The Design Fundamental Library: Start Understanding Style Terms
Articles You Might Enjoy:
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Texture and Color Perception: How Fabric Influences the Look of Color and Style Lines
When we talk about style, color often takes center stage. But there’s another unsung hero quietly shaping how we perceive clothing: texture. The interplay between texture and color can completely shift how a garment feels, looks, and expresses your style identity. It’s less about following rules and more about developing a nuanced eye—one that notices…
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Style Complexity: How Much Design Can You Handle?
Unlock the secret to what actually looks good on you — beyond trends or color palettes. This guide breaks down the Style Complexity Spectrum, a visual tool to help you understand how much design detail, texture, and layering you can wear effortlessly. Whether you’re into style systems like Kibbe, Kitchener, or seasonal color analysis, this article will deepen your understanding of your natural textures, energy, and ideal outfit construction. Perfect for building a wardrobe that feels authentic, cohesive, and uniquely you.
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Personal Style vs. Fashion / Harmony vs. Contrast
In this episode of the Style POV podcast, host Gabrielle Arruda explores the differences between fashion and style, harmony and contrast, emphasizing the importance of developing a personal style perspective (POV). She underscores the lasting quality of style versus the ever-changing nature of fashion. She explains how personal style is an expression of one’s identity…
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The 4 Pillars of Every Outfit: Build Legs to Support Your Style Goals
The episode discusses using outfit photos to identify and define your personal style through the four main pillars: clothing lines, clothing shapes, clothing color, and clothing details. It emphasizes the importance of analyzing personal style data and self-trust in the style development process. Transcript: The style data is your friend, don’t just let all those…
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The Key To Authentic Personal Style…. Daily Outfit Photos ?
This is a story… one you can learn from. I used to spend hours scrolling social media feeds trying to keep up with the latest fashion trends, and embarked on a fruitless style journey of trying to get a “you look great in that” compliment. It. was. exhausting. And not to mention, totally thwarted me…
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Face Shapes: Ultimate Guide {+ easily determine face shape}
Whether you’re shopping for a new frame of glasses, wondering what makeup might make you shine, or you’ve just stumbled upon this article while doom-scrolling, I’m here to tell you all about face shapes. They are potentially the missing puzzle in your holy trinity of style components (body shape, color, and… you guessed it, face…
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What are Style Lines? {personal style game changer!}
You’ve started to explore your personal style only to be hit in the face with “wear your lines” or “ I don’t think that compliments your lines very well” and… Initial confusion sets in, and the shame of actually asking “What the heck do you mean by lines!?” prevents you from ever clarifying the well-intentioned…
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Apple Body Shape: Ultimate Guide to Building a Wardrobe
You’ve tried outfits from your favorite influencers, borrowed clothes from friends, or even attempted a look from your favorite fashion magazine, and none of it is working. Then comes frustration with your style, loathsome feelings towards your wardrobe, and you figure “well, maybe fashion just isn’t my thing”. But, I’m here to assuage those fears…
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Types of Necklines: Ultimate Guide
Whether you’re picking out your wedding dress, getting ready to sew your next creation, or simply just want to look your best, the neckline of your garment can have a huge impact. The neckline is often one of the first places our eyes land on when we take in someone’s outfit. It draws the eye…
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What Is An Inseam? And How Do You Measure Yours {complete guide}
You may not have realized it, but your inseam is an important factor when buying jeans. There is nothing worse than buying a cute pair of jeans, waiting days for them to arrive, and trying them on only to find out that they are…. well… way too short. Or, worse, they are a complete trip…
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Rectangle Body Shape: Ultimate Guide to Building a Wardrobe
Let me guess… You put on an outfit you think is going to look fantastic, stare in the mirror, and your first thought is, “oh, I look like a door”. ? But, don’t be dismayed! It is all about emphasizing your strengths, picking the correct style lines, and learning how your body works with different…
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The Inverted Triangle Body Shape: Building a Wardrobe
Suddenly a light dawns upon you and you realize why those outfits don’t work for you! It’s your body type. You’ve taken the time to determine your body shape and have presumably landed on the inverted triangle body shape. Now what? You need to build a wardrobe that works for your unique proportions. Learning about…
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The Pear Body Shape: Ultimate Guide to Building a Wardrobe
