What Is A Double Curve? A Guide to the Kibbe Accommodation

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Learn how to tell if you’re a double curve and what it means
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Of all the accommodations in the Kibbe body type system, double curve is the rarest—to the point that many people don’t know what it is. Double curve means your silhouette has pronounced roundness on top and bottom. Only a few Kibbe body types have the double curve. Read on to learn more about this Kibbe feature and how to tell if you have it. Plus, get advice for styling this unique silhouette.

What does double curve mean in Kibbe types?

Double curve refers to your silhouette having equal, rounded curves at the bust and hips without much vertical distance between them. Double curve is an accommodation (or dominant feature) in the Kibbe body typing system. It’s usually associated with Romantic Kibbe types and often accompanies the petite accommodation.

Section 1 of 6:

Kibbe Double Curve Accommodation Explained

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  1. A common way to describe it is that the outline of your figure has two circles sitting on top of one another (one at the bust and one at the hips). Unlike an hourglass figure, which has a narrow gap between the upper and lower curves, a double curve has no distance between the curves. [1]
    • Because of the lack of space between the curves, double curve is associated with petite frames (under 5’5” (167 cm)).
    • Double curve is an accommodation, also known as a dominant feature. If you’re dressing to best flatter your body type according to the Kibbe system, you have to accommodate your dominant features.
  2. The double curve accommodation is associated with the Romantic and Theatrical Romantic Kibbe body types—most Kibbe practitioners believe that all Romantics have the double-curve accommodation. [2] Soft Gamine types can also have the double-curve accommodation if they don’t have the vertical accommodation. [3]
    • In Facebook groups, David Kibbe (creator of the Kibbe system) states that the curve accommodation can accompany vertical, width, or balance accommodations. However, he suggests double curve accompanies only the petite accommodation.
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  3. In 1987, stylist David Kibbe published a book called David Kibbe’s Metamorphosis: Discover Your Image Identity and Dazzle as Only You Can where he outlined 13 body types. Each body type has accommodations, or dominant features, that have to be accounted for when dressing yourself. [4]
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Section 2 of 6:

Double Curve Characteristics

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  1. Because your curves extend past the lines of your silhouette (from armpit to feet), your waist is defined. This is especially noticeable when you’re wearing form-fitting tops or dresses that cling to your curves. However, unlike an hourglass figure which involves a vertical accommodation, your waist is probably short and petite.
  2. This means the curves of the top and bottom halves of your figure are equal in roundness and width. If one curve is noticeably wider or more pronounced than the other, this could be an indicator that you actually have the (single) curve accommodation.
  3. Curves are the opposite of angles—they’re round instead of sharp, creating a sense of softness in your silhouette. Complement these soft lines in the way you dress by avoiding structured garments and angular apparel like V-neck or square-neck tops.
  4. In the Kibbe system, curviness isn’t about size or weight. It’s about the way your flesh sits on your bones, the vertical length of your torso, and the width of your bust and hips. Any size can be a Romantic Kibbe type with double curve.
    • Double curve is more common among petite individuals. This is because the curves have to be close together to be more of a dominant accommodation than the vertical accommodation.
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Section 3 of 6:

