1926—The New-Way Course in Fashionable Clothes-Making
Lesson 40—Theory and Practice of Dress Design
Four Essentials in Dress Design
The first point to be considered when designing a dress for yourself or others is the occasion for which the dress is planned, as this will dictate the kind of material of which the garment is to be constructed, the appropriate color, the form or design and the type and amount of ornamentation.
In regard to the material which is to be chosen, remember that stiff hard fabrics do not drape well and should be used where more tailored effects are desired. Also take the individual into consideration in the selection of materials, for the large person should avoid stiff, wiry, hard surfaced materials as they seem to make one look stoutter.
Just as soft dull fabrics tend to reduce the appearance of size in a large person, so do the materials which do not cling to the figure tend to make the small, slender person appear larger.
Be sure to exercise good judgment in the combination of materials. All of the material used in a particular dress should be of approximately the same quality; that is, avoid using cheap cotton material on a dress largely composed of very fine voile. Some materials which are quite different, such as certain wool fabrics, may be used with satin, or frequently spring or summer suits of wool are ornamented with linen or pongee. Combinations of this kind lend variety to the dress or suit so that they are not too severely plain or monotonous.
Be careful in the use of figured materials, especially if you are large. The small person may look well in a dress made of such material, but even so it is desirable that the pattern or design of the goods is not too conspicuous. Large figured patterns in dress material just as in rugs, wall paper, etc., grow tiresome after a short time. Plain fabrics or materials having small figures giving a quiet effect can as a rule by safely worn by everyone.
As in architecture, a variety of divisions rather than a monotonous repetition of equal sized units produces a beautiful structure, so does a variety in the size of plaids and stripes add more interest to the dress.
You have learned that horizontal lines, or lines going around the figure add width and detract from the height of the figure, and that vertical lines or lines going up and down have the opposite effect. We can create these lines by means of ruffles or tucks around the figure or by means of panels or plaits running up and down, and likewise by the use of the design in the material of which the dress is made, this same effect is produced. You all know how displeasing it is to see a large, stout person wearing a dress of striped material with the stripes running around the figure. If the person had chosen stripes running the other way she would have been made to look taller and not nearly so stout.
Color in costume attracts or repels at once. No costume, however correct in line and design, can be beautiful when made of a color or combination of colors that are discordant. The combination of colors in dress is as much an art as mixing pigments and applying them to the canvas.
To learn how to create beautiful color combinations, study flowers, paintings, prints and pottery. For a cool combination choose the gray and blue of an autumn sky. The summer sky shows nature in one of her most beautiful moods—we have combinations of gray and lavender, pink and blue, gray and rose. In the woods, nature chooses russet and brown and dull yellows as her favorites, and adds a splash of green here and there to give inspiration tot he artist.
Study also the relation of the colors of flowers and their own foliage. Green foliage varies with each different variety of flower. Remember that nature never makes a mistake in color. You can always use nature's color combinations as a foundation for your own. Nature is, and always will be, the greatest teacher of color.
We have already gone into the subject of color, and will therefore not discuss the subject here to any great extent. I just wish to call your attention briefly to a few of the essential points to keep in mind.
Study the individual carefully and select a color which will bring out those desirable features and will tend to obscure and make less noticeable those which are not so desirable. Be careful in choosing too bright colors, for there are few people who can wear them well. what is good for the young, highly colored brunette is not so suitable for the more mature, delicately colored blonde. Also remember that the use to which the dress is to be put or the occasion on which it is to be worn has a bearing on the color of the material selected.
You must first determine the general appearance which you wish to produce in the dress you are making. This will, of course, be influenced by the type of dress, that is, whether it is a house dress, an afternoon frock or a formal evening gown. the silhouette or general outline should follow the lines of the figure, but of course not too closely.
Just as I have explained that stripes and plaids of different sizes make a material more interesting than when exactly of the same size, so do equal divisions of the dress produce a monotonous and uninteresting appearance. Structural lines and decorative designs should be so placed as to avoid the monotony of space divisions. For example, the dress should not be divided into two equal parts by a sash or belt; an uneven division is much more interesting.
The curved line is the line of force and beauty and all lines of the human figure are at least slightly curved. So in planning your dress remember to so construct it as to show some degree of curve.
The design or structure of a dress must be made up of parts that show a proper relationship to the human figure, that bring out one's good features and that skillfully cover the poor ones.
Frequently you have seen an apparently well-designed and proportioned dress of beautiful material which just seemed to lack something. Very often it is a simple decoration properly placed which would transform the appearance of the dress. It might be only a pin, buckle or tie of contrasting color, which in itself would seem trivial yet is the key to the whole scheme. On the other hand, you should avoid overdoing the matter of decoration or trimming, for it is just as easy to mar a beautiful gown through an oversupply as with a lack of it.
