For an introduction to the Sew Your Kibbe Series, please see this post. The posts in this series are intended to be a well researched and thorough investigation of the Kibbe style recommendations, along with several example patterns for each “level of dress.” The posts in this series will be picture heavy and quite lengthy. You may want some tea.
Introduction
After the first two posts about Kibbe’s Dramatic and Kibbe’s Romantic, I thought the next logical space to explore would be a true mix of yin and yang, the Classic. I’ve heard Kibbe’s Classic explained as the result of mixing equal parts yin and yang together in a blender. The result is a very moderate shape – nothing too straight or too curved; everything in even proportions. Kibbe’s Classic is described as a “Sophisticated Lady.” You can read more about Kibbe’s Classic here.
Body Type Characteristics
The following are Kibbe’s descriptions of a Classic Body Type:
CLASSIC PHYSICAL PROFILE
NOTE: : The following information should be taken as a broad outline of what makes a Classic. It is the overall combination of the perfect balance between the Yin and Yang extremes (symmetrical physicality and cool, reserved essence) that creates this Image Identity category. Therefore, slight deviation here or there is always possible and should not be worried over if it does not upset your Yin/Yang balance. Height: Moderate, usually between 5 feet 4 inches and 5 feet 7 inches. Body type: Evenly proportioned bust, waist, and hips. Slightly lithe and sinewy musculature. Moderate to slightly long limbs. Bone structure: Symmetrical, with a tendency towards slight sharpness. Slightly angular. Slightly straight. Tapered shoulders. Moderately sized hands and feet. Facial features: Chiseled, symmetrical and evenly spaced. Hair: Smooth and even surface texture. May be straight, wavy or slightly curly. Moderate thickness. Coloring: Any coloring is possible (warm or cool), although Classics are usually of blended or low-contrast coloring. High-contrast or vivid coloring is quite rare among Classics. If overweight: The body remains symmetrical, and the weight is usually evenly distributed. A Classic will not:
Be extremely tall.
Have large bone structure, or large hands and feet.
Have prominent or exotic facial features.
Be extremely petite with extremely delicate features.
Have an hourglass figure.
Have full, lush facial features (extremely round eyes, full lips, fleshy cheeks).
Recommendations:
The following are Kibbe’s recommendations regarding the clothing and style choices that best suit his Classic image ID. The following recommendations will be taken into consideration for each garment type listed below:
SHAPE: Symmetry is the key to all your shapes. Whether slightly geometric or slightly curved, always blend the same shapes together in your look.
LINE AND SILHOUETTE: Your use of line goes hand-in-hand with your use of shape. Keep your outlines smooth and symmetrical with the emphasis on controlled and even edges, soft, straight lines or smoothly curved lines-softly tailored or slightly flowing. A clean, unbroken silhouette is your most elegant statement. Think “head-to-toe,” and blend everything accordingly.
FABRIC: Beautiful, luscious fabrics are an important element in your understated look, which stress your love of quality. Spend your money on the most expensive fabrics-here’s where it will show on you!
Moderate weights. Lightweights in very constructed and tailored garments. Matte finish or slight sheen. Very slight draping in constructed garments. Luxurious to the touch (French silks, Italian gabardines, etc.). Lightweight textures (raw silk, shantung, linen). Smooth knits (cashmere, softly ribbed, heavy jersey). Smooth chiffon and elegantly beaded fabrics for evening.
Avoid: Heavy fabrics. Rough textures. Sheer or clingy fabrics. Stiff metallics, and extremely shiny fabrics (unless lightweight).
DETAIL: Your use of detail should be clean, simple, and minimal-just enough to add an elegantly understated touch. It should never call attention to itself; it should only add to the smooth visual line of your garments.
Include: Slight, crisp shoulder padding. Clean, tailored necklines (man-tailored, notched, jewel, slashed, small V’s, turtlenecks, and narrow cowls). Crisp and finished cuffs. Elegant scarves in symmetrical ties (jabots, ascots, self-ties). Symmetrical lapels (notched, smooth shawls, or clean, piped styles). Tailored pants. Crisp gathers.
Avoid: Overly sharp, geometric, or angular detail. Unconstructed detail. Overly ornate detail and fussy trim. Overly animated or “cutesy” detail.
SEPARATES: Use carefully and sparingly. An obvious use of separates is counterproductive to your elegance. Make sure colors, textures, and prints blend together to maintain your smooth visual lines.
COLOR: Your use of color should accentuate your smoothly blended visual outline. This means that a mixture of colors in an outfit should blend together in intensity so as not to disrupt your clean and smooth silhouette. Monochromatic schemes are excellent, although you do not need to be limited to just one or two colors. The key is to make sure the tones (intensities) blend, instead of contrasting. Neutrals in exquisite fabrics are also quite rich-looking on you.
Avoid: Sharp color contrast. Multicolor splashes. Mix ‘n match color combos.
PRINTS: Should be symmetrical, evenly spaced and regular or realistic patters. Understated prints (pin dots, pinstripes, checks, blended plaids, herringbones, symmetrical paisleys, etc.).
Avoid: Oversized prints. Sharp and angular geometrics. Contemporary, avant-garde prints. Splashy watercolors or abstract florals. Ornate prints. Animated prints.
ACCESSORIES: Should be simple, clean, and elegant. Here is another place to invest substantially. The quality will definitely show!
Hats: Tailored, symmetrical shapes. Small and crisp with even brims.
Avoid: Oversized, ornate, or sharply angular hats.
Hosiery: Blend with hemline and shoe for one long line (one or two shades lighter than hemline) for a “light leg” look. Keep sheet or lightly textured.
Avoid: Opaque stockings. Contrasting the stocking with the hemline and the shoe (too choppy for you).
Jewelry: Keep your jewelry elegant, smooth, and symmetrical. Small, slightly geometric shapes are good, as are smoothly curved swirls. Be careful not to overdo! Go “elegant” instead of extreme.
Avoid: Extremely severe, angular pieces. Extremely ornate or intricate pieces. Overly dangly styles. Chunky and heavy pieces. Funky costume jewelry. A “no jewelry” look.
For the individual garment types, obviously, I will be focusing on the lines of the garment, as fabric and color choices would easily be controlled by the home sewer. It’s nice that he included a long list of acceptable fabrics though!
Jackets: Should always be narrow and tailored with a smooth outline. Standard length is best (just below break of hip). Lightweight unconstructed jackets are find when they are kept sleek and narrow. Blazers, cardigan-style, elongated Chanel (not cropped) are all good choices. Slightly longer jackets are possible when the corresponding skirt is also elongated to match.
