However, you should remember that prints usually make your figure look larger than plain fabric in the same color.
Usually print designs of medium size with close color contrasts will prove the most flattering to any figure type.
Women's A-line mid skirt.
Light and bright colors, sharp contrasts and large motifs will tend to increase the apparent size of the wearer; while darker blurred all-over patterns will act to decrease size.
Dress with large motifs and sharp contrasts.
Motifs arranged to give a vertical movement to the design seem to add height. When this kind of design is made up of colors that are close in value and the motifs are closely spaced, the print will be flattering to a short figure.
Pretty 1950s Purple Embroidered Netted Lace Floral Wiggle Dress.
Widely spaced, shapely contrasted motifs will call attention to the wearer's size even though the background might be subdued.
Floral flounce dress in blush pink.
Circular motifs give an illusion of roundness and will have a flattering effect if you are thin.
Circle motif dress with crochet patterns.
Border prints used at the hemline will have a tendency to attract the eye, particularly if the border is dark and wide.
Such a border is ideal if you wish to call attention to pretty legs.
Iris wide border asymmetrical dress.
However the strong border line if symmetrical makes it impossible to create a feeling of height and so this type of print is more becoming on a tall slender figure than on a short one.
The black borderline dress in the Sound of Music gives a squat feel to the figure.
There is one one way to create a lengthening effect with a border print and that is to use it as the central panel running up and down the dress. Thus the panel creates a path for the eye to follow. This is most successful if the border is a narrow one.
Reference:
[1] McCall's Sewing in Color, Paul Hamlin, London (1968).
For your convenience I have listed other posts in this series:
The Effects of Fabric on Your Figure
The Effects of Color on Your Appearance
I taught color theory, textiles, visual communication and design at the University of Newcastle (Australia) for a number of years - see Visual Communication and Design. Being a colorist implies that you have a natural interest in the various effects that fabrics have on the appearance of a person. Today's post highlights some of these effects.
Introduction
The optical illusions that are accomplished by proper use of line can often be achieved or heightened through the use of patterned fabrics such as stripes or prints.
Title: Marks 1 (section view).
Technique: Dyed, multiple over dyes, shibori over dye, discharged, over discharged, foiled and silk screened on silk habotai.
Size: 114 cm (wide) x 193 cm (high).
Photograph Courtesy of Marie-Therese Wisniowski. Note: The effect of the striations give this ArtCloth work an added dimension.
In wearable art, these effects may often be more difficult to accomplish than those that depend upon line alone, but the figure flattery you can achieve may be well worth the effort.
Remember: Never be ashamed of your body shape! Clothes are there not only to keep you warm and to complement your figure, but more importantly they advertise to the world your personality!
Tricks With Stripes[1]
Stripes are a perennial favorite, and variations in widths, colors and arrangement give them a new look every year.
Not only do stripes produce interesting effects, they can also create flattering illusions. Usually stripes running in the vertical direction will make a person look taller and thinner, but this is not a hard-and-fast rule.
There are times when stripes can make the figure appear much wider.
Note: the color and width of the stripes alter the taller, thinner look that stripes normally restore on a figure.
The same principle holds true when using stripes horizontally. Although usually stripes moving from side-to-side make the figure appear stockier and shorter it is also possible for this direction to make the figure look taller. It all depends on how your eye reacts to the width of the stripes and the distance between them.
Note: The color of the dress and the spacing and thinness of the stripes alter your perception of width versus height.
If this is hard to believe, notice how the different arrangements of lines shown below seem to create varying illusions. If the vertical lines keep the eye moving upward, it creates a feeling of height, but if other vertical lines carries the eye from side-to-side, it increases the illusion of width. If you cannot quite believe what your eyes are telling you, measure each of the areas to be sure. When the spaces between the stripes are proportioned so that the eye moves easily from one line to the other without stopping, a sideways illusion is created.
Using the stripes in a diagonal direction can also create optical illusion of width. Notice above how the diagonals converging on one spot can make two parallel lines seem to bulge.
In summary, it is very important to analyze a stripe fabric before you purchase it. Always keep your dress pattern in mind and visualise the direction the stripes will take. Ask yourself, will this have the effect on your figure that you desire? Usually, a simple strip design, whether horizontal or vertical, will give the most pleasing results.
Tricks With Prints
Like stripes, prints can also be used to create desirable effects. However, you should remember that prints usually make your figure look larger than plain fabric in the same color.
Usually print designs of medium size with close color contrasts will prove the most flattering to any figure type.
Light and bright colors, sharp contrasts and large motifs will tend to increase the apparent size of the wearer; while darker blurred all-over patterns will act to decrease size.
Motifs arranged to give a vertical movement to the design seem to add height. When this kind of design is made up of colors that are close in value and the motifs are closely spaced, the print will be flattering to a short figure.
Widely spaced, shapely contrasted motifs will call attention to the wearer's size even though the background might be subdued.
Circular motifs give an illusion of roundness and will have a flattering effect if you are thin.
Border prints used at the hemline will have a tendency to attract the eye, particularly if the border is dark and wide.
However the strong border line if symmetrical makes it impossible to create a feeling of height and so this type of print is more becoming on a tall slender figure than on a short one.
There is one one way to create a lengthening effect with a border print and that is to use it as the central panel running up and down the dress. Thus the panel creates a path for the eye to follow. This is most successful if the border is a narrow one.
Reference:
[1] McCall's Sewing in Color, Paul Hamlin, London (1968).
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