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. As always, you may want some tea.
Introduction
In last week’s post we learned about about Kibbe’s Flamboyant Natural, a style type that has the unconstructed Natural lines, but with an added bit of yang emphasis. This week we will look at the other Natural subtype, Soft Natural. If you take the Natural type and add a bit of extra yin, you end up with Soft Natural. Kibbe’s Soft Natural is described as a “Fresh and Sensual Lady.” You can read more about Kibbe’s Soft Natural here.
Body Type Characteristics
The following are Kibbe’s descriptions of a Soft Natural Body Type:
SOFT NATURAL PHYSICAL PROFILE
NOTE: The following information should be taken as a broad outline of what makes a Soft Natural. It is the overall combination of the very soft Yang with a Yin undercurrent (slightly soft and fleshy body type on an angular frame combined with an appealing innocent 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 to slightly small, up to 5 feet 7 inches. Bone structure: Slightly angular bones. Slightly square or broad shoulders. Moderate to slightly short limbs (slightly leggy look also possible). Slightly blunt, or small and irregular facial contours (nose, cheekbones, and jawline). Hands and feet are moderate and fleshy, or slightly small and wide. Body type: Slightly soft, tends towards fleshiness. Slightly small waist that’s in proportion to bust and hips. Slightly curvy, tends to an hourglass shape, but not extremely so. Slightly fleshy upper arms and thighs. Facial features: Full and rounded. Round eyes, full lips, soft cheeks. Nose tends to be small and wide, or slightly irregular (blunt or wide). Hair: Any texture is possible, but it tends toward softness. If the hair is straight, it is usually fine and wispy. If wavy/curly it is usually silky, as opposed to coarse. Coloring: Any coloring is possible (warm or cool), but a Soft Natural usually has a somewhat blended coloring (although occasionally high-contrast coloring is also found). Skin tone tends to be somewhat delicate and luminous, and freckles in the sun or gently tans after an initial slight burn. If overweight: Body tends to become extremely soft and fleshy, with the waist thickening. The upper arms, thighs, and hips tend to collect excess weight and cellulite most rapidly. A Soft Natural will not:
Have an extremely straight body type
Have extremely sharp features
Have extremely sharp bone structure
Be extremely tall
Have an extremely large and broad bone structure
Be symmetrical in body type and facial features
Recommendations:
The following are Kibbe’s recommendations regarding the clothing and style choices that best suit his Soft Natural image ID. The following recommendations will be taken into consideration for each garment type listed below:
SHAPE: Asymmetric and irregular curves (elongated ovals, wide circles, ellipticals, etc.). Relaxed geometrics with rounded edges. Easy swirls.
DETAIL: Detail should be loose, relaxed, delicate, slightly intricate and very creative. Any detail that suggest either a bit of the antique or the earth is excellent. Shoulders may be extended and padded, but should not be sharp or stiff. Necklines should be loose and soft, not closed, restricted, or fussy (simple draped necklines; soft cowls, soft, notched collars; clean lapels, shawl collars, etc.) Waist should be defined, although loosely. There can be a slightly blousy effect at the waist, with the top draped over the waistline, or a slightly dropped waist as long as the silhouette is fluid. Gathers and folds should be deep, full and soft. Sleeves can be full and flowing or gently tapered at the wrist with a minimum of detail. Trim should be delicate and antique (shirring, appliqué, etc.).
Avoid: Sharply tailored detail. No detail. Overly fitted and fussy detail. Animated “perky” detail.
FABRIC: Soft textures with a plush or slightly rough finish. A tactile feeling is very stunning and evocative of your freshly feminine and artistic essence. Weights should be light to moderate so fluid movement is possible. Anything wrinkly, nubby, slubbed, or loosely woven is excellent, particularly in a daytime, suited look. Shiny fabrics may be worn with ease in the evening, but should be left aside for day, except for slight sheen of texture (such as shantung). Deep pile (velour, suede, boucle knits, etc.) is excellent, as is buttery-soft leather
SEPARATES: An obvious use of separates is excellent for you. Be sure to keep an artful blend of textures, colors and patterns.
COLOR: Your use of color should be vibrant and rich. Brights and pastels form the basis of your wardrobe, but soft neutrals with a little vivid accenting can be very elegant and exciting in beautiful textures. Dark colors will be too stark if your don’t break them up. Use them primarily for accents or for color combinations. Bright and soft color combinations work best, as opposed to starkly contrasting ones. For example light/bright or bright/dark combos are softer on you than light/dark ones. Wild color combinations (bright/bright) of opposing intensities are fun, particularly for your casual clothes.
Avoid: Dull, monochromatic schemes. Head-to-toe dark schemes.
Prints should be softly rounded shapes, abstract and flowing. They may be either watercolor-blended or very electric and vibrant, as long as they are slightly irregular and have soft edges. Size should be moderate to slightly large.
Avoid: Small, symmetrical prints. Severe geometrics. Overly intricate prints. Animated, “cute” or “perky” prints. Because there is an earthiness that comes from your soft Yang basis, anything tactile is excellent on you. Soft textures–such as slubbed fabrics, handkerchief linens, raw silk, fuzzy knits–are very good choices when kept to the lightweight side and used in an unstructured silhouette.
ACCESSORIES: Accessories should be on the lightweight and delicate side, without being overly ornate or trimmed. Yet at the same time your creativity will cry out for special touches here and there. The trick is not to overdo it! You are a Natural, after all, so a little goes a long way on you. One special piece, perhaps a beautiful supple belt of suede with an ornate Navajo Indian buckle, will be just the right accent to express your inner creativity without overpowering the fresh and simple appeal that is the centerpiece of your Image Identity.
Shoes: Should be tapered in shape and slightly delicate in style with little or no trim. an open-toe, sling-back, or “bare” look is best. The shape may also be angular if the heel is very high and narrow and the toe is very tapered. Feminine flats with little trim.
