15:30 I'm Indian (born and bred) and I don't know anyone, nor do I feel this way myself, who thinks wearing our clothes is cultural appropriation. It makes us happy that others not of our culture would want to try our culture and enjoy it. Culture is meant to be shared and if it isn't, it will die out. Please don't let it die out, celebrate it and be respectful as you do it ❤
As a south Asian I agree. I never understood this cultural appropriation and people getting offended by it. I love it when others try different cultures and traditions
I agree. One of my besties is also Indian born and raised. When I was learning to dress my body she was the first one to bring me all these beautiful traditional fabrics or clothes for me to try. She suggested I mix it with western style clothes as I have a look that requires a certain luminescent quality (I'm SD in Kibbe but Dramatic Romantic with small percentage of Ingenue in Kitchener. I can get away with a lot of Ethereal but because I'm short at 5'3 75" and super high contrast (True Winter), I can't say I might be a candidate in that despite my look requiring so many of those guidelines).
I disagree I'm Pakistani & if a white person, black person who isn't mixed with us i'd have a problem with it bc of how Americans & Europeans make fun of our culture & us as a ppl & then to wear our stuff on top I very much would have an issue unless they marry into our culture then it's okay
Thank you - I'm an old hippie type and wore (and still do) lots of Indian prints, jewelry and skirts in the seventies because they are so beautiful. To me, that is honoring your culture and appreciating its unique beauty.
15:26 I was born in Japan but am not Japanese, I feel apart of the culture, but I don't look it. I thought I was not allowed to wear yukatas or kimonos as a white person in Australia. Then when I came back here to live I saw all the kimonos that are unwanted. Being recycled, filling up 2nd hand stores, being reused for other purposes. I got given yukatas (cotton kimono for summer - less complex to wear) as gifts and wearing them to a festival was such a lovely experience. I can't wait to wear them more often. I'd be so happy to not be the only one wearing kimonos to stop them from going in the bin and I all my Japanese friends feel the same.
I’m Brazilian and I have some native traits. I can say that a lot of people are comfortable about others “appropriating” our style and celebrating it. It’s better to share than to be forgotten, and respect is something much more subject to the culture manners.
Well said! If a style or textile is worn with respect and enthusiasm, then it's a beautiful thing. Also, reserving certain elements only for a certain culture creates another problem, that of racial profiling based on clothing. And, if people of a particular culture happily sell you an outfit, textile, or accessory, who are we to gatekeep? This is a very nuanced subject, and I don't think there's a one-size-fits all approach, especially for those of us from a multicultural background.
I think the way we discuss the romantic type is pretty tricky and you did a good job. No one wants to be put in a box of being only sexualized, but there’s also nothing wrong with female sexuality and I feel like sometimes in an effort to protect women we end up accidentally caging them. Tuning into sensuality and sexuality are part of what I’ve loved most about learning to dress for this essence. Thanks for this full and detailed video! You can tell how much work you put into it 🙏
This is an absolute buffet of essence content and I'm living for it. Seriously thanks for deep diving because there are actual qualitative features to train my eye here besides the usual abstract feeling words (which can be fun, but somehow I have to decide how to dress, not just imagine wine on a beach)
That "I long to be touched" moment....reminds me of a particular outfit I wore once in winter - velvet long sleeve top, and corduroy trousers. That day the boss walked in to find three legal secretaries, two trainee attorneys, and the receptionist surrounding me just so they could touch the fabric. It was awkward to say the least. o.o
As someone who has been a minority within my geographical context, it makes me happy to see other people wearing things which originated from different cultures…not offended. It’s like you said, this is “fun” and it’s beautiful when people appreciate & borrow from each other. It also creates a whole new culture (which is largely rooted in geography anyway).
Usually when people say not to appropriate (in my experience anyway) they're meaning more specifically in the example of the difference between wearing native American garbage and going to Party City and picking up a "Indian girl" outfit with shabby feathers and tassels then taking weird pics in it. Or only ever wearing other cultures clothing in the context of sexualizing them, we get sexualized as "exotic" enough as is, we really don't need people OVERTLY sexualizing us in the bedroom anymore.
@@monito3575 Completely, my culture is a culture of appropriation. Our traditional foods, dresses, dances, speech, none of it is "ours", but we see it as just the natural consequence of being conquered and becoming the shiny new thing to look at 500 years ago.
Yes, and that’s where I draw a hard line. But I think she is suggesting more broadly that white people shouldn’t wear clothing that is suggestive of other cultures in general. Which I don’t necessarily agree with.
That disclaimer at 16:24 about why your channel is about people figuring out they’re own type instead of typing them was so great! It’s true that just because you know your essence blend doesn’t mean that your journey is done. You still need to figure out every detail when you create a look which takes time to train your eye. I love how thorough you are in these videos. You don’t leave any stone unturned.
Knowing that I have a majority romantic essence with a slight dramatic essence (I’m also TR which makes sense) really makes sense why I was always singled out by my religious community for “looking too sexy” no matter what I wore even as a young girl (15-16) and always felt so round and even at my thinnest. First, fuck religious body shaming, and second, I’m embracing my sensuality for the first time with no shame or apologies and feel amazing.
Remember is the people, is the same for me, so I stated to dress more clasic, exept my shoes jajaja, but this happen to me, thanks to other women that use her body for benefit in a sexual and like an object way rather than sensual feminine way with respect, and hollywood ... yes I get you
Same!!! I wasn't religious but school principals would be pulling me out of class for wearing identical outfits as other girls, I asked them why the duck they're singling me out n they said they will "deal with" those girls but never did.
@@Ri57490 yeah and she is going to look bad in them. I'm also romantic and look like a hobbo in baggy clothes. I'm never going to use baggy clothes. Fuck religion and society.
@@genevievec8476 school is a prison. Your not allowed to be yourself especially if that means you're unique. I was targeted all the time by "teachers" for wearing any make up , short skirt , taking off my jumper in hot weather , wearing a natural looking self tanner, lateness , not being good at maths , finding it difficult to concentrate etc. Schools are awful ,damaging places
The “over twenty but never old” solidified that for me! Even when I was under 20 everyone always thought I was in my early/mid twenties xD still do now
@Rose I looked into dramatic at the start of my typing journey but never saw it fit, same with typing groups when I’ve uploaded proper typing photos I’ve never received dramatic, for essence once or twice buts that’s only from the stylised and posed photos I post to my social feeds like the ones you found on my Instagram. I’ve attempted more dramatic styling but it just swallows me whole which lead to me looking into the softer, less vertical dominant types across various typing systems, looking into essences I tried dramatic recommend makeup/accessories and they both look far too heavy on me and weigh me down if that makes sense, almost like it’s sitting ontop my face there’s no harmony with it so I’d honestly put dramatic at probably the bottom of my list especially considering I’m about 5’4 so on the shorter end which shows in photos with others 😅 (which really stands out in photos)
My mother wanted me to dress with a classic essence and my father liked classic/natural. They have both, long ago left this world. I am a woman of a certain age just realizing how their expectations have inhibited me. Trying to break free yet not throw away the baby with the bath water.❤
I cannot believe you are providing all of this content for free. I am so grateful for your nuanced opinion and the deep dive. Combining McJimsey, Kibbe and Kitchener along with the seasonal color analysis is a much more accurate representation of what complements each person's unique beauty than comparing them to a piece of fruit. Thank you so much! I especially appreciate when you show how looks or outfits work with or against your Kibbe ID along with your essences. Seeing those comparisons really help illustrate your point. Please keep up the amazing work! I'd love to keep seeing the mom friendly suggestions especially breastfeeding friendly.
I love this! Kibbe is honestly incomplete on its own. I see people going back and forth about some typing, e.g. people saying Beyoncé is a soft dramatic when clearly she’s a romantic with some dramatic essence or that Charlize Theron is a theatrical romantic when she’s a flamboyant natural with romantic essence. Or that Zendaya and Taylor swift are gamines when they are dramatics with ingenue or gamine essence. It completes it. These things are never gonna be precise. Bodies weren’t created according to these systems, they’re just a language created to describe natural patterns so we have to give people room to breathe and respect the spectrums that WILL exist even within the subcategories. They’re a springboard to your style, something you can abide by or ignore completely. Your choice! Love your videos subscribing for sure.
I do think Kibbe can work beautifully on it's own for some people. And that is take is more fluid/vibe influenced than everyone (myself included) has given him credit for. That being said, I think style should be personal and Kitchener can also help hone that recipe. Totally agree things don't need to be precise, they should be a unique reflection of your best features and expressions. I'm no longer part of Strictly Kibbe but apparently there is a whole big debate about Beyonce and whether she's still on the verified list. Glad you liked the video!
I don’t get how some people can’t see your romantic essence. It seems so obvious! You have so many sensual curves to your face. Your full, lush lips and your big eyes alone are so romantic. Your contrast in coloring too. Btw, I actually liked the light purple dress on you. I think because the color was soft, it didn’t look too glamorous.
Thank you! I think everyone has stereotypes to essences and it can be hard sometimes to remove them ( like I know i"m no Marilyn Monroe lol). I like elements of that purple dress ( like the neckline and general upper body shape), but the skirt was a bit too confining and veryy hard to walk in ( it was kind of a weird shuffle), so I ended up returning it. I agree the color was helping, though!
