It’s All About You: Designing Garments That Truly Suit You

When you make your own clothes, you’re not just sewing fabric — you’re shaping how you present yourself to the world. The beauty of creating your own garments is that you get to decide what works for your body, your lifestyle, and your personal style.

So, when you’re asking yourself “What should I make?”, here are the key design elements to consider.

🎨 Colour – Your Personal Palette

Your colour story sets the emotional tone of your wardrobe.

Take a look at your favourite garments. Is there a colour that keeps appearing? That’s a clue to your natural preferences. Designers release seasonal colour stories, but as makers, we have the freedom to choose shades that make us feel confident year-round. Whether you gravitate towards soft neutrals, jewel tones, or bold brights, your colour choices set the emotional tone of your wardrobe.

🖌 Pattern – The Power of Print

Prints

Patterns can be woven, knitted, printed, dyed, or embellished — and their scale and style dramatically affect the finished look.

• Large patterns: Bold, eye-catching, and can make the body appear larger.

• Checks: Can be dramatic or subtle, depending on scale and colour.

• Small patterns: Gentle on the eye, creating a softer impression.

• Stripes: Horizontal stripes can widen, vertical stripes can elongate.

Choosing the right pattern is about balancing personality with proportion.

✋ Texture – The Fabric’s Personality

“Matt slims”, “Shiny adds volume”, “Texture adds depth”.

Texture is all about how a fabric’s structure or finish affects its surface.

• Matt fabrics: Tend to slim the silhouette.

• Shiny or heavily textured fabrics: Add volume and draw the eye.

• Directional textures: Like velvet’s nap, can change appearance depending on light and movement.

  
  

Texture can be subtle or dramatic — use it to add depth and interest to your designs.

📏 Line & Proportion – Shaping the Silhouette

Lines guide the eye and influence how we perceive body proportions.

• Waistlines: Natural waist placement is classic, but a dropped waist elongates the torso, while an Empire line shortens it and draws attention upward.

• Vertical lines: Slim and lengthen.

• Symmetry: Feels balanced and harmonious.

• Asymmetry: Adds intrigue and draws attention.

• Princess seams: Shape the garment to the body for a closer fit.

• Hemlines: Control where the eye stops — both in skirts and sleeves.

  
  

⚖ Balance – The Art of Harmony

Balance comes from the relationship between garment details and accessories. Collars, pocket flaps, buttons, hats, and handbags all influence proportion. Dior’s “New Look” worked because the wide-brimmed hats echoed the fullness of the skirts — a smaller hat would have thrown the look off entirely.

Life's Contexts

🌿 Life’s Contexts – Designing for Your Real World

A beautiful garment is only valuable if it fits into your life. Think about the contexts you dress for most often — work, leisure, special occasions — and design with those in mind. You might love an elaborate evening gown, but if your daily life calls for smart-casual separates, that’s where your sewing time will have the most impact.

✨ Final Thought

When you design for yourself, you’re not bound by seasonal trends or retail limitations. You’re free to create garments that reflect your taste, flatter your shape, and suit your lifestyle. Every choice — colour, pattern, texture, line, balance, and context — is a tool to help you express you.