There are no “lines” for a certain Kibbe type. Kibbe lines don’t exist. There are only YOUR lines.
Remember, the Kibbe system has a certain end goal- to accommodate YOUR silhouette. It differs greatly from other styling systems like the “fruit” system that seeks to impose an hourglass silhouette on everybody. The Kibbe system is used to extend the dominant aspects of your natural form.
Does the Kibbe System Work for You?
The first question to ask yourself is if this approach aligns with your goals. There are so many different intentions behind curating a personalized wardrobe, and celebrating your natural form isn’t the only valid one.
If you want to impose different shapes on your body, that is totally valid and you can still look amazing and curate a refined sense of style.
If you care more about expressing different aspects of your personality rather than expressing the aspects of your physical body, that is totally valid and you can still look amazing and curate a refined sense of style.
If you only want to know enough about style to look appropriate and current while staying comfortable enough to get ahead in life (work, school, whatever role that requires an element of social awareness), then that is totally valid and you can still look good and curate a useful wardrobe.
You don’t even need to choose one intention to drive your style journey (though focusing on one at a time does garner more deep insights).
If the Kibbe system does appeal to you, then let’s approach the concept of “lines.”
Kibbe “Lines” vs Personal Accommodation
I don’t agree with this idea of following a certain type’s “lines.” A dress that looks good on one Soft Dramatic won’t necessarily look good on another Soft Dramatic. Just because you resonate with the dominant patterns of a type doesn’t mean that you will look exactly like everyone else who falls under this type. It means that you can use the Kibbe system as a probability cloud to point you towards a likely flattering way of approaching your body.
This is why the term “accommodation” is so much more useful. To find a truly personalized way of dressing, you have to accommodate your silhouette, not follow this generalized idea of Kibbe lines.
What is Accommodation?
Accommodating your silhouette means that you are adapting to the needs your physical silhouette. You have to adapt clothing to scale to and reflect the various aspects your figure.
A very simple example- if you have long legs, you need to accommodate their length by choosing trousers that truly fit their length.
If you have short legs, you need to accommodate them by choosing trousers that do not drown them with endless fabric.
If you are very tall, you have to accommodate your vertical which means you need to take care not to chop yourself up into too many pieces. If you are short and lack vertical, you need to accommodate your height by choosing clothing that honors your particular scaling. If you are physically short and possess vertical, you still need to choose clothes that honor your particular scaling while looking for a sense of elongation in your overall silhouette.
If you have broadness in your torso, then you need to accommodate by choosing cuts that embrace that broadness as opposed to constraining.
If you have curve, you need to accommodate by choosing fabrics and styles that drape over that curve. A rigid fabric cut in an angular way does not mold to curve and therefore cannot accommodate it.
If you don’t have curve, you need to accommodate your more Yang undercurrent/flesh by choosing fabrics and cuts that reflect the more sleek nature of your body. More elongated or rigid fabrics cut in angular ways will “mold” to your figure much more than fluid softness.
The degree of accommodation for curve depends on how much curve you have. It does not depend on how much curve another Soft Dramatic or Romantic has.
The degree of accommodation for sleekness depends on how much “sleekness” you need to reflect. It does not depend on how much sleekness another Dramatic or Dramatic Classic has.
And one more layer- that degree of accommodation is very subjective. How much is too much? How much is not enough? That really is up to you.
Kibbe is a Probability Cloud
The Kibbe types are idealized concepts meant to resonate with many. The individual must still adapt the suggested themes to themselves. They have to accommodate not only their silhouette, but their taste, their preferences, their life conditions, their coloring, their budget, their access to clothing, and their overall aesthetic understanding.
Here is an analogy: Figuring out your Kibbe type is like figuring out the best color for you. Perhaps your best color is blue. There are so many types of blue- so many variations of chroma, value, and even hue. Knowing that your best color lies along the overall group of “blue” sure helps in pointing you towards the right direction, but you still need to search through those variations to find the ones you find truly suitable and enjoyable.
Clothing Fits Bodies, Not Concepts
Remember, the Kibbe system helps the process of clothing selection, but it is not the final judge. Your body is the ultimate judge of whether clothing fits. Your physicality needs to be prioritized, not the concept of your physicality. Theories and patterns and aesthetic idealization has its place, but it certainly isn’t on the very real, vulnerable, and human reality of your body. Dress your body, not ideas about your body.
Don’t Depend on Kibbe
Exploring one style system is merely another step along your stylistic and aesthetic journey. One system cannot account for all of your nuances and preferences, so it is best to manage expectations and not expect too much from one perspective. Still, you can reap so much benefit from truly studying a system and remaining open minded, observing deeply, and figuring out a way to take those perspectives and fit them into your overall idea of style and personal expression.
For a nudge in the right direction and an assessment of your particular style probability cloud, please check out my services.
