How do you know what suits you?

[ghostietype]

Been reading a few older threads about kibbe shapes and the reddit pages, too. I just can't work out what it means, or how to tell if I have a long or short 'vertical line'.

I appear to be gamine as a slim and delicate 5 foot 4. But I suit V or low necklines. There's nothing sharp about me anywhere but I am narrow of shoulder with a shorter torso and longer legs.
I'm neither pear shaped or hour glass but softly in between, so eehhhh surely that's a classic?.

How can you tell what suits you most of all? Sometimes our emotions and preferences get in the way and blind us to what might look great. I say this as someone who always puts myself down no matter what I wear. I also believe we should just not care and wear what we like! But I'm really interested in the mathematics of it, so like a challenge.

I've been told my type is like Audrey Hepburn or Mia Farrow but I am softer over all and not sharp. It's hard to see ourselves as others see us though! And what is 'ethereal'? I used to get called 'ghostie' or 'ethereal' at school but I think it was meant as an insult (boys!) :(

Here is a photo, a mirror selfie so possibly a bit off, but it shows shape, this is me at my most curvy, i tend to gain in the sides of hip.
Anyone help me work out what shape i am or kibbe type?

I don't really understand why it's necessary to label yourself as a type according to some made-up system tbh. The best way of telling what suits you is by trial and error - try things on and see if they look good on you! If you feel and look good in a particular outfit, go for that style/colour sgain in the future.

Of course, but there's no harm in being curious. I went down a kibbe rabbit hole and find it fascinating!

You look like you could wear anything!
I struggled with Kibbe at first but then found someone on YouTube who said not to be led by height but proportions instead. So I took the test again and came out as Soft Dramatic and it’s exactly the kind of look I love - long lines and draping. I too mainly suit v necks and low necks and am short torso, longer legs. My shoulders look similar to yours too. Could you be Soft Dramatic?

Blimey with a figure like that think you can wear anything!

@JMAngel1 Ooh I didn't know dramatic was a type! I thought they were

classic
romantic
gamine
natural

I was reading about yin and yang too, which DH an I got into discussing last night, it's really interesting but confusing. There are great threads on Reddit but some of them are bit obsessive. Can't find any decent sources that really help define it. Perhaps it's all rubbish

@Fairyliz

Blimey with a figure like that think you can wear anything!

Well I haven't had a compliment in a good while, so thank you, that's cheered me up on a crap day!

Perhaps this may help...?

I found that trying on lots of different dress shapes and comparing the photos side by side made it clearer. I'm a dramatic classic and try to follow those lines now.

I tried on all the dresses in my wardrobe and photographed each in the same mirror to compare.
e.g. long floaty dresses drown me, so I'm not a natural. I'm pretty sure you're not a natural either as I don't see width.
Short, fitted dresses looked okay.
Dresses with a-line skirts didn't flatter.
Fitted dresses with shoulder emphasis and midi length looked the best (but I had no idea until I compared things side by side).

I also think you're some kind of classic - you look very balanced.

I think it's also important to understand what colours and cuts suits you.

I'm doing that usually by looking for similar style/ cut/ colour scheme of clothing that I already have.

Also the material of fabric is crucial.

It's all about trial and error.

There's lots of good YouTubers as well.
To me it's Justine Laconte, Marie Anne Lecoeur, Trinny Woodall and more.

Sorry haven't finished my sentence.

I'm doing that usually by looking for similar style/ cut/ colour scheme of clothing that I already have and know that looks good on me.

This is great, thanks everyone! I will have a look at the links and suggestions posted. I love Justine's videos she has such a soothing presence.

I do feel a bit anti-gamine if that doesn't sound nuts. I hate baby doll styles and high necks and would not suit cropped hair. I do have a high waistline so things that flow over it feel better for me.
Am definitely soft as my features are and hair, so will have a look at classic.

I did a wardrobe sort out this morning so tried a few things.
I seem to suit short or long dresses, very slim fit trouser/jeans, but nothing oversized or boxy.

Also does anyone know what the difference is between gamine and classic? I find it all a bit vague. What defines gamine?
Online it seems anyone under 5'5 thinks they're gamine just due to height.

I can help to type you if you want, I am a regular on r/Kibbe

There are no height restrictions for shorter women; it only goes the other way. If you are taller than certain heights then you automatically have Kibbe vertical. Shorter women can be any type.

The 'Families' are Dramatic, Classic, Natural, Romantic and Gamine.

@Innocenta

The 'Families' are Dramatic, Classic, Natural, Romantic and Gamine.

I would love that, thank you! Just been reading about classic and I don't suit classic clothes, it's really confusing. I know it isn't important but I love messing with stuff like this.

How would you type me?

@ghostietype

Been reading a few older threads about kibbe shapes and the reddit pages, too. I just can't work out what it means, or how to tell if I have a long or short 'vertical line'.

I appear to be gamine as a slim and delicate 5 foot 4. But I suit V or low necklines. There's nothing sharp about me anywhere but I am narrow of shoulder with a shorter torso and longer legs.
I'm neither pear shaped or hour glass but softly in between, so eehhhh surely that's a classic?.

How can you tell what suits you most of all? Sometimes our emotions and preferences get in the way and blind us to what might look great. I say this as someone who always puts myself down no matter what I wear. I also believe we should just not care and wear what we like! But I'm really interested in the mathematics of it, so like a challenge.

I've been told my type is like Audrey Hepburn or Mia Farrow but I am softer over all and not sharp. It's hard to see ourselves as others see us though! And what is 'ethereal'? I used to get called 'ghostie' or 'ethereal' at school but I think it was meant as an insult (boys!) :(

If you’ve been described as ethereal in the past then I’d take a look at this website too: www.truth-is-beauty.com/style-analysis.html Kibbe doesn’t recognise ethereal (or ingenue) so if ethereal resonates with you then Kibbe may never hit the mark

ToManderleyAgain
Ah im not ethereal then by that description. I understand now that kibbe is about the lines and ethereal would be an essence?

Er, you can wear anything!

You look pretty balanced but youre supposed to assess your shape from the back not the front.

So shoulders to waist is one shape and waist to underneath buttocks is the other shape.

I'm an inverted triangle so sharpe straight on top (a litteral upside down triangle) and a narrow oblong bottom (soft straight).

I'm a natural (figure) classic (style type) or in Kibbe terms, a flamboyant natural.

Tall, big boned but lithe and muscular. Not a fan of being dressed up.

Try to take a few photos, not mirror pictures, ideally with a tripod. Block your face so it's anon. Front, back and side. Post them in an imgur album so you can delete it easily (don't enable comments on the album).

That's the easiest way to share typing pictures on here.

Kibbe has been massively helpful for me in accepting my body and body type. I was anorexic for years when I was younger and learning what aspects of myself are just my foundational shape has genuinely been transformative.

Thanks :)

I do have a dslr though not sure where tipod is right now
Good idea, i will try to get round to that. @innocenta I could do this via reddit, right? Feel a bit of a dick doing it here, haha.

This brings me to the point that it doesn't feel important, but it is still really fascinating. I don't seem to fit any of the style tips from the kibbe info, so maybe i am a bit of an outlier, at least in my own imagination.

It's really really good advice to accept what we have, because there's no changing it, apart from losing/gaining weight, and there is so much other shit in life to focus on.
DH wants to know what he is now - he's very tall, evenly proportioned, not muscly or big but not skinny either. Has a very defined and graceful bone structure so some feminine in there, with the addition of a wee bit of a belly now he's older. I'd say he was maybe a soft natural.