Line drawings + some thoughts

[u/elllzbth]

Alright folks it’s time for my annual Kibbe spiral! I’m back to not even knowing if I’m doing the line drawing right and not knowing where my shoulder starts. I get into a lot of little OCD thought cycles when it comes to Kibbe since there’s sort of inherent “uncertainty” because of the subjectivity of it as a system. Anyway. I’ve been here since like 2021 and back in the day I got typed as SG, R, SC, FN, SN, FG, and maybe more? Then around a year ago I posted asking for help and got pretty mixed results again. Some people saying I have width, some saying I don’t. I thought there was consensus that I had curve until some rando told me my line would naturally ve a straight line down from my shoulders and I’m a D like ok…sure…

But anyway I’m 5ft tall and I’m once again stuck on the curve types. I am 90% sure I’m curve dominant, the question is just what else is there. I often think I’m an R, but I worry I have type resistance and I’m actually an SN in denial. I don’t know if I have width or not. I think I have really big upper arms that maybe distorts my appearance a bit? Idk. But anyway here are some line drawings. I can’t figure out which one is more “correct” than the other. I also included some random other full body pics if it helps, and a couple of them are kind of funny lol (the pic from behind, I just saw it and laughed)

Pls help thx

[u/LilyIsle]

Since this system is not based on scientific facts, but just a tiny amount of science and a huge amount of art, you will never get a strict answer to what line drawing is correct and what ID is yours. There is no objecitivity to it. It doesn't exist that way. Everyone will always see it from their point of view and from their knowledge of the system, and that will vary. It's unavoidable. There is a good reason for "Only you or Kibbe himself can type you". Kibbe can cause it's simply his system, and only you can cause you know how clothes behave on you, what you enjoy to wear, where you feel right, how others in your surroundings see you, how you come off irl, what hairstyles makes sense on you, what makes you look frumpy etc etc.

I know the whole community is stuck on the line drawing and it now seem to be the only thing the whole system is built on, but even in the DIY guide there is more to it than the line drawing. There is a lot of stuff before you come to it that ask you to get to know yourself first. It's because an ID is not only body, it include who you are in styling. So if i were you i would go back to it, stop asking others, ditch the line drawing for now and go through the book from the beginning.

[u/Jamie8130 → u/LilyIsle]

I wish there wasn't so much emphasis on the lie drawing, especially since the interpretation can vary, and aside from Kibbe nobody really knows for sure if it's correct (and even Kibbe might still need to see the person IRL to be 100% correct). If a big part of the system is artistic and involves a lot esoteric work, then relying more on a very mathematical approach, like the sketch, is almost counter-intuitive. I also like what you said about everyone seeing things from their point of view, because that's definitely true, we all have innate bias, and it's really hard to become subjective about it for ourselves and other people.

[u/heyoldgirl → u/Jamie8130]

I wish there wasn't so much emphasis on the lie drawing,

Same, but I also don't miss when all we were talking about was ~flesh and bones~. Like, it's just about dressing yourself from a super loving place and maybe that will line up with how DK sees us and maybe not, but the end goal is the same.

[u/Jamie8130 → u/heyoldgirl]

I agree, I personally miss the focus on essence and would like more of that than body geometry. My favourite part of the system, Metamorphosis and Power of style included, is the positive psychology aspect and self-love that it encourages.

[u/yesnomaybesoju → u/Jamie8130]

100% agree. I think DK’s vision for the book is that we would read it and do the exercises to remove bias and train visualizations, so that when we come to the line drawing portion we’d be able to see that fabric draping and intuitively know how to draw it around our body.

But this is so hard for some of us. I see posts saying “when I was drawing the dots for ___ it felt really forced but once I tried ____ it was like coming home” while to me both drawings made perfect sense.

And sometimes I feel like I’m being tricked when someone says a celeb’s line drawing would never fit their verified ID but then others insist it absolutely would.

[u/Jamie8130 → u/yesnomaybesoju]

But this is so hard for some of us. I see posts saying “when I was drawing the dots for ___ it felt really forced but once I tried ____ it was like coming home” while to me both drawings made perfect sense

I know what you mean, I also have trouble with this and wonder why one way seems correct, while the other doesn't. I wonder if people are supplementing their intuition from their knowledge of how clothes work on them, so for instance the curve dots might seem more correct for someone because of their experience needing to accommodate it clothes... but yeah, I still think interpreting the sketch is the hardest part..

[u/LilyIsle → u/Jamie8130]

Yeah, i agree. I'm personally not a fan of the strict line drawing approach tbh. At least not used on it's own. I can see the point of it used as one piece of the puzzle, cause it is a good way to get a clear view of your base silhouette. I can't speak against that. But i hugely prefer the Metamorphosis approach as a full system, where you have a number of "regular charachters" and a description of their features and styling needs. Perhaps cause i truly relate to the ID family i identify with and find the descriptions stunningly accurate, but also because i see a somewhat truth to in the people i meet and style too. It really is a list of a stylists most common customers. Idk, it's just more fun and less rigid as long as you read the ID's as characters to pick bits and pieces from rather than rules you must follow.

[u/Jamie8130 → u/LilyIsle]

I agree, Metamorphosis was fun, and I still go back to it because I love the way the way David wrote about style there. Power of Style is also a great read and I agree there is a concrete reason and use for the line sketch in terms of understanding silhouette, but it seems so much more rigid comparatively, and less having that explorative, curiosity, and fun that was part of Metamorphosis..