Avoid: Extremely angular, heavy styles.
Bags: Should be moderate in size. Shape may be slightly rounded with little or not trim, or softly geometric with slight gathers or intricacy to soften. Antique bags are excellent for evening (small and beaded). Moderate sized, unconstructed “pouchy” styles are also good.
Avoid: Crisply structured bags.
Belts (if worn): Should be wide and supple, either soft leather or suede, or exquisite fabric. Buckles should be intricate and slightly antique, with sparkles or beading for evening especially lovely.
Avoid: Stiff belts.
Hats: Should be soft and floppy (i.e., picture frame) or rounded and clean (i.e., crisp-brimmed straw). Detail should be soft (antique, ribbons, lace, or flowers). Fur hats are soft and fluffy.
Avoid: Severe, man-tailored styles. Small, symmetrical styles. Small crisp caps.
Hosiery: Flesh-toned stockings are best for an elegant daytime work look if you wear a suit. Opaque stockings in light shades are soft, and you may definitely contrast the stocking with the hemline, if you wish. Bright and textured stockings are excellent for fun. Dark stockings are for evening only and should be very sexy and sheer, with lacy textures or exciting sparkles. (Sexy!)
Avoid: One long line of dark color (too dull and matronly on you).
Jewelry: Likewise your jewelry is most effective when it has some texture to it, as well as the feeling of having been hand-designed and created. The look that suggests the spirit of an artist is embedded in your necklace, earrings, or ornate wrist cuffs is simply a fabulous way of evoking your wild passion and warmth. Again, just remember to keep a touch of the delicate and the ornate evident in shape, detail, and finish. Your Jewelry should be delicate in workmanship but highly creative in effect. Unusual materials, particularly crystal, hand-wrought copper or silver, leather, intricately carved leather or stone, faceted glass, and any piece that looks as though it was designed by an artist is wonderful for you. “Wearable art” suits you best, ranging from wild and funky pieces with feathers, faux jewels, and sparkles to ornate Navajo Indian turquoise to elegant mixtures of opals, diamonds, and platinum! It must be both highly original and slightly intricate at the same time. Very simple antique pieces are also quite appropriate, especially for very dressy evenings, but always make sure there is at least a touch of sparkle and a bit of dangle!
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: Jackets should be unconstructed, soft, and always showing the waist (but not necessarily emphasizing it). This can be a jacket that is shaped through the waist, or it can be a jacket that is unstructured and very lightweight or flimsy, so that it drapes around the body but still reveals the waist. Shoulders can be extended and padded, without being crisp, and the length can be shortish if the jacket is shaped through the waist, or longer (top of the thigh area) if it is belted or unconstructed / boxy. Jackets that are not shaped or belted must be very draped and fluid, and should be left unfastened.
Avoid: Severely tailored jackets. Long, heavy jackets, whether constructed or not. Cropped bolero jackets. Flouncy jackets that are overly fitted and trim.
Coats – Level 1: For the the casual coats I found styles that have the easy shape/drape Kibbe suggests, but would look good with jeans or other casual pieces to create an overall casual look.
Coats – Level 2: The Level 2 styles are a bit more tailored, but still utilizing soft, asymmetric shapes to create the Soft Natural feel.
Coats – Level 3: As with all of the Natural types, it is a bit tricky to find coats that read as formal while still fitting into the “unconstructed” silhouette, but I think there are some nice options for Soft Naturals.
Jackets – Level 1: For the jackets, I paid more attention to the length requirements in addition to the need for soft, draping shapes.
Jackets – Level 2: It’s tricky to fit blazers into this style ID; the super large, unconstructed shapes of the Flamboyant Natural and the Natural IDs don’t work as well here because of the need for waist shaping. I may have been a little liberal with my interpretations in this section, but I did want to include a wide range of styles that would work for professional events as well as formal parties or dinners.
Jackets – Level 3: Level 3 jackets have some interesting options because they can be softly unconstructed or more fitted.
Skirts: Skirts should have a soft outline. Full or flared skirts that are flat in the hip area are excellent. Straight skirts that are lightweight, draped, or slightly tapered are also good. Straight skirts that have an even hem and are worn short, no longer than the bottom of the kneecap. Full skirts have an uneven hem and are worn long, mid calf and below. Slits, kick pleats, button fronts, plackets, etc., are all fine, as are bits of intricate detail (shirring, draping, etc.), as long as they are not restrictive.
Level 1: The level 1 skirts all tend to be of the longer, full variety.
Level 2: The Level 2 styles have a bit more of the straight, shorter styles, though there are plenty of softly flowing styles here too.
Level 3: The level 3 styles are sort of more of the same, but showcased in fancier fabrics.
Pants: Pants should be lightweight and slightly draped, with a bit of soft detail or ornate trim (gathers, shirring, soft pleats). Legs may be softly straight, draping about the ankle, or slightly tapered and pegged.
Level 1: The level 1 looks tend to be a bit more unconstructed, and have draping details that read as being more casual.
Level 2: The Level 2 looks have a touch more tailoring, though the shape is still more subtle and softer than in other style IDs.
Level 3: The Level 3 pants are all jumpsuits because I think the Level 2 trousers could all work as part of an evening look and I wanted to find something uniquely fancy for Level 3.
Blouses: Blouses should be soft, draped, and slightly loose and billowy or clingy. Detail should be slightly antique and intricate, but should not be fussy and overdone. Open necks are best, particularly if draped, and camisoles are also good. The more detail there is, the more unconstructed the blouses should be. Sheer fabrics are excellent (voiles, batiste, etc.). The shiner the fabric, the less detail there should be.
Avoid: Stiffly tailored blouses. Severe blouses. Fussy necklines. Shapeless blouses.
Level 1: Level 1 styles have more relaxed fits and more simple details. These styles also work best for more casual fabrics like knits.