After doing a deep-dive on essences, I believe my perfect mix is about 1:1:1 Romantic-Ingenue-Natural. I've been told very often that I have a cutesy yet sultry energy and look about me and I have also been told very often that I can often give a "hippie" vibe. I have found that over the years without even realizing it, I have been blending aspects of these styles into my looks.
About the cultural appropriation thing: I understand the importance of not trivializing cultures, but I don’t think people necessarily need to deny themselves certain kinds of color or ornate detail just because they are white. Every part of the world, including all of Europe, has a history of colorful folk clothing with ornate patterns and luxurious textures. Its part of human nature. I think it is a mistake to create this binary of “colorful, interesting cultures” vs “white, clean, western culture.” This aesthetic binary is a very new concept in history, established as part of white supremacy. Of course there are specific patterns that have significant meanings, but nobody owns the entire concept of “ornate/colorful” or “simple/white”. And even as far as more culturally specific styles, not everyone aggress on where the line is between sharing and stealing. Consider the way musical instruments have moved through the world over time. If everyone stayed in their cultural box, we wouldn’t have the Scottish bagpipe and the Sicilian bagpipe, and the bagpipes of so many other cultures, which all sound a little different. Anyway, I think this is a really complex topic, and we should allow it to be a more open discussion, instead of a political taboo, or strict set of rules.
I agree and I think given more time or a video on this subject I could have clarified this sentiment. Unfortunately, I just went with a quick disclaimer so ppl wouldn’t disrespect significant cultural garments
@Samiya Masih hmm i mean i guess it depends who you’re hearing it from. I do agree there’s been an evolution of these systems and different creators use yin/yang in unique ways. But a lot of the baseline characteristics are the same and I do my best to give a large overview
@Samiya Masih No, people just don't like being what is considered 'common' and that stunts their ability to find their own way in these communities. The Natural essence is one of the most common yes but that's not a drawback, it actually makes things A LOT easier to dress yourself.
I was having a hard time accepting that I was dominantly romantic in essence because I never considered myself remotely "romantic" lol your breakdowns made this much easier to understand and digest! Thank you!
Found myself going down this rabbit hole by way of color seasons (true winter!), and I just love your content! 2024 is going to be my year of figuring out my style and what works for my body, personality, and vibes-or essence! I spent quite a bit of time agonizing over my Kibbe ID as a 5'9" woman with predominantly soft features otherwise, but moving on to Kitchener and seeing how much romantic essence solved it for me! Like Ava Gardner, I'm a Soft Dramatic with romantic essence. Definitely fits my life as an opera singer!
I cannot get enough of your intelligent and considered break down of all of this. I could cry with joy about how respectful and inclusive you are. Awesome awesome.
I was thinking that perhaps to describe this type in a less umm ... Objectified/ inappropriate way... We could think more to describe it like "the adventure Romantic lead in a movie" or the Old Hollywood idea of "Swashbuckler royal", (like a Princess x pirate kind of vibe).... softly put together presence yet with a certain air of "danger" or "dare" to them.
Could you elaborate on what a blend of Kitchener romantic and ingenue would look and dress like? Several of the features and recommendations seem to contradict each other. Any help much appreciated! (ex. Romantic - looks over 20 but not older, Ingenue - looks young) (Romantic - large scale florals and dark colors, Ingenue - small scale prints and light colors)
Marilyn Monroe and Scarlett Johanson are both considered romantic/ingenue. Ultimately how they combine both essences would depend on which one is dominant and their personal style.
The mom section!! 🙌 Definitely have this essence. I will say that I love more “touchable” fabrics because I have small children who I carry around and hug all the time- I have literally thought about fabrics being soft and snuggly so a baby could fall asleep on me comfortably 😂 This was a great video as always, I love your “guidance counselor” approach. There’s a few people I’ve stopped watching because they end up making their own systems and I don’t have time!
Yessss! I saw the "mom outfit" section and immediately thought "you have to let Gabby know in the comments that that was highly appreciated!". When you are trying to dress for your essence blend and your body type while dressing in something functional ( i.e. nursing friendly or easy to throw on and move around in) it just gets too complicated! So thanks again for that! And in general, for all the work you put into this series 💕💕💕
I think the "you really will be surprised" is directed at those coming from Kibbe only, as I wasn't at all surprised, not coming from those preconceptions ;) I've long known Romantic and Ingenue are my main essences, mainly due to my facial features :) (even though in Kibbe I'm excluded from all Romantics due to my just-slightly-over-average height, except maybe SD :() Having those both at maybe around 30%, it's not always easy to know which qualities fit which & to what extent, but luckily I usually just "know it" without having to analyze at all, e.g. in my outfits, I instantly know if something's off, even if I wouldn't always know why ;)
I think many people conflate looking young (or even having a lighter skin tone) with ingenue essence. Whereas I can see how the bigger glamorous earrings serve you more than the daintier pair. But you are right, not in too much of a concentration
Agree. For example,Scarlette johanson,is cleary a romantic,the imthat they see is just because she is blonde if she was a brunette she would be clearly a romantic.
Would love it if you could include some modest options for each essence. For example, romantic modest style is often overlooked, but I believe you can look feminine and romantic without showing skin or soo curves (red tones, nice cuts, high-quality fabric).
Yes you absolutely can. Thank you for this feedback. I'm doing classic next (which I think is pretty easy to make more modest), but I"ll definitely include this section going forward!
i love this series! i was typed by a consultant who works with kitchener as an ingenue but watching your videos im trying to figure out my essence blend because i think just from a photo it can be hard to understand a “vibe”… i do like romantic details hehe i’m all about soft fabrics !!
Thanks for the mom friendly options! I actually love this feminine look and I’ve been so drawn to it, but I’ve felt like it’s too glamorous for my lifestyle but you e given some practical examples to work with. Thanks SO much
Great video , this is like a description of me and I really see myself in aishwarya rai and I look great in a full romantic outfit so I'd say I'm at least 50% Romantic (unique romantic) Edit I had my essences done and my strongest essence is Romantic which makes sooo much sense. In order im Romantic ,ingenue, gamine dramatic , classic. I don't know what percentages I think my romantic essence must be at least 70% and I can really see it now. I used to always do a strong , sharp cat eye with black liquid eyeliner whenever I did a full face of makeup and I thought it looked great , now I see it goes well with my prominent cheekbones but looks really disharmonious to the rest of my face but when I look back at other makeup like on my profile photo here on RUclips where I'm wearing the makeup you described I look really great and it just really fits with my face and brings out my smokiness and enhances my romantic essence. Thank you for your beautiful video and your lovely descriptions
Dramatic essence next, please--I feel it is so often misunderstood and treated as a second-best. And you're right about Keira Knightley having romantic essence; it explains so well her ability to carry off certain lines and styles that her Kibbe ID might otherwise have put the kibosh on. I hadn't thought about those two romantic essence subtypes but appreciate you trying to present them in a non-problematic way. Hard agree on fabrics not equaling boundaries or lack thereof--just because I wear draped silk anything isn't a license for other people to turn me into an object! It's 2022, and it's high time we stopped making assumptions about people based on the sensuality of their visual presentation. I've dressed in "romantic nomad" styles before, and it certainly attracted attention, but I'm guessing I have shoelace levels of natural essence. (I look rumpled and lost in my clothes whenever I try to do majority natural lewks.) As far as "unique romantic" styles, yes, I can pull this off to a large extent. The color red? Check. Artful construction and ruching? Check. Luxurious fabrics with some body to them? Check. Visual references to sensuality? Check. I don't, however, do as well with lace or florals. I suspect my dramatic essence is heavy enough that I do better with an implied yin undercurrent as opposed to something more blatant. (Based on my unscientific calculations, I have just enough romantic essence to land me in hot water if I inadvertently lean into the flirtiness that this essence is known for.)
I've since taken a look at Kitchener's essences chart and calculated my blend (more or less). It comes out to 50% Dramatic, 30% Romantic, 20% Ethereal--plus shoelace levels of Natural and Gamine. I will say I was a bit shocked that Romantic came out as strong as it did. (Going back to McJimsey's recommendations for Dramatic, I find references to diagonal draping and power shoulders, so I think I know now what I'll be shopping for.)
I always enjoy your videos but this one actually made me realize that I reluctantly have Romantic essence in my blend. I have resisted the idea because I'm uncomfortable with overtly sexy looks, which just aren't me. However, I do love cashmere (have a red cashmere sweater), as well as other sensual fabrics typical of Romantic essence. So I realized that I wear prints, colours, and fabrics of a Romantic in SN or C lines. Thanks.
Im with you. But I realized I love glamorous sexy outfits (luxurious fabrics, faux fur, heels, leopard print) like you said. but not the tight fitting dresses.
Your video has helped me realise I’m 50% romantic 40% dramatic 10% ethereal (because everyone always says I’m the definition of angelic so I feel that I can’t ignore it😭) my kibbe type is sort dramatic so luckily this all aligns!!
totally agree that romantic is one of the most common essences. That probably explains why it can be so jarring when we someone that doesn’t have any ounce of sex appeal.
