style line

A style line is a line (or curve) in a garment that has a visual effect, e.g., the seam between two fabrics of different colors. For comparison, a nearly invisible seam (say, in a French dart) would not be considered a style line. A style line is a boundary between two distinguishable areas of fabric, or a visible edge of fabric such as the neckline, waistline or hemline.

As the term is generally used in practice, a "style line" is introduced only for fashion, i.e., for cosmetic purposes. However, a style line may also fulfil a shaping function, e.g., as a dart, as a seam at which a dart may end or as a way of hiding detail(s) of the garment's construction.

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