Level 2: As with all Level 2 styles, the details are slightly more traditional, resulting in more work appropriate options.
Level 3: The Level 3 styles add a touch more intricate detailing, or would work best in shiny fabrics, which Kibbe reserves for eveing looks.
Sweaters: Soft knits that are luxurious to the touch. They can be either lightweight and silky or thick and deep, just as long as they don’t ever seem rough. Slightly long sweaters are nice, if they are somewhat clingy and reveal the body (particularly the waist) underneath. Cropped or fitted sweaters should be thicker (boucle, cable-stitched, etc.) and any detail (shirring, draping, etc.) should be low on the body and loose. Trim such as appliqué, jewels, beading, etc., should be slightly antique or softly abstract in shape. Skinny, ribbed knits can be fun, especially in dresses that your belt.
Avoid: Heavy sweaters that hide the body.
Level 1: Level 1 styles have the flow and drape, but lack details to make them feel fancy, or they would work best in thicker knits which seem a bit more casul.
Level 2: The Level 2 options have a bit more detail, with more opportunities to add trim, beading, or antique detail.
Level 3: I don’t have a lot of Level 3 options, but I think it is possible for a Soft Natural to wear a sweater as part of a formal look because of the need for softness.
Dresses: Dresses should be soft and flowing, but at the same time loose and unconstructed. They should either loosely define the waist in full, flared silhouettes, or be very draped and clingy in a straighter silhouette. Detail should be low on the body (shirring, gathers, appliqué, sparkly trim, etc.) as opposed to high or framing the face. A slightly antique approach to dresses is also possible, but keep them loose and billowy instead of fussy and overly fitted.
Level 1: Kibbe offers a variety of silhouette options, but I think the loose, flared styles work best for the more casual looks.
Level 2: The Level 2 dresses aren’t quite as billowy, but they do have a lot more intricate detailing.
Level 3: The Level 3 dresses all have slightly more intricate detailing than the Level 2 looks, and many of them would work well in fancier fabrics.
Evening Wear: Simple shapes with an easy flow. Drapable fabrics. Plush fabrics. Sightly sheer fabrics. Glitzy trim. Loose waist detail. Soft necklines. Flowing gowns with flared skirts. Pouffy cocktail dressed with fitted tops and flouncy skirts (long or short). Evening sarongs. Evening separates (blouses, sweaters, etc.). Draped pants. Antique lace dresses.
More fabulous fun dresses for the Soft Natural. The evening separates can be seen in the Level 3 sections for the other garment types.
And that’s it! If you still have questions about the Soft Natural type I suggest you check out Merriam Style’s excellent YouTube video. As for the Sew Your Kibbe blog post series, we’ve officially finished out pattern round up of the Kibbe types, though I do have a few concluding thoughts about the Natural subtypes…
Of the three Natural types, Soft Natural feels the most separate from the other recommendations, whereas Flamboyant Natural and Natural tended to have a bit more overlap I think. Soft Naturals can’t handle the super wide, heavy, and boxy unconstructed shapes that the other two IDs can. I think this might be a major reason that a lot of people who are Soft Natural think they are some other soft type instead. This is what happened to me; I’ve never looked good in large, shapeless styles, so I assumed all of the Natural types were off the table. Plus, Soft Natural has a very specific type of softness; it is soft flesh on top of a Natural’s blunt bone structure, which I think can often be disguised because of that softness. I think a lot of people often debate between Soft Natural and Soft Classic for this reason. I don’t think debating between Soft Natural and Soft Gamine is as common; I feel like a Gamine’s mix of yin and yang is easier to discern than comparing a Natural’s bluntness to a Classic’s blended-ness. Ultimately, though, I think it comes down to the clothes; if you feel right is clothes that are more tailored with a hint of soft detail you would be Soft Classic, but if you need more freedom of motion and slightly more unconstructed styles then you fall into the Soft Natural camp. I definitely noticed that myself, which is how I first came to realize I might be a Soft Natural. I took a risk making a few unconstructed garments in my first Sew Geeky capsule this past year, but those “risky” styles ended up being some of my favorite pieces. In hindsight, I really do need more movement in my clothes, and Soft Natural provides that, without forcing me to be swallowed in the more encompassing Flamboyant Natural or Natural styles. I’ll save the intellectualization for another post, but, suffice to say, when you find the right ID, you’ll know.
On a personal note, since this is my style ID, I have to admit that this was the most difficult post for me to write. By this point I feel like I’ve looked through patterns so much I’m a bit fatigued at discerning lines, and I was constantly worried I was picking styles I liked and not necessarily the best styles to represent Kibbe’s recommendations. The other thing that’s a bit tricky with this style ID is that the suggestions on what to wear and what to avoid are usually skirting a close line. Kibbe wants “antique” detail, but it can’t be too fussy. He wants soft, flowing shapes, but they can’t be too wide or boxy. He wants things to be unconstructed, but also having waist definition. Finding patterns that fit all of these recommendations is tricky! On the one hand, I feel like this gives me a lot of room to play with my personal style, but on the other hand, I feel like I keep second guessing my pattern choices. Regardless, I’m more confident than ever that Soft Natural is my Kibbe ID. Writing this post almost felt like a rundown of my “sewing list greatest hits!” The patterns I’ve made that I put in this post are some of my favorites, and I really do think a lot of these other styles that I haven’t made (yet) would look good on me. (I also think there are a lot of new styles I assumed would not look good that I’m sort of tempted to try now.) They may not all be my personal taste, but I think narrowing down my patterns in this way has really helped me focus on styles that I could include in a core wardrobe, which really was my ultimate goal from the beginning of the series.