I went into this essence thing assuming I was an Ingenue Gamine blend because I'm so petite and small. I have been mistaken as a boy, called cute and impish just to find out that I don't suit Ingenue AT ALL. I clearly have romantic in my blend and now soooooo much of my life and styling experiences just make sense! Thank you for these!
kk i think ive found everything,, good job on these videos, its a lot of work, it helped me alot,, also ur site helped as well! ,, at the end ive found by seasons im dark winter ,, by kibbe im a soft classic (the only thing i dont relate to is the face , i have a baby face but my outer face shape is long and i dont have tht much of cheeks , ppl still think i look younger and smaller in height than i actually am,,, by 3-4 yrs atleast and im actually 5'6 in height) soo ig it matches? the body description is accurate for me, also i love dark colors i wear black mostly , but dramatic sharp shapes never suited me :) ,, andd for the essences natural , gamine and a bit of romantic may suit me! , i think its gamine 1st, natural 2nd and romantic 3rd 😌👍 thx againnn
thank you so much for pointing out the problematic terminology used by the creators of these systems!! i do find both kibbe and kitchener systems to be fascinating and helpful, but they really do focus heavily on eurocentric features and use idealized and objectified imagery of women - describing women as aesthetics rather than people.
I'm Indian (ethnically) and I just need to say how much I LOVE how respectful you try to be to cultures different from your own. One suggestion though is some clarity when it comes to hair/eye colour. I'm a little confused because you mention having dark hair and eyes are high contrast with skin. However, I have dark hair and eyes but there's not much contrast with my skin. So I'm just not sure how to evaluate myself on that aspect. Any help would be appreciated. All of your other help is wonderful and I appreciate your work so much ❤
You can have dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes and still have contrast. It's very hard to explain, but you could only tell it on someone through a photo. I only know because my younger sister is dark skinned and has brown hair black eyes etc. And she's super high contrast (which sucks bc she only likes neutral colors where I wish I could wear the colors she can, but I don't look as great)
I can definitely see the Romantic in you, I always like seeing how you interpret it in your personal style. Even when you are covering an essence or look that I know isn’t a part of my personal blend, I find that I learn a lot because of the focus on principles across types. Looking forward to the next essence in the series, whichever it may be 🌹
Is it just me or does Romantic essence seem to equate more to Kibbe's Soft Dramatic suggestions than his Romantic? I'm a SD and lots of the style suggestions were on point for me although I think I only have about 10% Romantic essence. Thanks for being so thorough! Dramatic or Natural essence next please!
yes, I think that's true to a certain degree. Because kitchener has two "more" yin Ids- the ingenue and angelic- romantic is not his most yin ID, so it becomes less small scale
I think I have a very similar essence blend to you, but due to my height I would guess I'm a soft dramatic. This has been super helpful! Post-partum I find myself needing to do a wardrobe overhaul.
I have loved all your essence videos so much. They're funny, informative, and very detailed! I love how they are organized to be as applicable to real life as possible. In general, I love how you translate ideals and aesthetics to practicality in your channel without it being like, "So you like luxury, but you aren't a princess? Say no more! Wear this t-shirt with a graphic print of a crown!" haha. As a woman of color I just want to say it is genuinely very appreciated that you went out of your way to address the racism in these texts and adapt around it. You might be surprised how often people make it clear they don't care about that or appear to think their audience is only of other white people - eg when makeup youtube was big people would complain about brown lipsticks and nail polishes and compare them to sh!t and be like "Who is this even for who would wear this it's so ugly" like it's not literally people's skin color. The fact that you are always SO thoughtful in choosing a diverse range of races and bodies and mentioning you are trying to not emphasize gender stereotypes is refreshing and welcoming.
I am so glad I've discovered your channel! Have been slowly working my way through your videos these past few days and these longer-form explanations of the essences have done wonders for my understanding as well as my acceptance of my own god/mum-and-dad-given traits. My introduction to styling systems was through Kibbe via Aly Art which, as a plus size yang-dominant woman who has always been conscious of her largeness etc. was not particularly confidence boosting with her use of words like "massive" etc. I found myself thinking that I was, first of all hideous, but later a "tall romantic" because everything just appeared round and soft when I looked in the mirror but was later upset to find out that Kibbe made a hard height limit for DIYers, given that I couldn't not relate to either the SD or FN descriptor. I was not narrow yet curvy or broad and straight, I was broad and curvy. Fast forward several years and I have just discovered your channel and realise that while I do have a dominant natural essence, I think I also have a decent amount of romantic in my blend. My previous confusion makes sense now as I have tonnes of large-scale curve but misunderstood how that interacted with the contradicting aspects of my look and some of my mannerisms. Possibly being some sort of 'romantic nomad' makes so much sense and I'm excited to try your suggestions out and work towards a wardrobe I can actually take joy in.
Appropriation and appreciation are different things, so please keep in mind what the difference is: respect to knowledge. Like traditional garb outside your own culture? Does it have cultural significance to that culture? Is it reserved for specific rituals where people “earn” them? Maybe don’t replicate it if you answered yes to all 3. You can take inspiration in some of the structural elements of it, keeping in mind you were inspired by them after you LEARN from the keepers of this culture.
@@Gabriellearrudadesign You addressed it perfectly. You addressed a lot of the potentially problematic parts super well. :) Just wanted to add a bit of info to hopefully help others navigate.
I love the effort and the amount of information in these essence videos. They're easy to understand and helps me apply essences on other style systems. Thank you so much for these!
1:02 "*Note: The meanings given here to Yin and Yang represent the reaction of many individuals to these two word-ideas. Yin-Yang for our purposes will always have positive interpretations. Yin will mean not negative weakness, frailty, subjection, but more positively, gentleness, mildness, delicacy. Yang will mean not negative aggressiveness, crudeness, overbearing mannishness, but strength, poise, dignity." YES PREACH MS. BELLE NORTHRUP. THAT is how you provide a clear disclaimer, Mr. Kibbe! If more people understood this, more people would be much more accepting of themselves in these systems and find use for them rather than trying to find anything that will tell you you're not a flamboyant natural because dude body (totally what I've been doing all week).
Thank you for this video. I’m generally quite uncomfortable with the “femme, sexy” style suggestions that come with this essence, but this was so inclusive and made me feel like I can adapt this into something that feels right for me.
am loving your series. i am so fortunate enough to have recognised in my early 20s that i like the romantic style and it suits me. i also love the drama and theatrical styles of the 40s and 50s and my idol was marilyn monroe, elizabeth taylor sophia loren etc etc. ive always veered towards velvet, silk, cashmere etc and jersey. i really believe that this is so helpful for most women. thank you so much
Just wanted to say how I love your channel, the best one on this niche in the English language, hands down. I had some trouble finding out my blend because I never felt ''enough'' for any of them. But I think it's probably because I'm hella blended: Probably a Romantic/Classic/Dramatic, in that order and probably a 35/35/30 (I wanted to be Angelic so hard but c'est la vie LOL). I think Classic might be my secondary one because I feel too overwhelmed by the extremes of Romantic and Dramatic but a blend of all three with a good dash of minimalism and clean lines feels perfect. I'm also a Kibbe SD but I don't consider myself Diva Chic ''enough'' though lol
I would have immediately said I have zero romantic essence but some of my favorite clothing is cashmere, velvet, lace, red, wrap shirts with deep V. I usually mix with a natural element (jeans) and boots. I can do the hair but a big no on eye liner and red lips and big NO on the flashy jewelry.
I am proud of my gypsy heritage and will always call it that! The oversensitive pansies need to stop censoring everyone and everything! #Romagirl #gypsyblood #westernboho #Romagirlstrong
I like the idea of renaming the subtypes to certain character archetypes vs calling it the "romantic nomad" or "unique romantic". My first thought would be the Amazon and the Vampire, respectively, but that was just where my mind went.
The two romantic subtypes you described kinda remind me of sun & moon aechetypes! One more bohemian & light & the other enigmatic & refined I love your green top (dress?). I have been obsessed with that color for the past 6 months
I have been doing a deep dive into Kibbe and felt like something was missing when trying to type myself. I think you have helped me find it in your essences series. I have come to the conclusion I am a SN with ingenue and romantic essence which I would never have figured out without your videos. Thank you!
I really believe in this approach of mixing your kibbie with your essence because I have been typed a soft classic but those neutral colors do nothing for me and my spirit tends to be more romantic although I am also classic. But there are days when I feel something of the other types. There are plenty of days when I reach for a more gentle aunjanue look and there are also days when I like more of a dramatic romantic look. Still it did help me to be typed as a soft classic because that is my general look just a little heavy on the romantic. Not everybody is just one way and I like how you think about that. Thank you for these great videos!
This was helpful bc I’m a Kibbe TR and while I do really like/look great in 1940’s stuff, there is a side of me that is more subdued and natural, so I’m thinking its the gypsy, or whatever you called it. I did take the essence test a couple of times and they seemed way off, I’m not ingenue at all, but I also feel too awkward to truly be a romantic, lol, maybe I’ll keep reading.
