What if “good” was not a matter of opinion?

When gourmet food experts are tasting food to determine excellent cuisine they look for specific qualities. No chef would have credibility if he said, “It doesn’t matter what it tastes like. It’s great because I cooked it.” Or, imagine an expert who said, “It’s fabulous because I said so.  I won’t give any reasons and who cares what you think.”  Sound like any fashion designers?

With visual subject matter, such as architecture or fashion, there are reasons why something looks “good” to us and reasons when it doesn’t. These are specific, clear, definable reasons that can be defined and explained.

After much inquiry and analysis, I realized the condition of something looking “good”, with some minor variance with personal preference or taste, is much more objective than people imagine.

The characteristics or qualities that make a thing “good”, that has been discussed by philosophers since the ancient Greeks.  Aristotle said that for a thing to be “good”, it must be good in relation to something, it must be good for something.  Penicillin isn’t “good” in the bottle, it’s good when used to cure an infection.  But it’s not good for every disease, and it’s not good for you if you don’t need it. And if you’re allergic to it, it can kill you.

Everything isn’t the same as everything else.

Imagine looking like a “10” on the scale of what’s possible for you, that’s what Visual Harmony offers you.  Of course, just as there is no absolute beauty, there is no absolute “10.”  Visual Harmony is my term for what actually looks best on you as an individual.  It is one possible ideal we can embrace instead of beauty and it is much more attainable and accomplishes the same outcome. Designing Your Self is the process of applying principles of Visual Harmony.

What actually looks best on a person has been considered an arbitrary matter, but it should not be. You can often hear people saying, “Oh, it’s just a matter of opinion” when it comes time to making a visual evaluation. It is a matter of opinion when they’re just guessing because they don’t know how it really works. They have to make it up since they don’t have principles on which to base a logical evaluation. And it’s not their fault because this information has not been widely available.

Visual Harmony is a balanced, congruent, harmonious, visual picture. It’s a congruent look that is right for you as an individual. There is a wholeness to it — a completeness.  The principles apply to men and women of all races, nationalities, and types. The principles can be used by people in various economic brackets and segments of society. This approach works for anyone.

Harmony is more than a matter of opinion, or even good taste because it speaks to wholeness. In the case of appearance, the relationship between the person and the clothing. No woman would be enhanced by wearing a suit that is expensive and well-made, but entirely disharmonious on her. The disharmony can be caused by any design elements such as color, line, shape, scale, or texture. It could also be disharmonious in the fit, message, or many other factors. It could be as minor as the buttons looking discordant on her. Yet the outfit could be a perfect example of Visual Harmony on her best friend.

Congruence occurs when all the pieces stick together visually.  This is the most important requirement for your best look.  You will look congruent when all the design elements are in harmony with you.  Visual Harmony is obvious once achieved.  It looks as natural and effortless as the Olympic ice skater gliding on the ice. You “get” the excellence and beauty, but don’t exactly know why. Just as the ice skater can be evaluated on specific criteria, so can everything about your clothing and look.

I have applied design theory and scientifically based principles to people and clothing in an entirely new way.  You can learn the scale or size that looks best on you and it applies to your jewelry, bag, belt, and eyeglasses. When you learn the textures that are best on you it is true of everything that has texture. Why wouldn’t you want to know your best shapes for your earrings, eyeglasses, necklines, lapels, and bags?!

This is a very different conversation than, “What do you like?” I had a client who was a photographer known for an eccentric style in dressing. After one of my courses, I was asking the class what they had gained. The photographer’s clever insight was, “Now I know I don’t have to buy and wear something just because I like it. I can enjoy it in photos and on others.”

Does this mean you have to wear things you don’t like?  No! What would be the point in that?! There is such a range of harmonious choices that you don’t have to feel constrained. You have a lot of great options. The fact that you like it a lot, even that you adore it — does not guarantee that you will look good in it.  Personally, there are lots of things I love to look at that I would not look good in, so I enjoy seeing them on people who do look good in them.

Now you have the possibility of learning what specifically is objectively “good” on you so you can apply it by Designing Your Self.