Do I need a Face & Body Type Style Analysis?
- Joanna
- Dec 30, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 18, 2025
What is in this article?
Can't I just style myself?
David Kibbe's 'Metamorphosis'
Dwyn Larson's 'All Types of Beauty'
David Kitchener's 'Essences'
Body Shape Styling (eg. the fruit system)
An timeless, artistic approach to body shapes
Stylemap's 'Face and Body Style Analysis'
Can't I just style myself?
Certainly! Through past experiences of trying out various styles or intuitively knowing which styles don't suit us, we usually develop an understanding of what flatters us, enhancing our choices over time. However, we often put together an outfit or look that feels somewhat right, yet we're uncertain about what works and why. Analysing our face and body type helps us comprehend our past choices and make more deliberate decisions in the future. While free-flowing creativity is crucial for some individuals' style, it holds less importance for others.
David Kibbe's 'Metamorphosis'
Many body type enthusiasts are familiar with David Kibbe's body typing system from his original book, 'Metamorphosis' (1987) and have tried to determine their own 'Image Identity' or 'Kibbe type.' Some have explored various possibilities and perhaps found the Image Identity that suits them best. Others may have given up, feeling confused by the ambiguous results. I began my own journey into this in 2012.
David Kibbe's style philosophy suggests that the absence of perfect balance has its own beauty, and we can use our 'Image Identity' guidelines to highlight this and create our unique look, regardless of whether the resulting appearance conforms to traditional or so-called 'ideal' beauty standards.
David Kibbe now focuses on the overall silhouette and how fabric drapes over it, as discussed in 'David Kibbe's Power of Style,' 2025, rather than encouraging people to categorise themselves using the quiz from 'Metamorphosis,' 1987. With his extensive experience as a successful personal stylist, Kibbe now offers a more subjective and artistic approach.
Dwyn Larson's 'All Types of Beauty'
Around 2015, I discovered Dwyn Larson's website, which was initially named 'Twenty Types of Beauty' and later changed to 'All Types of Beauty.' Larson expanded the Kibbe typology to include body types that don't fit neatly within Kibbe's framework. I corresponded with Dwyn via email about her system and she asked for my help in editing her style guides for the various types. She also determined my type.
David Kitchener's 'Essences'
Although I find the concept of your face containing various 'Essences' intriguing, I view the process of determining a client's essences as subjective, particularly when it overlaps with perceived personality traits. Nonetheless, there are probably some connections between the lines and features linked to these 'Essences' and Stylemap's determination of 'Style ID.'
Similarly, I believe your personality and psychology play a significant role in how you express yourself aesthetically (as explored in 'Psychological Style Analysis'). These results can be layered with your 'Face and Body Style Analysis' results for individual recommendations, whilst remaining as objective as possible.
Body Shape Styling (eg. the fruit system)
Some personal stylists apply styling techniques to balance the silhouette to create a flattering look for the client. However, without an overall harmony between the outfit and the client's face and body lines, the client may feel less self-conscious about perceived flaws, but may fade into the background, stylistically. This approach to style may have prompted David Kibbe to take what might have been considered a more unconventional approach to beauty, at the time.
A timeless, artistic approach to body shapes
Going beyond Kibbe and body shape styling to explore the possibilities of individual artistry, Carla Mason Mathis and Helen Villa Connor demonstrate in their book, 'Timeless Beauty' (1993), techniques for accentuating and minimising various body shapes and features to achieve a range of desired style effects, all of which, at one point in history have been celebrated in art and fashion. This can help us see ourselves through a more timeless lens.
I take a brief look at some of the changing body shape ideals through time in the following article:
Stylemap's 'Face & Body Type Style Analysis'
In my experience with clients, I've discovered that your style naturally complements your physical appearance when it mirrors the bone structure and features of your face, as well as your body. This enhances both the architecture and artistry of your style.
Along with evaluating your Style ID and Body ID, I assess both your vertical and horizontal body shapes and provide a checklist of styling techniques to balance your silhouette if you want to achieve this.
These results are put together in the Face & Body Type Style Analysis Report, together with visual examples of clothing and accessories.