The quality of this video is just impeccable. This kind of topic has a lot of complexities but you always explain so well with depth. And the editing, the examples, the realistic approach, the honoring the system creators while appropriately revising.. ✨ I always finish watching your videos having gained a lot of knowledge and more confidence in dressing myself. You are a gem in the style community. Please continue doing what you do ❤️ I vote for natural essence next!
Hola! I think this is really good info and great video. You did and exquisite job explaining the essences, the contrast , differences, the percentage, the interactions and the feel one gets when observing these details. I also agree with your self assessment of your romantic essence with the nomad undertone 👩🏽🍳👌🏽💋 Chef's kiss. Also suscribing right away!
very well done, Gabrielle!!! I honestly think your videos are the best in terms of real life styling :)) so thank you VERY MUCH for putting effort for us! love your content!
Thanks for these videos! Today I finally started learning about Kitchener essences, and I think it might help put to rest my ID worries with Kibbe. Always debated between Kibbe Romantic and Soft Natural since I have mature feminine energy but also had those broader, more blunt shoulders. Now I'm thinking I'm a soft natural with a strong romantic essence. Thanks so much!
Finally understand my essence!!! Im a dramatic classic but def lean a lot towards the alluring romantic because of the dramatic , all those romantic elements and items live in my closet and favourite pieces and are the ones that really seem to make me shine .
I’ve been told I have romantic essence… and some gamine essence. Apparently I’m a DC - despite being barely 5’2, delicate wrists, tiny hands and feet… but I don’t fit gamine. But my essence like I said I’ve been told is romantic & gamine.
Ok, I think this video has convinced me that romantic is NOT in my top 3 lol I have the "true romantic" Kibbe type, so I think part of me thought I MUST fit into the romantic essence too somehow, but I really don't. Discovering the concept of the ingenue essence was kind of a personal epiphany that helped me understand and start to accept myself on another level, which has really kickstarted my interest in the essences in general. I also definitely have some major yang in my blend, and I think it's natural. It's that third one that I'm still trying to nail down, which I believe is another yin. When I first heard about angelic/etherial, it didn't seem to fit me at all, especially the long lines. I'm 5'5" and everything is rounded - face, lips, shoulders, hips, thighs, curved all over. But after examining romantic more closely, as well as some aspects of my tastes I've let fall by the wayside, I'm starting to wonder if maybe etherial is a better fit after all, even if it's a definite minority in my blend. I'm still quite new to all this, but it's been very interesting.
I'm glad it's been insightful. It can take some playing around to see your exact blend and ultimately it's up to you to find your own style recipe. I have a deep dive on the angelic/ethereal that might be helpful as well!
I've just started my learning about Kibbe body types two nights ago and Kitchener essences last night and have watched your video tonight before I went out to my sister's birthday. From what I can discern, I possibly have mostly classic and ingenue essences, but from this video and trying out an outfit tonight perhaps I have romantic in my blend too? When getting ready tonight, I switched out my classic skirt from the daytime to a romantic-classic black pencil skirt with large ruffles diagonally across the skirt, and kept my very classic-ingenue vintage-style pastel green blouse, wore my long wavy dark hair out and wore my usual going-out makeup look with fresh-faced skin, blush, full fluffy brows, simply defined eyes and red lipstick. I felt like myself, but in an outfit I hadn't worn before. And a girl rushed past me at the club then doubled back to tell me she thought I was so pretty! I must have done something right :)
Thank you for demystifying the romantic essence. I would like to see the natural essence explained because it is so misunderstood. Also it was helpful at the very end when you briefly showed what a mixture of the essences might look on celebrities.
Thank you so much for your well researched, clearly explained, and modernized explanation of the romantic essence (the old language was just bleck… alongside the implications). IMHO I see your romantic essence in lux fabrics - satin and soft materials truly compliment your inner and outer radiance.
One other thought - The language shift and framing around that you take is constructive towards reducing fetishization. Take curves alone - I was taught having romantic elements, being curvy, is something to be fetishized (more directly so by other women than men) and you should hide your curves by deemphasizing the waist and turning an hourglass into a rectangle. Your videos have been helping me to unpack that. So thank you again.
I'm a kibbe romantic with a true spring coloring and black should be one of my worst colors. But still I tend to wear a lot of black and I feel really confident in it. I was wondering If that's because of the more mature side of romantic essence that thrives with those more dramatic colors. Being all soft and rounded and basically all yin, I look really childish, really easily if i wear those ingenue type clothes. Even though I have that 'youthful' look on me, I don't think I have a lot of ingenue essence. What you said about looking young, but still an adult made so much sense to me. I'm quite confident in my kibbe ID, but these essences are really hard to figure by yourself.
I was thinking 20-30ish% romantic blend for you too. I think you definitely have natural. I wish I did but I noticed the relaxed that I need is the angelic kind. Otherwise I look sloppy (something someone might consider if they're at a loss). It looks so good and effortless on others though.
It's been a while since I've been so eager for a creator's new release :') I love the fluidity in your approach to Kibbe / body essence / personal styling in general. It's so much more intuitive, personalised and idk, more forgiving than some of the other content that got me into Kibbe. :3 Edit: Also, nothing has ever felt more like me than Romantic Nomad :'D Woohoo. This video is gold
Oh my goodness, this was another amazing video, and so detailed. Very respectful too. I really love the visual examples. I now reluctantly have to admit that I'm pretty sure I have a higher romantic % than a classic % (initially thought it was the other way around). You've explained it really well. Thank you!
Glad you found it helpful! It can be a journey to explore the balance of your essences and see how you like to show up in your actual style, so I'd just continue playing around with them
I have never and still do not feel that the terms "gypsy" or "exotic" are derogatory terms at all. I can hear those words and know exactly what type of woman and clothing they represent, and neither brings up negative associations. Most people consider a crossover in cultural fashion as flattering, and it is often referred to as "cultural sharing" or "cultural blending" now. Other cultures have adopted Western fashion as the norm, which I find a shame. If one is wearing the clothes of another culture as a Halloween costume, however, that might push the boundaries of done in a rude way. A sophisticated, cultured woman should be more accepting of cultural crossovers, be they fashion, mannerisms, music, or artwork. I should not have to be scolded by a younger woman for those views, either. Other than your political comments, I enjoyed the video. As a true romantic (75%), I saw myself in your descriptions.
I actually love the lavender dress on you! (Time stamp 32:56) The fuzzies might be too much in some contexts, but you can pull this off, imo. It’s a great low contrast look.
15:30 I'm Indian (born and bred) and I don't know anyone, nor do I feel this way myself, who thinks wearing our clothes is cultural appropriation. It makes us happy that others not of our culture would want to try our culture and enjoy it. Culture is meant to be shared and if it isn't, it will die out. Please don't let it die out, celebrate it and be respectful as you do it ❤
As a south Asian I agree. I never understood this cultural appropriation and people getting offended by it. I love it when others try different cultures and traditions
I agree. One of my besties is also Indian born and raised. When I was learning to dress my body she was the first one to bring me all these beautiful traditional fabrics or clothes for me to try. She suggested I mix it with western style clothes as I have a look that requires a certain luminescent quality (I'm SD in Kibbe but Dramatic Romantic with small percentage of Ingenue in Kitchener. I can get away with a lot of Ethereal but because I'm short at 5'3 75" and super high contrast (True Winter), I can't say I might be a candidate in that despite my look requiring so many of those guidelines).
I disagree I'm Pakistani & if a white person, black person who isn't mixed with us i'd have a problem with it bc of how Americans & Europeans make fun of our culture & us as a ppl & then to wear our stuff on top I very much would have an issue unless they marry into our culture then it's okay
Thank you - I'm an old hippie type and wore (and still do) lots of Indian prints, jewelry and skirts in the seventies because they are so beautiful. To me, that is honoring your culture and appreciating its unique beauty.
@@maryamgill6895 Thanks for putting in your take as well
15:26 I was born in Japan but am not Japanese, I feel apart of the culture, but I don't look it. I thought I was not allowed to wear yukatas or kimonos as a white person in Australia. Then when I came back here to live I saw all the kimonos that are unwanted. Being recycled, filling up 2nd hand stores, being reused for other purposes.
I got given yukatas (cotton kimono for summer - less complex to wear) as gifts and wearing them to a festival was such a lovely experience. I can't wait to wear them more often.
I'd be so happy to not be the only one wearing kimonos to stop them from going in the bin and I all my Japanese friends feel the same.
I’m Brazilian and I have some native traits. I can say that a lot of people are comfortable about others “appropriating” our style and celebrating it. It’s better to share than to be forgotten, and respect is something much more subject to the culture manners.
Well said! If a style or textile is worn with respect and enthusiasm, then it's a beautiful thing. Also, reserving certain elements only for a certain culture creates another problem, that of racial profiling based on clothing. And, if people of a particular culture happily sell you an outfit, textile, or accessory, who are we to gatekeep? This is a very nuanced subject, and I don't think there's a one-size-fits all approach, especially for those of us from a multicultural background.
I'm Brazilian Too🇧🇷💖😍💕
@@sarafilgueira 😊❤️❤️
Another Brazilian here!
