Tips on Putting Together Tops and Blazers with Different Hem Shapes
When thinking about putting together an outfit, you want to create an outfit that is aesthetically pleasing and contains harmonious elements.
To do this, you want to consider the principles of coordination or the elements contained in other parts of your outfit already that link the outfit together as a whole.
There are 4 main principles of co-ordination – these are:
- Levels of Refinement
- Principle of Volume
- Related Shapes
- Related Lines
I was recently asked how to style a curved hem top with a blazer or jacket. A curved hem t-shirt gets its name from the rounded bottom hemline. So the answer to the question “How do you style a curved hem top with a blazer or jacket?” lies with two of the principles of co-ordination – Related Shapes and Related Lines.
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Principle of Related Shapes
This principle talks about the shapes of pockets, collars and hemlines. To create a cohesive look, you want to repeat key design shapes within a garment or outfit.
A v-neck top will relate well to a necklace that ends in a point or has follows that v-neck profile.
A collar that is slightly curved will look best when the bottom hemline of the jacket also have that same slight curve
A pocket flap or pocket shape should relate to the curve at the bottom of the jacket.
This top has an asymmetrical hem which works well with the asymmetry of the moto jacket – both the zip and line of the jacket hem
Relating the shapes of your garments and the shapes of the details in your garments isn’t limited to the construction of a garment. A blouse with a geometric shaped pattern would be more congruent with a blazer with a notched lapel and pointed toe shoe than a jacket with a peter pan or mandarin collar and a rounded toe shoe.
Principle of Related Line
Lines in garments are created by seams, details and openings. They need to relate to each other to create a garment that is pleasing to the eye.
A top with an asymmetrical neckline will look best with a skirt with an asymmetrical hem as the two lines relate to each other
A jacket that has a princess seam that creates verticals down the front will relate well to a skirt that has panels or a pair of trousers with a front crease.
Here the top has a straight hem as does the jacket – so they work easily and well together
So Should you Mix or Match Hemlines?
In order to create an aesthetically pleasing outfit, it is better to match your hemlines. For a curved blouse hemline, the flatter the curve, the less obvious the difference.
Wearing curved hem blouse with a blazer will look best with a blazer that also has curved elements such as a curved patch pocket, curved jacket hem or other curved outfit elements such as a draped scarf. But if the bottom of the blazer covers the hemline of the top it really doesn’t matter too much as you just can’t see the curve. But if your top hem hangs out below your blazer hem, it really won’t work well.
Here my top has a softly curved hem, but because it’s significantly shorter than the hem of my blazer you don’t notice the difference in the lines as the jacket covers more of the curve
If your blazer or jacket has a sharp corner hemline, then tuck the top in so that the horizontal lines of the blazer hem matched the horizontal lines of your tucked-in blouse.
Further reading
Principles of Co-ordination – Related Line
Principles of Co-ordination – Related Shape
How to Choose Linking Pieces and Accessories to Co-ordinate Your Outfit More Stylishly
What Makes an Outfit Aesthetically Attractive?
