Visual correction of a figure by color: 9 principles of colors choice in clothes

DRESS Magazine > How to wear > Visual correction of a figure by color: 9 principles of colors choice in clothes
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of color when correcting a figure. The right shade can visually narrow your waist, make you look taller, or hide a few extra pounds. We tell you how the color affects the figure and what color techniques can be used to conceal flaws.
08/03/2022
Updated
Brands
 Max Mara  •  
Styles
 ColorBlock  •    Total Look  •  

9 principles of color choice and combination

Black slims, white plumps - this statement is probably known to every girl. But it is not all unambiguous, and the principles of color selection go far beyond the black and white palette.

Below we have taken apart the 9 principles that will help you choose the right colors in clothing, visually correct your figure and emphasize the advantages.

Black is slimming

The information that black is slimming is based on its perception. It is not distracting and has clear boundaries - this makes it the main color fighter for a slim figure.

If you want to correct your figure a little bit, hide extra centimeters, choose a black dress, suit or assemble a dark total look.

Black makes you look slim

Hermès

But:

Hoping for the slimming properties of black, it is important to consider additional nuances. In the first place - the cut. Tight black clothes will not make you slimmer, but more often on the contrary - will emphasize all the flaws and imperfections.

Black things made of some materials work in a similar way. For example, a black patent leather jacket or a skirt with a snakeskin texture will make you visually thicker.

In what cases does black make you look fuller

Viva Vox

What does it mean:

Black can really slim, but when things have a loose or semi-fitted cut and are made of fabrics without active texture.

Monochrome looks stretch silhouette

If you want to appear visually taller, put together your outfits in the same color. Shades can be different, but the main color should be the same. So, for example, you can use close shades of blue and navy blue, different variations of gray and brown.

Slimming and elongating effect is achieved by the absence of abrupt color transitions, which divide the figure into parts. In a monochrome total look, one piece flows smoothly into the other, erasing the boundaries.

Monochrome look makes visually taller

Hermès

But:

Girls who want to hide the disadvantages of a figure are not enough to use only monochrome. It is important to enhance the effect with additional techniques - to add vertical jewelry, to layer clothing to create additional lines, to choose things with the right cut.

Monochrome look and layered look

Hermès

What does it mean:

A monochrome look will help add a few centimeters of height, but if you want to look both taller and slimmer, combine monochrome with other methods of visual correction of the figure.

Green Total look makes you slimmer and taller

How to become visually taller and slimmer with the help of clothes

Active colors attract attention

Bright, saturated colors, like the now fashionable neon, draw attention to the part of the body with that color. If you have a tummy, a bright blouse will emphasize the problem. This works in the opposite direction as well - beautiful taut hips will become even more attractive if they are covered by bright pants.

Bright colors are an eye-catcher

Akris

But:

The right cut of a brightly colored item can even out its properties. For example, a dark jacket worn over a bright blouse will distract attention from a bulky belly or wide waist.

What does it mean:

If you want to add volume to some part of the body, choose bright clothes. If there is a need to use a bright thing in an area that is already wide, combine the bright color with a neutral dark color - black, black, brown, dark blue.

Bright color in combination with neutral

Apiece Apart

Color verticals hide extra pounds

Color verticals in clothing is an effective tool to help make the problem area slimmer and smaller. The technique of color verticality works best when layered items have contrasting colors.

For example, a dark contrasting cardigan can be worn over a bright top and the buttons left undone. Attention will be drawn to the bright top, and the brain will conclude that the width of the torso is limited by the brightly colored fragment we see.

But:

It works the other way around, too. If you wear a black top and a bright orange jacket on top, all the attention will go to it. As a result, the figure will expand, because its boundaries will be determined not by the width of the visible part of the top, but by the width of the jacket.

Black and orange together visually slim

Shang Xia

What does it mean:

If you want to look slimmer and taller, layering things on the principle: bright underneath, neutral on top. When you want to add volume, combine things in reverse - use a piece of active color on top.

Warm colors expand

The influence of warm colors on the figure is also known to almost all women. The principle is as follows: warm colors with a touch of red or yellow make the figure visually more voluminous.