Hey 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
I think the way we discuss the romantic type is pretty tricky and you did a good job. No one wants to be put in a box of being only sexualized, but there’s also nothing wrong with female sexuality and I feel like sometimes in an effort to protect women we end up accidentally caging them. Tuning into sensuality and sexuality are part of what I’ve loved most about learning to dress for this essence.
Thanks for this full and detailed video! You can tell how much work you put into it 🙏
Agree! I love tuning into my sensuality but I never want ppl to feel objectified. I’m glad you liked it 🌹
This is an absolute buffet of essence content and I'm living for it. Seriously thanks for deep diving because there are actual qualitative features to train my eye here besides the usual abstract feeling words (which can be fun, but somehow I have to decide how to dress, not just imagine wine on a beach)
Haha, I mean I wish I could just have wine on the beach but... I'm glad it's been helpful!
That "I long to be touched" moment....reminds me of a particular outfit I wore once in winter - velvet long sleeve top, and corduroy trousers. That day the boss walked in to find three legal secretaries, two trainee attorneys, and the receptionist surrounding me just so they could touch the fabric. It was awkward to say the least. o.o
That is so awesome 😎
Got someone caressing my faux fur and nuzzling into it once. Haha
😂 omg! The optics!
As someone who has been a minority within my geographical context, it makes me happy to see other people wearing things which originated from different cultures…not offended. It’s like you said, this is “fun” and it’s beautiful when people appreciate & borrow from each other. It also creates a whole new culture (which is largely rooted in geography anyway).
Usually when people say not to appropriate (in my experience anyway) they're meaning more specifically in the example of the difference between wearing native American garbage and going to Party City and picking up a "Indian girl" outfit with shabby feathers and tassels then taking weird pics in it. Or only ever wearing other cultures clothing in the context of sexualizing them, we get sexualized as "exotic" enough as is, we really don't need people OVERTLY sexualizing us in the bedroom anymore.
This cultural appropriation thing is a thing for the US. most ppl from around the world would agree with you (me included)
-a non american
@@monito3575 Completely, my culture is a culture of appropriation. Our traditional foods, dresses, dances, speech, none of it is "ours", but we see it as just the natural consequence of being conquered and becoming the shiny new thing to look at 500 years ago.
Yes, and that’s where I draw a hard line. But I think she is suggesting more broadly that white people shouldn’t wear clothing that is suggestive of other cultures in general. Which I don’t necessarily agree with.
That disclaimer at 16:24 about why your channel is about people figuring out they’re own type instead of typing them was so great! It’s true that just because you know your essence blend doesn’t mean that your journey is done. You still need to figure out every detail when you create a look which takes time to train your eye.
I love how thorough you are in these videos. You don’t leave any stone unturned.
Ah, I'm glad my rant wasn't too much! And I'm glad that you have found them thorough☺️
i’d just like to say-your editing is highly appreciated 💞
thank you! i have a lot of fun doing it🥰
Agreed!
It's extremely good
Knowing that I have a majority romantic essence with a slight dramatic essence (I’m also TR which makes sense) really makes sense why I was always singled out by my religious community for “looking too sexy” no matter what I wore even as a young girl (15-16) and always felt so round and even at my thinnest. First, fuck religious body shaming, and second, I’m embracing my sensuality for the first time with no shame or apologies and feel amazing.
Remember is the people, is the same for me, so I stated to dress more clasic, exept my shoes jajaja, but this happen to me, thanks to other women that use her body for benefit in a sexual and like an object way rather than sensual feminine way with respect, and hollywood ... yes I get you
I doubt it was no natter what you wore. If you wore a loose sweater, shawl and loose maxi skirt, you're not going to 'look too sexy'.
Same!!! I wasn't religious but school principals would be pulling me out of class for wearing identical outfits as other girls, I asked them why the duck they're singling me out n they said they will "deal with" those girls but never did.
@@Ri57490 yeah and she is going to look bad in them. I'm also romantic and look like a hobbo in baggy clothes. I'm never going to use baggy clothes. Fuck religion and society.
@@genevievec8476 school is a prison. Your not allowed to be yourself especially if that means you're unique. I was targeted all the time by "teachers" for wearing any make up , short skirt , taking off my jumper in hot weather , wearing a natural looking self tanner, lateness , not being good at maths , finding it difficult to concentrate etc. Schools are awful ,damaging places
The “over twenty but never old” solidified that for me! Even when I was under 20 everyone always thought I was in my early/mid twenties xD still do now
@Rose I looked into dramatic at the start of my typing journey but never saw it fit, same with typing groups when I’ve uploaded proper typing photos I’ve never received dramatic, for essence once or twice buts that’s only from the stylised and posed photos I post to my social feeds like the ones you found on my Instagram. I’ve attempted more dramatic styling but it just swallows me whole which lead to me looking into the softer, less vertical dominant types across various typing systems, looking into essences I tried dramatic recommend makeup/accessories and they both look far too heavy on me and weigh me down if that makes sense, almost like it’s sitting ontop my face there’s no harmony with it so I’d honestly put dramatic at probably the bottom of my list especially considering I’m about 5’4 so on the shorter end which shows in photos with others 😅 (which really stands out in photos)
Yes! Me too! I was thought of as older more mature when I was a teen but now I'm in my mid 30s people think I'm a lot younger than I am!
@@Alt__Amy you look like ethereal mixed with slight ingenue to me. Don't know surely but based on your profile picture i analyzed it.
My mother wanted me to dress with a classic essence and my father liked classic/natural. They have both, long ago left this world. I am a woman of a certain age just realizing how their expectations have inhibited me. Trying to break free yet not throw away the baby with the bath water.❤
I cannot believe you are providing all of this content for free. I am so grateful for your nuanced opinion and the deep dive. Combining McJimsey, Kibbe and Kitchener along with the seasonal color analysis is a much more accurate representation of what complements each person's unique beauty than comparing them to a piece of fruit. Thank you so much! I especially appreciate when you show how looks or outfits work with or against your Kibbe ID along with your essences. Seeing those comparisons really help illustrate your point. Please keep up the amazing work! I'd love to keep seeing the mom friendly suggestions especially breastfeeding friendly.
I love this! Kibbe is honestly incomplete on its own. I see people going back and forth about some typing, e.g. people saying Beyoncé is a soft dramatic when clearly she’s a romantic with some dramatic essence or that Charlize Theron is a theatrical romantic when she’s a flamboyant natural with romantic essence. Or that Zendaya and Taylor swift are gamines when they are dramatics with ingenue or gamine essence. It completes it.
These things are never gonna be precise. Bodies weren’t created according to these systems, they’re just a language created to describe natural patterns so we have to give people room to breathe and respect the spectrums that WILL exist even within the subcategories. They’re a springboard to your style, something you can abide by or ignore completely. Your choice! Love your videos subscribing for sure.
I do think Kibbe can work beautifully on it's own for some people. And that is take is more fluid/vibe influenced than everyone (myself included) has given him credit for. That being said, I think style should be personal and Kitchener can also help hone that recipe. Totally agree things don't need to be precise, they should be a unique reflection of your best features and expressions.
I'm no longer part of Strictly Kibbe but apparently there is a whole big debate about Beyonce and whether she's still on the verified list.
Glad you liked the video!
I don’t get how some people can’t see your romantic essence. It seems so obvious! You have so many sensual curves to your face. Your full, lush lips and your big eyes alone are so romantic. Your contrast in coloring too.
Btw, I actually liked the light purple dress on you. I think because the color was soft, it didn’t look too glamorous.
Thank you! I think everyone has stereotypes to essences and it can be hard sometimes to remove them ( like I know i"m no Marilyn Monroe lol). I like elements of that purple dress ( like the neckline and general upper body shape), but the skirt was a bit too confining and veryy hard to walk in ( it was kind of a weird shuffle), so I ended up returning it. I agree the color was helping, though!
Gabrielle is not romantic, I seen her totally flamboyant natural
@@gagaearthian that’s kibbe- yes I’m an FN in kibbe. Essences are blends so you can be more than one
@@Gabriellearrudadesign I get that, but sorry I can't see the romantic one 💖
@@gagaearthian The kitchener romantic differs a lot from the kibble romantic. I also don't see any kibbe romantic but I do see kitchener romantic.
After doing a deep-dive on essences, I believe my perfect mix is about 1:1:1 Romantic-Ingenue-Natural. I've been told very often that I have a cutesy yet sultry energy and look about me and I have also been told very often that I can often give a "hippie" vibe. I have found that over the years without even realizing it, I have been blending aspects of these styles into my looks.
I think I’m like you but backwards version!
About the cultural appropriation thing: I understand the importance of not trivializing cultures, but I don’t think people necessarily need to deny themselves certain kinds of color or ornate detail just because they are white. Every part of the world, including all of Europe, has a history of colorful folk clothing with ornate patterns and luxurious textures. Its part of human nature. I think it is a mistake to create this binary of “colorful, interesting cultures” vs “white, clean, western culture.” This aesthetic binary is a very new concept in history, established as part of white supremacy. Of course there are specific patterns that have significant meanings, but nobody owns the entire concept of “ornate/colorful” or “simple/white”. And even as far as more culturally specific styles, not everyone aggress on where the line is between sharing and stealing. Consider the way musical instruments have moved through the world over time. If everyone stayed in their cultural box, we wouldn’t have the Scottish bagpipe and the Sicilian bagpipe, and the bagpipes of so many other cultures, which all sound a little different. Anyway, I think this is a really complex topic, and we should allow it to be a more open discussion, instead of a political taboo, or strict set of rules.