Coats – Level 1: As I think may soon become quite apparent, Classic styles really can fit into multiple Levels of dress. I think the major distinctions will be fabric choice and amount of detail. Because classic lines are so clean, any amount of detail can really inform the perception of formality (or lack thereof) for a Classic. You may also notice quite a few of the Dramatic patterns I discussed making a re-appearance here. I’ve got some thoughts on this in the conclusion, but I think what’s important is looking at each pattern and seeing how well it fits into the guidelines, and if it also works to communicate your own sense of style.
Coats – Level 2: This middle level is the “native” level of Classics. As such, there are a lot of great patterns at Level 2 that fit quite well in the Kibbe guidelines.
Coats – Level 3: Many of these patterns could also work in Level 2 (or even Level 1), but have been showcased with fancier fabrics, so I thought I would list them here.
Jackets – Level 1: As with the coats, fabric choice or addition of detail can really alter the perception of a Classic’s jacket.
Jackets – Level 2: These patterns have style lines that work incredibly well with Kibbe’s recommendations.
Jackets – Level 3:
Skirts: : Should be kept smooth and simple. Clean lines. Soft and straight or slightly flared. Minimal detail. Moderate length to match jacket length (standard straight: one inch below knee; slightly flared, mid calf; paired with a long jacket). Softly pleated skirts.
Level 1: I think by adding those “avoid” touches (like pockets) to an otherwise Classic skirt, you can modify the Classic lines towards being more casual. Fabric choice will absolutely factor into the levels here – everything is so clean in line that a linen or ponte will read much more casual than a wool gaberdine or crepe.
Level 2: With Classics, you will notice that a lack of additional detail really makes the difference between the Levels of Dress.
Level 3: As with most things Classic, fabric choice and simplicity are key to elevating something to Level 3 status.
Pants: Clean, tailored styles with a minimum of detail. Plain front or trouser-pleated. Slim, narrow shapes.
Level 1: Kibbe says nothing about hem length in this specific recommendation, so I assume he meant for trousers to be a standard full length. However, many recent styles that most closely resemble the recommendations have been made in a cropped or 7/8 length. I feel that most could work as-is due to the Classic’s symmetry, but if you imagine many of these patterns lengthened I think they would provide a more Classic look.
Level 2: This level has a bit more of the tailoring elements (front pleats) that read slightly more formal.
Level 3:
Blouses: Smooth tailored styles (elegant silks and soft cottons).
Avoid: Flouncy or frilly styles. Unconstructed styles.
Level 1: I’m going to sound like a broken record, but fabrication and styling will do a lot to alter the perception of a Classic look.
Level 2: More styles that would work well for an office look.
Level 3: To find Level 3 tops, I had to veer away from the strict descriptions and focused more on the general Kibbe guidelines for Classics, as stated above in the Shape, Line, and Silhouette sections.
Sweaters: Smooth knits. Moderate weight. Ribbed or softly textured.
Avoid: Oversized and baggy sweaters. Clingy knits. Nubby or roughly textured knits.
Level 1: It’s really hard to find a Classic sweater that doesn’t read as Level 2. I choose to include this one as Level 1 just because I thought the styling was a good way to showcase how Classic can do casual:
Level 2: Most classic cardigans will work well for Classics.
Level 3: I couldn’t find any Level 3 sweaters. I think a Little French Jacket would be the Level 3 alternative. For the styles that utilize more tailoring, a soft knit sweater is never going to read as formal as a jacket with proper tailoring and really clean lines.
Dresses: Should always be elegant, with smooth shapes, softly tailored styling, and slim widths. Waist emphasis should be understated (narrow, elegant belts or ties). Shirtwaists, tailored wraps, soft sheaths, smooth knits, and belted coat dresses are all good.
Avoid: Sharply tailored styles. Flouncy styles with ornate detail. Oversized and wide styles.
Level 1:
Level 2: The Level 2 dresses remove some of the tailoring details and have even cleaner lines and shapes.
Level 3: A lot of my Level 3 Classic looks also overlap quite a bit with some Dramatic choices. Most of these also follow Kibbe’s “Evening Wear” guidelines as well.
Evening Wear: Symmetrical shapes with clean and elegant detail. Smooth fabric. Beaded fabric. Understated trim. Smooth chiffon gowns. Jacketed gowns. Tailored dinner suits. Beaded jackets and bodices. Simple little cocktail dresses.
Many of the Level 3 dresses would fit here, but I tried to find more extravagant examples for this section.
And with that we have another Kibbe ID down! According to Style Syntax, Classic’s have the easiest time finding a Level 2 wardrobe, and the most difficult time finding a Level 1 wardrobe. I would say this was pretty accurate with the proportions of sewing patterns I found, though I actually had more struggles finding non-gown Level 3 styles. Of all the types, I think Classic can have the least distinction between Level based purely on the pattern. So often the “feel” came from the fabric or styling in the model photo or envelope art. For many of these styles, fabric choice will be critical to signaling that a style is meant to be for casually walking the dog as opposed to wearing something chic as you walk down the aisle. It has been noted by other sources that of all the Style IDs, Classics are most likely to have success with small capsule wardrobes as having fewer, but more elegant/expensive looking items would be more important than having lots of variety to mix and match. Kibbe stresses the idea of having coordinating pieces that create a “whole look.” I think this is why so many of the styles I chose for Dramatic also seem to work well for Classic. The idea of vertical line is similar, but the Classic styles tend to have shorter hems and can have softer edges and slightly rounder details. The Romantic silhouettes are much farther from the recommendations from the Classics, though the influence can be seen from those higher hem lines, rounded necklines, or softer lapels. What is also interesting to note is the major differences we see between Classic and the other types. Neither Dramatic nor Romantic would do well in the Chanel style jackets – it would be dowdy and stiff on a Romantic and far too plain for a Dramatic. As we move forward into the subtypes I think we will see much more overlap of patterns, which makes sense, but we should also focus on what makes each type unique. We will especially be making constant comparisons with these Classic patterns because the alternative views often take a Classic pattern into subtype territory. Even in this post I was hesitant to recommend anything that would veer too Dramatic or Soft Classic, but it felt wrong to limit the number of patterns to those that were perfectly Classic. Part of this series is exploring where we can push the bounds, and what affect that will have for an overall “look” for a style ID.
