Now, 'da Vinci' formula for flattering looks

An Australia-based mathematician  has come up with a formula to provide women with a fool-proof flattering look, based on a ratio linked to Egyptian Pyramids and Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting Mona Lisa.

Mathematics honours graduate Lily Serna's equation for the perfect dress, skirt or short hemline is the length of a woman's body from shoulder tip added to their heel height and divided by 1.618 which gives an individual 'Golden Number'. Once the personal golden number has been determined, women need to measure from the shoulder down to see where the golden number and hence their ideal dress length, lies, The Australian reported.

Serna, who was hired by a razor brand to create an illusion of 'perfect pins' - whatever a woman's shape, size or age - drew on ancient principles of beauty, proportion and visual balance. "It arms women with a tool to find out where their optimal length is when buying clothes, or if they find a dress out of proportion how the length can be altered," Serna said.

"It's based on the golden ratio 1.618, which is sometimes called the divine proportion or golden mean, and has been associated with aesthetic beauty in architecture and the arts," she said.

According to Serna, the ratio had been linked to the Pyramids in Egypt, Leonardo da Vinci's famous Mona Lisa painting, and the eye-to-nostril measurements of Hollywood beauties. To get that perfect look, Serna advises women to measure the length of their body from shoulders to toes, including heels and then divide it by the Golden Ratio (1.618), which gives a 'Golden Number'.

"To find your perfect dress length, measure from your shoulder tip down to your 'Golden Number'," she said. "To find your virtual waistline, measure up to your 'Golden Number' from the floor, including heels. If your virtual waistline is much higher than your real waistline, wear cropped jackets and high waist jeans, the report said. If your virtual waistline is lower than your real waistline, try longer tops."