Shape and form are the basic elements of design. Shape is a flat, two dimensional area enclosed by a line. The shapes are composed of lines; hence their direction and character modify the apparent size and shape of the wearer besides communicating emotions and state of mind.
Form is a three dimensional area with height, breadth and depth measurements, enclosed by a surface. These may vary in size or in the area they occupy. Since forms are also composed of lines, their characteristics affect the functions of form in the garment as follows:
affect the size of the wearer
accentuate the desirable features and camouflage the undesirable features of the wearer