Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Torn Between Two Styles

I have blogged about Kibbe and his style types before - to check out more about Kibbe, definitely check out this Yuku website: http://seasonalcolor.yuku.com/forums/71/Wardrobe-and-Style?page=1 - You can find a link to the Kibbe test and celebrities collages on this site.  When I first took the test, I seemed to be dominant romantic with some type of influence.  I have never been a 'frills and lace' person and found some similarities with the Soft Classic types, but I find that the clothes that I'm drawn to lately are more 'Theatrical Romantic' (Romantic with a dramatic flair).  Now I'm just confused - so I decided to try a little collage comparison between Soft Classic and Theatrical Romantic - I'd love to hear your feedback - where do I fit 'in' with the most harmony?

Soft Classic:


The physical description for SC is: Physically, you are basically symmetrical with slightly rounded edges (soft body type and features).


Theatrical Romantic:



The physical description for TR is:  Physically, you are delicate in bone structure and soft in body type, with delicate and full facial features (eyes, lips, cheeks)

Its clear that I have 'some' romantic influence to my style and facial structure, but to what degree???

Here is a comparison between the two classic face shades:

Soft Classic:


Theatrical Romantic:



18 comments:

  1. After I read the article "Dressing The Essence of…Claire Danes" of
    Christine Scaman I started to think more about her words "I’ve also come to understand that we express more than colour. We express line, pattern, and motion. You can’t just wear your colours, though no others on Earth could flatter you better. If the style does not respect your lines, patterns, and movements, harmony continues to elude."
    Is there any connection between a color season and a style? I read lot's of articles with recommendations of styles for Autumns. One of the most common recommendation was a Natural style. What is your opinion regarding this subject, Renata? Do you think only the yin/yang concept and physical body parameters determine basic styles of clothing?

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  2. What a 'Fantastic' question Margo! I love that quote from Christine and it makes a lot of sense. I think Autumn is equated with natural styles because the colours are 'earthy' and often compared more to the sporty, natural side of the spectrum, but being a soft classic, could explain why I struggled a little bit with the Soft Autumn vs the True Autumn and why my makeup looks better when applied in a softer more delicate way! I think that your style will influence 'How' you wear your colours - Soft Classics who are TA's I feel tend to go for the TA neutrals and create soft looks vs a more dramatic TA will wear the more dramatic colours and go with different shapes.patterns. I agree with Christine that this is what makes each person unique in each season!

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  3. Thank you, Renata! I still can't choose between TA and DA as I still can't choose between Kibbe's Natural and Dramatic Classic. That's why I can understand your straggle between two color seasons and styles very well. Do you think Dramatic Classic is more DA?

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  4. Hey Margo,
    Thats a tough one! I wouldn't try to find TA and DA based on Kibbe, what I would do is try doing the celebrity collage experiment I did and see where you most 'harmonize' - just like you would do with colou analysis where the colours just harmonize with you - you will find that regadless is you are a N or DC, you will find you own personal flow between your season and your style. I know this probably isn't answering your question, but I think that once you find your 'perfect' combination between style and colour, you will feel really at home. I don't think your style is your deciding factor when it comes to your season or vice versa, but once you know both, things just start to make sense! Hope this helps!!!

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  5. I recently discovered your blog and really enjoy it. Like the other commenter, I understand your struggle between seasons and Kibbe types. I first read Kibbe about 20 years ago and float back and forth in my mind between Classic and a few other types. -- it would be so nice to be able to meet with Kibbe and get an answer once and for all!

    When I look at the collage, I can see how you are torn because there does seem to be elements of both types in your face. It may come down to body type as well. There is a similarity between these types, but I think that a TR would have a more hourglass shape and be more comfortable in (for want of a better word) "sexier" clothes.

    Just a gut reaction to your photos, I think you look a little more TR, but it could go either way. You are very pretty, by the way!

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  6. Renata, I asked you about connection between DC and DA because of DA's winter influence. A Dramatic style is more common for Winters than for Autumns.
    I hope I have more clear picture about my best autumn colors and main style one day. Now I am just trying to learn as much information as possible. Thank you again for your quick responses and help!

