Here are a few summer fits I liked well enough. I work with SN, Winter in colour seasons and am 5'4 (163cm). I am not crazy about about the black tank top - I think the outfit would look better with more delicate straps! All pics are taken at chest height and about 15ft away to account for distortion.
Thoughts?
I have been on a rather good streak lately, so here is what I have worn this month so far! I am wearing a wider variety of items I feel, and keeping in mind the need for a little extra no matter what I do (or not) that day.
I hope you have a great week 💜
A few weeks ago I tried the calculator, just out of curiosity. I had given up on bras years ago and wear sports bras and bralettes... after my 2 kids I could not find a bra that fit properly. My usual 34C (90C in France) did not fit anymore. The cups seemed too wide somehow, with weird gaping at the top. I tried going up in band and down in cups, but without good results. I just gave up on bras bc I felt awful in them and they made me self-conscious about my bust.
When I did the calculator, it gave me 32DD or 32D (so 85E or 85D in my country)... I was very skeptical that a bigger cup would solve my issue but I kept it in mind. Today I tried a few bras in 32D (there wasn't any 32DD or 85E) at the store and... omg. This changes everything! No gaping, fits perfectly! Turns out there was nothing wrong with my bust, it was just the wrong size!! I bought 2 right away.
This feels fantastic, ngl 😬👍
It is not so much a description than it is how I want to feel & appear! It has been a long road but all worth it in the end. I think this encapsulates my own concept quite well, and it works with my Roots as well.
What do you think? What is your style concept? How is it supportes by your Roots?
I spent quite a bit of time stuck with my 10ft away, chest-height pics & the resulting sketch. I felt that the picture made me look more elongated, leaner and taller than IRL. I read that phone cameras can distort perspective, and 3 meters (or 10 feet) might not be enough to counteract this distortion efficiently.
I took the picture at 5 meters (about 15/16ft) and the difference is striking - I look wider, fleshier, and more compact. Much more in line with what I know to be true! My resulting sketch is also more helpful bc the silhouette is not falsely elongated.
So you might want to try this if you're taking with your picture with a smartphone!
I have been working on Kibbe & style for quite a while - I got sidetracked a few times thinking I was a Classic. Lately I have been on a good path, after redoing the games & working with two other systems. And I finally am able to work with Kibbe in a way that is helpful for my own tastes. But that meant detaching completely from what is usually shown for Naturals online, and doing the hard work. It turns out my tastes are compatible with my silhouette - I just need to forget what people usually recommend and focus on what is actually there.
Have you been able to build your own style with Kibbe? Does it differ from the stereotypes?
This week went really well imho. I tried to go a bit beyond my usual comfort level and take u/manicpixiedreamgill suggestion of experimenting with the Icon in addition to the Princess - being more comfortable standing out & a bit more Up in my process.
I think it fits well with this week's challenge! I also bought a leopard cardigan in a bout of temporary insanity - but I hope I can make it work!
Went for a bit more daring look yesterday! I usually wear these black shorts in winter with black tights, but I thought I could give them a try in a summer look, and was inspired by Kate Moss look here (ofc I am no model so the effect is quite different 😅). I also don't own beige items bc I am a Winter, so I choose pale lilac on top instead. What do you think?
edit to add: I forgot to mention I work with Wide-medium-medium/round and this top is a bit high at the collar but I think the fluidity makes up for it at least somewhat!
I work with SN & winter in color season.
edit: non posed pic in natural light in the comments!
I thought this might be helpful to others!!
I feel like 🏔🪨🌱 might fit! Interestingly she's a proponent of a more minimalist, mix and match wardrobe, which might fit 🍄🌱🪨 pretty well, but she's using a lot of elements that seem more 🏔 to me! What do you think?
Here's what I've read so far this summer! As you can see I read a lot of different things, both fiction and non-fiction.
Some heavier stuff with Factfulness & Wired for Love - both written by academics and filled with data. Books are a way for me to connect & understand the world better. Maybe 🏔🌱?
