Mathematician plots formula to give every woman perfect pins

A mathematician claims to have found the perfect formula for a fool-proof flattering look.

Lily Serna’s equation for the perfect dress, skirt or short hemline is the length of your body from shoulder tip (cm) added to the heel height (cm) divided by 1.618 gives every individual their golden number.

The mathematics honours graduate - hired by razor brand Venus and Olay 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,” the Daily Telegraph quoted Serna as saying.

“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.

The theory was tested on Emma Healey, 30, Amelia Norris, 19, and Josephine West, 58.

Blogger Emma, who normally shys away from skirts, felt comfortable with her above-the-knee calculation as she sported a black silk pleated number.

“I usually wear dresses or jeans as I have quite short, stocky legs but I feel fantastic. It’s definitely a confidence thing,” she said.

Student Amelia, 19, said her appropriate hem length at just above the knee was more conservative than her usual selections.

“It does make my legs look thinner,” she said.

Marketing co-ordinator Josephine West, 58, usually prefers pants but was surprised at her appearance in a cocktail dress skimming her knees.

“My legs and body don’t look as good as they used to, and now I can hopefully feel excited about shopping,” West said.