Admiring the element of “twist” in this season’s pieces, we can’t help but feel all the building blocks that make up a great piece of clothing— fabrics, colors, textures, trims, cuts, and seams can easily be compared to architecture. Like the charm of a winding staircase in a well designed home, the twist in clothing and accessories adds an element of visual and structural complexity to the frame of our bodies.
The twist is an interesting feature not just because of its aesthetic qualities, but because of what it is able to do. It can move the eye and create varying illusions— diverting attention as much as accentuating. One of the great masters, and one who invariably returns to this element in her collections, is the incredible Vivienne Westwood.
Almost every collection of Lady V twists its way along the body in some way. Here the red sweater twist detail in the knit moves lengthwise, which creates a slimming effect and moves the eyes of your admirer to your waist and then back to your face. The high-waisted skirt featured to the right uses the twist in a different way— its cut is meant to make the waist appear slim and the hips hourglass in appearance.
Just as we consider where to place a staircase in new homes, our bodies are beautiful spaces to design with elegance and grace too. When buying clothing with a twist its important to carefully consider how it works on each frame. It takes each body type to different places, depending on where its placed.
If you’re not sure how to use the twist, bring along your friend to the dressing room, or even better, a personal stylist to assist you. If you prefer to shop alone, here are some twisted look recommendations from us at Fashion IQ.
Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Cropped felt-paneled chunky-knit sweater $480 and Heathcote squiggle-print cotton-blend skirt $245; J.W. Anderson Side-Knot Shirtdress $340; Marni Stretch Cady Top with Asymmetrical Hem $1,460; Paul Andrew Taupe Westside Kid Skin Pumps $845.
Styling by Natasha Thomas, Text by Lindsey Alexander