The other day I posted about the concept of Yin and Yang (advancing and receding elements) in clothing design. You may have started to think about the clothes you choose and what they are communicating, but have you thought about your own physical appearance and what it may naturally communicate and how you can use Yin and Yang design concepts to balance it?
Yin Physical Traits
- Short
- Small boned
- Curvy
- Fair
- Low contrast colouring
- Wavy or curly hair
- Youthful
- Graceful
- Soft voice
- High pitch voice
Yang Physical Traits
- Tall
- Large boned
- Angular body shape
- Dark colouring
- High contrast colouring
- Straight/smooth hair
- Purposeful
- Mature
- Strong voice
- Deep voice
If you think about these elements and choose whether you are more one way or the other (or right in the middle) you can start to then see if you are physically more Yin or Yang.
Then with this knowledge, you can decide if you want to balance your appearance using the design elements of Yin and Yang as discussed here.
For example, if you’re petite, with a curvy figure and curly hair and look young, you may find yourself not being taken seriously at work, so you may want to wear clothing that has yang traits – like this example pictured here:
Alternatively, maybe you have a very forceful personality and are quite tall, and find that you’re not seen as friendly in a social situation and want to be seen as more nurturing or feminine, why not try adding more yin elements to your outfit like the ones pictured here:
There are so many reasons you may want to balance out your physical appearance to communicate something about who you are, or to help you get ahead in your life. Understanding how Yin and Yang design elements are interpreted and how you can use them in your own wardrobe can really help you communicate effectively with your appearance.
