Last week, I tried on Romantic and Dramatic Kibbe types, and this week I decided to experiment with the remaining Kibbe dressing recommendations - Gamines, Naturals, and Classics. It truly took me on a journey, and I had many thoughts about femininity that took me by surprise.
To recap, Kibbe types are based on different combinations of Yin and Yang - where Yin represents soft, rounded shapes, and Yang represents angular shapes. There is more nuance than that, as height and overall body type also come into play. If you want to determine your type, it’s actually fairly easy to do so using Kibbe’s new book. Although there are plenty of quizzes available online, the book offers a clearer, less confusing approach (you can read about my self-diagnosis here).
Flamboyant Gamine
I started with Gamines. To be a Gamine, you need to “be” (or appear) somewhat petite, with the option of having either extra Yin or extra Yang. Kibbe describes Gamines as a combination of opposites. If you have extra Yang (sharp shapes), you will be classified as a Flamboyant Gamine; if you have extra Yin (soft shapes), you will be a Soft Gamine.
The guidelines for a Flamboyant Gamine are quite straightforward: create a strong vertical line that is interrupted by numerous details, guiding the eye downward in a staccato fashion.




Overall, I found this look very natural and easy for me. It includes color blocks, mini skirts, and many details, as long as they remain quite angular. The pink sweater outfit almost doesn't fit this category, but I still included it. This category requires looking boyish and young, which, for some reason, comes naturally to me.
Soft Gamine
The recommendation for Soft Gamine is also to create a staccato effect with many details, but the underlying base needs to be curvy. I struggled with this one, just as I have with most of the curvier types. This look is a bit more girlish due to its curvy base, and I felt extremely off trying on these outfits (to be honest, there weren't many options I could try, as I don't have many curve-emphasizing pieces in my wardrobe these days). I pulled some clothes I had from years ago, and this is what I came up with. These outfits are pretty bad, but they kind of illustrate the point.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Style In Process to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.