A book of Vincent Van Gogh's letters to his brother Theo (in French bc I am French!). I like (auto)biographies and letters compilations - once more a way for me to peer into people's hearts and minds and see what's there to understand it! I want to say 🪨🌱 for the rawness, the sometimes gritty but authentic details.
A book on minimalism - very 🍄 of me!
The beautiful and touching Travelling of a Cat Chronicles - on love, death, our relathionship to animals. Perhaps 🌱🌸?
And a sweetly whimsical romance with magic! Quite 🌱🌸🌙 I think!
I usually also read detective or spooky stories, which are more 🪨🌙 or 🌱🌙 depending on the atmosphere!
Does that seems right? What about you?
I was thinking of this aspect earlier this morning, when I was standing at 6 o'clock on a parisian parking lot waiting for my teens to come back from summer camp. It was super interesting to see what people had dressed like for this considering the circumstances: most of us had to drive a little while to get there, meaning we had to get up even earlier, it was still dark outside, we were undercaffeinated and bleary-eyed, yet excited (I hope lol) to get our kids back.
Anyway I caught myself thinking about why ppl might have dressed the way they did, and it sent me on a deeper reflection about it. For example there was an event of some importance for me, about a decade ago where a friend of mine kinda hurt my feelings bc she came in jeans, sneakers and a top. We took pics and all, and for a while I remember thinking that she must not have cared & maybe didn't even want to come. But now I can guess, knowing her well, that she's probably Left Down and that being present also meant showing up as she is, in what she's comfortable with and is authentic to her - she just doesn't approach style like I do, and she's also much more comfortable in her skin so she doesn’t need to use clothes as armor or to feel at ease in her role (personal theory here: I feel like LD folks are generally more at ease with themselves, but it might be more an essence thing - I think I initially was drawn to LD bc I wanted that ease & unbothered confidence).
Anyway seeing things with the Style Key lens also helps me make less assumptions and understand other folks better! So you feel like it's also helpful in that way?
(As an aside, I somehow got mistaken for an influencer while I visited Amsterdam, and narrowly escaped a hug from an enthusiastic fan, which greatly amused my husband, the traitor - the fan told me said influencer was 'a bit crazy but very kind, with a soothing voice'. Make of that what you will, but it made me think about essences & curated images once more! I also thought that my outfit that day leaned maybe *too* approachable lol)
I already have a fairly good idea but am interested by your insight! All these pics are recent and at the same weight.
This is a favourite outfit of mine. Not much is happening here on the surface. The whole thing is dark blue except for the shoes, both the top and the skirt are boringly conservative.
But I love the details & story of it: the skirt is a 80's vintage with a range of buttons on the side. It’s an unknown mixed fabric that feels light but holds its shape - I wear it all year round. It was my 1st vintage buy online. The top is a gift from friends for my bday a few years ago and it has covered buttons on the shoulders. It’s slightly cropped but not much. And the converse are super basic white ones but I added floral laces to pretty them up.
The colour is my favourite. Nothing has to be readjusted or pinches or bunches awkwardly. It just flows. I walk tall & am light on my feet - I just feel more at ease bc to my eyes this outfit is *just* right, which doesn't happen often!
I wore this to pop in my office for a quick briefing (I'm still on holidays but I go back on Monday) then to go wash the car and buy groceries! It is a great versatile outfit imo, put together but still relaxed. I had a dark green velvet crossbody bag.
What is an outfit of yours that might not look like much on the outside, but is just right for you?
🍄A xxxxxxxx
🏔B xxxx
🌱C xxxxxxxx
🪨D x
☀️E xx
🌙F xxxx
🌸G xxxxx
🔥H xx
Silhouette: clean outline, some flow. Nothing stiff, oversized or super fitted. Y silhouette (SN in Kibbe, Wide-medium-medium/round in the Body Matrix). Outfit formula is often dress/jumpsuit or top + flowy pants in summer, dark jeans or pants with sweater or cardigan in winter.
