What these people do have is the knowledge of how to choose clothing and accessories which visually alter the shapes of their faces and figures to make them look their personal best. By becoming aware of the lines and designs in each garment you sew or buy, and using them to your advantage, you can look your personal best and increase your satisfaction with the way you look. Line and Design Choose your clothing according to your figure type. Study your figure carefully by standing in front of a full-length mirror. Keep in mind that horizontal lines move across the figure and shorten it, and when you shorten a figure, you broaden it.
Vertical lines move up the length of the figure and lengthen it.
When you lengthen a figure, you slenderize it. Diagonal lines are slimming because they keep the eye moving. The longer the line the better. Curved lines enlarge a figure, adding pounds and inches. The eye travels in the direction of a line.