Textiles in Clothing

Functions of Clothing Protection from the weather To keep us warm & protect us from the cold. Windproof & waterproof protect us from the wind & rain.

Identification Uniforms are used to identify people. Uniforms are used in schools, workplaces & sport.

Safety Certain items are clothing are used to protect people. Protective gear e.g. fire fighters wear clothes that protect them from the fire & smoke inhalation.

Expression A person’s personality is represented through their clothing. Some people are casual, some are more formal. Moods can be expressed through clothing - funeral people wear black

Modesty Our culture expects us to wear clothes & cover our bodies. On the beach we are still expected to be reasonably covered up.

Influence others Judges wear wigs etc to show their status. Expensive clothes are an important status symbol for some.

Factors/Guidelines to consider when buying clothes Function Consider the function of the garment. When and where you want to wear the clothes? What properties are needed from the material? Fit Consider the fit of the clothes item. Measurements are generally in waist & hip, length & breast measurements.

Care Chose clothes that are easy to care for. Some clothes require dry cleaning, which can be expensive. Check care label.

Durability Consider the quality of the fabric of the fabric, how hardwearing is it? Denim is very durable. Cost Decide whether the item provides value for money. Some clothes are expensive because they have a designer label. Cheaper clothes may look just as well.

Style Consider whether the garment suits your figure & style.

Accessories These are extra items worn to complete a look of change the look of what we wear, express our taste & style or create an interesting look EXAMPLES

Fashion The word ‘fashion’ is used to describe the style of clothing that is popular at a particular time. Mass production of clothes today allow us all to wear the latest fashion

Fashion Trends Fashion trends are changes in fashion such as colour, skirt length and style, e.g. mini skirt of the 1960s. They might last from six months to a year. Fashion Fads are often more extreme, e.g. strong colours, they are usually worn by young people and have a short life. Recent examples include wet look leggings or maxi skirts.

Influences on Fashion Trends Famous People Film stars, pop stars, sports stars, fashion designers are sometimes known as trendsetters or fashion leaders. The Media promote particular styles in magazines and on TV, which have become popular

Historical Events Wars have caused great changes in fashion. During the World wars, women’s clothes become more suitable for working in factories.

The Fashion Industry Street Fashion This promotes new clothes & styles every season. This means that the clothes from the previous season are no longer in fashion. Street Fashion This is an influence of fashion when everyday clothes become fashionable, such as baseball caps, denim clothes & sportswear.

The Fashion Industry Fashion designers are called couturiers. Twice a year they show their designers together in fashion cities such as London, Milan, New York & Paris. These designs set the trend for the next season.

Haute couture (high fashion) means original and very expensive clothes, which are made by designers for individual people.

Prêt-a-porter / Off the peg means ready to wear clothes based on haute couture designs. They are cheaper than haute couture and are made by machine. Refers to clothes you see in most shops. It is affordable fashion for the general population. The clothes are made using cheaper fabrics and faster production methods.

“It costs a lot of money to be well Dressed” Suggest ways in which one could save money when clothes shopping?? “It costs a lot of money to be well Dressed” List the advantages of being well dressed Name an item of clothing/outfit that you were sorry you bought? Give reasons why you feel it was a bad buy??

Design Features Colour Each individual has a particular type of colouring based on skin tone, colour of hairs & eyes. The colours which look best on us depend on our skin tone. Texture Texture refers to the feel/ touch of the textile. The texture of household textiles is important. Textures is also significant , for example bulky or very textured fabrics can alter body shape

Line Line in textiles can create an optical illusion by appearing to change the shape of something. Shape Shape refers to outline of an object. Colour, line and pattern in fabrics can visually alter the body shape. Well-shaped garments draw attention to our better features and away from our less flattering ones. Pattern Pattern adds interest and variety, but should be used carefully in household textiles & clothing.

Design Principles Balance All parts of an outfit should work well together Emphasis Using colour or pattern to draw attention to a particular feature Proportion The parts of an outfit are in proportion to each other and to the figure

Discuss the effect of the following: Large obvious pattern on a dress worn by a short plump lady Tiny pattern on a suit worn by a very large lady

HOMEWORK Search through magazines/internet Find picture of outfits which show the principles of design: BALANCE EMPHASIS PROPORTION