How to Tell if You Have Kibbe Double Curve

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  1. 1
    Take our wikiHow Kibbe quiz to determine your body type. In the 1987 book that first outlined the Kibbe system, David Kibbe included a three-part quiz readers could use to determine their body type. While the book is out of print and hard to find, we’ve created a “What is My Kibbe Body Type?” quiz that can help you discover your type. Remember, if you’re a Romantic type, you have the double curve accommodation.
    • The questions have to do with bone structure, flesh, and your facial features. Flesh is specifically about the way your skin drapes or sits on your bones, not your body weight.
    • While taking the quiz, reference your features in a mirror or in pictures where you’re wearing unobstructive clothing, such as a bathing suit or fitted workout attire.
  2. 2
    Create a line drawing of your body and check for double curve. First, take a full-body picture of yourself. Face the camera straight-on. Wear a swimsuit or leggings and a fitted tank top. Next, use your phone’s drawing feature to outline your silhouette two ways (with lines and with shapes).
    • Outline your body by drawing two lines total, from your armpits down to your feet, curving if necessary to trace your silhouette.
    • Draw two total circles or ovals (whichever fits better) around the curves of the top and bottom halves of your body—from shoulders to below the rear. [5]
    • If the two lines have to curve outward at the bust and hip areas, this indicates you may have the double curve accommodation. The amount of curve should be equal—otherwise, it could be width or (single) curve is a more accurate accommodation.
    • Check to see if the circle or oval shapes are pretty much equal in size (otherwise, you may have single curve or width accommodations instead) and if they’re close together (otherwise, you may have the vertical accommodation instead). [6]
  3. 3
    Compare your figure to famous Kibbe types. In David Kibbe’s book which outlines the Kibbe system, Marilyn Monroe is the prime example of a romantic Kibbe body type. [7] Other popular examples of Romantic body types which have double curve include Selena Gomez, Beyonce, and Dolly Parton. [8] Look at images of these celebrities and compare with your own figure to help decide if you have the double curve accommodation.
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Section 4 of 6:

Styling Yourself as a Double Curve Kibbe

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  1. Clothing and details that are round in shape (as opposed to angular or sharp) complement the soft femininity (or “yin”) of Romantic Kibbe types. Examples of clothing with rounded silhouettes include A-line skirts, harem pants, and batwing sleeves. [9]
    • These silhouettes complement the double curve by matching your body’s natural line instead of clashing with it. [10]
    • Look for clothing with rounded details, as well—for example, bows, florals, polka-dot patterns, and cap sleeves. [11]
  2. David Kibbe recommends dressing in soft clothing that’s lightweight and flowing to flatter a Romantic or Theatrical Romantic body type. However, defining your waist is important—you want to highlight your curves instead of hiding them. [12]
    • Two example tops that accommodate a double curve are off-shoulder tops that fit at the waist (but flare out below it) and square-neck tops with cap or puff sleeves.
      • Corset-style tops may also work if they’re made of a delicate material like linen or organza. [13]
    • Bottoms that accommodate a double curve include high-waisted pants, straight-leg jeans, and midi-length skirts that are fitted at the waist and hips.
  3. Wear dresses that hit above the knee or at midi length to avoid overwhelming your petite frame. Look for details like ruching, delicate ruffles, or belted waists that will cling to your curves and define your waist. Lean into the romance of the Romantic Kibbe type by highlighting your figure in classic feminine styles like floral or polka-dot patterns. [14]
    • Look to Romantic Kibbe type celebrities like Selena Gomez or Marilyn Monroe for inspiration for formalwear.
  4. While accessories and jewelry don’t directly affect your silhouette like clothing does, you can use them to accentuate the roundness and femininity of your Kibbe type. Look for necklaces or earrings with round gem cuts, as well as delicate chains, purses, and belts. [15]
    • When it comes to footwear, Kibbe practitioners advise Romantic types to stick to lightweight, slender footwear like flats and stilettos. Wide or clunky shoes can clash with your outfit by being too angular or sharp compared to the rest of your features. [16]
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Section 5 of 6:

Celebrities with Kibbe Double Curve

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  1. Many celebrities are speculated to have a double curve accommodation. The most famous example is Marilyn Monroe, who’s highlighted in David Kibbe’s book about the Kibbe system as a Romantic type with double curve. Various other celebrities are either verified by Kibbe himself to have double curve, or speculated by fans to be Romantic or Theatrical Romantic types. [17] Examples:
    • Dolly Parton
    • Selena Gomez
    • Beyonce
    • Madonna
    • Elizabeth Taylor
    • Helena Bonham Carter
    • Mila Kunis
    • Christina Ricci
    • Kate Winslet
Section 6 of 6:

