An Overview of Yin/Yang Style Systems
In the tradition of Belle Northrup, Harriet McJimsey, David Kibbe, John Kitchener, and others; we have a very different system to draw on, using style concepts of Yin and Yang.
While the specifics vary by author, in this tradition:
- Yin is generally described as: small, delicate, round, soft, flowing, light, low-contrast, gentle/yielding.
- Yang is described as: large, long, angular, striking, dark, high contrast, strong/firm.
These terms are used to describe physical features of people, personality features, mannerisms, fabrics, patterns, shapes, and more.
These ideas of Yin and Yang are then categorized into 5-7 style types/identities for women and their best and most authentic personal aesthetics.
The consistently used types are:
Dramatic - Extreme Yang
Natural - Soft Yang
Classic - Balanced
Gamine - Combination of Yang and Yin
Romantic - Extreme Yin
The variously used types are:
Angelic/Ethereal - Yang (in size) that has yin features (light, flowy) and is not overtly sexy
Ingenue/Youthful - Yin that is not overtly sexy, and has an innocence
Style theorists use these concepts and types in differing ways, either seeing people as a blend of types, or a discrete type. They also have different (sometimes completely opposite) ideas about who (celebrities, for example) belongs in which type.
The Role of Yin/Yang In Fantastical Beauty
Yin/Yang style systems were not a part of the development of Fantastical Beauty, and are not a part of the Fantastical Beauty typing process. This was done explicitly. Having studied Yin/Yang style systems in depth, I saw both their strengths and their weaknesses, and felt a dire need for an alternative tradition.
That said, if yin/yang were considered in Fantastical Beauty, each of the Fantastical Beauty types would be Yin. The personalization of type includes visually incorporating the particulars of the small amount of Yang in each woman. In the Taoist understanding of Yin and Yang, Yin is inherently female, and Yang is inherently male. The Yin/Yang symbol shows how they are interconnected, with one incorporating a small amount of the other, and the two nestling together. This is how Yin/Yang would be considered in Fantastical Beauty. Each Fantastical Beauty type elevates the type of Yin in each woman, and personalizes and integrates the bit of yang in each woman. For typing of men, it would be reversed.
The Role of Yin/Yang Systems In Fantastical Beauty
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