Have you ever had something that pops in to your head and just won’t go away? The concept of asymmetrical style has been doing just that to me for at least the past month. So when a thought or concept won’t go away, often that is when I sit down and write about it. Because, well, why not?
First, we have to ask – what is asymmetry? It’s defined as being lopsided, unbalanced. But that is not truly correct. Rather it is about differences.
If we are looking at asymmetrical style, it means that the design is different from one side to the other. And I have discovered that I am in love with this style.
Now that the sun is once more shining, and days are getting longer, I am able to photograph scarves once again for my shop (French Silk Scarf). As part of this photography I drape the scarf on a mannequin.
Now a symmetrical scarf is about the variations of draping. Front or back, looped this way or that as the difference is in the draping, not the design. But, an asymmetrical design gives so many more options. And I weirdly get excited by this. Go figure.
A design can be asymmetrical left to right, top or bottom. But it can also be completely different all over. The best kind to my mind. This means no matter which way you drape the scarf you get a new look.
As a scarf aficionado, a real artists genius is in designing a piece that looks amazing, and different, however you wear it. It’s like having the potential of four or more scarves in one.
Scarves are just one way to apply asymmetrical style. Pumpjack prefers non-matching socks. Much easier in the bleary eyed early morning to simply fish out two random socks than try to match them. (And bonus, I don’t have to spend time matching them when putting them away. Win win.)
But most clothing is symmetrical. So it comes down more often to how one wears it. The tilt of a beret, rather than sat square on the head. Choosing different style earrings. Tucking one side of a shirt in, the other out (definitely on trend at the moment). Even a scarf wrapped so the ends fall over one shoulder only. All easily create a different, less uniform look.
And maybe, as my thoughts circle round, that’s what asymmetrical style is. It’s about being unique, possibly slightly jarring or giving pause, standing out from the crowd in some small manner.
And that is worth a moments pause and consideration. Because it’s a small tell that will tell you how you like to live your life.
Visualising Asymmetrical Style
Here are some examples of the same scarf worn two ways, to give you a visual of how asymmetry can create a subtle or very different look. From this… to that (if you click on the arrow).
If I have wetted your appetite for asymmetry, here is a link to my asymmetrical French Silk Scarves.