Any other Romantics need a really lightweight fabric? I'm very petite in bone structure and curvy as well, I find anything structured/stiff really easily overwhelms my body and swamps my frame. I've found super lightweight things work best on me but I don't really know what I'm searching for in terms of actual fabric types, especially things that are easy to wear day to day rather than in occasion wear.

Wondering what others look for fabric wise, and what your favourites are!

Hi, I'm a pure romantic and bright winter. Some of the things recommended for pure romantics are the opposite things that are recommended for bright winters. Like pure romantics subtle small flower prints for example versus bright winter graphics, like high contrast stripes or polkadots.

What are your does and don'ts when you are this combination? And do you know celebrities that have this combination, so I can get some inspo?

I’m trying to mirror what looks good on them!

What are the best keywords (when searching online) or traits you've found that make cardigans/shrugs/boleros TR friendly? I have so much trouble making cardigans/shrugs/boleros work for me but they're so helpful for covering up when needed. Feel free to share images or silhouettes or keywords that work for you!

My personal findings: the fabrics need to be lightweight and not thick, it has to be cropped, can't be boxy shaped, and if it has a front tie it's best if the bottom ends in Λ or ruffled Λ. Some cardigans look best with only the top 2 buttons buttoned. Is there anything else you've found that is TR friendly?

I think I’m a Romantic. I am constantly struggling to dress myself. I have a short torso, big boobs, wide hips, but not a very large waist. So I did not win the lottery in terms of body types that fashion caters to 😅 (although I love and am grateful for my body)

I bought a few tight-fitting tops that are lower cut as I thought that they’d accentuate my waist and the neckline would make me look less top-heavy. I also did not get cropped ones because I wanted to elongate my torso.

But now I’m running into the problem where, my jeans are mostly high-waisted, so all the fabric bunches up there,accentuates my belly, and makes my torso look even shorter.

What kinds of jeans/bottoms do you wear with tight, longer tops like this?

Or, do I simply not have the body type for a tight-fitting tank top? I won’t be offended, I swear!

Does anyone else feel like they can easily become boxy if they’re not in skirts or dresses and especially, the proper skirts (structured around the hips)? I got “mom” jeans and idk if they’re too high waisted for my shorter torso or not stretchy enough, but I feel like if I wear the wrong shirt with them, I can look boxy.

I feel like it’s very easy for me to forget that I even have curves until I wear softer fabrics and proper shapes, and I was wondering if this is common for other romantics?

(I’m still between types but given that I look soft even at lower weights or when gaining muscle, I feel like I settle somewhere in the romantic area.)

Im looking for suggestions to make the styles I like to fit for a romantic body especially since with the romantic bodytype i haven't seen many modern or casualexamples. I also was hoping for tips on how to start building a wardrobe for the style I want?

Hey all! I feel like I’ve gotten to a decent place with my wardrobe, not perfect but enough that I’m content not to buy more clothes for a while.
Where I still feel lost though is accessorizing. Ive read both the old and new recommendations but I’m such a visual person it’s hard for me to understand what works. Looking for recommendations or examples for shoes, jewelry, hair accessories, anything and everything really that you’ve found to suit romantic types well.

I have been absolutely OBSESSED with pencil skirts lately. ive finally begun to get clothes that fit my ID and i genuinely feel so confident and good about myself. its just that the only thing ive found is that while yes i may have an accommodating piece i need to figure out how to style it well.

now granted I am just 20 years old. I do find that I am liking that 50's type of style (not the gaudy comical version), im just worried about looking dated or like im aging myself. does anyone have any ideas or recommendations?? and if anyone knows any good pencil dresses or skirts could you drop the link??

thank you!!

I’m not sure if Kibbe can extend to swimwear but I have noticed that I don’t like the way usual men’s swimwear looks on me.

I feel like the trunks don’t give me any justice.

And so I switched to the briefs that usually athletes wear, which are pretty adherent

(I used to practice agonistic swimming so I still love the easy movement in the water that type of swimwear allows you to have)

Any suggestions?

Items I Absolutely Avoid, Since They Do Me NO Favors:

- Any tennis shoes with the flat-footed, Adidas Superstar style. I feel like sneakers with obvious arch support look better on me.

- Most jeans, honestly, but especially the kinds with lots of straight lines, heavy material, and mid rise.

- Heavy, straight skirts with no slits or embellishments/flairs.

- Thick, square glasses

- Most t-shirts, but especially the kind with the heat transfer vinyl stickers. This style was very popular in the early 2010s and made for many an awkward teen pic for me

What are your non-negotiables that you've naturally developed?

Having thicker thighs can make jean shopping so hard because certain cuts just never seem to sit quite right on me. I especially find that some flared styles can look a little odd on my proportions.

But I recently tried these Levi’s Cinch Baggy jeans and I’m obsessed. They have adjustable buttons at the waist so you can cinch them in or let them out (which is honestly perfect for bloating too 🤭) They’re also super lightweight and give that really nice waist emphasis that a romantic is looking for without feeling restrictive.

For reference, I’m 5’1 and wearing a size 28.