Splendid effects may be had by way of decoration with tucks, plaits, ruffles, tiers and bands of the same material as the dress. As a rule the question of decoration is not so much a matter of material as it is a choice of quantity and the proper application of the decoration selected.
The decoration which you select must be in keeping with the material of which the dress is made. Coarse materials permit greater freedom in the matter of decoration than do fine textured fabrics.
Your individuality can be better expressed through decoration than in any other way. The dress you have designed may be quite similar in line to that of one designed by a friend or neighbor, but the decoration which you have put on it will set it apart as being your own creation.
Accessories
No matter how well designed your dress may be, its entire beauty may be lost by the choice of an ugly, unbecoming hat, hosiery which does not harmonize, or even by the handbag you carry. After you have spent considerable time carefully planning your dress, I am sure you do not want the whole effect spoiled by not knowing just how to choose the accessories to go with it. So you see I am going to give you a few little hints which I believe you will find helpful.
Hats
Let us first take up the subject of hats, for what part of a woman's wardrobe is of greater interest to her and creates a greater impression on the people she meets than does the hat she wears. One should be guided more by the lines and shape of a hat which are becoming to her than by the dictates of Fashion. Of course, one would not care to wear a hat of twenty years ago, at the present time, simply because its shape harmonized well with the contour of her face. This is not necessary, for there generally are a sufficient number of modifications of every style to suit all individuals.
If you have found that because your features are a bit prominent, that a hat with a brim tends to soften that effect, then be sure to select such models whether you are buying them ready-made or making them yourself.
Possibly your face is long and narrow. If so, you will want to detract from the appearance, so be sure to avoid very high, narrow crowns.
In accordance with the principles of proportion, if you are rather short and stout, do not select a very small round hat, but on the contrary, select a hat which will lend the suggestion of height and one which is not too small.
The surest way to determine the best type of hat for you to wear is by carefully studying your appearance form all angles. If a particular hat emphasizes the roundness of your face, if it is already too round, or the squareness of your chin, when you wish it to be more tapering, or if your nose tends to point upward a little bit too much, and you find a certain style of at makes that fact more noticeable, then do not choose that kind.
The rules which you have learned to follow in dress designing to enhance or detract from certain physical features, apply in the same way to the selection of your hats.
Hosiery
The principal consideration in the selection of hosiery must be that they harmonize with the entire costume. Color will be found to be the main factor in producing this harmony. The rules which you have learned in the lesson on color apply just as much to the selection of hosiery as they do to the choice of any other trimming for the dress. Avoid the clashing or contrasting colors. The more neutral shades will be the more becoming for all occasions.
Shoes
The style of shoes you wear is to a considerable extent governed by the occasion for which they are to be worn. The oxford which is quite proper for street wear would be entirely out of place with a formal evening gown, and likewise the fancy slippers for evening wear should be used for that purpose only. Of course, the question of color is always with us, and you must be careful to select pleasing combinations, just as you do in all the other parts of your dress. It would not be proper to wear gray shoes with a brown dress or brown shoes with a gray dress.
Extremely high heels throw the figure out of balance and make one looks as though one is walking on tiptoe. I would suggest that you do not go to the other extreme by wearing very flat heels, for the arch of a woman's foot is as a rule rather high and therefore requires some heel to give it the proper support.
Gloves and Handbags
Do not overlook the important articles which you wear on your hands or carry in your hands, for they are sure to attract attention. Frequently you will be conscious of the appearance of a person's hands before you have noticed anything else. Your gloves should be well fitting, neither too large or so as to present an untidy appearance, nor so small as to cramp the hand and make it looked pinched. It is best to select neutral colors in gloves, for you will frequently wish to wear them with different dresses and coats.
You handbag, to look well, must be in proportion, harmonious as to color and of a pleasing shape. Very large bags should be avoided as they make one look overburdened, and likewise the very small bag, especially if you are bit large, will be out of proportion to the entire scheme and will not look well.
A Summary of Suggestions
Few people are so perfect as to general figure, shape of the face, coloring, etc., that they are able to wear almost any type of dress and look well. Many of us have certain peculiarities such as narrow shoulders, flat chest or round shoulders, a large bust, or our face may be very square, so that we must use care in the design and selection of our dress.
I will review some very valuable suggestions on what you will find becoming and what is unbecoming, if you fall into the classes described.
The Thin Person
If you are quite thin you have a problem to consider, but by following the rules I have given you for correct dress design and the suggestions which are to follow, you can be just as becomingly dressed as your friend with the more perfect figure.
