What body will suit me?

On working with physical fitness in developing a personal style

In today's article, friends, we'll try to understand the harmony of the body. Although it doesn't dictate style, it is an important part of the overall appearance and is so flexible that it can easily either echo or contradict the imagery.

I think a fair number of people have thought at least once about their “ideal shape”.

Often, such reflections are framed within the "thinner/fatter" dichotomy. Sometimes, they're about overall "tonedness." But I'll try to highlight other criteria in the context of various stylistic tools.

Before we begin, it's worth noting that everything below will only work within healthy limits. Significant underweight or overweight, as well as physical activity, are equally dangerous to health.

Please focus primarily on your own comfort, if you can "hear" your body well, or on basic medical recommendations (for example, BMI, as well as diet, sleep, and activity).

The criteria will be as follows:

• larger/more compact = scale.
  

More or less "body". The figure is perceived as weighty or light. The scale can be increased or decreased by muscle and fat tissue. This depends on diet and exercise.

• softer/harder = amount of fat and muscle tissue.

The "juiciness" or "dryness" of the body, the definition of muscle and bone structure, are directly dependent on diet.

• more relaxed/toned = muscle tone.

The "sportiness" of one's appearance, or lack thereof. This parameter is influenced by the previous two, but posture also plays a role. A "military bearing" and a generally cheerful appearance don't suit everyone.

Linearity

First, let's look at the baselines through the lens of these criteria:

compact	balance	size	compact	balance	size	compact	balance	size
rigidity	balance	softness	rigidity	rigidity	balance	softness	balance	softness
tone	tone	tone	relaxation	tone	tone	relaxation	relaxation	relaxation

Like attracts like. The names of the lines already contain clues for choosing a harmonious physical form. It should be noted that this form, in principle, cannot contradict the linear nature of the face, but, as mentioned in the introduction, the body is flexible, as is lifestyle, so theoretical information can help determine the necessary course of action to restore or enhance the integrity of the image.

When several lines are present within a single appearance, it is worth relying on the one that is most clearly expressed at the base, i.e. in the outline of the face and is visible from a sufficiently large distance.

Composition

And, I hope, its parameter, familiar to everyone, is Delicacy-Expressiveness.

• Fullness, volume, curves, large scale, and high density of features—all favor a large body mass. This mass must be achieved through muscle or fat, depending on the body's linearity. The required level of tone also depends on the body's linearity. And it's not just about its physical size, but also about its prominence in the image, drawing attention to it. Openness, cutouts, form-fitting, and anatomical cuts are the prerogative of the "expressive" types, as they look mature and sensual enough to do so.
  

• The compactness, subtlety, flatness, and lightness of "delicate" faces require a similar frame. This means less body in every sense. No emphasis on mature, bodily sexuality, no voluminous muscles, curvaceous forms, or any other expression of "juiciness." A low body fat percentage, within a personal norm. Low muscle mass or muscle leanness, even if pronounced. The emphasis is on grace and the most subtle details of the image: ankles, wrists, neck.

---

An unexpected tool for me in the context of delicacy/expressiveness was Reface—a free mobile app for swapping faces in videos, allowing you to try on the looks of famous people, movie characters, and so on. It not only allows you to evaluate this parameter, but, in my opinion, it's the most visual, as inaccuracies in the superposition of features aren't critical in this regard. Neural networks are generally useful in style matters, if you know how to "prepare" them.

I'll show you screenshots from videos he produced of my own face, since the delicacy of my features is sufficiently pronounced to be illustrative:

Paying attention to proportionality, it's easy to notice how unconvincing my features appear when framed by pronounced corporality. They're too colorful, too graphic, too dry and small for the large scale—both of the body and the details of the images. These details, of course, are best chosen to match the characteristics of delicacy or expressiveness, so as not to undermine the impression. Furthermore, it's important to mentally separate them from other stylistic components. In any case, the test is entertaining, and it would be great if it also proves useful.

All that's left is to figure out the figurative part. Briefly and in pictures.

Image types

For convenience, I combined them into collages with gradations according to the same three criteria:

With sufficient expression of figurative thinking, it seems to me, there should be no problems with visualizing the necessary physical form - the harmonious one will be the one that easily fits into the target figurative space.

If, like mine, your brain moves more easily from the specific to the general, you might find it more convenient to focus on linearity and composition.

---

Is it worth reminding once again at the end that health and personal comfort always come first?

Living in peace with your body and listening to its needs is the surest path to harmony. I am convinced that the most complete image is inherent in each person from the very beginning. The challenge, often difficult, is to not lose it, to not stray from the path, and if that happens, to return to it consciously, through theory and practice. I hope you find this article helpful.

---

That's all from me, dear fellow travelers. ♥

Peace between the outer and inner to each and everyone!

Thank you for your trust, and until next time!