Prints: stripes, florals, abstract, geometrics. Medium size, better if high contrast.
I like 1 'extra' piece within a more quiet look.
Fabrics: medium weight - nothing heavy, rough, stiff or flimsy. I prefer natural fabrics overall, but they have to not wrinkle too badly. I like some lace or embroidered details, soft leather, some tactile feel.
Colours: mostly winter colours - I am a True Winter - lot of black & navy as neutrals, but also various blues, greys, greens, reds & purples. I don't wear yellow or orange, and seldom pink. I am working on adding a bit more colour.
Shoes: flats, sandals, converse, chelsea boots, clean sneakers, espadrilles - walkability is a must. Shoes must remain somewhat classic/elegant - no sporty sneakers or hiking sandals unless I am doing sports or hiking.
Classic coats or puffers, trench coats, denim jacket (not oversized). Blazers!!
Accessories: lots of fun earrings & scarves. Sometimes a more interesting bag, floral laces on shoes, a pin or brooch.
Perfumes: Miracle by Lancôme, Black Opium by YSL or Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford are my favourite.
Style words: Refined, Playful - I am verified RU in Rita's Style Key system, but not very Up (Princess/Role Model).
What do you think? Previously I worked with 🍄🌙🌱 but switched to 🍄🌙☀️ to get more creativity & colour in while keeping my dark basis. It worked pretty well, except that I think I use 🪨/🌱 a lot in my actual process - i like things to be practical, functional, shoes to be walkable, fabrics to be natural & a bit flowy... however I don't wear sporty items or shoes like sports sneakers, and most boards with 🍄🪨 look way too casual & relaxed to me... the quiz results also give high 🌱 & 🌸 which kinda surprised me. What do you think?
Today's outfit is what I wore to see Van Gogh's museum in Amsterdam, then go to Vonder park & the Hortus Botanicus garden! I wanted a floral outfit to match the occasion, but with my own twist (so dark florals on a black outfit!). The black tee is okay but I feel like a flowy black top would be even better!
The pants travelled very well rolled up with the top in my backpack, so I am pretty happy about that trick for clothes that wrinkle easily. Th earrings are made from origami paper which matches up pretty well the japanese influence on late 19th european century painting. I am also wearing Bitter Peach by Tom Ford, which I felt was appropriate both for the orchard's paintings & the fruits trees from the garden!
I don't rly use persona or personable - I would say I am closer to persona in the sense that I build outfits to make myself a part of the events & places I go to. It is maybe more like a chameleon: I mimick my environment, in a way. It makes me more at ease and present, which in turn makes me more personable bc I am not lost in my head feeling out of place! I'm more Right than Up so I often relate a lot to RD things (Rita's recent vid about the Storyteller felt very relatable for example!). At the same time I do enjoy some drama & mystery, hence the dark theme & large billowing pants!
I have had a lot of fun this month overall! I know july isn't over but I am going on a short trip for the rest of it so my outfits are planned. From the 12 to the 23 I was on holidays with my family during a heatwave (again 😭) which explains the repetitive & simple outfits.
I would say the Roots I most consciously use are 🍄 and 🌙/☀️ for the creativity. Then perhaps 🌱? Not sure.
I am curious what do you see? I have thought a lot about what we like vs what we wear, or tastes vs style as Mili Velikova has put it! I think part of my struggles and slightly disjointed wardrobe comes from confusing the two!
edit: I put 🪨 but I meant 🌱 !!
I have a really strong drive to dress bolder & more 'up' atm so I am riding this high while it lasts!! I love this top with the wide ruffles over the bust & on the sleeves, espcially paired with this red pants & studded sandals!
I have been cleaning up my closet by getting some 'basics' that don't work for me out, as well as more 🌙🪨 coded items that I don't find refined enough for me at this stage.
Next week I am going on a 3 days trip, I am still reflecting on my capsule for that!