Aaaaaaand….. We’ve made it! While I’m far from being done writing about Kibbe related sewing topics, I’m really excited that we’ve finally made it through our main tour of the Kibbe style IDs. Stay tuned for more Kibbe related sewing rambles, though perhaps not quite as regularly as this posts in this main series. I expect I’ll be needing to take a bit of a break during most of January due to real life things, but hopefully I’ll be able to get a few rambling sewing posts up around the end of next month. Plus, after all of this research, I’ve definitely got some exciting Kibbe related sewing plans in the works, so if you fear the Kibbe withdrawal, feel free to come back tomorrow to check out my new year’s sewing plans!
I tried to pay extra close attention to this one, since I suspect that it may fit my body type the best. Even if my arms may be a little too long to be 100% matching, as I always have to add length to long sleeved things. Overall, I feel like these slightly less constructed styles are ones that I would be much more drawn to now than before I had kids. I wore a lot more fitted-waist garments then. I did recognize a few things from my own pattern stash here (I’d love an excuse to make Vogue 1031, but there’s not much call for evening gowns in my life these days!) I think that I could see myself wearing a lot of the tops/skirts styles, but my first reaction to the pants was struggling to figure out how jeans fit into this style ID, since that is a staple for me. I guess I could look into a wide legged pair…
I think lots of jeans types would work. Since Kibbe recommends both straight leg pants and tapered pants for this ID, I think it gives a lot of leeway in choosing jeans styles. I think a key idea is balance – if you are wearing a more unconstructed top, a tighter/tapered jean would likely be better, whereas if you are including waist emphasis in the top, then a wider legged/bootcut/bell bottom style might be better to create the overall image. I probably should have included more jeans patterns in this post…
I have loved reading these, and have concluded I am a Natural of some sort. I have to say I don’t identify very much with the SN, though I have the fleshy upper arms/thighs/derriere nothing else seems to chime. I only noticed a few patterns from my stash in SN (unlike FN and N) as it seems a bit too drapey for my frame. How can I test which type of Natural I am with clothing silhouettes? I really like to wear straight legged trousers (slightly wide), with a slightly loose scoop necked 3/4 sleeve knit top and a longer open jacket with no lapels. Then brogue shoes and a mid calf length coat with wide shawl collar and soft tie belt (no closures). I have a waist at the back, but not at the front!
TBH it sounds like you enjoy more of the pure Natural look? It seems like you can cross a little into both Soft and Flamboyant Natural styles a little, but the clean, loose lines sounds like they would best fit the pure Natural recommendations. Hope that helps!
I have been waiting eagerly for this post as I am one that is having trouble figuring out whether I am SC or SN. I feel a bit conflicted because while I did like some of the styles in this post (straight to wide leg pants, tops with detail, and flowy skirts), I didn’t care for some of them. Personality-wise, I fit much better in the SC camp but my broad shoulders and rib cage always have me thinking I am SN. I do like my clothes to have some movement, but I generally hate to wear belted things (other than pants) as the belt always moves around on my waist and feels very restrictive. I was once told I was a FN (albeit on the short side at 5’6″) but the huge, oversized shapes seem overwhelming to me.
It’s possible that you could be a Soft Natural and drawn to Soft Classic style. Or you could be a Soft Classic who just happens to have broad shoulders; it’s never one attribute that determines a Kibbe type. If you are Soft Natural who likes Soft Classic style, then this look isn’t too hard to pull off actually; if you stick to the simpler silhouettes you could achieve a classic look, while still having silhouettes that are ostensibly “Soft Natural” in a practical way. On the other hand, perhaps you are Soft Classic, but you might have to look for slightly more relaxed tops or do a broad shoulder adjustment to the pattern to make them work. It sounds like you are leaning towards Soft Classic though; it might be worth starting there and seeing if you really do like that style more. If you find you struggle to fit into that crisp Classic sense of a clean appearance then I would revisit Soft Natural, but if you feel like Soft Natural is just a bit too sloppy and wild then Soft Classic is probably the better fit.
Thanks so much for this post! I love so many of these pieces, and was nodding along with a lot of them and some are already in my closet. I do relate to the idea of SN not fitting in with the other naturals. Sometimes I’ve felt that boobs = Romantic for some people, never mind that body frame is an equal player and I definitely have a blunter, broader skeletal structure despite the fleshy overtones.
I’ll definitely be keeping these in mind when I revamp my closet.
Thank you so much Doctor T, for putting such a lot of your time and energy into this Kibbe series. I have been waiting for this post, as I feel that I too am a Soft Natural. As you commented, I also initially thought I was a Soft Classic but some little points didn’t gel, I love geometric patterns. Thanks again Barbara
I feel like I’ve been waiting for ever for you to post on soft natural! Part of this is definitely my shape (broad shoulders, strong bone structure but very curvy on top) some of the styles, tops and dresses definitely resonate with me but others absolutely not, nipped in ankles on pants just emphasis the size of my bum and belted coats look fine when belted but terrible the rest of the time. Just goes to prove that there is no hard and fast rule for anyone
I love this series!!!!! However you look very pretty, i am pretty sure the romantic lines would suit you very well- if better. You have such a large rounded eyes, quite face with rounded chin, beutifull Hourglass. Hope you’ll niet be angry! Have you tried them yet?
I agree I have a very rounded facial features, but I’m pretty sure I’m not Romantic. I’m fairly tall and I have pretty wide bones. My sister is 100% Romantic, and we really don’t wear the same sorts of clothes well at all.
I agree that there is a huge range in all types, and I wasn’t trying to indicate that there wasn’t. I just really don’t think I’m a Romantic type. When I look at the Romantic recommendations I feel like I could pick and choose *some* of the items which I could wear well, but with Soft Natural I feel like I could pick and wear any of the styles. To be fair, there are a lot of styles that overlap between the two, and I will say I do look good in a lot of those overlap recommendations, but when I look at options that don’t overlap I feel like I’d fit in the Soft Natural camp over the Romantic one. If I find Soft Natural isn’t working for me at some point, I would probably consider Romantic as my next area of exploration, but for now I’m quite happy in the Soft Natural space and don’t really feel a need to look elsewhere for inspiration.
