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Talk to me about silhouettes...

Runcarla

Veteran

The silhouettes created by the clothing we wear, has been on my mind for a couple of months. I’ve had two vintage images from the 1930’s saved to my Pinterest inspiration board (#1-2) as well as what I think of as modern renditions (#3-4). I believe most of my outfits are similar to #1 and #3 (see #5) but I also ‘do’ #2 and 4 (see #6) Though I experiment a bit, I realize that there are a lot of silhouettes that I don’t do!

Skirts and dresses aren’t a big part of my regular day-wear, however when I do wear one, it’s likely to be a column/sheath or shirt waisted dress. Again, not a lot of variety of silhouette.

Do you consciously consider ‘silhouette’ when you acquire garments or create outfits? Do you stay consistent to a few silhouettes, or do you mix things up?

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31 replies

Latest reply was from Echo

Joy

Veteran

I do not think much about silhouettes. I know there is narrow over narrow. Wide over wide, and combinations such as wide over narrow and narrow over wide. Most of of life my clothes have been too big so wide over wide. I still feel comfortable wide over wide. I was big on rolling skirts at the top several times and it did not show. I was an adult before pants were worn by women. They simply were not allowed at most places. If you wanted pants, you had to by them in men’s sizes.
Your vintage photos are probably designer pants and on women who lived in very open places or were rich. Women wearing pants in the middle of the US wear not allowed to eat or attend class or feel welcome anywhere.
This was 1967. You could also not ever enter a bar or liquor store.. You
were expected to wear white gloves and a hat in any public place.

Synne

Veteran

I have certain rules for my self. I like to dress in silhouettes that elongate my legs and shorten my torso, precisely becouse I have short legs vs. long upper body. Tunic like toppers with cropped trousers would hence be a no-no for me. Or anything with low rise. I like high-waisted trousers and fitted tucked tops, like your 30's inspo. Maybe for the reason I mentioned earlier.
Silhouettes are important for what makes an outfit work, along with colour, textures. It's an interesting puzzle.
You rock the 30's tomboy silhouette!! (Borrowed Liesbeth's moniker :-D)

Synne

Veteran

Joy, how fascinating! And fast forward some decades later, now many would frown at a woman showing up "over dressed" to everyday events. I know I can feel self conscious wearing skirts or dresses in a sea of athleisure and joggers, not to say hats and gloves.

Gigi

Veteran

Love the pics! Now that you mention your inspiration, I can definitely see how it informs your outfits.

I try to change up my silhouette, especially when I feel bored with my wardrobe. Wearing high-waisted crops was a big silhouette change for me, and it really revitalized my wardrobe for a while. Now I am ready for another change, but I'm not sure what silhouette to try out next. I would like to try out some sixties silhouettes, but shift dresses aren't cut for my body type, and they're not readily available anyway. So I'll have to spend some time thinking about what I want to try next.

slim cat

Veteran

I used to do long over lean silhouette - or something in that direction. I feel differently now about what suits my body best and try to go to the Kibby system - gamine looks that don't overwhelm my slim boyish frame.
"Broken vertical lines" - that description is my guidance right now ( of course there is different ways to employment it ).
Love your inspirational pictures! I think all those working great for you!

Greyscale

Veteran

I think about silhouettes a lot, though perhaps not very consciously. Seven or eight years ago I was all about skinny jeans and long draped layers. Now I'm more likely to wear wide leg pants and oversized tops. It's less conventionally flattering, but I like the drama.

I love those outfits in your vintage photos. Joy, that's a fascinating point about the differences in what was acceptable in different regions and settings. My grandmother was born in 1910, the same year as one of the women in the photos (Joan Bennett -- I googled - so I bet that photo was the late 30s?). She was certainly not the most feminine, but I don't know that I ever saw her wear pants.

rachylou

Veteran

I think about silhouettes. I will wear them all, but have my favourites. I’m a little shy of drapey, dangly volume, not because of looks but because I think it’ll get caught up in a machine and get me maimed.