To be honest, I actually had more trouble finding patterns for Classic than for either Romantic or Dramatic. Classics are tricky because you are constantly asking, is this too much? Is the shape too severe? Too soft? Too wide? Too detailed? For Romantics, it was totally the opposite – I was always thinking, is this enough? I was surprised with the amount of overlap between Classic and Dramatic, but when reading the suggestions the patterns did work well for both. I think those overlap patterns could read more casual on a Dramatic and more formal on a Classic. The overlap could also be due to pulling from home sewing patterns and not the entirely of images on the internet. I feel like Dramatic looks tend to come from higher end RTW, and the sharp tailoring is so specific that it wouldn’t be a feature that would have mass appeal in a home sewing market. I feel like I’ve been pretty honest when it comes to pointing out when a certain pattern falls outside of the strict guidelines though, and why I feel it would still work for that ID.
I would also say that I did have a comparatively easier time finding Plus pattern examples for Classic – the Burda back catalog is a goldmine of great Classic styles! I think Classic recommendations can be helpful to understand because, as pointed out by Merriam Style, Classic is really what you should go for when you really don’t know your Kibbe type, or if you want to add a neutral “background” type piece to your outfit. It may not add anything to your sense of personal style or add emphasis to your overall look, but it also won’t clash with your lines either. It’s sort of a neutral ground that anyone can utilize, which is perhaps why fashion’s idea of “classic” never goes out of style.
Coming Next Week: We’ve already seen the hard Yang Dramatics and the soft Yin Romantics, and we’ve just seen what happens when you blend them in equal amounts with Classics. Next week we’ll see what happens when Yin and Yang combine, but in a less blended fashion, as we take a look at Kibbe’s Gamine!
I’m loving these posts! They make so much sense of the pieces in my wardrobe that I hardly ever wear. Now that I understand the Kibbe concept I can see that I’m a Natural / Classic and the things that sit in my wardrobe unworn are either too Romantic or too Dramatic. This definitely will help me save money in the future by not buying those crazy items on a whim that just don’t suit my type. I’ve saved heaps of the examples from this post, and can’t wait until you get to the Naturals 🙂
Thanks! It’s helping me make sense of my own wardrobe too. I’m doing Gamine next week, and Natural will be the week after that! Then I’m going to head into all of the subtypes. I will get to everything eventually, it’s just going to take a while.
I’m thunderstruck with all the research you must have done for this. Once again, just a goldmine of patterns… A couple of these were in the Dramatic Kibbe, and a couple I just must hunt down. Some Burdas are difficult to find…
As you mention, it looks like Classics might have an easier time of finding the right style. Can’t wait to see what the Gamine is!
Yes, as we go along I think we will see some overlap between pattern choices, but often with different views of the same pattern suiting the different Style IDs to more or less of an extent.
Woohoo, Gamine is coming up soon! I find I’m kinda stuck on what dress patterns are supposed to fit Gamines, besides short shift dresses. I’m hoping you’ll have good suggestions for me! 🙂
Yes, I’ve been working on pulling patterns and Gamine is hard! It’s sort of all over the place – tailored crispness and 20s styles are so antithetical in my mind… There are also a lot of patterns that will fit the Flamboyant Gamine or Soft Gamine categories but don’t really fit the straight Gamine recommendations, so when we get to the subtypes I think we’ll see more variety in silhouettes and styles.
What an eye opener! When I worked in the corporate world I was absolutely a classic. I still tend to prefer simple lines and I cannot stand little bits and bobs all over clothes, buttons that don’t button, bows for no reason, tabs without purpose all drive me nuts. So obviously I am leaning toward classic, with perhaps a dash of dramatic.
Again, thank you so much for all the work you are putting into this series. It is wonderful.
I was prepared this time – got my cup of tea ready. I’m mostly Classic, and yes, I was agreeing with everything as I read through and inspected all the patterns. Love the fabric recommendations and all the other information! It makes me think of Grace Kelly and the days when people always wore accessories from head to toe.
I have lots of Classic styles represented in my collection. My challenge is saying no to all the other patterns that I love but aren’t my style! It helps to have these guidelines handy.
Grace Kelly is Kibbe’s primary example of a Classic in the book. Often I would ask myself, “Yes, but would Grace Kelly wear it?” It helped a lot with visualization, and weeding out examples that are Dramatic or Soft Classic.
It’s funny, because I find I have lots of examples from all the styles in my collection thanks mostly to Burda, but having a clear idea of the Style IDs is helping me avoid buying all of “the pretty.” I’m still getting some pretty (not-strictly-Soft-Natural) patterns, but they are definitely something that would be tweakable to work for me.
I am loving these posts, and am desperate for you to get to the Naturals (as that’s me). Thanks for including so many Burda magazine back catalogues, I have a large collection of them and its given me some great ideas.
Yes! I will be doing Gamine next week, then Natural the week after. I plan to cycle through subtypes in the same order I did the main types, so the subtypes for Natural will be at the end of the series, so those two should be at the end of December. I’m partially doing this because I think understanding what makes a Type builds best in this order, but also because I want to do Soft Natural last, since that is my own type. It’s sort of how the host nation goes last in the opening ceremony at the Olympics…
But fear not! All of the base types will be done in 2 weeks, so everyone should have at least *something* to look at that relates to their own wardrobe plans, or helps narrow down options to a few types and/or subtypes to consider.
But, yes, I’m also excited for Natural on a personal level too. And Burda LOVES to draft for the Natural girl, so you should see lots of fun stuff in the back catalog when that comes up!
Thank you for introducing me to Kibbe. It’s uncanny that I choose and avoid clothing according to the classic profile and the patterns you have selected are exactly the type I choose. So helpful!
I think some people have an innate understanding of their own style and what works well, and some of us have to work a bit harder at it. I also think that figuring out that I’m a Soft Natural has really clarified *why* clothes that “should” work really don’t make me excited to wear them. I always knew I needed waist emphasis, but I never associated that with the loose style of the Natural. I’m looking at my wardrobe in a whole new way, and I think it’s going to really help me evolve.
The more I study this system, the more I like it. It really is self-consistent and doing these posts makes it really clear how each type is affected by the yin/yang balance Kibbe describes, and I hope most people will start to see themselves in one of these types as we go on.
OOoooh good work Doctor T! The mists are beginning to clear after Romantic and Dramatic, and I feel like I’m beginning to see myself in all of this. Thank you SO MUCH for the truly epic work you are putting into this – it’s phenomenal. I’m still not 100% sure what I am, so am looking forward to Gamine and the subtypes, but I am definitely getting closer to my innate style, and I can see how knowing more about this in detail will be a huge help to me. Thank you for all this amazing work!
