October has been a crazy month – it’s flown by! And, I actually sewed! I was able to post a McCall’s top that was mostly worked on last month, as well as working on my forever UFO, the teal Burda trench coat. I started this project in 2016, and only just got around to working on it again. It’s gone from being just a shell, to a shell with a bunch of fiddly bits attached, plus a lining that’s not attached. I still have a lot of work to do (button placket, buttons, hems, birthing the coat, plus a few extra details…) but this has been significantly more progress than I’ve made the past 3 years! So I’m excited. With any luck it’ll be done by the end of the year…maybe even the end of next month. It wasn’t exactly on my Sew Your Kibbe list, but I think the materials and style still fit in with the Kibbe recommendations, so I’m rolling with it. I’ve been posting progress reports on my Instagram stories, so if you are curious you can check out more details there as progress is made.
In the meantime, here’s what’s been going on around the sewing blogosphere…
- Merriam Style’s YouTube channel is now focusing on her new naming system which she calls Body Geometry.
- Aly Art has continued her awesome makeup series with makeup for a Classics, Gamines, Soft Dramatics, and Dramatic Classics. (I tried her tutorial for Natural makeup and I have to say – it was a total game changer for me! I can’t wait to see what she does with Soft Natural when it comes out!)
- Cozy Rebekah explains her reasons for moving to Merriam Style’s name changes for the body types.
- In sad news, Watch Me Glow Up has removed all of her content about the Ethereals. It was a great resource and I’m glad we were able to see them and learn from them when they were available.
- Threads had a great podcast about crafting a wardrobe. Not exactly Kibbe related, but it is sort of what started me down this path of thinking about clothes in a different way, so somewhat related.
- Sew Ruthie has a great article about doing a closet clean out and also has a really interesting post about how to build a cohesive wardrobe!
- The #sewyourkibbe has even more posts on Instagram!
If I’ve missed your posts or you would like to be included in my future Kibbe round up posts, please feel free to leave a link in the comments!
As with every month, I thought it would be fun to do my top picks of new patterns for each Kibbe type from this month’s releases. Here are my picks for October:
Dramatic
Vogue 1654, BurdaStyle 11/2019 #124, and Vogue 1666. I think all of these have the sort of strong geometric and very structured feel that works well for Dramatic types. The Burda skirt in particular would be amazing in a monochromatic color block using fabrics of different textures. The long red gown would be stunning for a formal event, and the Guy Laroche suit would be great for a stylish suit option.
Soft Dramatic
Vogue 1657, Vogue 1658, and McCall’s 8029. All of these have the oversized shaped and luxurious feel that is the hallmark of Soft Dramatic style. I think the cape in particular would look great on Soft Dramatics where it might look oversized or overwhelming on other body types. It would be especially great done up in a luxurious wool or cashmere.
Flamboyant Natural
Simplicity 9018, Simplicity 9010, and Simplicity 9015. All of these patterns have the relaxed, unconstructed look that works well for Flamboyant Naturals. I think the styling of the first Simplicity pattern is particularly great, and I think the second Simplicity dress could be a stunning look for a Flamboyant Natural holiday look (the model, I think, is not a FN, so the dress looks a bit oversized. When I imagine it on someone with a FN bone structure I don’t think it would have the same effect). Finally, the coat would be a great fall wardrobe piece for Flamboyant Naturals; it would be especially great for potentially dressing up a wardrobe if done up in a fancier fabric.
Natural*
Simplicity 9011, Vogue 1653, and McCall’s 8013. I think all of these have the unconstructed shape that is recommended for Naturals. The Simplicity dress could be a great fall piece to wear on errand over tights with boots, or it could be dressed up a bit with fancy shoes as Simplicity has shown here. The McCall’s coat would be a nice snuggly layering piece before the weather gets too cold, and the Vogue dress could work dressed up or down, depending on styling and fabrication.
Soft Natural
Simplicity 9016, BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #101, and BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #107. All of these have the soft fabric and draping that works well for Soft Naturals, along with some waist emphasis. The coat could also work well for Natural types, as it is pretty unconstructed in its overall shape, but the tie at the waist adds just a hint of the desired emphasis.
Dramatic Classic
BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #122, BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #117, and McCall’s 7999. All of these have the close fit and nice tailoring that work well for Classic types, but with a hint of extra yang detail that will suit Dramatic Classics. I think the color blocking from the Burda patterns add that extra bit of detail that helps to push these styles to Dramatic Classic territory. The McCall’s dress would really work for a lot of types because it is very simple and close fitting, but I think it would look especially stunning on a Dramatic Classic, especially as pictured with really minimalistic accessorizing.
