Dressing Using Your Seasonal Line-of-Design

There’s nothing like a great outfit that flatters your unique body signature. But if you’ve found that outfit and it still falls flat, you have probably forgotten to pay attention to your Seasonal Line-of-Design.

Suzanne Caygill’s system of Color Analysis went beyond the basic identification of the colors that flatter you most. It went deeper into the key elements of style like contrast level, complexity and what she called, “Line-of-Becomingness”.

*becoming on someone [of clothing] complimentary to someone; The dress you wore last night is not becoming on you. That color is very becoming on you. — McGraw Hill Dictionary of American Idioms

Although the language feels a bit archaic to our modern ears, there’s a depth of meaning that comes with it — to understand the lines-of-design that are more becoming on us than others. Those lines-of-design that really relate to us and create visual harmony.

For example for the Spring type the line is rounded, curved or piquant. Whereas an Autumn type will harmonize with swifter lines, angles and points. The Summer line is the “S” curve, a soft and fluid line and Winter is a little more controlled like rolling hills, or sometimes it is jagged.

Of course a Spring type could borrow an Autumn line to create a more dramatic effect, but generally each Season will choose the style lines that mirror their own Seasonal line-of-design for the most visually harmonious look.

The Seasonal lines-of-design can be expressed in our choice of neckline, hemline, or even sleeve cuff.. They can be expressed through the type of jewelry we wear, the toe of a shoe, the shape of our handbag. They can also be expressed through the prints and patterns we choose in our clothing and accessories.

Do you consider your most-becoming lines when you shop and as you put your outfits together? It’s a wonderful way to elevate your look to one that is visually harmonious with you!

If this topic intrigues you, you can learn more about it in my online course, “Exploring Your Seasonal Style”.