Magic Number to Dressing Well

Oh alright what’s going on here? I mean, you are entitled to your own rights to wear whatever you like, but I’m not so sure about this extraordinarily high-waist pants.

1.618 is THE magic number. Architects, designers, artists, and even cosmetic surgeons use this Golden Ratio. So, what’s so special about the 1.618?

Do you find this image familiar? Many might have seen this image before, but never knew what it actually is about. Created by Leonardo Da Vinci, this was afterwards made famous by Dan Brown through his best-selling publication, the Da Vinci Code.

The Vitruvian Man is one of the many works by Da Vinci which brings back to his theory of the Golden Ratio.

I am sure anyone would recognise this painting of a smiling lady which is famous worldwide (if you don’t, you must be from Mars). It was said that Leonardo da Vinci painted the legendary Mona Lisa portrait according to the Golden Ratio. Her mysterious smile was caused by the peripheral vision, of which her face was corresponding to the Golden Rectangle (or Golden Spiral).

There are many sayings and theories derived from different people on how Da Vinci applied the Golden Ratio on the painting. Here is one which I found quite interesting. The Golden Ratio was applied on the painting, in particular, her face.

(Golden Ratio applied on Mona Lisa)

As seen on the illustration, the Golden Rectangle is directly proportionate to Mona Lisa’s facial features. The spiral derived from the Golden Rectangle fits the rounded side of her face, and the line of the rectangle aligns nicely on the other side. The smallest part of the spiral also lands on her nose, then winds up to her cheek, chin, and all the way until it reaches her thumb. Is that the reason why many are lured to this lady? 

For the most part, no matter how nicely fitted your clothes are, if you wear them wrongly, you are not doing them justice. So, what do you think is making your clothes not as nice as you think?

Proportions make a very big impact in your look. We have previously talked about how body proportions play a part during tailoring process (Read about it here). Let’s say you have tailored a suit of good fit, but what if you are wearing your pants too low, or the length of your jacket is too long or too short?

(Do you notice a small triangle forming at the bottom of the Gents' shirt? This is due to pants worn too low, which breaks the overall proportion!)

1:1.618 is the magic ratio you should follow to have a balanced proportions when dressing up. Simplicity sake, you could remember the ratio as 2:3 or 3:5. Break down your body proportion according to this ratio, and you will never hear anyone calling you a ‘fashion disaster’ anymore!

Now that you know of the golden ratio, never ever dress 2 clothing pieces of similar lengths (1:1). Shorten or lengthen either one of the pieces to achieve the best ratio. Here is some illustrations to provide you a visual aid!

As you can see from the illustration, 1:1 ratio is evidently much less aesthetically pleasing, having equally long upper torso with the bottom. People with long torso should avoid wearing their pants too low, or having shirts tucked out. Wear your shirts tucked inside your pants, or go for slightly higher-waist pants.

Likewise while you are wearing a jacket, doesn’t it look more sleek and clean when it is proportioned according to the Golden Ratio? Avoid wearing your jackets too long, especially when you do not have the best ideal height. You will be drowning in your own jacket. 

(Assemble's co-founders looking all suave in their Golden suits) 

Ultimately, people have their own preferences when it comes to styling and dressing up. It is also perfectly fine to wear low rise pants, such as jeans, track pants or FBT shorts. However when it is the time to dress smart and look presentable, follow the Golden Ratio. Go home, try on your pants and look at yourself in the mirror. Feel free to share with us your thoughts, you can always slide into our DMs if you're shy ;)

Do drop us an email at hello@assemblesg.com to book an appointment or if you have any enquiries!