What is the exact property of certain clotheswear that makes the wearer look more sturdily built?
I mean, I know that pinstripes can give the illusion (when the lines are vertically arranged) of being taller - which seems logical to me. The lines are continous, therefore they make the legs look as if they are continuing also.
But say for example in thick clothes, I seem to look about 60 pounds heavier. This isn’t right, because shouldn’t the clothes weigh down on me more, therefore exposing my true frame more accurately?
And what types of clothes give this illusion of adding weight/bulk, and why does it occur (any specific colour types/variations for example)?
And whilst we’re on the subject, what do we call the science of illusion (i.e. those “tricks” that fool the brain into seeing something that is not true to form)?
There is a ton of information available on the subject of how to dress to change your appearance. For instance, there’s this book, with a title that pretty much explains the whole concept: Does This Make Me Look Fat: The Definitive Rules for Dressing Thin for Every Height, Size, and Shape. The bottom line is that “Clothes should drape well, without being too flowing or clingy. For example, Feldon says, a skirt should fall over the rear-end, not curve with it.”
Thick fabrics add bulk in much the same way that padding makes breasts look bigger. Thick fabrics also don’t drape as naturally, so that they form pockets of space around parts of your body, making them look larger. This article discusses the issue in more detail.
I think illusion is as good a term as any for the effects that clothing can have on appearance.