Understanding Proportion in Relation to the Body

The seven principles of design are foundational guidelines that help artists, designers, and creators craft visually compelling and cohesive works. These principles—balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, proportion, and unity—serve as the building blocks for effective design, ensuring that each element within a composition works harmoniously with the others. By applying these principles thoughtfully, designers can create works that not only capture attention but also communicate their intended message clearly and aesthetically. Whether in graphic design, interior design, fashion, or any other creative field, understanding and utilizing these principles is essential for achieving both functional and visually appealing outcomes.

For me, design principles are a universal language, transcending various industries and innately speaking to people in different ways. I use basic design principles to visually articulate my ideas through clothing, and I tend to focus heavily on proportion and emphasis.

Proportion

Proportion is a fundamental design principle that involves the relationship between the sizes of different elements within a composition. It ensures that each element appears harmonious and aesthetically pleasing in relation to others. Proper proportion helps to establish balance and unity, guiding the viewer's eye through the design in a natural and comfortable way. When elements are proportionately scaled, they contribute to a coherent visual hierarchy, emphasizing the most important features and supporting the overall structure of the design.

How This Relates to Clothing

Our bodies are made up of proportions, and taking measurements can help understand the building blocks of our body’s shapes. A great example would be the proportions that make up our height which is divided at the waist (where your belly button is) which acts as a dividing line between the torso and lower half. If you have ever taken a figure drawing class, you will learn about proportion and how to decipher it within an illustration. Below is an illustration from The Creative Curator who discusses proportion with relation to pattern drafting. 

As you can see, these individuals have similar heights but feature opposing proportions. Some feature a longer torso (and shorter legs) while others feature a shorter torso (and longer legs) despite being the same height. Therefore, shopping for clothing would change based on the waistline of the garment and the proportion of the wearer, opting for a longer or shorter waistline. The waist can sometimes be difficult to define as not all garments feature a seam at the waist. Therefore, shopping would look different for each person, depending on their individual proportions and personal preferences. 

Emphasis

Emphasis is a key design principle that involves drawing attention to a particular element or area within a composition, making it the focal point. This can be achieved through contrast, color, size, texture, or placement, ensuring that the emphasized element stands out from its surroundings. By guiding the viewer's eye to the most important part of the design, emphasis helps to convey the primary message or function effectively. It creates a visual hierarchy, allowing viewers to understand the importance of different elements at a glance. Proper use of emphasis adds dynamism and interest to a design, preventing it from appearing flat or monotonous.

How This Relates to Clothing

Knowing our bodys’ general proportions can help us decide what parts of our bodies we want to emphasize. In clothing, this translates to creating focal points. For example, a large, billowing sleeve can contrast with a tailored bodice to draw attention to the upper body.

Personal Preference

Finally, I would like to include a disclaimer about proportion. While having an inherent understanding of design principles helps us develop a keen eye for the outfits we want to wear, it is important to wear what makes you feel good, even if it doesn’t strictly adhere to design principles. Personally, I love wearing oversized clothing, which sometimes leave me swimming in my outfit, but I feel good and confident, so I sacrifice design principles for personal preference.