Well a lot of lovely patterns here and quite a few on my to sew list. I am still torn though as I loved so many of the patterns from the soft classic section and some from the soft dramatic. I will have to do some experimenting to see what works for me. I have recently made Burdastyle 02 2018 120 Bow back blouse which was more unconstructed than I usually wear and I love it tucked into culottes. (I did have to add waist darts at the back to get rid of some of the pouffiness). I will just mention though that I tried Butterick 5523 and it did not work at all for me. Thank you so much for this excellent series of posts. Lots of things to think about now…
Awesome! This was one of the styles I have a hard time getting a mental image for and so this post was very interesting. There are some lovely things here.
Yeah, of all the types I feel like this has the most contradictory recommendations, and it was tricky to create the vision of Kibbe in modern patterns. I really love all of these styles though, and I’m excited to sew from a more curated selection next year.
Thank you for this wonderful post and the whole series! I have been fascinated by the whole Kibbe thing, but also spent many an evening frustratedly studying my lines, pattern lines and videos, because so much of it didn’t really fit. My first instinct was a Classic and this is what I have finally come back to. This last post really drove home to me that while I am drawn to more flowing patterns, because Burda does them so well, I consistently feel overwhelmed by all the fabric. Loose, unconstructed styles make me uncomfortable because I constantly need to pull them back into shape. I am most at peace in the Classic tailoring. The constant emphasis on “crispness” threw me off, because my life is so casual. Also, most of the patterns you showed seemed to fit that conservative blazer and pencil skirt image. But now I’ve understood that crisp and tailored means what I’d call “structured”. I love a bit of draping detail or a slight waterfall, maybe even a bit of blousing, definitely a flared skirt, but only in a very structured piece, with darts, fitted around the shoulder and back, not out of a drapey fabric. And on the whole, a slimmer line, understated details.
Thanks for giving me an opportunity to see myself in all of the style IDs, and a place to ramble 😀
(PS: it immediately made sense to me that you’re a SN, you look amazing in the soft waist emphasis and loose draping! And, like Scarlett Johansen or Selena Gomez in Merriam’s videos, you have this doe-eyed softness with a broader body)
Looking forward to your next Kibbe influenced plans! Isi
Thanks! I’m so glad you were able to find yourself in this series. Crispness is definitely the same thing as structure in clothing – and it is exactly why I feel so awkward in some clothing styles. But I can totally understand why it would be the reverse for someone who is Classic! Just goes to show how having a unique style can really help with both comfort and self confidence.
This is a great one for your grand finale! I had expected the naturals to be simpler to understand and identify than the rest but you’ve proven me wrong three times. They are actually quite complex. I agree this one is especially difficult and several times I had to reread the recommendations because they seemed to conflict.
Thanks for all the information! So much to process!
What a wonderful end to the series! Thank you so much for the immense amount of work that went into these posts.
I’ve really looked forward to this last post, since I was initially on the fence about whether I’m a Soft Dramatic or a Soft Natural. The bone structure (wide and angular vs. wide and blunt) question has plagued me! Now that you’ve analyzed the patterns for both, though, it’s easy to pinpoint which works better. While I love the soft draping that both IDs need, the unconstructed silhouettes of the SN don’t work on me at all. Definitely, definitely a Soft Dramatic. I can easily see borrowing from the Soft Natural patterns, when wanting something more casual, though. It’s so interesting spotting the various overlaps in the various IDs and watching some patterns pop up across the spectrum.
I also wonder if many Indie pattern companies aren’t unconsciously geared toward Soft Naturals? There’s a certain casual, unstructured elegance that the Indie sewing world has embraced that strikes me as ideal for this ID. I think of Closet Case Patterns or Chalk & Notch, specifically, and so many of their patterns would work for SNs. (It also might be why many Indie patterns leave me feeling frumpy, when they look so elegant on other sewists. They’re not meant for SDs!)
I think the Naturals are having a fashion moment right now; I expect general trends will move away from this style in the future. I do want to do a Kibbe through the decades post, and look at how style trends have changed and which style IDs best fit into those looks. I also plan on doing a Kibbe/Indie pattern post because I agree that a lot of the indie brands tend to have a single aesthetic they design for (which is why I focused on Burda/Big 4 for the series). I probably will not be able to post these until February at the earliest, but they are definitely in the works.
This was so great to see. I liked lots but most of these styles leave feeling like I’m swimming. Especially the loosely belted longish jackets and sweaters. It’s seeing so many examples of each type and level of dress that really helps to get an overall vision of each ID. If we just looked at skirts I’d have a more difficult time since I like almost every skirt out there. Jackets are another matter. I have a much narrower range that works for me. Most tend to gather dust. Short shapely cardigans especially with ruffles and details are my first pick.
I’ve loved this series and it has been a fantastic resource ever since. One of the things I really liked was to see patterns from older Burda Style magazines. So much so that I have been buying issues on ebay from 2005 – 2014 (when I originally started buying them). The other posts that you do that I really love are the Burda Style magazine reviews so…. would you ever consider writing the occasional review for some of your older magazines? Lol in case you ever run out of things to write about! 😋 It would be another great resource if people were thinking of trying to find a particular issue and I would be interested to see which magazines were your favourites and why.
Hallo,
thank you very much for this great pattern selection! Now I am sure to be a SN.
But I have a problem with your pattern selection for level 2-jackets: I need a lot of waist-shaping in the back, and therefore a belt produces lots of bulk there.
