The

Art
of

Fashion

What is clothing
made up of?
The principles that make up appealing art
apply to good fashion design as well.
Good fashion has a combination of the
elements and principles of design.

Elements of Design

Line
Shape
Color
Texture
Pattern

What lines
appear in this
dress?

Line
Refers to an elongated mark that connects
two or more points. Line encloses and
divides space, creating shapes and forms.
Seam lines divide and enclose space on a
garment.

Effects of line
Can create optical illusions.
A
B
C
D

Can Give messages

Structural
Vs.
Structural lines
required to maintain the
structure of the garment;
for example, seams
Decorative lines
created by the designer
purely for decoration;
for example, a printedon design

Decorative

Straight Lines
Message
Forceful, Rigid, Strong, Hard, Formal, Masculine, Crisp,
Stiff, Severe

Illusion
Increases, emphasizes, reinforces body lines and angles,
counters curved lines and rounded body areas

Placements
Closures, Necklines, Collars, Lapels, Seamlines, Darts,
Tucks, Pleats, Folds, Stripes, Shapes, Silhouettes

Curved Lines
Message
Gentle, Romantic, Fragile, Soft, Casual, Feminine, Graceful,
Sensual

Illusion
Holds attention longer, increases, emphasizes, reinforces rounded
soft-body curves, counter straight lines and angular body areas

Placements
Fabric pattern, necklines, collars, yokelines, seamlines, bows,
lapels, sleeves, ruffles, skirts, gathers, trims, buttons

Line Direction
The direction that the line falls affects the
design, message and illusion drastically.

Vertical
Message
Formal, strong, dignified, stiff, business-like, stately,
conservative, grandious, majestic, efficient

Illusion
Increases, emphasizes, reinforces length, height, narrowness,
thinness slimming, counters horizontal lines

Placement
Deep v-necklines, pointed collars, narrow lapels, narrow panels
or gores, fabric insets, lengthwise grainline, vertical stripes,
darts, tucks, pleats, folds, crease, zippers, row of buttons,
pockets, ties, neckties, long sleeves, high heels

Horizontal
Message
Restful, stable, calm, relaxed, casual, quiet, serene, in repose,
lethargic

Illusion
Increases, emphasizes, reinforces width, bulk, shortness, counters
vertical lines, when placed high appears taller, when placed low
appears shorter

Placement
Necklines, flat collars, bow ties, yoke lines, horizontal stripes,
belts, cuffs, waistline, sashes, patch/flap pockets, wide-set doublebreasted closure, strap shoes, platform shoes, wide-brimmed hat

Diagonal
Message
Active, movement, instability, excitement, interesting, dramatic, restless,
sophisticated, in motion, vitality

Illusion
Increases, emphasizes, reinforces the direction of the dominant angle,
counters vertical and horizontal lines

Placement
V-shaped neckline, open collar, lapels, raglan sleeve seamlines, French
darts, closures, surplice closure, row of buttons, fabric inset, diagonal
stripes, gores, herringbone pattern, zigzag pattern, A-line skirt, flared skirt
or pants, shoe laces crisscross straps

Portfolio
Assignment
Create 3 portfolio pages
Straight Line, Curved Line, Diagonal Line

Address the following in the paragraph:

What lines are found in the picture?

Where are the lines found?
Are the lines structural or decorative?
What is the illusion and message associated with
the described lines.

Curved line
sample
portfolio page

What is good and bad about

the following portfolio pages?

Diagonal Line

sample
portfolio page

Straight line
portfolio
sample page

 Construct a paragraph using this

picture as an example of line.
Step 1 Find the criteria in the
photo and take notes about YOUR
photo NOT the notes from the
PowerPoint presentation
Placement
Illusion
Message

Step 2
Combine notes to create the
paragraph.
Use a thesaurus if needed.