#BlogchatterA2Z : “Y” – Yin and Yang in Clothing (A2Z of Image Management)

Hi Everyone,

Just one more post to go..yipeee!! This is my 25th Post for #BlogchatterA2Z challenge. Lets talk about Yin and Yang in clothing which is very interesting and fascinating too. The ancient Chinese concept of opposing characteristics or traits in nature is described with the terms yang and yin. The concept relates directly to dominance and subordinance, advancing and receding. Yang represents dominant, advancing, assertive traits. Yin represents subordinate, receding, receptive traits. More specifically, to the Chinese, yin means gentleness and softness—the grace of the willow tree, and the delicacy of the moon. Yang means strength and vigor— the sturdiness of the pine tree, and the force of the sun.

Importance and Functions of Yin/Yang Concept and Personal Style—Benefits
• Describes opposites and classifies physical, psychological, and
clothing traits.
• Allows comparison based on similarity and differences in traits.
• Assists in discovering, developing, and refining personal style in
dress.
• Advances knowledge, awareness, understanding, acceptance, and
appreciation of the self and others.
• Becomes a tool for solving image-related problems and in creating
the type of appearance necessary to achieve goals.
• Guides the use of clothing as a means of visual communication.
• Guides the creation of powerful illusions about the individual.
• Provides a tool for adding variety and interest to your appearance.

Yin and Yang In Clothing

Yang and tailored can be positioned on one end of a continuum, while yin and untailored can be positioned at the opposite end. There are many degrees of difference on the continuum between tailored and untailored, between yin and yang.

It is somewhere in between opposites, on a huge middle ground, that you will find what design details or traits work best for you. It will be up to you to decide which design traits more nearly reflect your general needs and preferences, or where they appear to be on that
continuum between opposing traits. You will learn to borrow and blend or mix selected traits from one side or the other, depending on your mood or purpose. This is a matter of delicate balance and therein lies the art of successful dressing and personal style.

There are numerous ways you might need to plot yourself. You might plot your body and personality consistently yin, or consistently yang. That makes for easy dressing when you decide to keep clothing traits consistent. Visual and psychological conflict can result when you don’t. You might, however, plot your body as yin and your personality traits more yang. Or, you might plot your body as yang and your personality traits more yin. This requires a compromise in clothing traits to present both the body and personality harmoniously.

The concept of yin and yang in clothing can be understood better if we identify physical, personality and clothing traits of both yin and yang.

Yin

Physical Traits (Receding)
• Short
• Small-boned
• Delicate, rounded features
• Delicate, lighter coloring
• Fine-textured skin
• Softly curled or tousled hair
• Light movement
• Graceful walk
• Youthful
Personality Traits (Receptive)
• Gentle
• Dependent
• Impulsive
• Idealistic
• Pliant
• Yielding
• Subtle
• Shy
• Friendly
• Informal
• Warm
• Naive
• Open
• Fragile

Clothing Traits (Receding/Receptive/Untailored)
• Curved lines
• Broken lines
• Curved shapes and silhouette
• Small scale shapes and patterns
• Soft, light colors*
• Pliable fabric
• Lightweight
• Fine, smooth textures
• Less or weak, subtle contrasts
• Untailored

Yang

Physical Traits (Advancing)
• Tall
• Large-boned
• Large, angular features
• Strong, darker coloring
• Slightly coarse skin
• Sleek, tailored, controlled hair
• Vigorous movement
• Purposeful walk
• Mature
Personality Traits (Assertive)
• Forceful
• Independent
• Deliberate
• Realistic
• Firm
• Decisive
• Direct
• Daring
• Reserved
• Formal
• Cool
• Sophisticated
• Closed
• Stable
Clothing Traits (Advancing/Assertive)
• Straight lines
• Solid, unbroken lines
• Angular shapes and silhouette
• Large scale shapes and patterns
• Bold, dark colors*
• Firm fabric
• Heavyweight
• Coarse, rough textures
• More or strong

Yin and Yang descriptive traits on Continuum :

Yin
Delicate: The delicate girl is shorter and small-boned. Hair color is generally light. She chooses more untailored clothing styles in soft fabrics and lighter, pastel colors, with smaller scale or dainty design details. She appears approachable, gentle, innocent,
youthful, and polite.
Sporty: The sporty girl is shorter and smaller-boned. Hair color is generally light to medium, including rusty-red. She chooses more untailored to casual tailored clothing styles in softer fabrics and medium to brighter colors. She appears approachable, perky, youthful, energetic, and casual.
Romantic: The romantic woman is average in height and curvaceous. Hair color may be light, medium, or dark. She chooses more softly tailored clothing styles in softer fabrics and
rich, muted colors. She appears more approachable, sensitive, charming, sensuous, and gracious.
Yang
Classic: The classic woman is average in height and proportion. Hair color is generally medium light to medium dark. She chooses more tailored clothing styles in firmer fabrics and neutral colors. She appears more authoritative, confident, mature, poised, and more formal.
Sportive: The sportive gal is taller and larger-boned. Hair color is generally medium to dark. She chooses more casual tailored and softly tailored clothing styles in textured fabrics
and earthy colors. She appears authoritative, strong, confident, determined, and less formal.
Dramatic: The dramatic woman is generally taller and more angular. Hair color is often very light or very dark. She chooses extremely tailored to bold untailored clothing styles with strong dark-light contrast. She appears assertive, sophisticated, theatrical, temperamental, and formal.

When you determine your positions on the continuum, you can better see yourself in relation to your clothes. Personal style in dress implies limits on the yin/yang continuum—the limits in dress design to which you are willing to go and still look and feel authentic, congruent, or comfortable with yourself in your clothes. It’s a matter of deciding if you are comfortable wearing clothing characteristics that are very yin, slightly yin, slightly yang, or very yang. In selecting clothing, it is a matter of saying to yourself, “That’s too yin (or yang) for me—for my height, for the way I move, for my personality or my mood, or for the occasion, etc.” You can substitute “too tailored” or “too untailored” and make the same point.

This post is part of #BlogchatterA2Z challenge.

To read my previous posts checkout here A ,B ,C ,D ,E, F, G, I, J, K,L,M,N,O, P, Q, R, S, T , U , V, W, X

@ Swati Mathur