
What is the Kibbe Body Type System?
The Kibbe system is a body type and style essence system that was developed by David Kibbe in the 1980s and focuses on five main categories: Dramatic, Classic, Natural, Gamine, and Romantic.
The Kibbe system essentially evaluates the balance of a body's yang (sharp, angular) and yin (soft, rounded) features to determine to which category it belongs. Each of the five main categories has a more yang or yin version, resulting in 10 body types.
Note: There were originally 13 total types when Kibbe acknowledged pure types. However, he no longer does this as he feels each person leans either more yin or yang within their body type category. If this is all new to you, I suggest you read this post first to better get a lay of the Kibbe land.
How Do I Figure Out My Kibbe Body Type?
By taking the body type test based on the original developed by David Kibbe. However, over time the test has proven to have some limitations and David Kibbe has now said not to use a quiz to figure out your type and that the only way to be “properly” typed is to book an in-person consultation with him. This is obviously not a viable option for most people and while it can be confusing, I think the test is still a great resource.
What's important is to remember that the test is not a mathematical formula. There is more to interpret than just the number of B answers you get, for example. Understanding the test and its answers requires a holistic approach to your lines (bone structure, flesh, and features) as well as your essence.
Kibbe Type Test Preparations
Get a pen and paper ready to record your responses. Or you could use the 'notes' function on a digital device. This quiz needs you to be exact about your responses, and it'll be nice to take notes in case you're unsure about an answer or you're between two answers. We will discuss how to record your responses shortly.
Take a full-length picture (head-to-toe) of yourself- take the photo at chest height and at a 90-degree angle (not tilted) to allow for your true proportions to be clearly visible.
Stand naturally with your shoulders back and head up.
Wear something that either clearly outlines your body (like a thin full leotard or leggings and a vest) or showcases your body (such as underwear or a swimsuit.
Wear a lightly lined, semi-supportive bra that doesn’t tweak the shape of your chest (nothing overly tight or confining or padded).
Avoid distracting colors and patterns, make it easy to focus on your body.
Take a back camera (non-selfie) face photo. Selfies and front-facing cameras can cause distortion and you want a true representation of your facial lines.
Make sure to prop your phone up in line with your face (not lower or higher, ensure the camera is not angled) and get a natural face shot.
Take a few photos, some smiling (these might help you with the facial flesh questions later), and some neutral ones so you have options.
You should have little to no makeup on.
Make sure you have good light and no strong shadows.
Camera considerations:
You can either get a friend to take a picture of you or you can use your phone's self-timer function to do it yourself.
A tripod helps ensure a steady, straight photo, but if you don’t have a tripod, then you can stack some level items (like books or shoeboxes) on a table or counter until you get to the desired chest-level height.
Be sure to use the rear-facing camera. The front/ selfie cameras have more distortions and generally take a lower-quality photo from a distance.
Mental/ Emotional considerations:
Be open to the test. If you've been reading up on the different body types, do your best to release any bias you have about any of them. No woman wants to be described as 'masculine', for example, so the Kibbe language can sometimes create a psychological barrier for many test takers who don't (and don't want to) see themselves a particular way. While I can easily understand why people do this, it is nonetheless a barrier that will hinder you from getting the full benefit of the test.
Accept that the test is not perfect. This method is not definitive and your answers as well as your body type may require some tweaking as you learn and understand more. There is a lot of misinformation out there on the Kibbe system (with some contradictions from David Kibbe himself). This is a fun rabbit hole, but it's confusing and it's a lot. So, take the data you get from the quiz and see if it fits. Try out the clothing and style suggestions, and then tweak them as needed.
You might not get it right the first time. For most of us, finding your Kibbe body type is a journey, not a 'one and done' type of thing. Knowing this upfront can save you some frustration (I hope).
What Does the Kibbe Test Examine?
The kibbe body test is made up of 15 questions that analyze four main components of your body:
Skeleton (bone structure)
Body Flesh (how your flesh sits on your bones)
Facial Bones/Structure
Facial Flesh
For each question, refer to the pictures you just took and compare them to the pictures in the test to choose the answer that is the closest match.
Do not tweak your answers to match the celebrity you want to look like. Just answer honestly for the body you have and not the one you wish you had. You're perfect.
Recording your answers:
The questions are grouped into sections, so group your answers the same. For each section, record the question number and your answer.
A sample answer sheet may look as follows:
Skeleton: 4B
Body flesh: 4B, 1A
Facial features: 3B, 2E, 1D
I'm sure at this point you're just dying to take the test, but I highly recommend you read this post first. As you'll quickly discover by scrolling down to the test questions, the test has a lot of 'Kibbe language'.
The very first question asks about your 'vertical line' and the entire test is designed to ascertain your exact 'yin' and 'yang' balance. If you have no idea what this means, then this post will get you up to speed and I think it will make the test-taking a lot smoother.
Kibbe Body Type Test
Part 1: Bone Structure/ Skeleton
In this section, we will be looking at your skeletal structure which directly relates to how clothes hang on your body. This is arguably the most important aspect of the kibbe body type system. Everything rests on your skeleton, both in real life and in Kibbe.
We will be looking at the shape of your bones as well as their length and proportions.
1. How long is your vertical line?
Your vertical line is your height in relation to your horizontal lines. For simplicity, it can be described as how tall you appear (not how tall you are).
So, for instance, you can have two people of the same height whereas one actually appears taller (when standing separately). The one who looks taller has a longer vertical line.
Let’s look at the example below:

The height of all these women is listed as 5'5, however, they don't look to be the same height. I think the two on the right, Miley Cyrus and Thandiwe Newton look taller than the two on the left. Lupita Nyong'o, and perhaps even more so, Selena Gomez looks shorter. This means that the two on the right have a longer vertical line.
My vertical line is:

A. Long ( I look taller than I actually am)
B. Moderately long ( I look slightly taller than I actually am, but not by much)
C. Moderate ( I look to be my actual height)
D. Smallish ( I look slightly shorter than my height)
E. Petite ( It is very obvious that I am small in stature)
Tip: If you’re struggling with this question, ask someone to guess your height from a photo and see how close they are.
2. What is the shape of your shoulders?
When evaluating your shoulder shape, make sure you stand up straight and don't slouch.
My shoulders are:

A. Narrow, Sharp
B. Blunt, Broad:
C. Even
D. Sloped, tapered
E. Sloped, rounded
3. How long are your arms and legs, and what shape are they?
Note: You're evaluating the length of your arms and legs in relation to the length of your torso. This does not involve actually measuring your arms and legs and it is not dependent on your height. Look at your body as a whole and evaluate the length of your limbs in relation to that whole.
It is possible to be tall and have short arms and legs proportionally speaking, and vice versa.
Tip: Refer to the full-length photo you took and note where the fingertips hit your leg in relation to the knee.
My arms and legs are:

A. Elongated, narrow
B. Elongated, broad
C. Moderate, evenly proportionate to your torso and height
D. Small, somewhat short
E. Small, very short proportionally to height and torso
4. What are the size and general shape of your hands and feet?
My hands and feet are:

A. Long and narrow
B. Large and broad
C. Moderate, neither large nor small
D. Small, narrow, delicate
E. Small, slightly wide
Part 2: Body Flesh
In this section, we will be examining how your flesh lays on your body. It is important to note that when we discuss flesh we are not discussing weight or “fat”, but rather how your skin looks over your flesh/ muscles and bones.
This part of the test will also examine how your bust, waist, and hips compare to one another. It will also further investigate the balance of yin (soft, rounded) and yang (sharp, angled) in your flesh.
A tale of two sisters:
The Hadid sisters are a great example of how a different Yin /yang composition can play out. Despite being very thin, Gigi Hadid has very 'pinchable' flesh and a round face with full cheeks. While her skeleton is yang, Gigi's flesh is more yin.
On the other hand, her sister, Bella Hadid is thin and her flesh is also thin. It's taut and sinewy on her body and her face is sharply chiseled with hollow cheeks. Both Bella's skeleton and flesh are yang.
Read the detailed comparison I did on Gigi and Bella Hadid here.
Have your photo ready and let's dive into the nuances of your flesh!
5. What is the overall shape of your body?
The overall shape of my body is:

A. Long and lean
B. Broad and tends to have a muscular look
C. Moderate, proportionate
D. Shapely, soft hourglass (not extremely defined)
E. Rounded edges, lush, clearly defined hourglass shape
6. What is the shape of your bust/upper torso?
When discussing your bust line it is about the overall shape of your chest and the flesh around it (upper back flesh, and side flesh). What outline does it create? The cup size is irrelevant and should not be considered a defining characteristic. Just because you have a larger chest does not mean you have 'yin'. Likewise, a small bust does not mean you have 'yang'.
Please read the descriptions carefully to see which answer you best fit into.
The shape of my bust/upper torso is:

A. Flat, taut, small
B. Wide and broad, but still small
C. Moderate, even
D. Curved and shapely, full
E. Prominent, busty
7. What is the shape of your waistline?
The shape of my waistline is:
* Use the same graphic as question 6
A. Elongated, “boyishly tapered” ( weight gain will not change this)
B. Elongated, but broad
C. Moderate, slightly defined
D. Very small in comparison to your waist, hips, and shoulders
E. Slightly defined, but still broad and has a round quality
8. What is the overall shape of your hips?
(Remember this is in relation to the rest of your body)
The overall shape of my hips is:

A. Straight, narrow, tapered
B. Fairly straight, slightly tapers in, but also slightly wide
C. Moderate, in comparison to bust and hips
D. Rounded and shapely, more pronounced than waistline
E. Extremely soft and rounded
9. How would you describe the flesh on your upper arms and thighs?
The easiest way to test this is to pinch the skin around your upper arms.
I can describe my upper arm and thigh flesh as:
* Use the same graphic as question 8
A. Long, slender, and lean for your weight (if thin there will be no flesh to pinch, if heavier you may have some flesh but it will be minimal for your weight)
B. Elongated; looks muscular. There is little flesh to pinch and it feels lean/ muscular)
C. Moderate: You fall somewhere in the middle. You might be able to pinch some flesh but not much and it feels neither lean nor fleshy for your size.
D. Soft, but with some definition, You will have some soft flesh to your upper thighs and upper arms that is easily pinchable and still has some definition to it.
E. Very soft, slightly wide, fleshy: Your upper arms and thighs feel fleshy and soft. You can pinch a fair amount of skin despite your weight.
Part 3: Facial Features
For this section, we will be examining your facial features. Make sure you have your face photo ready.
We will examine the shape of each of the features of your face, both their structure and how the flesh lays on it.
10. What is the shape of your jawline?
My jawline is:

A. Sharp; either very pointed or angular and square
B. Blunt and slightly wide, can feel broad
C. Moderate; neither wide, sharp nor distinctly round
D. Delicate, tapered/sloped, slightly narrow
E. Rounded, softly broad
11. What is the shape of your nose?
My nose is:

A. Sharp or prominent
B. Broad or Blunt, can be on the larger side
C. Moderate
D. Delicate, tapered, narrow
E. Rounded or softly wide
12. What is the shape of your cheekbones?
For this question, we are looking at the shape of the actual bones (not the flesh). Referring back to your photo should help you see the shape, but you can also feel your cheekbones to see how prominent they are compared to your cheeks and how rounded or sharp they feel.
The shape of my cheekbones is:

A. High and prominent
B. Wide, blunt
C. Moderate
D. Delicate, narrow, with slightly rounded edges
E. Rounded, full, soft
13. What is the shape of your eyes?
The shape of my eyes is:

A. Narrow, straight, closely spaced
B. Narrow, straight, widely spaced
C. Evenly Spaced, Moderate Size
D. Rounded or upturned, slightly close together
E. Very round and very large
14. What is the shape of your lips?
My lips are:

A. Straight, narrow
B. Straight, strong broad
C. Moderate
D. Slightly full and has some roundness
E. Very full and very rounded
15. How would you describe the flesh on your cheekbones?
This is not the same as the shape of your cheekbones (question 12). This question is about the flesh you have on top of your cheekbones (which can alter how prominent they are and the overall shape of your face).
For this question look at a picture of yourself smiling to see how much volume your cheek flesh creates. You can also smile and feel your cheekbones and see how much flesh you can pinch.
The flesh on my cheekbones is:

A. Flat, taught (even when overweight)
B. Fairly tight or muscular; can get puffier if you put on weight
C. Moderate; can be gently soft
D. Soft and fleshy, if you gain weight your cheeks seem to get even fuller
E. Very round and fleshy ( no matter weight fluctuations)
Congratulations- You Did It!
You completed the Kibbe body type test! Take a breather, celebrate, and then meet me over in this post to discuss your results.
I hope this was helpful and I'll talk to you very soon.
Nonjabulo