I agree and I think given more time or a video on this subject I could have clarified this sentiment. Unfortunately, I just went with a quick disclaimer so ppl wouldn’t disrespect significant cultural garments
Awesome work as always!, I would love to watch Natural essence next, is definitely another one super misunderstood ☹️
It is also definitely misunderstood! I think that one might next so far!
I second this!
@Samiya Masih hmm i mean i guess it depends who you’re hearing it from. I do agree there’s been an evolution of these systems and different creators use yin/yang in unique ways. But a lot of the baseline characteristics are the same and I do my best to give a large overview
@Samiya Masih No, people just don't like being what is considered 'common' and that stunts their ability to find their own way in these communities. The Natural essence is one of the most common yes but that's not a drawback, it actually makes things A LOT easier to dress yourself.
It won out on the poll in her community tab so I think you're in luck :)
I was having a hard time accepting that I was dominantly romantic in essence because I never considered myself remotely "romantic" lol your breakdowns made this much easier to understand and digest! Thank you!
Found myself going down this rabbit hole by way of color seasons (true winter!), and I just love your content! 2024 is going to be my year of figuring out my style and what works for my body, personality, and vibes-or essence! I spent quite a bit of time agonizing over my Kibbe ID as a 5'9" woman with predominantly soft features otherwise, but moving on to Kitchener and seeing how much romantic essence solved it for me! Like Ava Gardner, I'm a Soft Dramatic with romantic essence. Definitely fits my life as an opera singer!
I cannot get enough of your intelligent and considered break down of all of this. I could cry with joy about how respectful and inclusive you are. Awesome awesome.
Thank you so much!!
I'm looking forward to a classic video eventually that isn't just how conservative or boring the classic essence is
Classic isn't boring at all👍
You do look truly incredible in the romantic nomad. The trumbnail picture of you is just wow🌟
I was thinking that perhaps to describe this type in a less umm ... Objectified/ inappropriate way... We could think more to describe it like "the adventure Romantic lead in a movie" or the Old Hollywood idea of "Swashbuckler royal", (like a Princess x pirate kind of vibe).... softly put together presence yet with a certain air of "danger" or "dare" to them.
Could you elaborate on what a blend of Kitchener romantic and ingenue would look and dress like? Several of the features and recommendations seem to contradict each other. Any help much appreciated! (ex. Romantic - looks over 20 but not older, Ingenue - looks young) (Romantic - large scale florals and dark colors, Ingenue - small scale prints and light colors)
Marilyn Monroe and Scarlett Johanson are both considered romantic/ingenue. Ultimately how they combine both essences would depend on which one is dominant and their personal style.
The mom section!! 🙌
Definitely have this essence. I will say that I love more “touchable” fabrics because I have small children who I carry around and hug all the time- I have literally thought about fabrics being soft and snuggly so a baby could fall asleep on me comfortably 😂
This was a great video as always, I love your “guidance counselor” approach. There’s a few people I’ve stopped watching because they end up making their own systems and I don’t have time!
I love the approach as well! It's also explained very clearly
I absolutely love this- what a sweet approach to your style!
Yessss! I saw the "mom outfit" section and immediately thought "you have to let Gabby know in the comments that that was highly appreciated!". When you are trying to dress for your essence blend and your body type while dressing in something functional ( i.e. nursing friendly or easy to throw on and move around in) it just gets too complicated! So thanks again for that! And in general, for all the work you put into this series 💕💕💕
Finally figured out why I always felt like I'm a FN with a SD face...thank you so much Gabrielle!
I think the "you really will be surprised" is directed at those coming from Kibbe only, as I wasn't at all surprised, not coming from those preconceptions ;) I've long known Romantic and Ingenue are my main essences, mainly due to my facial features :) (even though in Kibbe I'm excluded from all Romantics due to my just-slightly-over-average height, except maybe SD :() Having those both at maybe around 30%, it's not always easy to know which qualities fit which & to what extent, but luckily I usually just "know it" without having to analyze at all, e.g. in my outfits, I instantly know if something's off, even if I wouldn't always know why ;)
I think many people conflate looking young (or even having a lighter skin tone) with ingenue essence. Whereas I can see how the bigger glamorous earrings serve you more than the daintier pair. But you are right, not in too much of a concentration
Agree. For example,Scarlette johanson,is cleary a romantic,the imthat they see is just because she is blonde if she was a brunette she would be clearly a romantic.
"MOM, can I take your sarees and jewellery, I wanna be an alluring romantic?"
Im so excited to see you do more of these! Also as someone of south asian descent i really appreciate how kind you were. Love your work
Thank you so much!
Would love it if you could include some modest options for each essence. For example, romantic modest style is often overlooked, but I believe you can look feminine and romantic without showing skin or soo curves (red tones, nice cuts, high-quality fabric).
Yes you absolutely can. Thank you for this feedback. I'm doing classic next (which I think is pretty easy to make more modest), but I"ll definitely include this section going forward!
This was fantastic (honestly your entire Essence series has been *chef's kiss* so far). Putting in my vote for the Gamine essence next!
thank you so much!!
LOVE John Kitchner's system! Makes more sense!
Your essences are accurate, Gaby. Your height, mature allure, and relaxed vibe are what make you dramatic/natural/romantic.
Thanks! 🥰 I’m always surprised ppl see me as more youthful looking 😂
i love this series! i was typed by a consultant who works with kitchener as an ingenue but watching your videos im trying to figure out my essence blend because i think just from a photo it can be hard to understand a “vibe”… i do like romantic details hehe i’m all about soft fabrics !!
Thanks for the mom friendly options! I actually love this feminine look and I’ve been so drawn to it, but I’ve felt like it’s too glamorous for my lifestyle but you e given some practical examples to work with. Thanks SO much
I’m so glad you found it helpful!
Great video , this is like a description of me and I really see myself in aishwarya rai and I look great in a full romantic outfit so I'd say I'm at least 50% Romantic (unique romantic) Edit I had my essences done and my strongest essence is Romantic which makes sooo much sense. In order im Romantic ,ingenue, gamine dramatic , classic. I don't know what percentages I think my romantic essence must be at least 70% and I can really see it now. I used to always do a strong , sharp cat eye with black liquid eyeliner whenever I did a full face of makeup and I thought it looked great , now I see it goes well with my prominent cheekbones but looks really disharmonious to the rest of my face but when I look back at other makeup like on my profile photo here on RUclips where I'm wearing the makeup you described I look really great and it just really fits with my face and brings out my smokiness and enhances my romantic essence. Thank you for your beautiful video and your lovely descriptions
What an incredibly comprehensive body of knowledge about the romantic based on the work of Kibbe and Kitchener. Fabulous, and very much appreciated!
Dramatic essence next, please--I feel it is so often misunderstood and treated as a second-best. And you're right about Keira Knightley having romantic essence; it explains so well her ability to carry off certain lines and styles that her Kibbe ID might otherwise have put the kibosh on.
I hadn't thought about those two romantic essence subtypes but appreciate you trying to present them in a non-problematic way. Hard agree on fabrics not equaling boundaries or lack thereof--just because I wear draped silk anything isn't a license for other people to turn me into an object! It's 2022, and it's high time we stopped making assumptions about people based on the sensuality of their visual presentation.
I've dressed in "romantic nomad" styles before, and it certainly attracted attention, but I'm guessing I have shoelace levels of natural essence. (I look rumpled and lost in my clothes whenever I try to do majority natural lewks.) As far as "unique romantic" styles, yes, I can pull this off to a large extent. The color red? Check. Artful construction and ruching? Check. Luxurious fabrics with some body to them? Check. Visual references to sensuality? Check. I don't, however, do as well with lace or florals. I suspect my dramatic essence is heavy enough that I do better with an implied yin undercurrent as opposed to something more blatant. (Based on my unscientific calculations, I have just enough romantic essence to land me in hot water if I inadvertently lean into the flirtiness that this essence is known for.)
I've since taken a look at Kitchener's essences chart and calculated my blend (more or less). It comes out to 50% Dramatic, 30% Romantic, 20% Ethereal--plus shoelace levels of Natural and Gamine. I will say I was a bit shocked that Romantic came out as strong as it did. (Going back to McJimsey's recommendations for Dramatic, I find references to diagonal draping and power shoulders, so I think I know now what I'll be shopping for.)
I always enjoy your videos but this one actually made me realize that I reluctantly have Romantic essence in my blend. I have resisted the idea because I'm uncomfortable with overtly sexy looks, which just aren't me. However, I do love cashmere (have a red cashmere sweater), as well as other sensual fabrics typical of Romantic essence. So I realized that I wear prints, colours, and fabrics of a Romantic in SN or C lines. Thanks.