Whether you are embracing your pear-shaped body with open arms or struggling to accept your body type, the fact is you need a wardrobe that fits your style AND your natural silhouette. Learning about your body shape is essential to your style evolution. It’s a critical step to growing your fashion instincts and honing a…
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The Hourglass Body Shape: Ultimate Guide to Building a Wardrobe
So you’ve taken the time to determine your body shape and you’ve discovered that you are the highly sought-after hourglass body shape. What now? Learning about your body type is an important step in your style evolution. It can guide you on what silhouettes to wear, what styles to avoid or tweak, and how to…
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The Kibbe Body Type Test with Pictures
Whether you’re on a deep dive into the Kibbe system to figure out your type, or the kibbe body typing system has mildly piqued your interest, I have some good news for you. This kibbe body test with pictures will make it much easier. Now, it’s still going to take some effort on your part. …
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Create a Perfect Wardrobe Color Palette: 5 easy methods
Have you ever peered into your wardrobe only to be hit with a sense of utter despair? Your closet’s color palette just doesn’t work. You have neon tops, muted pants, seemingly few neutrals, and it all… just doesn’t work. Well, it’s time to use one of these five methods to develop your perfect…
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Which Season Are You? Seasonal Color Analysis and Why It Matters
Have you ever opened your closet to a rainbow array of colors and thought, well, it’s going to be black pants today, I guess? We have all fallen victim to closet color overload, where our clothing feels incapable of being mixed and matched, and just doesn’t even seem to look good on us. Well, here’s…
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An Introduction to the Kibbe Body Types {Image Identities}
You’ve probably already been introduced to the traditional body typing system, with your hourglass figures, pear shapes, apple shapes, inverted triangle, and rectangle shapes. But, there is another advanced style line and essence system that gives a whole new meaning to your look, and it’s called the Kibbe Image Identity System. The Kibbe Image Identities…
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How to determine your body shape in 5 minutes
Have you ever anxiously awaited for your dress to arrive in the mail, only to throw it on and let out an audible sigh of disappointment? How could this dress look that bad, you think. It was so cute on the model and my favorite style blogger looks so chic in it! Well, I’ll let…
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Start a Capsule Wardrobe in 7 steps + checklist and visual guide
So, you want to start a capsule wardrobe and leave the outfit fatigue and closet struggles behind? Well fantastic! I’m here to guide you through the first steps to starting a capsule wardrobe that allows you to once again find inspiration from your clothes. Starting a capsule wardrobe is the easiest way to eliminate all…
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15 easy steps to ALWAYS look polished
I know we all imagine our favorite style icons just wake up with glowing skin, prefect frizz-free hair, and an effortlessly-chic outfit (with zero wrinkles, no less). But, in reality, it doesn’t work like that for anyone! Social media, the internet, and just daily access to polished perfection can get overwhelming and make us…
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11 Rules to Master Timeless Style
Wouldn’t you love to look back 20 years from now and actually love the outfits you wore? Some women just exude timeless style, as if they didn’t try but somehow look polished, sophisticated, and chic. That outfit they are wearing would look just as good in a year as it does now, and that is…
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How to Define Your Personal Style in 8 Steps
People underestimate the power of fashion. And they usually do it because they’ve dug themselves into such a style rut that it’s easier to chalk it up to fashion being frivolous, or just not having the time. But defining your style and developing a uniquely you look is one of the most effective communication tools. …
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How to Master the French Tuck (and what it is!)
What exactly is a french tuck? Find out everything you need to know about this easy style hack. Including how to do a french tuck with every style of top
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How to Improve Your Style in 10 Easy Steps
People grow up assuming they either have a fashion sense or don’t. That it’s some genetic anomaly you are either fortunate enough to be bestowed with or out of luck for the rest of your existence. But your style and fashion sense is more like a muscle. One that requires building up, finessing, and a…
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40+ Types of Fashion Styles, which one defines you!?
What is your fashion style?! If you’re not already a fashion maven, then that is one of the first questions you should be asking yourself to further explore your style. Here is your ultimate list of types of fashion styles to help you begin to narrow your focus. I will say, in todays society it…
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How To Dress For Your Body Type and Female Body Shape Explained
We all have those Pinterest boards, or inspiration folders full of styles we love but somehow just can’t pull off. You buy the outfit but it still just doesn’t work for you. You chalk it up to not being skinny, the outfit being outside your comfort zone or some other “easy” excuse. But I’m here…