6 Kibbe Accommodations Explained

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  1. Many people mistakenly think that the vertical accommodation is about how tall you are. But short individuals can have the vertical accommodation in the Kibbe system, and tall individuals can lack it. If you would describe your torso or legs as elongated, or feel like you look tall compared to others of the same height, you likely have the vertical accommodation.
    • The first question of the original Kibbe quiz asks how tall you appear to be, not your actual height. [18]
  2. According to the Kibbe system, width means having a frame that’s more dominant than your flesh. In other words, your silhouette tends to be square and angular, particularly at the shoulders. Width is also associated with bones that are blunt and angular. You may also have a wide rib cage. [19]
    • If you’d describe your shoulders as sloped or rounded or your overall frame as narrow, you probably don’t have the width accommodation.
  3. Balance is a Kibbe accommodation that’s a little less straightforward than vertical or width. When you analyze your body type, you may feel like you have a little of a vertical aspect and a little of width or curve. However, no one feature stands out as dominant compared to the rest. This means you probably have the balance accommodation, as your features neutralize one another without any one being dominant. [20]
  4. In the Kibbe system, petite is about appearing tiny—especially compared to your clothes. Things might fit loosely no matter what you wear, or you may be short and struggle to find pants or sleeves that hit at your wrists and ankles. If this sounds like you, you likely have the petite accommodation and need to account for your perceived smallness in the way you dress. [21]
    • If you’re tall, but have a very narrow build, you could have the petite accommodation in spite of your height.
  5. Curve is when your silhouette and features are noticeably rounded and soft. It’s not the same thing as just having curves in the traditional sense, though individuals with the curve accommodation often have curves. In the Kibbe system, Soft Natural, Soft Classic, Soft Gamine, and Soft Dramatic types have the curve accommodation. [22]
  6. Double curve is when your silhouette is rounded on top and bottom in a way that’s pronounced, equal, and more dominant than other features. Think of it this way: if you drew circles over your body that outlined your bust/shoulders and waist/hips, they would be touching like an “8” or even overlapping like a Venn diagram. Neither circle would be wider or taller than the other. [23]
    • Sometimes, Kibbe practitioners lump curve and double curve together as variations of one accommodation. [24]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://womanology.co.uk/the-romantic-body-type-and-the-freedom-i-found/
      2. ↑ https://somewhatadrift.com/seasonal-color-palette-analysis/
      3. ↑ https://gabriellearruda.com/kibbe-soft-gamine-style-guide/
      4. ↑ https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22950721/david-kibbe-body-typing-explainer
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/c91RJs8iOVs?t=702
      6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9pzXuCb_GMA?t=25&feature=share
      7. ↑ https://radiantlydressed.com/kibbe-romantic/
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/c91RJs8iOVs?t=841
      9. ↑ https://fizzymag.com/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-kibbe-body-types-and-color-seasons
      1. ↑ https://radiantlydressed.com/kibbe-romantic/
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/g0ci-U4n_rQ?t=923
      3. ↑ https://ourfashiongarden.com/the-romantic-kibbe-body-type-the-most-complete-guide/
      4. ↑ https://radiantlydressed.com/kibbe-romantic/
      5. ↑ https://ourfashiongarden.com/the-romantic-kibbe-body-type-the-most-complete-guide/
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/g0ci-U4n_rQ?t=871
      7. ↑ https://radiantlydressed.com/kibbe-romantic/
      8. ↑ https://radiantlydressed.com/kibbe-romantic/
      9. ↑ https://radiantlydressed.com/kibbe-test/
      10. ↑ https://youtu.be/tPC7SaHUIDs?t=55
      11. ↑ https://youtu.be/gaxnW-SBTUE?t=40
      12. ↑ https://radiantlydressed.com/kibbe-test/
      13. ↑ https://radiantlydressed.com/kibbe-test/
      14. ↑ https://radiantlydressed.com/kibbe-test/
      15. ↑ https://radiantlydressed.com/kibbe-test/

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