Give Your Outfit Focus
I think as a species we’ve worried too much about what “looks flattering” and less about what feels good to wear. I try not to worry whether something looks flattering but instead I want to give an outfit focal points to lead the eye and tell a visual story. Let’s dig a little deeper into this idea.
Can I wear this? Is it Flattering?
We’re moving into the holiday season so hear me when I say bahumbug to “flattering”. I feel like “flattering” is an idea left over from diet culture and when getting your colours done and power dressing were all anyone talked about. We know we don’t have to stop wearing white after labour day – or even on your wedding day frankly! – so why get stuck thinking we can only wear certain things? Break free!
Fashion Rules Worth Breaking
Whether it’s top of mind or not you likely have some fashion dos and don’ts that stay with you. Although I definitely agree there can be a formula to a great outfit I don’t think stale fashion rules or whether something is “flattering” or not is nearly as important as its proportion, the focal points and how something feels on. Let’s break that down.
Proportion
Coco Chanel famously said, “Fashion is architecture; it’s a matter of proportions”. When I talk about proportion in fashion I’m talking about the visual balance in an outfit. We want to give the eye something appealing by using something called the Rule of Thirds.
Historically the Rule of Thirds was used in art and architecture because it helps guide the eye by breaking things down into thirds and is more interesting to look at than something divided strictly in half for example.
In fashion we want to divide a look into thirds as well with a line usually drawn between 1/3 and 2/3 of the look. If you’re wearing jeans and a tee, for instance, if the tee is tucked into the jeans that draws a line at our waist and visually puts 1/3 of the outfit above the waist and 2/3 below. If the tee is untucked and lands closer to the hips that is instead dividing the look in half. Take a peek at this example below.
In this photo the eye still lands at my natural waist where there is a greater concentration of colour. The boxes labeled 2/3 complements the upper third but allows the focus to still remain on the upper third divided by my waist line.
Now the dividing line doesn’t always have to be at the waist. Another way this outfits reads is as below:
Here the tulle dress takes up 2/3 of the look and 1/3 is the pant leg.
Using the rule of thirds can take some practice but it’s helpful to think of how an outfit reads. Dividing a look into thirds helps outfit planning because it can help inform the pieces we choose to pair together. Now, as with all guidelines, these ideas are meant to inform how we dress not strictly enforce it. Play around with the rule of thirds and see what feels best for your shape.
Focus Your Attention
Before we move on to shape which I will touch on briefly, I want to highlight focal point. What is a focal point? It’s something that draws the eye and adds interest to your look within the rule of thirds. A belt, for example, is a focal point the delineates the look into thirds. A drop earring or a collar peeking out of a sweater or cardigan can also be a focal point. The neckline of your t-shirt or the cut of your jeans can also be focal points. Even a patent leather bag or statement shoe are also examples of focal points. Essentially a focal point is any outfit component that draws the eye and adds visual interest.
Some of my favourite outfit focal points are statement earrings, a fuzzy knit with some interesting texture and, of course, colour! Any element that adds a little pizzazz or draws your attention adds a visual element that elevates your look.
Helping it Take Shape
Finally, it would be amiss to talk about outfit building without touching on shape. There are of course different body types and different body shapes and although we are never limited by our shape, understanding your shape can help you tease out some focal points.
When we talk about body shape we can typically distill them down to four categories. This of course is not comprehensive and you may find you fit into several categories but basically we see:
Triangle/A: narrower shoulders and bust with full hips and thigh
Hourglass/X: balanced bust and hips with narrower waist
Oval/Ol: fuller midsection and slim through the legs and thigh
Rectangle/H: bust, waist and hips are about the same size with no defined waist
Think of your shape as your starting point. Using the rule of thirds and focal points we’re just trying to add some visual balance to our looks. For an Inverted Triangle, for instance, a flutter sleeve or chunky necklace will draw the eye to the neck and shoulders and add visual interest to help balance the overall look by mirroring the fullness of the hips. An apple shape, for example, may want to highlight their waist so that the eye finds that focal point and helps their outfit land within the rule of thirds.
Fight your instincts and remember that this isn’t something to get too hung up on. Understanding your body shape can help drive outfit focal points but overthinking our shape tends to lead to outfits that try to “hide” particular areas of our body and, I have bad news, often makes a focal point of that area because it’s throwing off the proportion of the look.
Try to remember that your body is magic. Whatever size, whatever shape, whatever it does or doesn’t do for you – it got you to where you are. I guarantee no one is judging you as much as you’re judging yourself so please (PLEASE!) find something that feels good, that you love and let that be your guiding principle.