Choose materials which do not cling to your figure and remember what has been said about shiny materials increasing the appearance of size. The lines of the silhouette should not be continuous. Create the effect of horizontal movement in the lines of the dress as has been suggested by the use of ruffles, tucks, etc. A wide girdle will cut down your height, and clothing which is light in color will make you look stouter.
If the bones of the neck are rather prominent, be careful not to wear the dress too low. A blouse which fits too tight across the front will make you look thinner, so it must be avoided.
The Stout Figure
It is not only the thin person who has her troubles, for her plump sister also has her dress problems. Let me remind you of what has been said of the use of soft materials having a dull rather than a shiny surface and of colors which are not too bright, as being more becoming to the stout figure. Never try to make yourself look thin by wearing a dress which is too tight for you, because this merely emphasizes your figure. Just as the thin person must create a horizontal movement of line, the stout person must obtain a vertical movement by the use of devices which will cause the eye to travel up and down rather than across the dress.
The stout person should avoid the extremes in dress, as, for example—very short or very long skirts, very tight sleeves, or the flowing variety. A long V line to the neck is always desirable. When selecting a fur coat, never take a raccoon or any long-haired fur, for it has a bulky appearance. Mink, squirrel or seal are much better.
Large Waist and Hips
If your waist and hips are large and out of proportion to the rest of your figure, then you must dress in such a way as to attract the interest away from that defect. As has been said before, the head should be the center of interest and this is particularly true in such a case. If you will so construct the dress that the lines and trimmings carry the eyes toward the head, your large waist and hips will not be so noticeable. Resort to the same methods as has been suggested for the stout figure to give height to your figure.
If You are Short Waisted
When you analyzed the proportions of your figure and found that your measurements from the waist to the neck were shorter than the average—if when making a dress you will lower the waistline below the normal position, you will improve the proportions of your figure.
If You Are Low Waisted
On the other hand, if your measurements from the waist to the neckline are longer than the average, raise the waistline and you will notice a great improvement in the looks of your dress.
For the Person Having a Long Neck
How often have you seen a person whose neck seemed to be much longer than it should have been? Doubtless she was wearing a very flat collar or a dress having a V neckline which so emphasized the fact as to bring it to your attention. If this person had but known that a fluffy collar or one having a soft roll would greatly detract from this effect it is very likely you never would have noticed it.
If You Have a Small Face
You may have a small face which is somewhat out of proportion to the rest of your body. If this is the case the hats you wear must be rather small if they are to be becoming. Large and rather "showy" trimming on the hat will make your face appear even smaller by contrast. The principles you have learned in the study of proportion will come into play here to solve your problem.
Now let us see just what we have found out from this lesson on design. We know that dress and manners are inseparable companions—that one's manners are cool or warm, emotional or calm, according to the style and colors one wears. We know that dress, as one clever authority says, is more than a covering, it is an index to character.
The woman who wishes to have beauty in dress that agrees with the accepted ideal of beauty must:
- Seek the lines that conform with the lines of the figure, not only the harmonious lines but the becoming and individual lines. Construct the dress so it will have a beautiful relationship to the human figure. Bring out the best qualities and characteristics of the one for whom it is designed by the skillful use of emphasis while subordinating the undesirable features.
- Study color and learn which ones to avoid and which to choose. Produce a color scheme which either gives the impression of being composed mainly of warm colors with a touch of cool accents or a cool scheme with just a bit of warmth—never a jumble of both. Remember the laws of color harmony and do not violate them or the desire to be beautifully clothed will be defeated. She must bear in mind that certain colors bring out her best points and she must learn just what these best points are by self-analysis.
- Impart to the dress some of her own individuality although it be but the slightest touch. Nothing is more distinctive than one's own individuality, and it is that which takes the dress out of the commonplace every-day variety and sets it apart as being a true creation of art. The distinctive touch serves the purpose of making the dress really a part of the person making it. A dress may be ever so carefully made, the workmanship may be perfect but without individuality, the dress is a failure no matter how clever the design and the carrying out of the style note may be.
- Combine all of these features of dress design, add it to a knowledge of texture and quality, and you will have perfect beauty of dress. Design your clothes with all these principles in mind, and your creation is bound to be artistic, becoming and beautiful.
Lessons 39 and 40
Questions
- What type of person would wear the V-shaped neckline?
- How may the proportion of the figure appear to be altered?
- In order that a dress may appear well balanced, where should large decorations be placed?
- Why does Fig. No. 10 show poor rhythm of line?
- How is the center of interest emphasized in dress design?
- Why should extremes of Fashion be avoided, if economy is a consideration?
- What kind of materials should be worn by the large person?
- What kinds of material can be worn by everyone?
- If you have a long narrow face, what type of hat should you avoid?
- Why is it best to select neutral colorings in gloves?