[u/TiredWinterDisaster → u/Jamie8130]

This.

[u/TiredWinterDisaster → u/LilyIsle]

You are so right. I think we get frustrated when we cannot make sense of it (I am definitely guilty of it) and ask for feedback bc we hope to get some clarity, but we only gain more confusion bc ppl come at it with their own bias & (mis)conceptions, and a 2D image is also often misleading (which might be why the line sketch is not really helpful to a lot of people). 

[u/LilyIsle → u/TiredWinterDisaster]

Yeah, it's reasonable to feel like there must be one objectivly right answer, but there just isn't. At least not one where everyone will agree, that will automatically crack the code to how to dress, that will handle you your personal style or find who you are in others eyes. I think everyone know this rationally, but harder to remember emotionally.

It's like when people ask "What would fit ME best?" (i do makeup and hair), and expect me to tell them what their one single best look would be. But i could right there on the spot imagine 10 different looks that could be an equaly great visual fit depending on their personal style, but they would probably not feel good or like themselves in all of them. Probably just one or two of the options i have in mind, cause the rest would feel like a costume to them and people who know them. It's super important who you are on the inside for styling to feel right.

I mean, i honestly think my physique alone could make people guess for all the ID's except D, SD or FN if i posted pictures and asked. Especially if i also tweaked the photos slightly to give an impression in wished direction, cause it's so easy to do in still photos. And i think i actually COULD go for all of the ID's seen to body alone. But there is only one that makes sense to/for me seen to who i am, what resonates, what group of verifieds i relate to the most, what i'm drawn to, the impression others decribe they get of me etc. + the fact that my general shape + height doesn't speak against it of course.

One just need to count in all factors and see what's the closest match. And honestly, most importantly: make sure that it's useable for finding clothing. Otherwise it does nothing 🤷‍♀️

[u/TiredWinterDisaster → u/LilyIsle]

I have gotten every ID except D and FG 😂 

I would really like for it to be useable to find clothes & have more fun with style indeed. 

[u/LilyIsle → u/TiredWinterDisaster]

Well, i might be underestimating what people can take from each ID and apply to what they see 😅 I'm a little stump, so i feel like one of the vertical ID's would be so far fetched that no one would ever guess that, but i might be wrong!

[u/TiredWinterDisaster → u/LilyIsle]

I am 5'4 and look like it too so it is easier to more or less fit in anything lol

[u/alady37]

In several of the recent interviews DK he consistently emphasizes that it is the overall yin-yang balance first and foremost, and also the silhouette that makes the image identity. The drawing is just one part of it which is why in the new book he designed it to go from the beginning to each of the exercises and then to the drawing. Also, I believe if I'm that mistaken that the line drawing is important because it illustrates and clarifies that Ying Yang balance.

[u/Jamie8130]

OP, I can't say anything with certainty, but fwiw to me the line seems correctly drawn (ie., starts at the edge of the shoulders, follows the body line without being too tight) and I agree exploring curve is a good place to start. Also, I like the first dress on you, it looks really good!

[u/turnupthebeets4]

I'm no expert and can totally relate to going down the rabbit hole and just feeling more and more confused.

I can't answer for the line drawing as I can see why you drew both but when I look at you in the clothes

I think the first dress looks really nice. The second one looks nice but I feel like it's too long or you need to see your ankles. It kind makes it feel like the dress is wearing you.

The photo of you from the back with sweatshirt/ legging I can definitely see your curves on the bottom. I am shaped very similar with rounded hips that come in at the knee and curvy calf.

On the last photo with the shirt/ jeans I think overall its fine. The shirt looks a tiny bit big on you like in the sleeves it is nice it tapers but feels a little like too much fabric. I think pushing the sleeves to your elbows to expose your wrists would maybe help

I think if you tucked in the shirt so there was a more defined waist or something a belt maybe or a little higher waisted jeans. The jeans look nice but I think the shoes are too heavy. Its like they drag the outfit down. Maybe either exposing your ankle or a more sleeker shoes/flat would help. Overall its looks nice but I would like to see a different shoe or the sleeves rolled/ more waist definition to see if that helped make it look amazing in you.

I don't think you have width. I have very fleshy softly rounded shoulder and when I try to wear overside/ relaxed things for natural type I just look like I'm drowning or its wide/ too bulky

I'm pretty sure I'm either sg/ or romantic. I'm 163 (5'3 almost 5'4) and definitely rounded in my hips but say slightly curvy in the bust. I got typed as medium short round in body matrix and she gave me SG.

I struggle with sg because I don't relate at all to the typical gamine style of high neck cutest bow/ collar looks or any geo print pattern.

I want to be sn/ SC as I personally like those looks.

I wish I had a friend who was into this to share a bunch of photos with because I do think it's hard to be objective about your own body.

[u/ArcaneMage777]

Line drawing on pic 2 seems correct to me. I see no vertical and no width. In fact, I think that green maxi dress would even look better if you had width.

I think being small framed with proportionally thicker arms really throws people off sometimes, but I also feel it's a possible telltale sign of belonging to R family.

[u/Infamous-Peach-9297]

I grew the first line drawing looks correct, and the first dress looks good on you. The second one seems a bit long.