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Truth is Beauty 

What Does "Elongation" Mean?

3/21/2016

6 Comments

 
In my Visual Style Guides and What Not To Wears, you'll often see the terms "elongation" and "elongated."

Your Visual Style Guide may recommend for you "an elongated silhouette"; your What Not To Wear may tell you "Avoid elongated lines."   What does these look like, exactly? 

​Here's what they're not:
Picture
Lines that are short ("staccato") to moderate in length, not elongated.
See the black lines in this image.

The lines in this pic all meet at least one of two criteria:

1. they're no longer than the section of the body to which they correspond,

or

2. they're no longer than what one would expect from a typical representation of the corresponding garment.

So, for example,  the line at the torso isn't longer than the torso. That meets criterion number 1. 

And for criterion number 2, the line at the boots is no longer than we expect a typical boot to be, the line at the blazer is no longer than we expect a typical blazer to be, and the line at the jeans is no longer than we expect typical jeans to be. (In fact, it's a bit shorter -- adding a Gamine element there.)

So the overall effect, in the mind of the viewer, is that no lines are longer than they "ought" to be. 

​Elongation, by contrast, looks like this:
Picture
Elongated lines.
Here, the black lines are  longer than the part of the body to which they correspond, *or* they are longer than one expects that garment to typically be.

Specifically, the sweater is both longer than the typical sweater, and longer than the torso;  the shirt is longer than the torso (and a bit longer than the typical shirt); and the boot is much longer than the typical boot.

​This is elongation. 

The second criterion in each example above is more important in how a garment reads.

In other words, what the viewer expects from the typical garment is a key factor in determining whether a line reads as elongated. 
​

For example, a baby doll dress does not usually read as elongation, because the line created is actually much shorter than what a viewer expects from a dress.
Picture
Yes, it's longer than the torso. But this line reads as short, not long, because it's much shorter than the line a viewer *expects* from a dress.
And the lines of this sandal read as long, not short, because they're much longer than the viewer expects from a sandal. (Though they'd be average for a boot.)
Picture
This line wouldn't be considered elongated if this was a boot. But, for a sandal, it's long.

Dramatics, Naturals, and Ethereals are particularly flattered by elongation of lines.   I'm an Ethereal Natural, so I avoid miniskirts, short shorts, booties and crop tops like the plague.  :-)

What Style Identity  are you?
6 Comments
Pat
3/21/2016 11:08:22 am

Rachel, this is a wonderful explanation.

Reply
Karen
3/21/2016 03:48:37 pm

Is this why handkerchief hems on blouses, skirts, and dresses work for those with a lot of Ethereal (and Dramatic) in them? They visually drag the eye farther down than you initially expect to go? I'm specifically thinking about that off-the-shoulder blouse in your Pinterest board for the Romantic-Ethereal. The front center hem ends just above her belly button and would be considered a crop top if the hem were that length all the way around. Just elongating the side panels and cuffs into handkerchief hems drastically changes the feel of that blouse
I have a baby doll style dress that seems to work for me and I could never figure out why. Thinking about it now, I'm guessing it's because it has a very obvious handkerchief hem in a very floaty fabric (I'm Romantic-Ethereal-Dramatic).

Reply
Sally Luebben
3/22/2016 12:08:15 am

Very interesting. (As usual :) ) But how does this work if one is a combination of a type that needs elongation and a type that should avoid it? For example, I'm Natural Ingenue. Natural is good with elongation, Ingenue should avoid it. I *think* I can do elongation successfully. Is it because Natural is first, more dominant?

Reply
Willow
3/22/2016 12:26:55 pm

So obvious when you explain it. Thanks much for this.

Reply
erin
3/22/2016 03:36:23 pm

Ahhh...when I first started reading the article I thought that I'm some type of Ingenue combo, petite and only 5'2. If anyone needs elongated, it's me! haha But then I read further and realized that elongated clothing would make me look short and stubby. :) So short clothes give the illusion that I'm taller and longer, going maybe a tad shorter than usual would help even more...thanks for another great article.

Reply
A
5/2/2020 07:49:36 pm

Hmm, I’m struggling with this one a bit...I’m most likely Etheral Natural Ingenue, but I seem overwhelmed and stumpy in longer lines? Cropped cardigans and classic Doc Martens seem harmonious, but maybe that’s residual “dress for your body type” stuff? Also I tend to trip over maxi skirts. Idk, any thoughts?

Reply



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