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Kibbe Type Comparison

Soft Natural vs Romantic

Q: Can you be a tall Romantic or a short Soft Natural?

Romantics are typically 5'5" (165cm) or under because the double curve pattern requires a shorter vertical line. However, Soft Naturals can be any height, including quite petite. Being short doesn't automatically make you Romantic—your bone structure does.

Q: I have an hourglass figure—does that make me Romantic?

Not necessarily. Many Soft Naturals have hourglass figures too. The difference is in the underlying bone structure. A Soft Natural hourglass has width at the shoulders/ribcage and width at the hips with a defined waist. A Romantic hourglass has no width—just delicate bones with flesh creating the curves.

Q: What if I have some width AND delicate bones?

Kibbe types exist on a spectrum, and some people fall between categories. However, width is almost always the deciding factor. If you need to accommodate width in clothing choices, you lean toward Soft Natural. If width isn't an issue but you need curve accommodation, you lean Romantic.

Q: Why do Romantic style recommendations look bad on me if I'm curvy?

If you're curvy but Romantic recommendations (fitted, draped, ornate details) look wrong, you likely have width that needs accommodating. Soft Naturals often try Romantic styling because of their curves, but the fitted styles don't work because they don't account for frame width. Try Soft Natural's relaxed-but-soft approach instead.

Can't decide if you're a Soft Natural or Romantic? You're not alone—this is one of the most common points of confusion in the Kibbe system.

The Soft Natural versus Romantic debate is one of the most common sources of confusion in the Kibbe community. Both types share a yin softness that manifests as curves and rounded flesh, leading many women to bounce between these two image identities for months or even years. The confusion is understandable—at first glance, both types appear soft, curvy, and feminine. However, understanding the fundamental difference between these types comes down to one critical element: the underlying bone structure that everything else is built upon.

Soft Natural

Soft Yang

Approachable and feminine. Soft Naturals blend the Natural's relaxed bone structure with soft, curved flesh.

Full Soft Natural Guide

Romantic

Pure Yin

Soft, sensual, and feminine. Romantics are the embodiment of yin - soft, rounded, and lush.

Full Romantic Guide

Why Soft Natural and Romantic Get Confused

These types get confused because they share visible softness. Both Soft Naturals and Romantics tend to have curves, soft flesh, and a feminine appearance. When you look in the mirror and see curves, it's natural to think "Romantic." But Kibbe's system isn't primarily about curves—it's about bone structure first, flesh second. The yin in Soft Natural comes from soft flesh layered over a yang (wide, blunt) frame. The yin in Romantic comes from both soft flesh AND soft, delicate bones. This is why two women can look equally "curvy" but be completely different types.

The Key Difference

The defining difference is WIDTH. This is the single most important factor. Soft Naturals have width in their bone structure—you'll see it in their shoulders, ribcage, or hip bones. This width creates a frame that needs to be accommodated in clothing. Romantics, by contrast, have delicate, narrow bone structure. Their curves come purely from flesh, not from wide bones. If you trace the outline of a Soft Natural's skeleton, you'd see angles and width. Trace a Romantic's skeleton, and you'd see small, rounded, delicate bones. David Kibbe describes Romantics as having "double curve"—a snowman-like silhouette where rounded shapes stack on top of each other without any angular interruption.

Bone Structure: The Foundation

Let's examine bone structure in detail. A Soft Natural's shoulders will appear slightly broad or blunt—not sharp like a Dramatic, but definitely not sloped or narrow. Their ribcage often has width, and their hip bones may be prominent or square-ish even when covered with soft flesh. The overall impression is of a strong frame softened by curves. A Romantic's bone structure tells a completely different story. Their shoulders slope downward and inward. Their bones throughout the body are small and delicate. Even a Romantic with a larger body size will have small wrists, small hands, and a general delicacy to their frame. The bones don't create any angles or width—everything rounds and curves. This is why Romantics can't wear the relaxed, unconstructed clothing that flatters Soft Naturals; without width to fill it out, the clothes just hang and overwhelm their delicate frame.