... Joy: Super interesting observations. I think I was born during the revolt. I remember being extremely young, five and under, and my mother despairing of me and trying to make me wear pants. I was very rigid about dresses and did not want to wear pants: my ideas must have come from somewhere, as in prevailing society. And I remember loving my mother’s white gloves but not her wearing them. Lol, my mother revolted and I had no interest

I’m also put in mind of something else... how my mother once commented that there was a bar across the street from my grandparents’ shop in the 1940s and how there was a separate entrance for women! I have never understood this actually, because I don’t understand a woman going into a bar unescorted... oh mercy! Lol. Where do I come from? Lol

Deborah

Veteran

Yes this is something I do think about quite a bit. When I’m purchasing or putting an outfit together I do consider the silhouette. I vary it a little but I’m quite drawn to what I consider to be a dramatic silhouette created by architectural designs and slightly exaggerate shapes.

Jane

Veteran

The images are beautiful! I do think about silhouettes, in very simplistic terms, as in more volume on the top and so less on my legs, and vice versa. I find it difficult to wear volume clothing as I can feel swamped.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I love that photo of Joan Bennett. I think her outfit looks very modern and timeless. Only her makeup and hair dates it. I see the late 30s and 40s influence in your style.

The same pic and similar pics of Lauren Bacall and Carole Lombard inspired my own foray into long slouchy menswear style pants. Such a great look. I was into it maybe 15? years ago. And am enjoying it again. It’s a nice change from the reign of skinny, slim and cropped slim pants.

I tend to go through silhouette fads. Although “fad” makes it sound like a bad thing, and I don’t think it is. Maybe “craving” is a better description. I don’t crave a lot of variety in silhouette in my wardrobe at any one time but from time to time I like a change. Eg a few years ago I really loved pencil skirts. So I’d wear a sheath silhouette. Or maybe an oversized sweater over a slim skirt. For a couple of years now I’ve been off the fitted bottoms and craving more roomy flared or a-line midi skirts with fitted or semi fitted tops. But lately even midi skirts don’t feel long enough. I’m craving midaxi or even maxi skirts. In a few years time I’ll probably be back to shorter skirts again. And so it goes.

Anonymous

I'd like to do more of #1. I have several go to silouettes:

Flowy (often asymmetric) over skinny (leggings or pencil skirts)

More of a classic fit top (shaped but a bit fluid) with pencil skirt

Fitted top with flowy bottom (usually skirt, or a dress in that shape). Would like more of it with pants, but best for mild spring and fall days, not winter.

Sometimes volume on top and bottom like the asymetric top and wide leg pants I wore earlier in the week.

Sheath (would be interested in adding longer ones), wrap dresses

Longer fitted top and leggings (gear only)

For sleep/lounge- joggers with untucked fitted top

Short lines are problematic on me. I learned I prefer higher necklines with knee length or shorter bottoms. Low contrast of course helps too!

Toppers are also problematic with necklines. I prefer v or scoop neck tops to crew with toppers. There I feel like the lines need to be broken up so I'm not a big block. Maybe I should add a necklace at least in that case.

I also don't like scarves + toppers on me. They feel too bulky/cluttery. Think I like scarves most with simple dresses.

always trying

Veteran

I am thinking I can do more like #1 now. I see almost entirely (at least pre covid) the looser tunic leggings or skinnies look (standard Chicos) was extremely popular by the over 50 crowd. This has not been my look .I wore more like #5 or #6.

nemosmom

Veteran

I didn't give much thought to silhouette until recently (within the last year or two). I found myself down the kibbe rabbit hole, in an effort (one of many) to figure out why some looks I loved, that looked right in my head, did not look right to me when I put them on.

I am drawn to a gamine look, but just can't get the outfits right - they read "off", no matter what I do. Experimenting with yin/yang lines, shapes, and how they work with my own body and face angularity has been really helpful when it comes to assessing new pieces. Moreso for me than the body shape fruits or whatever. Kibbe's system is not without flaws, but it has given me a jumping off point.

