How to Draw Cute Clothes and Outfits
So, you enjoy drawing clothes and want to get really good at capturing the way they naturally fall and fold?
Not to worry. It's easier than you might think.
In fact, it's pretty straightforward.
The key to drawing clothes effectively lies in a method that's not complicated. I'm a fashion designer, and I use this approach every time I start a new sketch.
With this approach, you'll be able to:
Avoid the common mistake beginners make when drawing clothes
Sketch any type of clothing—whether it's a suit, a dress, a hoodie, or pants
Combine different pieces to create cute and trendy outfits.
Draw clothes on various mediums—models, croquis, anime characters, or technical flats.
Draw realistic wrinkles, folds, and drapery
Naturally grasp lighting and shading techniques without overthinking.
Learn some fashion jargon and skills along the way.
But first, let's highlight the essence of this approach: the artful use of photo references.
By carefully planning and researching photo references, you'll seamlessly pick up sketching and shading techniques. It's a beginner's best friend, a compass in the creative wilderness.
As you gain more experience, you'll find that you won't always need to rely on photo references, but they remain a valuable resource, guiding you through the creative process.
This blog article is your guide to unraveling the strategy behind planning, researching, and sketching clothes with the aid of photo references.
Here’s a step-by-step Approach
Step 1: Find or create something to draw on
Fashion Croquis
Anime character
Mannequin or flat template
Whatever form or template you want to use!
When gearing up to draw clothes, the first step is finding or creating a croquis or any surface to bring your designs to life.
A croquis is like a ready-made model drawing you can use as a base for your clothing creations. Croquis come in different forms—runway or commercial models, dress forms, or even mannequins.
If you're in need of a croquis, you can explore my Croquis Kit, a handy set of interchangeable fashion figure templates.
Alternatively, for anime artists, your character can be the perfect canvas for your clothing designs.
For this demonstration, I'll be using a walking pose template from the Croquis Kit. I find it especially useful as it captures the essence of models strutting down the runway during Fashion Week.
Step 2: Brainstorm your clothing idea
Choose clothing category
dress
pant
hoodie
suit
sweaters/ knitwear
etc
Before diving into your sketch, take a moment to brainstorm the type of clothing you want to create. Think broadly. Identify the category of the garment you have in mind. For example, I'll be drawing a dress, but feel free to choose a suit, hoodie, pants, or any other style you like.
Step 3: Plan out the Design Using Photo References
Find photo references for your design or outfit
Find references similar to pose and view
Consider
silhouette
proportions
fit (loose, baggy, oversized, fitted)
fabric
design details, closures, etc.
After you’ve selected the general garment category, you can search images online for more inspiration.
When searching for images, look for models that match the pose of your croquis. This will make it easier to draw the item of clothing later.
For example, since I’m using a croquis that’s walking down the runway, i’m going to search “dress runway.” The goal is to find a dress in a similar pose to use as a starting point for my sketch.
Your job in this step is to find a clear photo reference of the clothing you want to draw, in a similar pose to your croquis or character.
After establishing a good starting point, you can layer in pieces to build an outfit.
Dress photo: Zimmerman Spring 2024 Source: Vogue
When building outfits, consider the silhouette and proportions. Silhouette refers to the shape clothes create when draped on the body, while proportions deal with how lines and details divide shapes.
This is not merely drawing; it's practicing fashion design.
Consider how elements like pockets, collar types, and intricate details work together to create an aesthetically pleasing result.
For my outfit, I start with a dropped-waist dress. To keep its shape, I add a blazer with a nipped waist and a length that highlights the dress silhouette and drop waist seam.
Even if the pose isn't exact, the blazer's clarity lets me tweak it for the walking pose.
Blazer Photo: By Marlene Birger Spring 2024 Source: Vogue
Now, let's dive into more details.
While I appreciate the overall proportions and fit of the blazer, I'd like to tweak the lapel and pockets.
After seeking inspiration online, I've decided to give the lapel a less rounded, more '90s-inspired shape.
Additionally, I'm opting for cargo pockets instead of flap pockets.
Here are the photo references I found by browsing vintage jackets on eBay. With these photo and design references gathered, I have everything I need to start sketching my outfit.
Let’s begin!
Step 4: Find the Angle of the Shoulder and Hips
When I start a new drawing, I always pay attention to the shoulder and hip lines.
Look closely at your photo reference—these lines are clearer if you can see the body.
If the body isn't clear, don't worry. You can find the shoulder and hip lines by following seams and details on the clothes.
Here's a handy rule: everything above the waist follows the shoulder line, and everything below the waist follows the hip line.
Check out our photo reference to see this in action.
Let's mark the shoulder line; it's pretty clear here since the shoulders are exposed.
See how the top of the dress (above the waist) follows the shoulder line?
Now, for the hip line, we can spot the hip bones under the dress. Even if it's not super clear, look at the dropped-waist seam (below the waist)—it generally follows the line of the hips.
Remember, above the waist follows the shoulder line, and below the waist follows the hip line.
Got it?
Awesome, let's keep going.
Ever wondered why some fashion sketches just seem to fall flat, lacking that wow factor?
There's a common blunder that most beginners make—and it's a time and energy guzzler!
I’m going to share this mistake, and how to overcome it, so you can get off on the right foot and accelerate your growth in drawing clothes.
Instead of drawing the overall shapes and proportions of a garment or outfit, beginners tend to make the mistake of drawing small details first.
Hold up! Flip the script. Draw the BIGGEST shapes FIRST. Set the stage with the broad strokes, then gradually finesse your way into the finer details.
Why? Because if the foundation—the structure of your sketch—is off, everything piled on top crumbles. It's like crafting a masterpiece on a shaky base. You don't want your hard work to crumble, do you?
In the next steps, we will take a logical approach, starting with drawing the BIG SHAPES first.
Step 5: Draw the Big Shapes First, and Add Details Later
Before we draw the shapes of the dress, let’s mark the major landmarks of the design: the top of the dress and the dropped waist seam.
We can now break the dress into two large shapes, divided by the dropped waist seam.
Let’s continue dividing the the dress into more shapes. Here are three more sections, which i’ve labeled A, B, and C.
Before we get into more details on the dress, let’s draw the blazer.
The blazer unfolds in three distinct shapes—the body and its sleeves.
Now, let's outline the collar's overarching shape.
Digging deeper into the collar, let's sketch out the notch and lapel.
Now we can add even more detail to the jacket, like pockets.
Remember our golden rule: everything above the waist follows the shoulder line, and everything below follows the hip line. Observe the top pocket aligning with the hip line.
Notice how the top pocket placement follows the hip line.
With the blazer's foundation set, it’s time to add more details.
I’m adding princess seamlines, buttons, and pleats at the pocket.
Additionally, I’m using the photo as a reference to indicate the folds and drag lines of the garment, for a more realistic touch.
Let’s move to the details of the skirt.
I’m first drawing the most distinct folds of the skirt, then adding in finer details.
Should you find your sketch satisfying, the final flourish involves shading. Take cues from the photo for the play between light and shadow.
A pro tip: resist the urge to overwork. Sometimes, less detailing carries a touch of elegance.
Conclusion
The essence of this approach is this: draw BIG to SMALL. Think of it as a strategic game—analyze the photo, dissect the prominent shapes and details first, then gradually zoom into the finer intricacies. This organized approach trains your brain to avoid fussing over minor details without a sturdy foundation.