Kibbe writes: “Jackets: Jackets should be unconstructed, soft, and always showing the waist (but not necessarily emphasizing it). This can be a jacket that is shaped through the waist, or it can be a jacket that is unstructured and very lightweight or flimsy, so that it drapes around the body …”
Yes, I think it could work. You might want to pair it with a cowl neck blouse or some SN jewelry near the face to make the whole outfit feel a bit more SN, but it could definitely work in the context of a whole outfit.
You have done an incredible job with this! I have searched and guessing wrong for ages! I find classic too restrictive plus I am definitely hourglass. Somewhere between Theatrical Romantic and Soft Natural – not so tall 5’3″ and love asymmetry. Both some soft and angular features – oval face, prominent cheekbones, small mouth. Your dictionary of Style types and patterns is a fabulous work of art and much labor. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for taking the time to put this list together. I’m still not 100% sure that I am a Soft Natural but I am definitely leaning in this direction. Interestingly enough I have many of these patterns and I see a whole lot more that I would like to get.
I’m sure the suggestions for SN can’t get more detailed and extensive than this post. I can already imagine myself wearing the type of clothes you recommend.Thank you so much ❤❤.
Thank you very much for this post. I think this is the best one on the internet to build a SN wardrobe, you helped me a lot. Your hardwork is really useful to others, thanks again ! I really appreciate the quantity of images examples as I’m french native it’s better for me to understand some technical words.
When I was younger and not so fat, I was definitely a Soft Natural. Now as a senior and “blessed” with an apron tummy, I can’t wear any waist shaping. Do you have a similar post for us big girls? Except for the tie belts and blouson tops I really like a lot of these patterns.
I am looking for a jacket in this essence, so this is very helpful. In looking at this list, it becomes apparent that it is not only the pattern, but the drape of the fabric is very important to achieve the look. Also, looking at the comments, you mention the length should be different than wha is pictured. Just wondering if you have some tips on assessing the drape of a fabric, particularly when shopping online, and also tips on deciding on the best length?
For shopping online for fabric it can be hard; pictures are helpful if they show the fabric draped but also having a decent understanding of different fabric types is helpful as well. I know there are a few fabric swatch sample books to show fabric types but otherwise that sort of comes with experience. As for the length… I think you have to think about proportions of the whole outfit and that it might be something where you pin the hem at different lengths to figure out what works best.
This is by far the best synopsis and list of patterns to show what a Soft Natural would look like. I, too, vacillated between Soft Classic and Soft Natural, but your extensive post spoke my language in patterns instead of ready-made clothes. 😀 Thanks so much for the time that you took to post this series. I am thinking of taking up your challenge to do the capsule wardrobe.
I love it! I used to sew by myself, but right now it is not possible with 3 kids. However, there are some companies that can bring your vision into life like Dressarte Paris, Laceandme, Stichy and etc.
I tried to pay extra close attention to this one, since I suspect that it may fit my body type the best. Even if my arms may be a little too long to be 100% matching, as I always have to add length to long sleeved things. Overall, I feel like these slightly less constructed styles are ones that I would be much more drawn to now than before I had kids. I wore a lot more fitted-waist garments then. I did recognize a few things from my own pattern stash here (I’d love an excuse to make Vogue 1031, but there’s not much call for evening gowns in my life these days!) I think that I could see myself wearing a lot of the tops/skirts styles, but my first reaction to the pants was struggling to figure out how jeans fit into this style ID, since that is a staple for me. I guess I could look into a wide legged pair…
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I think lots of jeans types would work. Since Kibbe recommends both straight leg pants and tapered pants for this ID, I think it gives a lot of leeway in choosing jeans styles. I think a key idea is balance – if you are wearing a more unconstructed top, a tighter/tapered jean would likely be better, whereas if you are including waist emphasis in the top, then a wider legged/bootcut/bell bottom style might be better to create the overall image. I probably should have included more jeans patterns in this post…
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I have loved reading these, and have concluded I am a Natural of some sort. I have to say I don’t identify very much with the SN, though I have the fleshy upper arms/thighs/derriere nothing else seems to chime. I only noticed a few patterns from my stash in SN (unlike FN and N) as it seems a bit too drapey for my frame. How can I test which type of Natural I am with clothing silhouettes? I really like to wear straight legged trousers (slightly wide), with a slightly loose scoop necked 3/4 sleeve knit top and a longer open jacket with no lapels. Then brogue shoes and a mid calf length coat with wide shawl collar and soft tie belt (no closures). I have a waist at the back, but not at the front!
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TBH it sounds like you enjoy more of the pure Natural look? It seems like you can cross a little into both Soft and Flamboyant Natural styles a little, but the clean, loose lines sounds like they would best fit the pure Natural recommendations. Hope that helps!
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Thank you, that helps a great deal!
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I have been waiting eagerly for this post as I am one that is having trouble figuring out whether I am SC or SN. I feel a bit conflicted because while I did like some of the styles in this post (straight to wide leg pants, tops with detail, and flowy skirts), I didn’t care for some of them. Personality-wise, I fit much better in the SC camp but my broad shoulders and rib cage always have me thinking I am SN. I do like my clothes to have some movement, but I generally hate to wear belted things (other than pants) as the belt always moves around on my waist and feels very restrictive. I was once told I was a FN (albeit on the short side at 5’6″) but the huge, oversized shapes seem overwhelming to me.
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It’s possible that you could be a Soft Natural and drawn to Soft Classic style. Or you could be a Soft Classic who just happens to have broad shoulders; it’s never one attribute that determines a Kibbe type. If you are Soft Natural who likes Soft Classic style, then this look isn’t too hard to pull off actually; if you stick to the simpler silhouettes you could achieve a classic look, while still having silhouettes that are ostensibly “Soft Natural” in a practical way. On the other hand, perhaps you are Soft Classic, but you might have to look for slightly more relaxed tops or do a broad shoulder adjustment to the pattern to make them work. It sounds like you are leaning towards Soft Classic though; it might be worth starting there and seeing if you really do like that style more. If you find you struggle to fit into that crisp Classic sense of a clean appearance then I would revisit Soft Natural, but if you feel like Soft Natural is just a bit too sloppy and wild then Soft Classic is probably the better fit.
