Imagine that you pass by the shop window and see this amazing… let’s say a pair of trousers. They are very trendy, you totally love the color, the fabric, and the price is just within your budget. Your size is there, so you hastily try them on. Oh-la-la! Your desire object is paid for, nicely packed and you can’t wait to put it on and show it off. As you start wearing it, you get a strange feeling, that something isn’t quite right. It’s your size, perfectly comfortable, but still a bit irritating… And then suddenly you see yourself on the picture made by your friend and start thinking that you need to do something about your body because you are not happy with the way you look.
As you start wearing it, you get a strange feeling, that something isn’t quite right.
There is a high chance that your body is fine, but the fit is not. The proportion created by your outfit doesn’t do a good job, visually enlarging what you want to make look smaller, elongating what you want to look shorter or vice versa. Next step you start searching for your body-type and feeling confused with all those fruit/letter/geometry typologies. Soon enough you reassure yourself that you are some unique passionfruit that was not described by any existing typology (honestly, I find letters and geometry shapes even more confusing because they are flat, and our bodies are three-dimensional…) You end up with the said idea that until you have lost/gained some weight or somehow modified your body you are doomed.
I find letters and geometry shapes even more confusing because they are flat, and our bodies are three-dimensional.
To avoid such painful experiences or at least diminish them, I invite you to my bookshelf with my little “oldie but goldie” – WHAT NOT TO WEAR: THE RULES by Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine. I bought this book many years ago, and it has served me really well ever since. It was published at the dawn of the Trinny&Susannah era at BBC. It can be still found on Amazon.com and is totally worth adding to one’s style library.
Why? Because it’s not about trends or style! It shows (literally) how outfits influence proportions. Strictly speaking, it’s a slightly simplified version of visual correction techniques based on composition and visual perception. No magic.
What I like about this book: First and foremost, there is no typology – all the recommendations are given with the focus on a certain area. The book is visual, every piece of advice that the authors give comes as two juxtaposed pictures that do talk louder than words. For those who like words, there are concise explanations for every picture as well. No water, to the point.
All the recommendations are given with the focus on a certain area.
Besides, Trinny and Susannah have an amazing sense of humor and self-irony, which is contagious. After reading their comments, one starts to look at things easier and shakes off some of the tired austerity. Getting dressed is only a game, finding the right fit needs to be fun, not corporal punishment.
Today, when the body-positive movement is gathering pace, a lot of what is said in this tiny book might cause a debate. But to be honest, at least from time to time, we all want to look our best, to make the most of what we have. We can be “loud and proud” and make statements showing off our imperfections in a form of a social protest against cultural standards of beauty, but at the end of the day, there are moments when we just want to look in the mirror and enjoy what we see.
PS: When I was considering which of my books I wanted to review, “the rules” were one of the first in the queue. Naturally, I’ve got interested – what Trinny and Susannah are up to today. I was really fascinated to discover Trinny’s Instagram. This lady rocks! Check her OUTFIT OF THE DAY on Instagram!