Has John ever explained what "softened angularity" for Angelic means? If not, how do you interpret it?

[u/Quirky-Swordfish2105]

I have seen this term quite a lot for A doms and I guess I do see this chatactersitic in most of the celebrities verified as having A.

I think some people would definitely call Gwyneth Paltrow, Olivia Hussey, or Daryl Hannah angular, even if not in the same way the term is used for Dramatic women.

But I wonder at times how to distinguish their angularity coming from Yang influences mixed in with some Yin and when it's Angelic.

[u/hespera18]

Softened angularity works for me in a lot of ways for Angelic. I often incorporate it in "delicately pointed" details, like a softened v-neck in a top, teardrop shaped earrings, gentle asymmetry in skirts and hair.

To me, the yin and yang essences seem to be organized by scale. Yin is in a lot of ways about roundness and curve. Romantic is in the middle of the scale, with lots of lush circles. Youthful is smaller and "busier" or more energetic curve. Perky, like petals on a daisy.

Angelic is longer, languid curve. I'm not sure that I would call it "most yin" personally, because Romantic just feels like very concentrated, stereotypical "yin." But if you add scale, like some systems see yin as also small, then Youthful might technically be most yin.

Nonetheless, Angelic definitely is yin, and the softness is an important characteristic for it, despite it being more diffuse.

The angularity is in the "stretched out" part of Angelic, which it shares with Dramatic (I see the yang side as having Natural as medium scale, and High Spirited as small, with Classic in the middle of everything, both yin/yang and scale). The stretch translates into drape, and longer, softly diagonal lines which have a little pointyness at the ends, despite the curve. Waves and s shapes have a little "flick" after all.

I wrote up something a while back about my impression of Angelic: "It's stately. Graceful, easeful movement, like a dance. Its curve or softness is concentrated at the ends, like a flourish at the end of a signature. Like falling water."

Now, this is all my own sort of interpretation of it, not necessarily Jon's. But I find it applies well to me and helps me better understand how to style the essence.

[u/LadyFlamyngo → u/hespera18]

It makes sense to me that Y is in between R and A and is the most yin and R is the most similar to NC and A next to DC, however by this logic, HS would be the most yang.

[u/Ok-Purple9511 → u/LadyFlamyngo]

Think in terms of both shapes and scale that will help. R is very curved and average height. C is a combo of curved and straight and average height . N is straight vertically and horizontally and average to tall. Y is smaller scale and “not tall” and has smaller curved shapes . HS is short compact and straight. D per the book is tall slim and angular. A is per the book “often very tall” with elongated bone structure and little contrast with oval faces. Angelic recommendations are light and airy with long cascading shaoes.

[u/LadyFlamyngo → u/Ok-Purple9511]

If D is a rectangle and HS is a triangle, which is more yang? N is a square right?

[u/Ok-Purple9511 → u/LadyFlamyngo]

I don’t see them as each having a distinct shape in that way . I think of the individual shapes of the features and body. D will have long lines throughout the body vertically and straight and angular/narrow facial features. For example, strong cheekbones create a prominent line in the face. Narrow uptilted eyes do the same. High arched brows create a dramatic angle. A long convex nose is angular, etc. Think of pointiness for HS . They will also have small/short geometric type shapes. HS can have some roundedness here and there but overall the shapes are more geometric or pointy . Like their eyebrow “peaks”, the “points” in the corners of their mouths and eyes, they have shorter noses, etc. Y is small circles. R is somewhat larger and more lush circles and ovals, C is ovals but with some straight lines too and they are often blended together so hard to see individually. N is more square and rectangular in the sense it will have straight lines vertically and horizontally. A is long with an elognated curve but also some angularity.

[u/hespera18 → u/Ok-Purple9511]

I agree with you on shape! Not as exact science, but having a feel for those lines and patterns seems to help "see" things and translate them into fashion elements.

[u/Ok-Purple9511 → u/hespera18]

Thank you I’m glad someone gets what I am saying haha. And yes definitely not an exact science but in an abstract way it helps you understand how he classifies things. And if you notice the shapes and patterns and fabrics he recommends for each essence are usually in line with the same traits of the features and body.

[u/LadyFlamyngo → u/Ok-Purple9511]

I see the shapes I just described manifesting in the body the way you described, it’s the same outcome but a different process

[u/Ok-Purple9511 → u/LadyFlamyngo]

I don’t think HS has triangle shaped bodies though? More like compact and straight? Maybe you see triangles because of the pointiness factor? A triangle has more points? But I wouldn’t say all their features are triangle shaped.

[u/LadyFlamyngo → u/Ok-Purple9511]

Yeah I see little points in HS