I’m so excited that this series seems to be helping people! With only 3/13 types done so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if most people haven’t found their sweet spot yet, but hopefully after the five main types you will have narrowed it down a bit. Sometimes knowing what you absolutely are not can help a lot too – I look ridiculous in Gamine style; not so much the colors and prints, but the silhouettes. Natural is pretty much the opposite of Gamine in terms of silhouette, so knowing what I *am not* is also really helpful in finding the right ID.
Actually I’m trying to get as ahead as I can. 😓 I know I’ve got some busy weeks coming up, so if I have some buffer time it’ll be helpful. Finishing the Classic post was quite the marathon though.
I think one of the best things I ever did was snap up old Burdas from EBay back when I started sewing. Burda is my favorite draft and I love the fashion magazine aspect as well. And everything post-2003 still looks quite modern (not the styling, but the garment lines). Plus, with the cyclic nature of things, even my few pre-2000s styles are starting to come back into fashion!
I absolutely love this series! You are doing a phenomenal job at it, and what a lot of work it must be. Last week I said I was gamine, but perhaps I’m really more of a classic. I don’t like overly dramatic items and I just feel silly covered in lace or ruffles and increasingly also in fabric with a print. Thank you so much for this series.
I’m working on Gamine now and I’m finding a surprising amount of overlap with Classic – more than I was expecting anyway. What’s really different between the two types is hem length and need for detail. Gamine detail isn’t like Romantic detail (it’s much crisper), but it is far more than a Classic could handle. Also, Gamine hem lengths can go much shorter than Classics which could also help make a distinction there. If you find print fabrics are too much, it is quite possible you could be in one of the Classic types, as Gamine look amazing in prints.
Glad you are finding this series helpful! Hopefully after seeing Gamine next week it will be more clear what are the similarities and differences. That should make it much easier to narrow down a main type, and help focus on subtypes to explore.
What an absolutely phenomenal post and series! You have put an amazing amount of work in on this. Truly, Thank-you! I have somewhat settled on Soft Classic. I know that sounds odd, I just it so hard to be objective about myself, so, I have really struggled with the typing. I did the typing quiz again (after reading your thoughts and the conversation on Gilliancrafts Instagram post ) and came up almost all classic with about 1/3 of those answers slight soft leaning. I have many, many of the patterns in your above recommendation list. Excited to see what you love for Soft Classic. One thing that really helped me accept the “soft” in Soft Classic was reading somewhere that Classic trumps, the softness is just a well edited accent (my words).
Yes, that is so true! I think the subtypes can utilize ideas from the main type, because that is the dominant way the yin/yang is combined, but with additional touches leaning either softer or harder. Classic is really hard not to fall into one of the two subtypes, but I think it could be easier for sewers because there are so many “learn to sew” type patterns that will work out great for Classics.
Fabulous post. I have to say the only outfits that appealed to me are the ones leaning towards soft classic or different view esp. with ruffles, but I have a couple of friends that would look so elegant in all these. I gave up on tailored jackets and shirt/shirt dresses. My grandmother lived in shirts and looked great but I do think she was more Gamin than Classic. I look like a girl playing dress-up or a ‘stuffed shirt’ so to speak. Romantic definitely speaks to me more. Bring on the ruffles and lace! 😉 What a great presentation.
Yes, I too feel like I am playing dress up in these styles – they feel so stiff and restricted on me. Realizing that really helped me find my ID in Soft Natural!
Thank you for these interesting posts! I had never heard about Kibbe before. But going through your posts, I understand more why some of my clothes are my favourites and others are not really making me feel good (although they look nice, but not so nice on me apparently). Classic/dramatic classic seems to be my thing as opposed to the boxy clothes I was going for lately. I am looking at my sewing magazines with new eyes now. Thank you for the inspiration!
I feel like recent trends have been very much oversized/loose/boxy, which is great for Naturals, but not really the best for any of the other types. Making these posts has really helped me solidify the idea that I’m *not* a Classic myself, though I had thought I was when I originally found Kibbe’s system. I think having these visual references has been really helpful, but going through my old patterns with a critical eye has also been quite fun! Glad you are enjoying the series.
Thank you for these interesting posts! I had never heard about Kibbe before. But going through your posts, I understand more why some of my clothes are my favourites and others are not really making me feel good (although they look nice, but not so nice on me apparently). Classic/dramatic classic seems to be my thing as opposed to the boxy clothes I was going for lately. I am looking at my sewing magazines with new eyes now. Thank you for the inspiration!
Thank you so much for all the hard work you’ve put into this series so far!
What I’m really loving is that you’re showing how to dress down each type of clothing. As a work at home mum of small kids I can’t really dress in most of the recommendations for dramatic classics, as the way Kibbe puts them they sound like 1980s office attire! It’s nice to have ideas of how to stick with the main style but tone it down for every day.
Keep up the good work! Oh, and don’t be creeped out if I stalk your blog and read a load of your old posts. I just love your approach to wardrobe planning XX
Awww, thanks! I’ve done my fair bit of blog-stalking, so no shame there.
As for Kibbe, he is a celebrity stylist, so I think the concept of dressing movie stars definitely filters down into the book. And I think the idea of women dressing “for work” in the 80s was a bit challenging – I’m not a typical fan of 80s style, so I really think dressing for anyone in the 1980s was challenging – so I’m pretty sure that’s where the focus of the book really went. Even today stylists that I’ve seen on YouTube, etc. really aren’t interested in getting you ready to do dishes or laundry, they are styling you to be seen, and thus tend to focus on what I’ve been calling Levels 2 & 3.
Regardless, I really think that today everyone has a mix needs and various lifestyles, and while looking through a bunch of evening gowns is fun, it’s not really what most of us are wearing on the daily. As home sewers, I think it is also easy to get tempted by sewing frosting (I love sewing frosting), but for myself I really want to start making more things I will wear more regularly, instead of having to wait for special events. I think that having a range of options (from casual to evening), will really help me create a wardrobe for all parts of my life.
My first few years of sewing was mainly frosting projects, I’ve got to admit. These days I’ve gone perhaps too far the other way and only sew quite practical garments. At least I generally wear them lots, though. I’d definitely like to have a higher hit rate, though, as some things I’ve made just aren’t quite right. I haven’t been able to put my finger on why until now, though, so thanks for helping me understand my style!
I definitely want to do a hindsight post and really look at what I’ve made/worn/liked and why or why not. I think there really has to be a trifecta of style-color-fit for something to be a real success. Missing any one of those components the garment will just feel a bit off. I think studying Kibbe is really going to help identify the style component, and I’ve already spent a few posts exploring color, so I’ll just have to worry about fit.
Thank you so much for helping me streamline my sewing projects. You should be awarded “the most helpful, insightful and exhaustive sewing blog of 2018”. Let me know where to cast my vote!
