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Scale is a regular or relative relationship of sizes of different components to each other and to the whole, regardless of shapes. It is a similar to proportion but it compares only sizes not shape and other attributes. In clothing, scale generally relates to the size of smaller areas (components) such as bows, pockets, colours of other style features, pattern motifs, decoration trims, jewelry and accessories, to the size of key parts of the garment (bodice, sleeve, skirt) and to the wearer.
Scale-up refers to enlarging an object in size to harmonize a larger surrounding area. Scale down refers to reducing an object in size to harmonize a smaller area. When size relationship agree, it is portrays as being “in scale”, while it is considered “out of scale” or “in poor scale” when the relationships are either clumsy or too extreme.
The scale has powerful visual effects and invokes geometric and size and space illusion. For example, a tiny purse appears to enlarge heavy women by contrast and a large handbag overpowers a tiny person and vice versa an oversize handbag for a heavy person emphasizes size by repetition and a small purse emphasizes a person’s smallness.
Effects of proportion
The proportion of the garment affects the beauty of garment itself at one end and the apparent dimensions of the person who wears that garment. Thus the proportion produces both physical as well as psychological effects as follows:
- Physical effects: The physical property of a garment gets affected by the proportion as it is observed against the environment, for example, the division of entire area in a garment by lines affects length and width of the garment. These physical effects in garments appear more pleasing and convincing if they follow natural divisions of the body.
- Psychological effects: The solidity or firmness of the shapes in the garment are also dependent on the proportion, i.e., on the divisions in the garment and the relationship among them. The larger divisions usually use reducing but otherwise important elements while the smaller one compensate by the advancing characteristics of the element used in it. Careful use of elements in different proportion enables creation of illusion in garment.
Introducing proportion in garments
The proportion can be introduced in the garment both structurally as well as decoratively. Structurally, the contour and internal lines define the proportion in a garment. The placement of seams, darts and edge finishes can be used to divide the area of a garment into shapes of different sizes that they tend to appear pleasing. In order to have those physical proportions to be functional the proportion in garment should follow the body proportion of the wearer.
The decorative aspect of design can be achieved by the use of different design elements and the principles, particularly the linear and highlighting principles. Proportion can apply to really every aspect of every element like zigzag path in connection to the dominant direction of whole line, thickness in relation to entire length, broken line distance and amount of fuzzy edges in relation to solid use, and so on. Similarly proportion in a garment can be obtained by use varying amount of different colours and textures in a garment.
The proportion in a garment, thus produced will be pleasing if it approaches the golden mean as well as interact effectively with the body proportions of the wearer.
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