Im with you. But I realized I love glamorous sexy outfits (luxurious fabrics, faux fur, heels, leopard print) like you said. but not the tight fitting dresses.
Comfortable femininity. I love that term and that amount of “romantic”. Your videos are always so helpful.
Your video has helped me realise I’m 50% romantic 40% dramatic 10% ethereal (because everyone always says I’m the definition of angelic so I feel that I can’t ignore it😭) my kibbe type is sort dramatic so luckily this all aligns!!
totally agree that romantic is one of the most common essences. That probably explains why it can be so jarring when we someone that doesn’t have any ounce of sex appeal.
I went into this essence thing assuming I was an Ingenue Gamine blend because I'm so petite and small. I have been mistaken as a boy, called cute and impish just to find out that I don't suit Ingenue AT ALL. I clearly have romantic in my blend and now soooooo much of my life and styling experiences just make sense! Thank you for these!
Romantic is definitely one of my essences! Ingenue too. That's a very hard balance 😩
kk i think ive found everything,, good job on these videos, its a lot of work, it helped me alot,, also ur site helped as well! ,, at the end ive found by seasons im dark winter ,, by kibbe im a soft classic (the only thing i dont relate to is the face , i have a baby face but my outer face shape is long and i dont have tht much of cheeks , ppl still think i look younger and smaller in height than i actually am,,, by 3-4 yrs atleast and im actually 5'6 in height) soo ig it matches? the body description is accurate for me, also i love dark colors i wear black mostly , but dramatic sharp shapes never suited me :) ,,
andd for the essences natural , gamine and a bit of romantic may suit me! , i think its gamine 1st, natural 2nd and romantic 3rd 😌👍 thx againnn
thank you so much for pointing out the problematic terminology used by the creators of these systems!! i do find both kibbe and kitchener systems to be fascinating and helpful, but they really do focus heavily on eurocentric features and use idealized and objectified imagery of women - describing women as aesthetics rather than people.
I'm Indian (ethnically) and I just need to say how much I LOVE how respectful you try to be to cultures different from your own. One suggestion though is some clarity when it comes to hair/eye colour. I'm a little confused because you mention having dark hair and eyes are high contrast with skin. However, I have dark hair and eyes but there's not much contrast with my skin. So I'm just not sure how to evaluate myself on that aspect. Any help would be appreciated. All of your other help is wonderful and I appreciate your work so much ❤
You can have dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes and still have contrast. It's very hard to explain, but you could only tell it on someone through a photo.
I only know because my younger sister is dark skinned and has brown hair black eyes etc. And she's super high contrast (which sucks bc she only likes neutral colors where I wish I could wear the colors she can, but I don't look as great)
love that dark green dress you're wearing, it's gorgeous and really suits you!
I can definitely see the Romantic in you, I always like seeing how you interpret it in your personal style. Even when you are covering an essence or look that I know isn’t a part of my personal blend, I find that I learn a lot because of the focus on principles across types. Looking forward to the next essence in the series, whichever it may be 🌹
Thank you! I'm glad it's helping to see the broader principles!
@@SocialExperiment232 it's essence, not body type. i believe she said she was fn.
i’m pretty sure i only have a shoelace’s amount of this essence 😅 but this was so fun to watch nonetheless!
also, i vote natural next! B B B!
haha, I'm glad you liked it! And yes, I think natural might be next!
Is it just me or does Romantic essence seem to equate more to Kibbe's Soft Dramatic suggestions than his Romantic? I'm a SD and lots of the style suggestions were on point for me although I think I only have about 10% Romantic essence. Thanks for being so thorough! Dramatic or Natural essence next please!
yes, I think that's true to a certain degree. Because kitchener has two "more" yin Ids- the ingenue and angelic- romantic is not his most yin ID, so it becomes less small scale
I think I have a very similar essence blend to you, but due to my height I would guess I'm a soft dramatic. This has been super helpful! Post-partum I find myself needing to do a wardrobe overhaul.
I would like to see dramatic next, especially for your suggestions on including it in every day life.
Seconded!
Thirded 🙏🏻
Fourth!
I have loved all your essence videos so much. They're funny, informative, and very detailed! I love how they are organized to be as applicable to real life as possible. In general, I love how you translate ideals and aesthetics to practicality in your channel without it being like, "So you like luxury, but you aren't a princess? Say no more! Wear this t-shirt with a graphic print of a crown!" haha.
As a woman of color I just want to say it is genuinely very appreciated that you went out of your way to address the racism in these texts and adapt around it. You might be surprised how often people make it clear they don't care about that or appear to think their audience is only of other white people - eg when makeup youtube was big people would complain about brown lipsticks and nail polishes and compare them to sh!t and be like "Who is this even for who would wear this it's so ugly" like it's not literally people's skin color. The fact that you are always SO thoughtful in choosing a diverse range of races and bodies and mentioning you are trying to not emphasize gender stereotypes is refreshing and welcoming.
I am so glad I've discovered your channel! Have been slowly working my way through your videos these past few days and these longer-form explanations of the essences have done wonders for my understanding as well as my acceptance of my own god/mum-and-dad-given traits. My introduction to styling systems was through Kibbe via Aly Art which, as a plus size yang-dominant woman who has always been conscious of her largeness etc. was not particularly confidence boosting with her use of words like "massive" etc. I found myself thinking that I was, first of all hideous, but later a "tall romantic" because everything just appeared round and soft when I looked in the mirror but was later upset to find out that Kibbe made a hard height limit for DIYers, given that I couldn't not relate to either the SD or FN descriptor. I was not narrow yet curvy or broad and straight, I was broad and curvy. Fast forward several years and I have just discovered your channel and realise that while I do have a dominant natural essence, I think I also have a decent amount of romantic in my blend. My previous confusion makes sense now as I have tonnes of large-scale curve but misunderstood how that interacted with the contradicting aspects of my look and some of my mannerisms. Possibly being some sort of 'romantic nomad' makes so much sense and I'm excited to try your suggestions out and work towards a wardrobe I can actually take joy in.
Appropriation and appreciation are different things, so please keep in mind what the difference is: respect to knowledge. Like traditional garb outside your own culture? Does it have cultural significance to that culture? Is it reserved for specific rituals where people “earn” them? Maybe don’t replicate it if you answered yes to all 3. You can take inspiration in some of the structural elements of it, keeping in mind you were inspired by them after you LEARN from the keepers of this culture.
Absolutely! I’ve clarified that in the comments but I think I didn’t communicate it properly in the video
@@Gabriellearrudadesign You addressed it perfectly. You addressed a lot of the potentially problematic parts super well. :) Just wanted to add a bit of info to hopefully help others navigate.
I love the effort and the amount of information in these essence videos. They're easy to understand and helps me apply essences on other style systems. Thank you so much for these!
Glad you like them!
That red white and black outfit really does look good on you
1:02 "*Note: The meanings given here to Yin and Yang represent the reaction of many individuals to these two word-ideas. Yin-Yang for our purposes will always have positive interpretations. Yin will mean not negative weakness, frailty, subjection, but more positively, gentleness, mildness, delicacy. Yang will mean not negative aggressiveness, crudeness, overbearing mannishness, but strength, poise, dignity." YES PREACH MS. BELLE NORTHRUP. THAT is how you provide a clear disclaimer, Mr. Kibbe! If more people understood this, more people would be much more accepting of themselves in these systems and find use for them rather than trying to find anything that will tell you you're not a flamboyant natural because dude body (totally what I've been doing all week).
Thank you for this video. I’m generally quite uncomfortable with the “femme, sexy” style suggestions that come with this essence, but this was so inclusive and made me feel like I can adapt this into something that feels right for me.
Sitting here in my silk pyjamas feeling very called out xD. Also very happy you made this video :)
am loving your series. i am so fortunate enough to have recognised in my early 20s that i like the romantic style and it suits me. i also love the drama and theatrical styles of the 40s and 50s and my idol was marilyn monroe, elizabeth taylor sophia loren etc etc. ive always veered towards velvet, silk, cashmere etc and jersey. i really believe that this is so helpful for most women. thank you so much
Just wanted to say how I love your channel, the best one on this niche in the English language, hands down.
I had some trouble finding out my blend because I never felt ''enough'' for any of them. But I think it's probably because I'm hella blended: Probably a Romantic/Classic/Dramatic, in that order and probably a 35/35/30 (I wanted to be Angelic so hard but c'est la vie LOL).
I think Classic might be my secondary one because I feel too overwhelmed by the extremes of Romantic and Dramatic but a blend of all three with a good dash of minimalism and clean lines feels perfect. I'm also a Kibbe SD but I don't consider myself Diva Chic ''enough'' though lol
I would have immediately said I have zero romantic essence but some of my favorite clothing is cashmere, velvet, lace, red, wrap shirts with deep V. I usually mix with a natural element (jeans) and boots. I can do the hair but a big no on eye liner and red lips and big NO on the flashy jewelry.
I am proud of my gypsy heritage and will always call it that! The oversensitive pansies need to stop censoring everyone and everything! #Romagirl #gypsyblood #westernboho #Romagirlstrong
I like the idea of renaming the subtypes to certain character archetypes vs calling it the "romantic nomad" or "unique romantic". My first thought would be the Amazon and the Vampire, respectively, but that was just where my mind went.