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Thanks so much for this post! I love so many of these pieces, and was nodding along with a lot of them and some are already in my closet. I do relate to the idea of SN not fitting in with the other naturals. Sometimes I’ve felt that boobs = Romantic for some people, never mind that body frame is an equal player and I definitely have a blunter, broader skeletal structure despite the fleshy overtones.
I’ll definitely be keeping these in mind when I revamp my closet.
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Thank you so much Doctor T, for putting such a lot of your time and energy into this Kibbe series. I have been waiting for this post, as I feel that I too am a Soft Natural. As you commented, I also initially thought I was a Soft Classic but some little points didn’t gel, I love geometric patterns. Thanks again Barbara
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You’re welcome! Enjoy!
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I feel like I’ve been waiting for ever for you to post on soft natural! Part of this is definitely my shape (broad shoulders, strong bone structure but very curvy on top) some of the styles, tops and dresses definitely resonate with me but others absolutely not, nipped in ankles on pants just emphasis the size of my bum and belted coats look fine when belted but terrible the rest of the time. Just goes to prove that there is no hard and fast rule for anyone
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Definitely!
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I love this series!!!!! However you look very pretty, i am pretty sure the romantic lines would suit you very well- if better. You have such a large rounded eyes, quite face with rounded chin, beutifull Hourglass. Hope you’ll niet be angry! Have you tried them yet?
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I agree I have a very rounded facial features, but I’m pretty sure I’m not Romantic. I’m fairly tall and I have pretty wide bones. My sister is 100% Romantic, and we really don’t wear the same sorts of clothes well at all.
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Ok, but look at Charlize Theron…. She is very muscular, but also romantic. I think there is a huge range within one type.
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I agree that there is a huge range in all types, and I wasn’t trying to indicate that there wasn’t. I just really don’t think I’m a Romantic type. When I look at the Romantic recommendations I feel like I could pick and choose *some* of the items which I could wear well, but with Soft Natural I feel like I could pick and wear any of the styles. To be fair, there are a lot of styles that overlap between the two, and I will say I do look good in a lot of those overlap recommendations, but when I look at options that don’t overlap I feel like I’d fit in the Soft Natural camp over the Romantic one. If I find Soft Natural isn’t working for me at some point, I would probably consider Romantic as my next area of exploration, but for now I’m quite happy in the Soft Natural space and don’t really feel a need to look elsewhere for inspiration.
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That’s where the softness comes in for Soft Natural, it comes from Romantic.
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Well a lot of lovely patterns here and quite a few on my to sew list. I am still torn though as I loved so many of the patterns from the soft classic section and some from the soft dramatic. I will have to do some experimenting to see what works for me. I have recently made Burdastyle 02 2018 120 Bow back blouse which was more unconstructed than I usually wear and I love it tucked into culottes. (I did have to add waist darts at the back to get rid of some of the pouffiness). I will just mention though that I tried Butterick 5523 and it did not work at all for me. Thank you so much for this excellent series of posts. Lots of things to think about now…
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Awesome! This was one of the styles I have a hard time getting a mental image for and so this post was very interesting. There are some lovely things here.
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Yeah, of all the types I feel like this has the most contradictory recommendations, and it was tricky to create the vision of Kibbe in modern patterns. I really love all of these styles though, and I’m excited to sew from a more curated selection next year.
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Thank you for this wonderful post and the whole series! I have been fascinated by the whole Kibbe thing, but also spent many an evening frustratedly studying my lines, pattern lines and videos, because so much of it didn’t really fit. My first instinct was a Classic and this is what I have finally come back to. This last post really drove home to me that while I am drawn to more flowing patterns, because Burda does them so well, I consistently feel overwhelmed by all the fabric. Loose, unconstructed styles make me uncomfortable because I constantly need to pull them back into shape. I am most at peace in the Classic tailoring. The constant emphasis on “crispness” threw me off, because my life is so casual. Also, most of the patterns you showed seemed to fit that conservative blazer and pencil skirt image. But now I’ve understood that crisp and tailored means what I’d call “structured”. I love a bit of draping detail or a slight waterfall, maybe even a bit of blousing, definitely a flared skirt, but only in a very structured piece, with darts, fitted around the shoulder and back, not out of a drapey fabric. And on the whole, a slimmer line, understated details.
Thanks for giving me an opportunity to see myself in all of the style IDs, and a place to ramble 😀
(PS: it immediately made sense to me that you’re a SN, you look amazing in the soft waist emphasis and loose draping! And, like Scarlett Johansen or Selena Gomez in Merriam’s videos, you have this doe-eyed softness with a broader body)
Looking forward to your next Kibbe influenced plans! Isi
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Thanks! I’m so glad you were able to find yourself in this series. Crispness is definitely the same thing as structure in clothing – and it is exactly why I feel so awkward in some clothing styles. But I can totally understand why it would be the reverse for someone who is Classic! Just goes to show how having a unique style can really help with both comfort and self confidence.
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This is a great one for your grand finale! I had expected the naturals to be simpler to understand and identify than the rest but you’ve proven me wrong three times. They are actually quite complex. I agree this one is especially difficult and several times I had to reread the recommendations because they seemed to conflict.
Thanks for all the information! So much to process!
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This series has been great! Soft Natural is definitely my best match! Thank you for the crazy amount of work you’ve put in to these posts!
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What a wonderful end to the series! Thank you so much for the immense amount of work that went into these posts.