Liesbeth

Veteran

Creating outfit formulas that are 'essential' to me is possibly the most important thing to me in creating and maintaining a mix and matchable wardrobe. I update these silhouettes every season though not always radically of course.
My current favored silhouettes are:
Tapered trousers + tucked blouse
Tapered trousers + tucked sweater
Midi skirt + tucked blouse or sweater
BUT because I like silhouette variation I always get a couple of different items too, like wide leg pants and all kinds of dresses. I own a variety of tops and toppers so it's usually doable to find something in my wardrobe that complements a different silhouette.
Edit: I need to attribute this approach to Anoushka Rees from Into Mind whose analytical approach really worked for me in the earliest stages of my style journey.

cindysmith

Veteran

Consistently drawn towards skinny/slim pants and have been since I was a teenager.

As for your look, I love it. You always have a classic elegance, and often remind me of Katherine Hepburn

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Irina

Veteran

I think about silhouette and proportions. I like #3 but I know that proportions of my body are not great for this look - short waits and busty. I wear high rise pants and jeans but with untucked tops to elongate the top part of my body.

I don’t stay consistent with silhouettes, body changes and style shifts. I wear now mostly oversized and fluid fit clothes but I don’t like predictably, so I add some odd semi-fitted garment. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

unfrumped

Veteran

Live thise examples! They are some of my aspirational silhouettes.
While I live high- waist drapey menswear looks, they are harder to do in casual wear( it seems to me), probably because I prefer those in luxe fabrics. But I still have at least one pair in the “ some day “ zone.
So I have found that the slim- straight ( not nearly as slim as what’s usually on Pinterest!) pants work more consistently across fabrications and mix snd match well.
Interestingly, bootcuts, which ought to be a go- to for my shape, don’t look as good unless I’ve got, well, a boot with a heel. Haven’t been able to get the right vibe with sneaks.

I lije your post because I’m trying to get more silhouette- focused. Not to try be too limiting- but to say, I’ve got this or that silhouette covered- don’t need more “ depth” there, don’t over duplicate. Or, conversely, wardrobe hole for a specific silhouette in specific colors or fabrics.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I think that what kind of silhouette suits us depends a lot on our figure shape/body type, and that may even influence what appeals to us, although I am less sure of that. I see you as having a fairly straight and slim figure ( unsure exact type) and thus think that these menswear silhouettes and also shift dresses are likely to look good. Which they do, they look great.
My figure is quite different. Even when I was at my very slimmest, under 30 pre-kids, photos of me in a bikini from a distance show very definite curves including “hip dips”. Since I learned about Kibbe on here 3 years ago, I have looked into that and really like how it also talks about what happens to your shape and face when you gain weight, depending on your type. And funnily enough I thought I liked skinnier bottoms because I liked them in the 80s and they have always come back around at suitable times for me, but the Kibbe reading also suggests they suit me! So some sort of long over lean or floaty over skinny will I think always be my best silhouette.

LaPed

Veteran

I think about silhouette *a lot* and feel I've added more and more variety as I get older. I've always liked a cropped or tucked top with a wide or flared bottom. I'm pretty sure this is a result of my 90s childhood and the backlash against all things 80s (skinny bottoms and oversized tops). Turns out that fitted or boxy top with a wide bottom is also much easier to style with my body type. I definitely felt a bit lost during the reign of skinny jeans and the long-over-lean renaissance.

There are still a few shapes that don't excite me -- long, drape-y, flow-y, column-of-colour -- although I feel like I could probably suss out "my" version of those if I had the inclination.

Your 30s inspo photos are great and those are definitely looks I associate with your style. I'm on a quest to find the perfect slouchy pleated trousers; it's becoming a bit of a HEWI for me.

deb

Veteran

I really do not consciously think about silhouettes but I think they are always in the back of my mind.