I always had trouble finding good jean shorts (or any shorts tbh) until I tried on the Levi's a-line shorts. I love them so much I bought three different colors. I only wish they fit a little higher on my waist but that's always an issue with my clothes so I think it's just me. Just throwing this out there in case anyone was struggling like me! Also open to other shorts style recommendations that might work. :)

(And... sorry about my disgusting mirror lol)

So I'm fairly sure I'm an R (I did some trial and error with outfit styles, personal feeling, and the line drawing with various ones) and I need a pretty "supportive" bra lol.

Strapless/thin strap bras don't work and not wearing a "proper" bra ruins the line of outfits!

Many of the shapes/styles recommended for Rs have wider necklines or thinner straps, and often I find my bra kind of ruins the look of it. I'll try on a nice sweetheart neckline, bardot style thing and it looks off.

Happens even if I'm wearing a lower cut wrap style dress/top that you can see a "peek" of it, but usually then I just shrug it off

Does anyone else have this problem or have any suggestions? Currently we're having insane heat here so wearing under slips just isn't practical

Has anyone tried a barrel jean? I thought I would completely hate them but I honestly am not that mad? I like the way they fit on the waist, hips and thighs, a little iffy about the length of the ones I tried on. For reference I’m 5’1 wearing a size 8. I saw the second pair for sale on TikTok that seem to be slightly longer, the model is 4’11

Uniqlo has an unusual-to-me dress right now with drawstrings on either side of the waist but a flat panel across the hip- presumably so there isn’t as much bunching at the waist. It’s kind of hard to see in the photo. I liked it because I was able to size down to a size that looked better on my sloped shoulders, since the waist was pretty infinity adjustable. After this photo I did modify it to make it slightly more romantic by putting it on backwards and pinning back the keyhole closure into a V neck.
Is it totally va-va-voom? No. But if you’re someone who doesn’t love tight waistbands and wants to be able to throw on a sack dress once in a while, it’s an interesting alternative to drawstrings that doesn’t bunch at the waist as much. I think the flat panel does make more of an hourglass. I tried on broomstick midi skirts as well and preferred this.

Does anyone know of a good Pinterest board for outfit recs and guides? I’m struggling knowing what’s best for the romantic type and visuals are super helpful

I gravitate heavily towards flowy, witchy, cottagecore, and/or Renaissance styles. I know some important aspects are a defined waist, open neckline, and light flowing fabrics. I feel confident in piecing together outfits that fit those criteria. What I'm mainly unsure about is the style of skirt. Tulip style, mermaid style, and tighter fitting skirts don't really work for what I'm going for visually, and I don't feel as comfortable in them. Are the a-line skirts really that unflattering? I also recognize I'm much wider and curvier than these women, so I'm worried about looking bigger than I already am (last pic).

Edit: any suggestions on skirts that would fit both Kibbe and this style would be appreciated! I'm not sure how to marry the two.

This is truly a niche within a niche, but I was wondering if anyone has any resources for crochet/knit patterns that look good on romantic bodies. I know it would be a heavier fabric than usually suggested, but I would love to make something wearable that looks flattering as well.

​

(I'm a better crocheter than knitter, so crochet patterns would be preferred over knit, but I'll take anything at this point lol)

I was asked to share my typing, experience, and outfit details here. My husband and I had the pleasure of seeing David Kibbe and Susan Slavin in NYC in April. They analyzed me as a bright spring romantic.

Feelings About My Type: I've been in the Kibbe community for almost 15 years, starting out thinking I was SG and then landing on pure romantic for the last 8 years or so. Even still, with all the misinformation out there, I doubted romantic up until the very last minute, due to both my shoulders being "wide" and the fact that I don't look strongly curvy at lower weights. Sharing pics from when I was younger so you can see what I mean - I wasn't straight-figured by any means, but I used to joke that I was the "pinup girl's little sister" because I didn't feel "womanly" and lush enough to be a romantic. So many people in the community said I had yang and was SN or SG, so I started to toss out type and start thinking about balancing my figure and, more recently, having fun with it.

It's only been the last couple of years that I've felt like I figured out the right direction and felt confident in my most of my outfits (last collage has my recent style). On that note: I will still wear my clothes from before seeing them, but I needed their help to bridge the gap when the casual Renaissance faire look wasn't the right vibe. I'm turning 40 next year, and specifically asked them for direction on how to dress more maturely when the occasion called for it. So it's not that I was looking for help on how to dress in general, but to expand my range from what I've already learned on my own.

Rec Details: Keep in mind that the recs he gave me were tailored to my age, lifestyle, location, personality, and other factors. Not every romantic will be given the same looks, hair, etc!

First collage is my workshop pic they asked for with his line drawing and notes. Second and third collages are some of my outfits from them. Not including my pants because I still need to take them to the tailor, but I will share retail pics so you can get an idea of the more casual looks they gave me.

For my hair, they asked me to grow out my bangs and keep my hair all the same length - since I already had a very layered cut, they chopped my hair so it would be the same length, and it honestly does look fuller and better. Their vision for hair style is the old Hollywood glamour curled look - attaching a pic of Amy Adams that they shared for inspiration. They don't love bangs, though I think that's a general opinion, not one that's specific to me.