Classic*
Vogue 1663, BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #119, and BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #118. I think the Vogue pattern in particular would be a great set of casual pieces for Classics. The Burda patterns are a bit more formal, but would still be stunning for a more elevated occasion.
Soft Classic
Simplicity 9013, BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #111, and McCall’s 7994. The Cynthia Rowley dress in particular would be a great style for Soft Classics. It has the slightly more tailored fit, but also a soft, flowing quality. The skirt from Burda also adds an element of yin with the draped waist detail, and the McCall’s pattern has a very Classic silhouette, with some ruffle detail to add a bit of yin.
Flamboyant Gamine
BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #103, BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #121, and Vogue 1662. There are a lot of new patterns this month that would work well for a Flamboyant Gamine, but these are some of my top picks. The styling from Burda on the cropped jacket is spot on, and the heavier short coat has a fabulous boxy shape with strong geometric styling elements as well. I think the pants from Vogue do a great job of breaking up the vertical line, which is an important part of Gamine styling, and I really love the way Vogue showcased that pattern with both the culottes taking center stage but also pairing with a stripped top.
Gamine*
Vogue 1664, BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #110, and BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #116. I think all of these would work so well for a Gamine! The Burda skirt and jacket in particular have a great close fitting silhouette with a great mix of yin and yang elements. The Vogue jumpsuit it maybe a bit less in line with Kibbe’s original book recommendations, but I think in the sequins it is definitely animated enough for a Gamine, and I also think it would look amazing styled over a turtleneck and boots to create that broken line.
Soft Gamine
Vogue 1652, BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #120, and McCall’s 7995. The McCall’s and Vogue dresses are pretty similar; the Vogue dress might be a bit better because it has the close fitting cuff detail. I think both could work for a Soft Gamine though. The Burda coat would be amazing; I love the styling with the long gloves under the cropped sleeves and the fitted waist.
Theatrical Romantic
BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #109, Vogue 1655, and McCall’s 8023. All of these have the fitted silhouette and waist emphasis that looks great on Theatrical Romantics. The Vogue dress has waist emphasis, but the crisper fabric and geometric neckline add a hint of yang for the Theatrical Romantic. The McCall’s dress is really soft, but the neckline is very sharp, which also adds that touch of yang.
Romantic
BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #116, BurdaStyle Magazine 11/2019 #120, and McCall’s 8025. All of these were patterns that I recommended for other types as well, with the exception of the top, but I think they would also be great for Romantics, though possibly with some modifications. The cropped jacket I think would be amazing in a rich brocade or jacquard, as the leather look adds perhaps a bit too much yang to the style, but the coat I think would be perfect as is. The top would also be amazing as it has waist emphasis and soft drape that work well for Romantic types.
And that’s it! If you’ve found any other great Kibbe related content to share or have any updates on your own Sew Your Kibbe challenges please feel free to drop a line in the comments!
Also, Happy Halloween!
Doctor T Designs 
It is so helpful to see this visually every month. Thank you!
I’ve just finished a top that’s like the upper part of Natural’s S9011 and am eyeing up a La Maison Victor coat somewhat similar to the Natural’s M8013 coat.
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Those would look so awesome on you!
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I went to listen to that Threads podcast – very interesting! Wish I could wear that GORGEOUS grey cropped coat from this month’s Burda – it might look strange on me as I’m so tall.
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You could always add a bit of length to it – it’s a pretty easy pattern adjustment! Just cut all the pattern pieces and slides them down… or add like 1-2 inches while tracing; that’s sometimes my favorite way to do it because it’s so fast!
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I’ll definitely try that! It’s such a great jacket…
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Yes! The great thing about sewing is you can always change and adjust for what you need.
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Yay for actual sewing! Looking forward to seeing your coat when it’s done.
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Love your Kibbe round-up. Reading your posts have helped me realise I really am a Romantic. I kept thinking I must be another soft category because I’m just not sexy. It has been nice to see a variety of styles and see the lines rather than sterotypes. You’ve done an awessome job.
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I think sexy really is a stereotype! I think this is why I appreciate Merriam Style’s videos – she really shows that anyone can do “sexy” but they might have to go about it in different ways. And also that if you are soft, that isn’t the only thing you can be. That message is in Kibbe too, but maybe not as emphasized. It’s awesome if this has helped you though – I’m really glad!
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