Anonymous

Silhouette is not primary for me, it is more of an afterthought as I am selecting an outfit. I start with a theme based on my vibe for the day then choose items and colors. Some people like to guess my theme of the day

Suz

(website)

Veteran

What gorgeous inspiration photos, Carla. I definitely see these shapes reflected in your style. Don't you just wish you could see/ touch the actual fabrics? I'd love so much to know how the clothes moved and draped.

I think about silhouette, for sure. A bit like Brooklyn, I go through phases in terms of what I crave. I am aware that certain shapes flatter me more/ work more easily with my body type or personal style (my "Kibbe," if you will...). But at the same time, I will veer away from those if I find versions that appeal to me and prove wearable. For instance, for the reasons Synne gave, lower waisted pants are not my best. But by tweaking the footwear, top colour, etc. I found ways to make them work and enjoyed them quite a lot for a while.

One reason I prefer spring/ summer/ early fall dressing is that it is easier for me in those seasons to successfully vary my silhouettes. I'll go from a slim cropped pant or jean to a wide leg to a full skirt to a pencil skirt within a single week and it is all good. This is harder in winter when tights and cold weather footwear become required.

kkards

Veteran

Any one who has looked at my WIW will see that I tend to wear the same silhouette over and over...generally once I get acustom to seeing myself in a certain look, then i have a hard time seeing myself in something else.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Great question and fantastic illustrations! You definitely bring to mind that kind of old movie star elegance with your outfits. I especially love #1 and can see myself as wearing that in my younger days. As for me, I do think about silhouette more and more. I am still more in the stage of reminding myself what does not work on me, but will experiment with lots of ideas. The one silhouette that I want to make work is belting or faux waist creation. My uncharted wardrobe terrain.

Minaminu

Veteran

The pictures that you've shown are a great guideline for your style! Excluding the hair and make-up, this style doesn't look dated and it is very elegant on you!

I don't think much of silhouettes, I instinctively use the same shapes... I've just started reading about the Kibbe styles and I am drawn to the soft classic style, I like the simplicity and the draping.

Joy, so fascinating! It is amazing how quick things have changed, maybe not for the better as standards have lowered since those days!

cat2

Veteran

Yes, I intentionally look for pieces that will vary my silhouette from day to day.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I don’t consciously think a lot about silhouette. I think I have a pretty good instinct for what flatters my body and I stay away from the rest. Sometimes I’m drawn to some silhouettes that just don’t suit my body type, so I’ve learned to either adapt them or avoid them altogether. For instance, if I am after a long-over-lean look, it won’t be with tunics and leggings, it will be with a structured long jacket over slim jeans. I love the pics you posted and am very fond of that full length, drapey trouser style with ease through the hips and thighs, but it’s nearly impossible to find pants that have that effect that also flatter me — I’m just too big in the hip and thigh area to attain that look without looking like a mess.

lyn67

Veteran

Ditto what Janet said above!:-) I love changing things up a bit but always adapt and keep things the most flattering/and practical to me. I have my OBG silhouettes (pencil+sweater or top+/- topper, midi with a top/sweater (but no tuck:-)), wide legs with a top and waistcoat, cigarette pants with voluminous top (and or no topper), knee length shift or midi fluid dress- and so on but I am also many times attracted by artsy/avant-garde styles like Debs wears and still, completely aware I cannot wear them for a workday so will keep working on and adapting things alike for maybe a date night or special event.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Carla, I see a strong '30s and '40s influence in your style. Suits you to a tee!

What Suz and Brooklyn said. I am very conscious of silhouette (and LENGTH), and also go through phases with what I crave. Like La Ped, the older I get the more variety I wear - but I always seem to come back home.

For example, ten years ago I enjoyed pencils and sheaths as much as my A-line swooshy skirts and fit & flares dresses. Now I just wear the latter. I've enjoyed low, mid and high rises my whole life - but now I prefer mid and high rises. I used to enjoy skinnies, now I don't wear them at all. 5 years ago I began to make the shift to wider bottoms, and I'm still there. 15 years ago I enjoyed short jackets. Then I switched to regular length blazers and jackets. Now I'm back to short jackets. And so it goes

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