Soft Natural	Romantic
Moderate vertical line	Rounded, soft bones
Slightly wide shoulders	Sloping shoulders
Blunt bone edges	Short to moderate vertical
Moderate frame	Small, delicate frame
Slightly square silhouette	Rounded edges

Body Flesh and Curves

Both types have soft, yin flesh, but it distributes differently due to their underlying frames. On a Soft Natural, flesh tends to accumulate evenly and creates gentle curves that soften the underlying width. The waist may be defined, but the overall silhouette has a softened rectangular or hourglass quality. The flesh follows the width of the frame. Romantic flesh creates the famous "double curve" or hourglass figure because it has no angular frame to interrupt it. The flesh rounds out from the bust, curves in dramatically at the waist, and rounds out again at the hips. This creates that snowman-like stack of circles that Kibbe describes. Romantics also tend to have very soft, fleshy arms and legs without much visible muscle definition, while Soft Naturals may show some underlying musculature or sinew through their softness.

Soft Natural	Romantic
Soft, curved flesh	Very soft, lush
Gentle curves at bust/hips	Full bust and hips
Soft arms and thighs	Defined waist
Slightly fleshy waist	Rounded curves everywhere
Rounded overall	Soft arms and thighs

How to Tell Which Type You Are: Quick Tests

Here's a simple test: Stand in front of a mirror in a fitted tank top. Look at your shoulder line. Do your shoulders extend outward before sloping down, creating width? That's Soft Natural. Do your shoulders simply slope downward from your neck without extending outward first? That's Romantic. Another test: Look at your hands and wrists. Romantics almost always have notably small, delicate hands and narrow wrists regardless of their overall body size. Soft Naturals have moderate to slightly wide hands and wrists. Finally, try on an oversized, unconstructed blazer. Does it look effortlessly chic, like you just threw it on? You're likely a Soft Natural. Does it completely overwhelm you and make you look like you're drowning in fabric? You're likely a Romantic.

Celebrity Comparison: Seeing the Difference

Consider Scarlett Johansson (Soft Natural) versus Marilyn Monroe (Romantic). Both are famous for their curves and sex appeal, but their frames are fundamentally different. Scarlett has width in her shoulders and ribcage. Even at her slimmest, you can see the underlying frame creating that width. Her curves are beautiful, but they're built on a sturdy foundation. In relaxed, unconstructed clothing, she looks amazing because her frame fills it out. Marilyn, despite being equally curvy, had none of that width. Her shoulders sloped delicately, her bones were small throughout, and her curves were pure flesh with no angular interruption. Put Marilyn in a boxy blazer and she'd be overwhelmed; put Scarlett in one and it looks intentional and chic. Marilyn needed curve-hugging, draped fabrics to look her best because she had nothing but curves to work with.

Soft Natural Celebrities

Scarlett Johansson

Gigi Hadid

Jennifer Lopez

Kate Winslet

Sydney Sweeney

Romantic Celebrities

Kate Winslet

Drew Barrymore

Christina Ricci

Emilia Clarke

Helena Bonham Carter

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake is equating curves with Romantic. Many Soft Naturals see their curves and immediately assume Romantic, not realizing that their width is the dominant characteristic. Remember: Kibbe always looks at bone structure FIRST. Your flesh (where curves come from) is secondary. A Soft Natural's curves are yin layered over a yang frame. A Romantic's curves are yin layered over more yin. The frame determines everything about how you should dress—not the curves themselves. Another common mistake is thinking height determines type. While Romantics are typically 5'5" or under, there's significant overlap in the height ranges. A petite woman with width is still a Soft Natural, not a Romantic.

How Styling Differs Between These Types

Soft Naturals thrive in relaxed, unconstructed silhouettes that honor their width. Think flowy tops, oversized sweaters, and relaxed blazers. The key is accommodating their frame's width while letting their softness show through. Stiff, structured clothing fights against their natural lines. Romantics need the opposite: clothing that follows every curve closely. Draped fabrics, wrap styles, and fitted silhouettes work because there's no width or angles to accommodate. The fabric should flow around the body like water, hugging the curves. Anything boxy or shapeless makes a Romantic look heavier and overwhelmed because it ignores the beautiful curves that define their silhouette.

Soft Natural Style Recommendations

Relaxed, draped fits
Soft, flowing fabrics
Gentle curves (not tight)
Unconstructed jackets
Casual elegance
Soft layers

Romantic Style Recommendations

Soft, draped fabrics
Curve-hugging fits
Rounded shapes
Romantic details
Flowing silhouettes
Feminine embellishments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you be a tall Romantic or a short Soft Natural?

I have an hourglass figure—does that make me Romantic?

What if I have some width AND delicate bones?

Why do Romantic style recommendations look bad on me if I'm curvy?

Still Not Sure Which Type You Are?

Our AI-powered Kibbe body type test analyzes your proportions from photos and can help determine whether you're a Soft Natural or Romantic in just minutes.

Take the Kibbe Body Type Test

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