Abby Connolly
Have you ever heard someone tell you that you should dress according to the ‘rule of thirds?’
The ‘rule of thirds’ is something that’s been used in many mediums, from photography to architecture to fashion. It’s a concept that divides an image, outfit, or design into thirds to balance it out and create something cohesive.
When using the rule of thirds to build an outfit, you want to focus on making your outfit as proportional as possible. Don’t think about it as separating your outfit into different sections but using those sections to make something that blends well.
To get started, stand in front of your mirror and imagine a line across your body’s midsection. It should fall just below your hips. We want to compliment this area by adding a ‘visual break’ in your outfit. You can also follow this rule by applying a 2:1 ratio to your outfit.
One of the reasons you should apply the rule of thirds to your daily looks is to avoid cutting your figure in half by wearing things that don’t give you much of a silhouette.
Here are some examples of outfits that follow the rule of thirds and will give your figure a better look.
Let’s say you want to wear a midi-dress and some tall boots. It’s a classic pairing, right? But when those are the only things you wear, the dress can look frumpy and underwhelming.
To make the look more harmonious and interesting, consider adding a nice, structured jacket or blazer that stops at that first imaginary line we talked about and a belt to give yourself a better silhouette. This way, you define your waist and break the outfit into more visually satisfying thirds.
When it comes to wearing a formal or casual top with pants, you can easily follow the rule of thirds by tucking in your top. When your top is un-tucked and hangs down, it’s not as flattering and can look boxy, especially because it splits your figure in half.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