I have a few questions. Firstly, would Vogue 9292 be considered classic or is it dramatic? I think a navy silk/wool (expensive) would be a fabulous choice of fabric. I think the Simplicity coat, 8796, that you reviewed is very au courant and elegant. I prefer the longest version. Would this coat be too unstructured? Also McCalls 7865 dress is beautiful. Is it a Classic? I would love to make a midi-length dress (not office wear!) for any event from weekend to the opera. Any suggestions for this newest length?
Lastly, do you think Megan Markel is a classic? Her wardrobe is gorgeous (as is her budget).
Vogue 9292: While I think a Classic could get away with this dress, I think the skirt is a bit wide for both Dramatics and Classics. I would think it best fits into the Soft Dramatic category (based on how it is shown on the Vogue website) because the shapes are large and exaggerated, but the silhouette is still elongated, and the neckline is quite sharp. In a silk/wool it may not be as stiffly wide at the skirt, and in that case I think a Dramatic or Classic could both wear it, though it might not be the “best” option based on the wording of Kibbe because the skirt is a bit wide still. I agree, though – I think it would look stunning in a navy!
Simplicity 8796: I think this coat is a bit unstructured, but the overall shape is actually quite narrow, so I think a Classic could wear it as a Level 1/casual type coat. As depicted, I don’t think it is quite tailored enough to work for a Classic or Dramatic at a more formal level, whereas I think it could possibly work for a Natural at a Level 2. However, if you wanted to tweak the pattern/fabric choice a bit, I think you really could get some more structure and in that case it could easily work for a Classic or Dramatic.
McCall’s 7865: I could definitely see that working for a Classic! It’s the sort of dress that I actually think could work for a lot of Kibbe types, especially with the multiple neckline options.
I think Burda has some fantastic midi-length options; I especially like 6576, 7254, and 6442. Butterick 5984 is also a great midi-length style.
I’ve not done a lot of celebrity typing myself (I know it’s other Kibbe fanatics favorite pastime, but I’ve been more selfishly focused on me), and I haven’t done an in-depth analysis so please don’t consider this cannon by any means, but my best *guess* is that Meghan is a Soft Natural who has lately been trying to dress like a Classic. I don’t want people to get upset, because this is just a quick guess and not that well researched, and I love her style as much as the rest of the internet, but I have to admit I think she looks her absolute best when her clothes are a bit less constructed and having waist definition. When things get too clean and precise I think they can look a little stiff on her. We see the clothes (which are fabulous!) but we don’t see *her* as much. I don’t think she needs to go too unconstructed, but a slightly relaxed fit is stunning on her. She also looks great in asymmetric detail, which is not the hallmark of a Classic, and contributes to my putting her in the Soft Natural category. Again, this is my best (quick) guess, and I’m sure a more practiced Kibbe die-hard would prove me wrong, but that’s my impression after looking up a few google photos. So I would say her clothes tend toward Classic at the moment, but I don’t think she herself is.
Yes, your feedback is very helpful and makes a lot of sense! I guess I hadn’t considered how wide the skirt is nor the sharp neckline in Vogue 9292. I appreciate, too, your comments on the other patterns I mentioned. My “issue” centers on my change in jobs and lifestyle. I have worked in a very strict corporate environment for my 20+ year career. Classics were de rigueur. So while I am a classic keebe, I am trying to figure out how to be classic yet not corporate given my new life. I am a consultant and work for a really great European software startup company. They dress, well, European. Certainly I still have many occasions to bring out my classic suits but I am quite keen to morph my style into a more relaxed yet elegant wardrobe. I also want femininity for the first time. Outside of work, I spend a fair amount of time at an upscale (but not snobby!) social club. This calls for elegant classics but I just can’t stomach wearing corporate clothes. My guess is that you will say it’s all in the choice of fabric.
Your blog has really helped me focus even if the lines are a bit blurry for me because of this change. I think I will sew a couple of classic patterns and see how it goes. I am fortunate to have a stash of really great quality fabric that I bought about 15 years ago when a fancy fabric store in NYC went out of business. I haven’t had time to sew up until now. So if I can save time (and not use the beautiful fabric for the wrong keebe) it will be a huge relief and nice sense of accomplishment.
All of this said, if I can ask your advice again: which blouse would be best in 4ply silk? Which of the level 3 dresses would be the least corporate? Lastly, would Vogue 9267, View C, fit into the classic keebe? It could be a good one for my Thanksgiving this year. I have a darkish cranberry cashmere wool that I thought I would finally cut into. I like something soft for the holidays.
Lastly, I found your comments on Meghan to be very intelligently thought out. I agree that we see the clothes but not necessarily her. Classics must be the palace corporate look, so to speak.
Thank you, again, for getting back to me. It’s wonderful to be able to discuss sewing and style selection in such depth. And very very interesting!
Vogue 9267 would totally work for a Classic! I think it leans slightly Dramatic Classic, but as I will discuss in an upcoming post, Kibbe categories can sort of “cheat” from their neighbors and subtypes to some extent, because everything overlaps a bit on the yin/yang spectrum. Also, I think it would look stunning in a cranberry wool; you should totally do that!
I vote Vogue 1579 as being “least corporate” – for some reason I don’t see a cape and bow-belt being worn to the office that much.
As for a silk blouse, I think something like the BurdaStyle (then Burda World of Fashion) 10-2005-103 blouse would look great. That particular pattern is quite old and might be difficult to find, but I am sure there are *tons* of modern blouse patterns with simple darts like that one.
Great, as always! I would not have chosen Vogue 1597 but for that very reason it intrigues me. Black wool crepe? I could not find even an image of 10-2005-103. Am I not thinking of a source? Just an image would suffice if you know where I can find one. You have really been generous with your time! Thanks.
Thanks so much for this. The research is tremendous. I think this post made me realize how close I am to a true classic. I look forward to reading all of the other posts for contrast!
Dr T: You have helped me so much by introducing me to Kibbe. I am a classic and now don’t stress about lots of different styles. Thank you! That said, I am still honing my new knowledge. If you have time to respond, are McCalls 6172 and McCalls 7876 in Kibbe Classic? I wasn’t sure if the shoulders of the jacket are too sharp and if the pants are too loose. I like the jacket because the silhoette is simple. In my stash I have a heavy-ish wool tweed that I think will make a great jacket. The pleats are really nice on the pants.
6172 is perfect! I found a few options for 7876 – if you are talking about the older OOP version, that is also great! I think the brand new 7876 may be *slightly* too unconstructed for a Classic (I think it is more Natural). The pleated details work, but you might want a narrower/crisper silhouette for the trousers if you are looking at the new pattern. Hopefully that helps!