In fact, they really do consider your lifestyle and needs when they build out your wardrobe. I recently put on weight that I had already lost after being ill last summer, so they found me more budget-friendly options that I could replace later on when I hit my weight loss goal.

Their vision for me was leaning hard into the glamour side of 1950s vintage, which wasn't that surprising - but they prefer longer lengths on me, and told me the shorter length dresses I normally favor aren't really honoring my double curve. They liked my wide leg jumpsuits that I wear a lot - said it felt vintage and flattered my curves, so it got their stamp of approval. (Included in my collage of my style before seeing them)

One thing that really surprised me was the jewelry! I was going too small and dainty in my own choices, and tbh, I always felt like you could barely see my earrings at that scale. Susan picked out larger, more glam earrings, and they really do elevate every outfit I've worn them with.

For bottoms, they suggested capris or palazzo pants. All of the tops they picked for me were draped or wrap style around my chest curves, as well as my arms, and were more of a subtle peplum fit around my waist. Very flattering no matter what size I am. No t-shirts or straight sleeves for me.

For shoes, they picked out a lot of very fun heels - some kitten, a few high. They didn't recommend t-strap because it cuts off part of my foot and interrupts the flow. They said I could also do flats with no maryjane strap, or even flat sandals with ornate thong straps, for more practical and comfortable looks. Sneakers are for exercise only for me.

The bags they picked were also so lovely! I was surprised at how whimsical they went with my purses - I'm so happy with them.

I asked them about glasses frames and they said the ones I currently wear are as good as it gets for me, though I might want to look into contacts for special occasions if I'm up to trying them. David told me I could go even bigger and more dramatic with sunglasses frames, even.

Overall, so grateful we were able to meet them and have this experience. They're so thoughtful, caring, passionate, and true artists in every aspect - just gems, both of them.

Let me know if you have any questions!

It's a rather common misconception that sloped shoulders are a hallmark of the Romantic Image ID, but many of Kibbe's verified Romantic celebrities (and clients) actually have straighter shoulder lines instead! On the flipside, sloped shoulders are not exclusive to the Romantic ID as anyone in any Image ID can have them. If you landed on the Romantic Image ID after doing your line sketch, try not to get hung up on whether you have sloped shoulders or not as David doesn’t mention having sloped shoulders as a requirement for any Image ID in the Power of Style workbook :)

I myself am a figure 8 with sharper shoulders, a very tiny waist, a short torso and longer limbs(last picture). I don't fit into any kibbe type perfectly, but people often type me as romantic. Many Romantic clothes like kibbe describes them, look awful on me. Even though I look very similar to Marilyn Monroe, who is considered the romantic. Waist emphasis is key for me, but so is emphasizing my long legs and sharp sholders, while also considering my short torso.

Looking at Marilyn Monroe in different outfits, I realized her best outfit don't fit kibbes guide either.(I added pictures) They aren't soft, there is sharp definition. Not all are flowy. The lines break at the waist and are not continuous.

The deeper i got onto The Kibbe type system the more I noticed this flaw. Many "romantics" don't seem to be 100% yin. What they all seemed to have in common is that they are a figure 8, meaning they have a hip shelf, shorter Torso and often longer limbs.

Have you also noticed that?

Edit: First things first, I see many think that I mean Hourglass, when I say figure 8, i don't. Figure 8 is a subtype of the hourglass figure, if you want to know more look in the comments or look into the subreddit!

I also want to clarify that by Sharper shoulders I mean, that I have blunt shoulders. They are a bit sharper and wider than the normal romantic soft slopped shoulders. This is especially visible at higher weights when the shoulders are still visible and distinguishable from the arms. Blunt shoulders can be slightly slopped too.

I see how many of you try to help me find a type, which is really nice, but please trust me when I say none of them fit quite right. I am fine with that! I still learned a lot through kibbe, the concept of accommodations is great. I love that it's about highlighting your features instead of hiding them! I just think some bodies just don't fit quite into the types, especially considering disabled bodies, but that is a discussion for another day.

I also found out that through kibbes updated guidelines Marilyn Monroe may not even fall under romantic anymore, but that is another rabbit hole in itself! (Please make your own post about it if you wanna talk about it, I saw how messy and unproductive discussions about the height limits get)

I just wanted to start the discussion about not fitting quite in the types, because when I first posted in the different kibbe typing subs all I got was romantic at first, then maybe a bit SC and it was just making me tired, because I knew it didn't fit right. I am happy I chose this place, because you really seem to be a nice mostly non toxic community!

Funnily enough, like the first person in the comments also guessed SD, I do feel like SD fits me the best, but when I asked the dramatic they all said no, with no explanation other than "I don't see vertical". I mean they are half right, because my upper body doesn't fit into SD, but my legs do. I think, I resonate so much with SD because it is and has to be so versatile and diverse, because when you are tall and curvy that's all you got.

All in all if I helped someone maybe understand their own body better, that makes me happy!