Warm shades are not suitable for masking a troubled belly, voluminous thighs or lush breasts, but will perfectly cope with the correction of the figure when volume is not enough.

Warm color adds volume

Max Mara

But:

If you properly limit the warm shade, it is quite possible to wear it even on problem areas. Act the same way as with active colors - wear a contrasting black jacket over a warm shade shirt and the warmth of the shade won't play against you.

Warm color with black on top of it

 

What does it mean:

If you want to add volume to a part of the figure - use things in warm colors. If you don't want to - don't wear such clothes or complement them with limiting dark colors.

This is how color temperature affects volume. The next principle further develops the use of color temperature.

Cold colors reduce volume

The opposite principle of correction of a figure by color is based on the fact that the cold shades our eye perceives as more distant than the warm ones. For this illusion, clothes of cold shades make us visually smaller, thinner. This rule works even with white - if you choose a cooler white color, your figure will seem slimmer than with warm tone of white.

A cooler shade of white makes you look slimmer

Loro Piana

But:

If you lay a bright active color on a cold white, all its slimming properties will disappear. A bright trench coat over a white shirt of a cold shade will draw attention to itself and will expand the figure, ignoring the coolness of the lower layer of clothing.

Bright color on top of cool color adds volume

 

What does it mean:

If it is important to use the slimming property of white color, do not draw attention from it to bright things. If there is no task to slim down, combine it bravely with any other colors and prints.

Colors ratio 1 : 3 makes higher

The role in correcting the figure is played not only by the combination of colors, but also by their distribution. To hide fullness, to become visually taller and not to distort the proportions, the method of splitting colors 1 to 3 is used.

If the figure is visually divided into four equal parts, three of them should be on the bottom and one on the top. That is, shoes and pants in the same color should take up three parts, and the top - a sweater or shirt, one.

Color ratio 1:3

 

But:

The importance in this case plays not only the right distribution of color, but also the styles of things you use. So, for example, to hide flaws with the right distribution of color will not work if you choose tight-fitting skinny jeans for voluminous hips.

What does it mean:

To become visually taller, combine the right fit for your type of body with the right color breakdown.

Skirt with a high waist - the principle of splitting color

 

How to improve the figure with clothes - Guide from DRESS

Splitting the color 1 to 1 will maintain the proportions

When you just want to balance the figure and make it proportional, the principle of splitting the color 1 to 1 comes to the rescue. In contrast to the previous method, here at the forefront is not the size of each of the parts, but their contrast. To maintain the proportions of the figure it is necessary to divide the top and bottom into two contrasting parts and choose clothing on the basis of "warm-cool", "bright-dark" or "light-dark.

The principle of 1-to-1 color splitting

 

This method will help make the image bright and noticeable and not break the proportions of the body.

But:

Be careful when choosing colors and shades. A warm top and a cold bottom will look great on girls with narrow tops and wide hips, but will be completely unsuitable for wide shoulders and narrow bottoms. When choosing colors for combinations, first start from the visual perception of colors.

What does it mean:

A 1-to-1 color split will maintain proportions and not ruin the figure, if you choose colors of clothing based on problem areas and existing strengths.

Bright top dark bottom - the principle of splitting color 1 to 1

 

Contrasting top and bottom lengthens the legs

White top and black bottom is a great way to make your legs visually longer, but only if the bottom has a high fit. Dark palazzo pants with a white shirt will make your legs infinitely longer and your waist slimmer - a narrowing accent will form at the junction of colors.

White top black bottom makes slimmer

Carolina Herrera

But:

Black bottom will not work if you have narrow hips. In this case, it is better to swap colors - white skirt or pants and a dark top, for example. Added to the contrast will be the properties of white - because of the blurred boundaries legs will seem even longer.

Using black bottom white top for slimness

Giorgio Armani

What does it mean:

Place white and black based on your body type. If your hips are voluminous and your shoulders are narrow, wear black down, and if vice versa, move black to the upper part of your figure.

What to combine leather pants with - all the options

Now you know that figure correction with color is a real tool. All that's left is to choose which techniques you need. Still have questions about correcting your figure with color? Ask them in the comments.

DRESS MagazineChoosing clothes to fit your body type - in the DRESS magazine section
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