I’m loving these posts! They make so much sense of the pieces in my wardrobe that I hardly ever wear. Now that I understand the Kibbe concept I can see that I’m a Natural / Classic and the things that sit in my wardrobe unworn are either too Romantic or too Dramatic. This definitely will help me save money in the future by not buying those crazy items on a whim that just don’t suit my type. I’ve saved heaps of the examples from this post, and can’t wait until you get to the Naturals 🙂
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Thanks! It’s helping me make sense of my own wardrobe too. I’m doing Gamine next week, and Natural will be the week after that! Then I’m going to head into all of the subtypes. I will get to everything eventually, it’s just going to take a while.
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I’m thunderstruck with all the research you must have done for this. Once again, just a goldmine of patterns… A couple of these were in the Dramatic Kibbe, and a couple I just must hunt down. Some Burdas are difficult to find…
As you mention, it looks like Classics might have an easier time of finding the right style. Can’t wait to see what the Gamine is!
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Yes, as we go along I think we will see some overlap between pattern choices, but often with different views of the same pattern suiting the different Style IDs to more or less of an extent.
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Woohoo, Gamine is coming up soon! I find I’m kinda stuck on what dress patterns are supposed to fit Gamines, besides short shift dresses. I’m hoping you’ll have good suggestions for me! 🙂
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Yes, I’ve been working on pulling patterns and Gamine is hard! It’s sort of all over the place – tailored crispness and 20s styles are so antithetical in my mind… There are also a lot of patterns that will fit the Flamboyant Gamine or Soft Gamine categories but don’t really fit the straight Gamine recommendations, so when we get to the subtypes I think we’ll see more variety in silhouettes and styles.
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What an eye opener! When I worked in the corporate world I was absolutely a classic. I still tend to prefer simple lines and I cannot stand little bits and bobs all over clothes, buttons that don’t button, bows for no reason, tabs without purpose all drive me nuts. So obviously I am leaning toward classic, with perhaps a dash of dramatic.
Again, thank you so much for all the work you are putting into this series. It is wonderful.
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I love Dramatic Classic styles – maybe you will find those suit you when we get there!
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I was prepared this time – got my cup of tea ready. I’m mostly Classic, and yes, I was agreeing with everything as I read through and inspected all the patterns. Love the fabric recommendations and all the other information! It makes me think of Grace Kelly and the days when people always wore accessories from head to toe.
I have lots of Classic styles represented in my collection. My challenge is saying no to all the other patterns that I love but aren’t my style! It helps to have these guidelines handy.
This was another fantastic post, thank you!
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Grace Kelly is Kibbe’s primary example of a Classic in the book. Often I would ask myself, “Yes, but would Grace Kelly wear it?” It helped a lot with visualization, and weeding out examples that are Dramatic or Soft Classic.
It’s funny, because I find I have lots of examples from all the styles in my collection thanks mostly to Burda, but having a clear idea of the Style IDs is helping me avoid buying all of “the pretty.” I’m still getting some pretty (not-strictly-Soft-Natural) patterns, but they are definitely something that would be tweakable to work for me.
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I am loving these posts, and am desperate for you to get to the Naturals (as that’s me). Thanks for including so many Burda magazine back catalogues, I have a large collection of them and its given me some great ideas.
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Yes! I will be doing Gamine next week, then Natural the week after. I plan to cycle through subtypes in the same order I did the main types, so the subtypes for Natural will be at the end of the series, so those two should be at the end of December. I’m partially doing this because I think understanding what makes a Type builds best in this order, but also because I want to do Soft Natural last, since that is my own type. It’s sort of how the host nation goes last in the opening ceremony at the Olympics…
But fear not! All of the base types will be done in 2 weeks, so everyone should have at least *something* to look at that relates to their own wardrobe plans, or helps narrow down options to a few types and/or subtypes to consider.
But, yes, I’m also excited for Natural on a personal level too. And Burda LOVES to draft for the Natural girl, so you should see lots of fun stuff in the back catalog when that comes up!
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Thank you for introducing me to Kibbe. It’s uncanny that I choose and avoid clothing according to the classic profile and the patterns you have selected are exactly the type I choose. So helpful!
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I think some people have an innate understanding of their own style and what works well, and some of us have to work a bit harder at it. I also think that figuring out that I’m a Soft Natural has really clarified *why* clothes that “should” work really don’t make me excited to wear them. I always knew I needed waist emphasis, but I never associated that with the loose style of the Natural. I’m looking at my wardrobe in a whole new way, and I think it’s going to really help me evolve.
The more I study this system, the more I like it. It really is self-consistent and doing these posts makes it really clear how each type is affected by the yin/yang balance Kibbe describes, and I hope most people will start to see themselves in one of these types as we go on.
Glad this post was helpful for you!
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Yes I agree, it explains a lot.
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OOoooh good work Doctor T! The mists are beginning to clear after Romantic and Dramatic, and I feel like I’m beginning to see myself in all of this. Thank you SO MUCH for the truly epic work you are putting into this – it’s phenomenal. I’m still not 100% sure what I am, so am looking forward to Gamine and the subtypes, but I am definitely getting closer to my innate style, and I can see how knowing more about this in detail will be a huge help to me. Thank you for all this amazing work!
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I’m so excited that this series seems to be helping people! With only 3/13 types done so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if most people haven’t found their sweet spot yet, but hopefully after the five main types you will have narrowed it down a bit. Sometimes knowing what you absolutely are not can help a lot too – I look ridiculous in Gamine style; not so much the colors and prints, but the silhouettes. Natural is pretty much the opposite of Gamine in terms of silhouette, so knowing what I *am not* is also really helpful in finding the right ID.
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You must have needed a lie down after that. What it’s telling me is that I need to get hold of some Burda back issues from eBay 🙂
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Actually I’m trying to get as ahead as I can. 😓 I know I’ve got some busy weeks coming up, so if I have some buffer time it’ll be helpful. Finishing the Classic post was quite the marathon though.
I think one of the best things I ever did was snap up old Burdas from EBay back when I started sewing. Burda is my favorite draft and I love the fashion magazine aspect as well. And everything post-2003 still looks quite modern (not the styling, but the garment lines). Plus, with the cyclic nature of things, even my few pre-2000s styles are starting to come back into fashion!
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I absolutely love this series! You are doing a phenomenal job at it, and what a lot of work it must be. Last week I said I was gamine, but perhaps I’m really more of a classic. I don’t like overly dramatic items and I just feel silly covered in lace or ruffles and increasingly also in fabric with a print. Thank you so much for this series.