I’ve really looked forward to this last post, since I was initially on the fence about whether I’m a Soft Dramatic or a Soft Natural. The bone structure (wide and angular vs. wide and blunt) question has plagued me! Now that you’ve analyzed the patterns for both, though, it’s easy to pinpoint which works better. While I love the soft draping that both IDs need, the unconstructed silhouettes of the SN don’t work on me at all. Definitely, definitely a Soft Dramatic. I can easily see borrowing from the Soft Natural patterns, when wanting something more casual, though. It’s so interesting spotting the various overlaps in the various IDs and watching some patterns pop up across the spectrum.
I also wonder if many Indie pattern companies aren’t unconsciously geared toward Soft Naturals? There’s a certain casual, unstructured elegance that the Indie sewing world has embraced that strikes me as ideal for this ID. I think of Closet Case Patterns or Chalk & Notch, specifically, and so many of their patterns would work for SNs. (It also might be why many Indie patterns leave me feeling frumpy, when they look so elegant on other sewists. They’re not meant for SDs!)
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I think the Naturals are having a fashion moment right now; I expect general trends will move away from this style in the future. I do want to do a Kibbe through the decades post, and look at how style trends have changed and which style IDs best fit into those looks. I also plan on doing a Kibbe/Indie pattern post because I agree that a lot of the indie brands tend to have a single aesthetic they design for (which is why I focused on Burda/Big 4 for the series). I probably will not be able to post these until February at the earliest, but they are definitely in the works.
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That sounds awesome!
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This was so great to see. I liked lots but most of these styles leave feeling like I’m swimming. Especially the loosely belted longish jackets and sweaters. It’s seeing so many examples of each type and level of dress that really helps to get an overall vision of each ID. If we just looked at skirts I’d have a more difficult time since I like almost every skirt out there. Jackets are another matter. I have a much narrower range that works for me. Most tend to gather dust. Short shapely cardigans especially with ruffles and details are my first pick.
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Sounds like you would enjoy the Romantic styles for jackets and cardigans. 🙂
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I’ve loved this series and it has been a fantastic resource ever since. One of the things I really liked was to see patterns from older Burda Style magazines. So much so that I have been buying issues on ebay from 2005 – 2014 (when I originally started buying them). The other posts that you do that I really love are the Burda Style magazine reviews so…. would you ever consider writing the occasional review for some of your older magazines? Lol in case you ever run out of things to write about! 😋 It would be another great resource if people were thinking of trying to find a particular issue and I would be interested to see which magazines were your favourites and why.
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It is definitely one thing I have considered! I’ll add that idea to my “to write” list. Thanks!
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I’ll look forward to it!
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Hallo,
thank you very much for this great pattern selection! Now I am sure to be a SN.
But I have a problem with your pattern selection for level 2-jackets: I need a lot of waist-shaping in the back, and therefore a belt produces lots of bulk there.
Kibbe writes: “Jackets: Jackets should be unconstructed, soft, and always showing the waist (but not necessarily emphasizing it). This can be a jacket that is shaped through the waist, or it can be a jacket that is unstructured and very lightweight or flimsy, so that it drapes around the body …”
So I searched on burda for an unconstructed looking blazer and found this one: https://www.burdastyle.de/produkt/katalogschnitt/blazer-und-jackenblazer-f-s-2016-6569_6569
Do youn think modell A could work for a SN as a level 2 -garment, if I do not overdo the waist-shaping?
Gunhild
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Yes, I think it could work. You might want to pair it with a cowl neck blouse or some SN jewelry near the face to make the whole outfit feel a bit more SN, but it could definitely work in the context of a whole outfit.
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You have done an incredible job with this! I have searched and guessing wrong for ages! I find classic too restrictive plus I am definitely hourglass. Somewhere between Theatrical Romantic and Soft Natural – not so tall 5’3″ and love asymmetry. Both some soft and angular features – oval face, prominent cheekbones, small mouth. Your dictionary of Style types and patterns is a fabulous work of art and much labor. Thank you so much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for taking the time to put this list together. I’m still not 100% sure that I am a Soft Natural but I am definitely leaning in this direction. Interestingly enough I have many of these patterns and I see a whole lot more that I would like to get.
LikeLike
I’m sure the suggestions for SN can’t get more detailed and extensive than this post. I can already imagine myself wearing the type of clothes you recommend.Thank you so much ❤❤.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much for this post. I think this is the best one on the internet to build a SN wardrobe, you helped me a lot. Your hardwork is really useful to others, thanks again ! I really appreciate the quantity of images examples as I’m french native it’s better for me to understand some technical words.
LikeLike
When I was younger and not so fat, I was definitely a Soft Natural. Now as a senior and “blessed” with an apron tummy, I can’t wear any waist shaping. Do you have a similar post for us big girls? Except for the tie belts and blouson tops I really like a lot of these patterns.
LikeLike
I am looking for a jacket in this essence, so this is very helpful. In looking at this list, it becomes apparent that it is not only the pattern, but the drape of the fabric is very important to achieve the look. Also, looking at the comments, you mention the length should be different than wha is pictured. Just wondering if you have some tips on assessing the drape of a fabric, particularly when shopping online, and also tips on deciding on the best length?
LikeLike
For shopping online for fabric it can be hard; pictures are helpful if they show the fabric draped but also having a decent understanding of different fabric types is helpful as well. I know there are a few fabric swatch sample books to show fabric types but otherwise that sort of comes with experience. As for the length… I think you have to think about proportions of the whole outfit and that it might be something where you pin the hem at different lengths to figure out what works best.
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This is by far the best synopsis and list of patterns to show what a Soft Natural would look like. I, too, vacillated between Soft Classic and Soft Natural, but your extensive post spoke my language in patterns instead of ready-made clothes. 😀 Thanks so much for the time that you took to post this series. I am thinking of taking up your challenge to do the capsule wardrobe.
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I love it! I used to sew by myself, but right now it is not possible with 3 kids. However, there are some companies that can bring your vision into life like Dressarte Paris, Laceandme, Stichy and etc.
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