The charm of illusions

Knowing how to dress best according to your body shape and balance your physical characteristics can be tricky. One of the easiest ways to work with the body is by using fashion optical illusions. The truth is that every solution to create body balance is grounded in the use of optical illusions. If you can master it, you’ll be well on your way to feeling fabulous in what you wear, every single time!

Vertical lines
The most fabulous thing about the vertical line is that it will make you look slimmer wherever you place them.

This is why vertical striped shirts and blouses with even a single vertical or several stripes will make you appear slimmer. The same is true with seams and creases all the way down the leg of your pant. The placement and spacing of vertical lines is also important. Remember, the closer the lines are together, the slimmer you will appear.

Horizontal lines
We’ve all heard this fashion tip that horizontal lines make one look, for lack of a better word, ‘fatter’. Well it’s true! Horizontal lines are brutal on the figure, unless placed very strategically. Let’s say you are among the millions of beautifully hip-py Indian women and you want to balance out your figure by making your shoulders look as wide as your hips. The best use of a horizontal feature in a garment would be around your shoulders. A line across your hips however would only make you look even more bulky around that area and smaller in the shoulders. Use horizontal seams to your benefit. Wether it’s shoulder line, empire line, high or low waistline, pick a seam that will flatter your bodytype. The longer the eye can travel down your body without being interrupted by a horizontal line, the more slender you will appear. The rule with spacing of horizontal lines is that the wider and farther the stripe, the broader the illusion.

Diagonal lines
Diagonal lines are slimming just like vertical lines. The application and use of diagonal lines, however, can be quite complex. With any line, be it vertical, horizontal or diagonal, it is important to recognise its form. Is it a print line or a seam line? Are the colours of the lines complimenting the garment or contrasting? Are the definitive lines in a silhouette converging and diverging to suit your figure ? A perfect example of a converging silhouette is a halter neck. A halter neckline will break your shoulder line and make them appear narrower.

This will work for women with narrow hips and broader shoulders, however  it’s not ideal for the pear shaped women. The boat neckline opens up the width of your shoulders thereby balancing out a wide hip line. The next time you choose a jacket and want your waist to look its best, pick one with pockets that are angled inward.

Light and dark colours
Colour choice can make or break your dress sense. Don’t pick a colour because you like it, pick a colour because it suits your complexion. The colours you choose can say a lot about your personality too. Let’s discuss the optical illusions that colours can cause. Monochromatic dressing is something that can help you look your slender best. Simply put, choosing to dress in different shades of the same colour from top to bottom makes you look taller and sleeker. Choose darker colours to wear around your trouble zones as light colours and bright colours will attract the eye. If you want to look wider in an area, pick a light colour.

(Contributed by Pooja Gajraj)