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I’m working on Gamine now and I’m finding a surprising amount of overlap with Classic – more than I was expecting anyway. What’s really different between the two types is hem length and need for detail. Gamine detail isn’t like Romantic detail (it’s much crisper), but it is far more than a Classic could handle. Also, Gamine hem lengths can go much shorter than Classics which could also help make a distinction there. If you find print fabrics are too much, it is quite possible you could be in one of the Classic types, as Gamine look amazing in prints.
Glad you are finding this series helpful! Hopefully after seeing Gamine next week it will be more clear what are the similarities and differences. That should make it much easier to narrow down a main type, and help focus on subtypes to explore.
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What an absolutely phenomenal post and series! You have put an amazing amount of work in on this. Truly, Thank-you! I have somewhat settled on Soft Classic. I know that sounds odd, I just it so hard to be objective about myself, so, I have really struggled with the typing. I did the typing quiz again (after reading your thoughts and the conversation on Gilliancrafts Instagram post ) and came up almost all classic with about 1/3 of those answers slight soft leaning. I have many, many of the patterns in your above recommendation list. Excited to see what you love for Soft Classic. One thing that really helped me accept the “soft” in Soft Classic was reading somewhere that Classic trumps, the softness is just a well edited accent (my words).
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Yes, that is so true! I think the subtypes can utilize ideas from the main type, because that is the dominant way the yin/yang is combined, but with additional touches leaning either softer or harder. Classic is really hard not to fall into one of the two subtypes, but I think it could be easier for sewers because there are so many “learn to sew” type patterns that will work out great for Classics.
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Fabulous post. I have to say the only outfits that appealed to me are the ones leaning towards soft classic or different view esp. with ruffles, but I have a couple of friends that would look so elegant in all these. I gave up on tailored jackets and shirt/shirt dresses. My grandmother lived in shirts and looked great but I do think she was more Gamin than Classic. I look like a girl playing dress-up or a ‘stuffed shirt’ so to speak. Romantic definitely speaks to me more. Bring on the ruffles and lace! 😉 What a great presentation.
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Yes, I too feel like I am playing dress up in these styles – they feel so stiff and restricted on me. Realizing that really helped me find my ID in Soft Natural!
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Thank you for these interesting posts! I had never heard about Kibbe before. But going through your posts, I understand more why some of my clothes are my favourites and others are not really making me feel good (although they look nice, but not so nice on me apparently). Classic/dramatic classic seems to be my thing as opposed to the boxy clothes I was going for lately. I am looking at my sewing magazines with new eyes now. Thank you for the inspiration!
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I feel like recent trends have been very much oversized/loose/boxy, which is great for Naturals, but not really the best for any of the other types. Making these posts has really helped me solidify the idea that I’m *not* a Classic myself, though I had thought I was when I originally found Kibbe’s system. I think having these visual references has been really helpful, but going through my old patterns with a critical eye has also been quite fun! Glad you are enjoying the series.
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Thank you for these interesting posts! I had never heard about Kibbe before. But going through your posts, I understand more why some of my clothes are my favourites and others are not really making me feel good (although they look nice, but not so nice on me apparently). Classic/dramatic classic seems to be my thing as opposed to the boxy clothes I was going for lately. I am looking at my sewing magazines with new eyes now. Thank you for the inspiration!
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Certainly I lean towards Classic, but not the whole way.
Totally loving this series!
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Hopefully after seeing the next two posts it’ll help you identify your main type, which really should help narrow down the subtype options! 🙂
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Thank you so much for all the hard work you’ve put into this series so far!
What I’m really loving is that you’re showing how to dress down each type of clothing. As a work at home mum of small kids I can’t really dress in most of the recommendations for dramatic classics, as the way Kibbe puts them they sound like 1980s office attire! It’s nice to have ideas of how to stick with the main style but tone it down for every day.
Keep up the good work! Oh, and don’t be creeped out if I stalk your blog and read a load of your old posts. I just love your approach to wardrobe planning XX
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Awww, thanks! I’ve done my fair bit of blog-stalking, so no shame there.
As for Kibbe, he is a celebrity stylist, so I think the concept of dressing movie stars definitely filters down into the book. And I think the idea of women dressing “for work” in the 80s was a bit challenging – I’m not a typical fan of 80s style, so I really think dressing for anyone in the 1980s was challenging – so I’m pretty sure that’s where the focus of the book really went. Even today stylists that I’ve seen on YouTube, etc. really aren’t interested in getting you ready to do dishes or laundry, they are styling you to be seen, and thus tend to focus on what I’ve been calling Levels 2 & 3.
Regardless, I really think that today everyone has a mix needs and various lifestyles, and while looking through a bunch of evening gowns is fun, it’s not really what most of us are wearing on the daily. As home sewers, I think it is also easy to get tempted by sewing frosting (I love sewing frosting), but for myself I really want to start making more things I will wear more regularly, instead of having to wait for special events. I think that having a range of options (from casual to evening), will really help me create a wardrobe for all parts of my life.
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My first few years of sewing was mainly frosting projects, I’ve got to admit. These days I’ve gone perhaps too far the other way and only sew quite practical garments. At least I generally wear them lots, though. I’d definitely like to have a higher hit rate, though, as some things I’ve made just aren’t quite right. I haven’t been able to put my finger on why until now, though, so thanks for helping me understand my style!
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I definitely want to do a hindsight post and really look at what I’ve made/worn/liked and why or why not. I think there really has to be a trifecta of style-color-fit for something to be a real success. Missing any one of those components the garment will just feel a bit off. I think studying Kibbe is really going to help identify the style component, and I’ve already spent a few posts exploring color, so I’ll just have to worry about fit.
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Thank you so much for helping me streamline my sewing projects. You should be awarded “the most helpful, insightful and exhaustive sewing blog of 2018”. Let me know where to cast my vote!
I have a few questions. Firstly, would Vogue 9292 be considered classic or is it dramatic? I think a navy silk/wool (expensive) would be a fabulous choice of fabric. I think the Simplicity coat, 8796, that you reviewed is very au courant and elegant. I prefer the longest version. Would this coat be too unstructured? Also McCalls 7865 dress is beautiful. Is it a Classic? I would love to make a midi-length dress (not office wear!) for any event from weekend to the opera. Any suggestions for this newest length?
Lastly, do you think Megan Markel is a classic? Her wardrobe is gorgeous (as is her budget).