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  7. No problem Margo - I wish I could help out more! I can definitely see DC's influence on DA due to the winter, perhaps you should play around with this for a bit - I felt an 'instant' attraction to the SC Kibbe type, perhaps you should try asking yourself where you 'instinctively' feel comfortable?

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  8. Thanks so much Ann - I really appreciate the feedback the compliment!!! I posted this on a FB group page and the consensus seems to be the soft classic - apparently many people think, Carolina Herrera and I share very similar qualities, which is a huge compliment! I do tend to like classic styles vs romantic, but I like an element of romance, so SC makes sense, but I agree with you, its a very tough call because I also see similarities with both!

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  9. I love Kibbe's book and I usually can type a person quickly without necessarily going through a whole checklist of physical traits. The difference between an SC and a TR that I observe is that a TR has an edge. She can wear flashier, trendier and even costumey clothes very well. I am an SC, and much as I'd like to be flashier, it just looks wrong on me! If you look great in softly waved hair, a ladlylike skirt suit and a bow blouse (even if it's not the most fashionable outfit), you're an SC. If you look better in skinny jeans, a ruffly blouse and long but slightly edgier hair, you're probably TR. Stacy London on "What Not to Wear" (TLC) is a great example of a Theatrical Romantic.

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  10. Thnaks EF Watkins for your response - it helps to get more recent examples of the kibbe types (ie to know Stacy London is TR) because it helps with comparison - the more I think of the kibbie types, the more I feel that SC is great for me, but at the same type I am discovering that I have an avante garde/creative edge as well that really suits my style - i don't think that TR, but I don't think its SC either - must re-examine kibbe types again!

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  11. Hi, Renata. I personally prefer John Kitchener's method of typing people over Kibbe's. I think there is a lot of info in Kibbe's head that he doesn't share. JK has always said that we are all mixtures of essences. When I asked him for a very quick assessment of my essences, his answer cleared up EVERYTHING. I think you have a touch of JK's "Angelic" essence. Kibbe doesn't even have that category, so what are you going to do with its modifying influence if you don't even know about it? Or any other influence besides Kibbe's pre-fabricated combinations? So you might just consider that a bit. It is difficult at first, but once you understand what's at work, the whole thing makes sense when you are shopping.

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  12. Ahh, Kibbe. Way too subjective and way too many gaps in his system. And that's all it is - a system, created by one person. It's way too difficult to try to categorize ourselves in his groups, especially when some body types are left out (like the predominantly d answered people).

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  13. Thank you Anonymous - I agree with you - I have given up on Kibbe and even colour analysis to some degree - makeup, style and colour is way too personal and subjective to be placed into a specific Category! I'm glad I've open my eyes to this recently, I'm having much more fun with being myself and exploring the style that is unique to 'me'!

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  14. Renata -
    What a wonderful site you have!
    You look like 70% theatrical romantic and 20% soft classic to me.
    You look like you could be related to Vivien Leigh. She too is not at her best in pure theatrical romantic.

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  15. Thank you so much Dianne!!! I really like how you broke it down for me 70/20 - I will have to return to discovering my Kibbie type again :) Thanks for the inspiration

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  16. You are not classic for sure, and the romantic yin influence you definitely have, it is seen in your expression and subtle smile as well as in the other features ( your lips and eyes), and you have very dramatic influenced long nose and your face and your lips are not small so that is probably another yang dramatic influence. You don't seem to have a natural vibe, classic we ruled out and gamine is also not you, so probably theatrical romantic, although you might be concealing your true nature and expression behind too much sweetness that you draw from your romantic type. I like the bright red lips on you so you are probably a bright winter ( with secondary spring) which is also in accordance whit your Kibe-type.

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  17. This is great information - thank you so much Dunja! I really appreciate it. I will most definitely have to take a look at theatrical romantic again :)

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  18. This is great information - thank you so much Dunja! I really appreciate it. I will most definitely have to take a look at theatrical romantic again :)

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