The basics of clothing design are ultimately what will decide whether you look good in a garment that you have made or whether it is a complete disaster relegated to the scrap material pile. So we need to select our patterns with as much knowledge as possible to ensure that once we have made our outfit it looks and indeed feels perfect for us. Therefore our objective is to select a pattern with care, keeping in mind a flattering silhouette a complimentary neckline, sleeve and skirt length and material that is of the most becoming colour and hand (drape).
When we consider basic design we are looking at the outside silhouette or shape of a garment as well as the internal design lines such as darts and seams. Both will affect the end result or visual perception of you in your clothing.
Vertical design lines whether they be the outer silhouette of the garment or the seams, darts etc. that divide the inner space will almost always lengthen and slim. Examples of vertical design lines include princess seaming, darts, edge to edge jackets rows of buttons and plackets. You may have noticed that I said “almost always lengthens and slims”, the closer the seam lines or vertical details are to each other the slimmer the space looks. The wider apart they are the wider the space looks. What we are really discussing is optical illusions and you can create these with the correct pattern selection. In other words you can make yourself visually appear taller and slimmer (or shorter and broader if you so wish) with informed pattern choices.
If vertical design lines lengthen and slim then horizontal design lines shorten and broaden. Examples of horizontal design lines are yokes, pockets and pocket flaps, boat necklines, waistline seams and epaulets. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should avoid all horizontal design lines. In some circumstances they balance a figure, for example a boat or wide neckline will broaden narrow shoulders consequently balancing a fuller hip and enhancing a pear shape body type. A dropped waist with the seam line or horizontal band on the narrow hip of a full busted triangle will balance a larger top half.
What we need to avoid is concentrating horizontal design lines on parts of us that are larger than we would like. A dropped waist where the seam line sits at the fullest part of the hip is not flattering particularly if you are like the vast majority of women and overly curvaceous in that area! A waistline seam on a thick short waist will make it look larger but also shorten it. Far better to avoid the seam altogether and select a garment with darts and a defined waist.
In this blog post we have covered just two of fashions design lines. Next month we will cover some more so that you will become knowledgeable at selecting the very best McCalls and Butterick Patterns for your shape whatever that might be!