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Vogue 9292: While I think a Classic could get away with this dress, I think the skirt is a bit wide for both Dramatics and Classics. I would think it best fits into the Soft Dramatic category (based on how it is shown on the Vogue website) because the shapes are large and exaggerated, but the silhouette is still elongated, and the neckline is quite sharp. In a silk/wool it may not be as stiffly wide at the skirt, and in that case I think a Dramatic or Classic could both wear it, though it might not be the “best” option based on the wording of Kibbe because the skirt is a bit wide still. I agree, though – I think it would look stunning in a navy!
Simplicity 8796: I think this coat is a bit unstructured, but the overall shape is actually quite narrow, so I think a Classic could wear it as a Level 1/casual type coat. As depicted, I don’t think it is quite tailored enough to work for a Classic or Dramatic at a more formal level, whereas I think it could possibly work for a Natural at a Level 2. However, if you wanted to tweak the pattern/fabric choice a bit, I think you really could get some more structure and in that case it could easily work for a Classic or Dramatic.
McCall’s 7865: I could definitely see that working for a Classic! It’s the sort of dress that I actually think could work for a lot of Kibbe types, especially with the multiple neckline options.
I think Burda has some fantastic midi-length options; I especially like 6576, 7254, and 6442. Butterick 5984 is also a great midi-length style.
I’ve not done a lot of celebrity typing myself (I know it’s other Kibbe fanatics favorite pastime, but I’ve been more selfishly focused on me), and I haven’t done an in-depth analysis so please don’t consider this cannon by any means, but my best *guess* is that Meghan is a Soft Natural who has lately been trying to dress like a Classic. I don’t want people to get upset, because this is just a quick guess and not that well researched, and I love her style as much as the rest of the internet, but I have to admit I think she looks her absolute best when her clothes are a bit less constructed and having waist definition. When things get too clean and precise I think they can look a little stiff on her. We see the clothes (which are fabulous!) but we don’t see *her* as much. I don’t think she needs to go too unconstructed, but a slightly relaxed fit is stunning on her. She also looks great in asymmetric detail, which is not the hallmark of a Classic, and contributes to my putting her in the Soft Natural category. Again, this is my best (quick) guess, and I’m sure a more practiced Kibbe die-hard would prove me wrong, but that’s my impression after looking up a few google photos. So I would say her clothes tend toward Classic at the moment, but I don’t think she herself is.
Hope that helps!
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Yes, your feedback is very helpful and makes a lot of sense! I guess I hadn’t considered how wide the skirt is nor the sharp neckline in Vogue 9292. I appreciate, too, your comments on the other patterns I mentioned. My “issue” centers on my change in jobs and lifestyle. I have worked in a very strict corporate environment for my 20+ year career. Classics were de rigueur. So while I am a classic keebe, I am trying to figure out how to be classic yet not corporate given my new life. I am a consultant and work for a really great European software startup company. They dress, well, European. Certainly I still have many occasions to bring out my classic suits but I am quite keen to morph my style into a more relaxed yet elegant wardrobe. I also want femininity for the first time. Outside of work, I spend a fair amount of time at an upscale (but not snobby!) social club. This calls for elegant classics but I just can’t stomach wearing corporate clothes. My guess is that you will say it’s all in the choice of fabric.
Your blog has really helped me focus even if the lines are a bit blurry for me because of this change. I think I will sew a couple of classic patterns and see how it goes. I am fortunate to have a stash of really great quality fabric that I bought about 15 years ago when a fancy fabric store in NYC went out of business. I haven’t had time to sew up until now. So if I can save time (and not use the beautiful fabric for the wrong keebe) it will be a huge relief and nice sense of accomplishment.
All of this said, if I can ask your advice again: which blouse would be best in 4ply silk? Which of the level 3 dresses would be the least corporate? Lastly, would Vogue 9267, View C, fit into the classic keebe? It could be a good one for my Thanksgiving this year. I have a darkish cranberry cashmere wool that I thought I would finally cut into. I like something soft for the holidays.
Lastly, I found your comments on Meghan to be very intelligently thought out. I agree that we see the clothes but not necessarily her. Classics must be the palace corporate look, so to speak.
Thank you, again, for getting back to me. It’s wonderful to be able to discuss sewing and style selection in such depth. And very very interesting!
Take care.
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Vogue 9267 would totally work for a Classic! I think it leans slightly Dramatic Classic, but as I will discuss in an upcoming post, Kibbe categories can sort of “cheat” from their neighbors and subtypes to some extent, because everything overlaps a bit on the yin/yang spectrum. Also, I think it would look stunning in a cranberry wool; you should totally do that!
I vote Vogue 1579 as being “least corporate” – for some reason I don’t see a cape and bow-belt being worn to the office that much.
As for a silk blouse, I think something like the BurdaStyle (then Burda World of Fashion) 10-2005-103 blouse would look great. That particular pattern is quite old and might be difficult to find, but I am sure there are *tons* of modern blouse patterns with simple darts like that one.
Hope that advice is helpful!
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Great, as always! I would not have chosen Vogue 1597 but for that very reason it intrigues me. Black wool crepe? I could not find even an image of 10-2005-103. Am I not thinking of a source? Just an image would suffice if you know where I can find one. You have really been generous with your time! Thanks.
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That is one of the images in this post – do a search on this page for “BS-10-2005-103.”
I think the Vogue pattern would look great in black crepe. Very elegant.
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Okay, thanks!
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Thanks so much for this. The research is tremendous. I think this post made me realize how close I am to a true classic. I look forward to reading all of the other posts for contrast!
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That’s great! I’m sure you will enjoy Dramatic Classic and Soft Classic when we get there!
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Yes, I will. I think I have tiny elements of both. Thanks!
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Dr T: You have helped me so much by introducing me to Kibbe. I am a classic and now don’t stress about lots of different styles. Thank you! That said, I am still honing my new knowledge. If you have time to respond, are McCalls 6172 and McCalls 7876 in Kibbe Classic? I wasn’t sure if the shoulders of the jacket are too sharp and if the pants are too loose. I like the jacket because the silhoette is simple. In my stash I have a heavy-ish wool tweed that I think will make a great jacket. The pleats are really nice on the pants.
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6172 is perfect! I found a few options for 7876 – if you are talking about the older OOP version, that is also great! I think the brand new 7876 may be *slightly* too unconstructed for a Classic (I think it is more Natural). The pleated details work, but you might want a narrower/crisper silhouette for the trousers if you are looking at the new pattern. Hopefully that helps!
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The new 7876 might work for a casual Classic look though, so not entirely off the table if you really love the pattern. 🤔
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Thanks very much. Quite helpful.
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