Squares, Checkers, Boxes, whatever you want to call them, they exist and we know what they are. But the idea of being a "square" has always had a negative connotation. Huey Lewis and The News on the other hand embraced the "square" lifestyle in their "It's Hip to Be Square" single.
So if we're not a square, what should we be? A triangle? A circle? A pentagon? Maybe even a do-decahedron if we're feeling fancy. My philosophy is to embrace what you know, as long as it doesn't hurt you, or your design.
The square, (or we can even stretch it to rectangle) shape has been more than prominent in many designs throughout history. Things like floor plans of homes, started off with cookie-cutter boxes...plain, but it had four walls, a floor, a roof, and multiple rooms inside, which completed the family home, and the edges to the six-sided square, known as a cube. Yes, plenty of strange homes exist, and they are definitely amazing to see, but when it comes down to it, the basic square has flourished in design through many different eras of creativity and designers.
Why not make your art exist around squares? Or even a wall, maybe a floor, be daring and go for a piece of furniture while you're at it. We shouldn't be afraid of the geometric shape, yes it's not some gorgeous silk floral design, or bright whimsical toile piece...but no one said it had to be boring.
The luxury about geometric design, is the mathematics of it. You can't change the design of a square, it's four sides with distinct 90 degree angles. You can turn it and move it all you want, but it's still going to be a square. So make it a sexy square design to be adored by all.
Below I have some examples of square designs that should be more than pleasurable to the eye:
And going along with the sexy square...earlier last month at Paris Fashion Week, the lovely square/checkered design strutted out on the runway as if it had time-traveled right back from the 1960's, and is still fabulous and chic as could be. Many models were wearing Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton's 2013 Spring/Summer collection, which consisted of checkered outfits in a myriad of lavish and bright colors.
Pictures from Paris Fashion Week seen below...
Whether it be design, fashion or a combination of the two, nothing that existed in history has to necessarily stay in history, the ability to bring back old looks and make them new is what makes great design. Yes updates to adapt to the times are always necessary, but if it works, let it work!
Happy Square Styling!