That dark green dress you're wearing looks so nice on you
Thank you!
The two romantic subtypes you described kinda remind me of sun & moon aechetypes! One more bohemian & light & the other enigmatic & refined
I love your green top (dress?). I have been obsessed with that color for the past 6 months
I love that color too, even though it's a tad dark for me, I just can't not wear it lol. And that's a cool analogy, I like it!
@@Gabriellearrudadesign She may be referring to Ellie-Jean Royden's Body and Style vids with sun,moon,etc.
I have been doing a deep dive into Kibbe and felt like something was missing when trying to type myself. I think you have helped me find it in your essences series. I have come to the conclusion I am a SN with ingenue and romantic essence which I would never have figured out without your videos. Thank you!
I’m so glad they helped! 😊😊
I really believe in this approach of mixing your kibbie with your essence because I have been typed a soft classic but those neutral colors do nothing for me and my spirit tends to be more romantic although I am also classic. But there are days when I feel something of the other types. There are plenty of days when I reach for a more gentle aunjanue look and there are also days when I like more of a dramatic romantic look. Still it did help me to be typed as a soft classic because that is my general look just a little heavy on the romantic. Not everybody is just one way and I like how you think about that. Thank you for these great videos!
This was helpful bc I’m a Kibbe TR and while I do really like/look great in 1940’s stuff, there is a side of me that is more subdued and natural, so I’m thinking its the gypsy, or whatever you called it. I did take the essence test a couple of times and they seemed way off, I’m not ingenue at all, but I also feel too awkward to truly be a romantic, lol, maybe I’ll keep reading.
Definitely, I am subscribing! Finally a merge of all, in one channel ❤
The quality of this video is just impeccable. This kind of topic has a lot of complexities but you always explain so well with depth. And the editing, the examples, the realistic approach, the honoring the system creators while appropriately revising.. ✨ I always finish watching your videos having gained a lot of knowledge and more confidence in dressing myself. You are a gem in the style community. Please continue doing what you do ❤️
I vote for natural essence next!
This is such a kind and thoughtful comment, and makes me SO happy to hear. Thank you!
Definitely voting on Dramatic as it can be difficult to do casually
me tooo
Hola! I think this is really good info and great video. You did and exquisite job explaining the essences, the contrast , differences, the percentage, the interactions and the feel one gets when observing these details. I also agree with your self assessment of your romantic essence with the nomad undertone 👩🏽🍳👌🏽💋 Chef's kiss. Also suscribing right away!
This! This is the deep dive series we need!! By far the most helpful discussion and journey into a personal style adventure. Brava!
Thank you! Im so glad its helping 😊
natural essence next please!! these videos are so helpful
You got it!
very well done, Gabrielle!!! I honestly think your videos are the best in terms of real life styling :)) so thank you VERY MUCH for putting effort for us! love your content!
PLEASE do natural. This has been so helpful
Thanks for these videos! Today I finally started learning about Kitchener essences, and I think it might help put to rest my ID worries with Kibbe. Always debated between Kibbe Romantic and Soft Natural since I have mature feminine energy but also had those broader, more blunt shoulders. Now I'm thinking I'm a soft natural with a strong romantic essence. Thanks so much!
love how harmonious the colours are on you here
Finally understand my essence!!! Im a dramatic classic but def lean a lot towards the alluring romantic because of the dramatic , all those romantic elements and items live in my closet and favourite pieces and are the ones that really seem to make me shine .
I’ve been told I have romantic essence… and some gamine essence. Apparently I’m a DC - despite being barely 5’2, delicate wrists, tiny hands and feet… but I don’t fit gamine. But my essence like I said I’ve been told is romantic & gamine.
Ah and classic.
Ok, I think this video has convinced me that romantic is NOT in my top 3 lol I have the "true romantic" Kibbe type, so I think part of me thought I MUST fit into the romantic essence too somehow, but I really don't. Discovering the concept of the ingenue essence was kind of a personal epiphany that helped me understand and start to accept myself on another level, which has really kickstarted my interest in the essences in general. I also definitely have some major yang in my blend, and I think it's natural. It's that third one that I'm still trying to nail down, which I believe is another yin. When I first heard about angelic/etherial, it didn't seem to fit me at all, especially the long lines. I'm 5'5" and everything is rounded - face, lips, shoulders, hips, thighs, curved all over. But after examining romantic more closely, as well as some aspects of my tastes I've let fall by the wayside, I'm starting to wonder if maybe etherial is a better fit after all, even if it's a definite minority in my blend. I'm still quite new to all this, but it's been very interesting.
I'm glad it's been insightful. It can take some playing around to see your exact blend and ultimately it's up to you to find your own style recipe. I have a deep dive on the angelic/ethereal that might be helpful as well!
Starting to think I have a touch of romantic essence which would be nice since I think I’m cute but never sexy or seductive
Omg this explains so much of how I dressed all these years 😍 thank you for clarifying Romantic essence this has been even more eye opening ♥️
I'm glad it has helped!
I've just started my learning about Kibbe body types two nights ago and Kitchener essences last night and have watched your video tonight before I went out to my sister's birthday. From what I can discern, I possibly have mostly classic and ingenue essences, but from this video and trying out an outfit tonight perhaps I have romantic in my blend too?
When getting ready tonight, I switched out my classic skirt from the daytime to a romantic-classic black pencil skirt with large ruffles diagonally across the skirt, and kept my very classic-ingenue vintage-style pastel green blouse, wore my long wavy dark hair out and wore my usual going-out makeup look with fresh-faced skin, blush, full fluffy brows, simply defined eyes and red lipstick.
I felt like myself, but in an outfit I hadn't worn before. And a girl rushed past me at the club then doubled back to tell me she thought I was so pretty! I must have done something right :)
Thank you for demystifying the romantic essence. I would like to see the natural essence explained because it is so misunderstood. Also it was helpful at the very end when you briefly showed what a mixture of the essences might look on celebrities.
Thank you so much for your well researched, clearly explained, and modernized explanation of the romantic essence (the old language was just bleck… alongside the implications). IMHO I see your romantic essence in lux fabrics - satin and soft materials truly compliment your inner and outer radiance.
One other thought - The language shift and framing around that you take is constructive towards reducing fetishization. Take curves alone - I was taught having romantic elements, being curvy, is something to be fetishized (more directly so by other women than men) and you should hide your curves by deemphasizing the waist and turning an hourglass into a rectangle. Your videos have been helping me to unpack that. So thank you again.
I'm a kibbe romantic with a true spring coloring and black should be one of my worst colors. But still I tend to wear a lot of black and I feel really confident in it. I was wondering If that's because of the more mature side of romantic essence that thrives with those more dramatic colors. Being all soft and rounded and basically all yin, I look really childish, really easily if i wear those ingenue type clothes. Even though I have that 'youthful' look on me, I don't think I have a lot of ingenue essence. What you said about looking young, but still an adult made so much sense to me. I'm quite confident in my kibbe ID, but these essences are really hard to figure by yourself.
Your videos are always my favorite on essences. Thank you!
You are so welcome!
I was thinking 20-30ish% romantic blend for you too. I think you definitely have natural. I wish I did but I noticed the relaxed that I need is the angelic kind. Otherwise I look sloppy (something someone might consider if they're at a loss). It looks so good and effortless on others though.
Good tip 👍🏻
It's been a while since I've been so eager for a creator's new release :') I love the fluidity in your approach to Kibbe / body essence / personal styling in general. It's so much more intuitive, personalised and idk, more forgiving than some of the other content that got me into Kibbe. :3 Edit: Also, nothing has ever felt more like me than Romantic Nomad :'D Woohoo. This video is gold
Yay! I'm so glad it's helped, and thank you- means a lot!
Oh my goodness, this was another amazing video, and so detailed. Very respectful too. I really love the visual examples. I now reluctantly have to admit that I'm pretty sure I have a higher romantic % than a classic % (initially thought it was the other way around). You've explained it really well. Thank you!
Glad you found it helpful! It can be a journey to explore the balance of your essences and see how you like to show up in your actual style, so I'd just continue playing around with them
I have never and still do not feel that the terms "gypsy" or "exotic" are derogatory terms at all. I can hear those words and know exactly what type of woman and clothing they represent, and neither brings up negative associations. Most people consider a crossover in cultural fashion as flattering, and it is often referred to as "cultural sharing" or "cultural blending" now. Other cultures have adopted Western fashion as the norm, which I find a shame. If one is wearing the clothes of another culture as a Halloween costume, however, that might push the boundaries of done in a rude way. A sophisticated, cultured woman should be more accepting of cultural crossovers, be they fashion, mannerisms, music, or artwork. I should not have to be scolded by a younger woman for those views, either.
Other than your political comments, I enjoyed the video. As a true romantic (75%), I saw myself in your descriptions.
I actually love the lavender dress on you! (Time stamp 32:56) The fuzzies might be too much in some contexts, but you can pull this off, imo. It’s a great low contrast look.
Probably the best explanation of everything in it's totality 👏
🌹 I love your long videos! We learn so much! Thank you! 🌹
You are so welcome!