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Some Thoughts on the Style Types of Male Celebs

3/26/2018

When it comes to Style IDs, the same rules that apply to women -- what works and what doesn't -- mostly apply to men as well.

Based on what clothes flatter them, I've made some inferences about the Style IDs of a few male celebs who have caught my eye.

George Clooney

He looks great in very Classic clothes, right? But notice how he looks even better when you relax, or Natural-ize, the styling just a bit. Remove the tie, unbutton the top button, roll up the sleeves... he's more Natural, and more sexy. So, I say Classic with some Natural for him.

When he goes too far into Natural, though, it all falls apart:

Ouch. Yeah., no.

Lest you say, "But can anyone actually wear head-to-toe denim?", check out Jeff Bridges. Very much a Natural. Looks great in all denim, looks great in shaggy hair.

Jeff Bridges might be pure Natural. It doesn't get more masculine and rough-edged than this, does it?

A lot of gorgeous men are strongly feminine in their style types. (Just as a lot of gorgeous women -- including most runway models-- are strongly masculine in their style types.) Russell Brand looks great with long, luscious curls, lots of detail and circles near his face, and a drapy scarf. He has Romantic and possibly Ethereal, I think.

Draping or curls are feminine details, and men who can pull off one or both near the face likely have lot of Ethereal, Romantic, and/or Ingenue.

The drapy neckline is a good test for whether a man has a lot of feminine style essence. In the same way that many men but only some women can beautifully wear very short, slicked-back (i.e., Dramatic) hair, many women but only some men can wear draping near the face.

So-pretty Kit Harington, looking amazing with both draping and curls. I think he has a lot of Romantic.

Robert Pattinson

Very neat, slick hair looks unattractive, and so does the turtleneck; that suggests Classic and Dramatic are both unlikely.

I would have expected him to have quite a bit of Dramatic, because he's such a good vampire, and because he's quite chiseled. But I believe now that those sculpted features are probably Ethereal rather than Dramatic, and his ability to convincingly embody a vampire is probably enhanced by good makeup. I think he has some Natural as well; an open neckline is so much better for him than a closed one.

Idris Elba

Here's a gorgeous, strongly Classic man. He's much too masculine and mature in his features to pull off a scarf near his face or a boyish flat cap. At the same time, he's not rough-hewn enough to look awesome in denim. He's dreamy in Classic's tailored suit and tie, though.

And now it's time for one of my main celeb crushes:

Stanley Tucci!

See how good he is with a lot of busy-ness? Three-piece suit, stripes, separates -- this profusion of lines is great on him. Lots of detail is most characteristic of the feminine essences, but in this case it's Gamine. (Gamine is mostly a masculine essence, but because it's youthfully masculine, it has a touch of androgyny, and that androgyny shows up in Gamine's need for lots of detail.)

To really rule out the feminine essences, check Stanley with the drapy neckine a scarf creates, or with curls:

No, Stanley, no.

Lots of detail; small, sharp, shapes; crisp lines... that's Gamine.

I think he has Natural, too, because he's hot AF in open necklines and in Henleys. I suspect Classic as well, because he looks his best, IMO, with a lot of polish and tailoring -- even more than Gamine would normally provide.

Natural-Classic-Gamine for my dear Stanley Tucci.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Neat hair is better than messy (or too much) hair, right? The less detail he has, and the crisper his lines, the more striking he looks. So I ask, is that Classic or Dramatic?

I suspect it's Dramatic; Dramatics are good with "neck emphasis" (which usually means a high collar), and I think he's pulling that off in the center picture, above. I believe he has some Ethereal as well, because he makes a rather spacey and gentle impression. He doesn't have enough Ethereal, though, to make wisps better for him than straight, sharp lines.

68 Comments

3/26/2018 05:18:04 pm

Bandicoot Cucumber is immediately ethereal to me, especially in the eyes, but I see what you mean about the smooth hair and necklines and dramatic.

Can anyone help me type Dave Franco? I think he's gamine and maybe natural but not sure.

Nancy

3/27/2018 03:53:33 am

I'm thinking Gamine and maybe Dramatic. He might have some feminine essence, but I don't know which one...

3/27/2018 02:50:52 pm

Hmm, I hadn't considered any dramatic at all! There is a little sharpness there.

4/1/2018 08:23:12 pm

"Bandicoot Cucumber" has me screaming, tbh.

Megan

4/8/2018 11:23:04 am

I was waiting for someone to comment on this. Definitely represents Autocorrect's best work ever

3/26/2018 06:23:20 pm

So interesting to see an analysis of the gentlemen, as it's usually ladies who get style typed (and the excitement over Stanley Tucci is adorable, imo).

Benedict Cumberbatch being DE doesn't surprise me a bit, but I'm interested in how you got there. I am finding DE (60/40) is working really well for me. But I got hung up on the difference between dramatic simplicity vs. classic simplicity for a long time. I think I got so hung up on the negative language often used around dramatics in Kibbe land that I dismissed dramatic out of hand. Going to check out the style guides, but as a note, I'd love to see more on how to distinguish between styles that often get confused.

3/26/2018 07:14:55 pm

Re-reading my comment a minute later and concerned that came off abruptly. What I mean is I find this whole thing fascinating - the way it applies to men and women, the way this gives some "Oh *that's* why that works" clarity to a world of fashion that I otherwise find intimidating and nonsensical.

Dramatic and classic were easy for me to confuse. I was thinking "minimal" for classic, rather than traditional. Also luxurious. But I suppose dramatic has minimalism and luxury as well, just without the convention? This is what I am trying to understand. I often see dramatic characterized as the unhelpful "most yang" which... ? Anyhow, the comments about how you determine Benedict Cumberbatch is dramatic are very intriguing to me.

And as always, love this blog. A bright spot of my Mondays to check in and see what you've written. :)

Megan

3/26/2018 07:26:18 pm

Anyone have thoughts on typing Eddie Redmayne? I think he's an interesting one because he seems to have a blend of masculine and feminine and of course he was the star of The Danish Girl...

Nancy

3/27/2018 02:49:49 am

I think Eddie Redmayne has a lot of Ethereal. I also think he has Gamine. I don't know about the rest. Natural? Classic?

Megan

3/27/2018 04:55:51 pm

Interesting! I can see ethereal and natural. I was also thinking romantic, maybe, because his eyes and lips are rather full and sensual?

Megan

3/29/2018 12:28:44 pm

Chiming in about Eddie's season--I think his freckles maybe create a false impression of warmth? I could be totally wrong, but in "Fantastic Beasts," it looks like they made his hair look more orangey/warmer--and I don't think it suits him. I would agree that he's some sort of summer. I think probably the main reason I think this is that in photos, he looks better in true white than off white?

3/27/2018 09:51:14 pm

You read my mind, Megan--I've been wondering about Eddie Redmayne since Fantastic Beasts came out! I think he's some kind of Ethereal-Gamin blend for sure; "sprite" is a good descriptor for him.

Hard to say what his third essence might be, if he has one . . . Just from looking at Google images, I think we can rule out Dramatic--slicked-back hair, sharp power suits, and edgy looks don't harmonize with him. I don't think Romantic is a strong contender either--the eyes and mouth read more soulful Ethereal to me than pouty, smoldering Romantic, and sheeny, luxuriant fabrics don't harmonize with him. It's hard to find guys in anything that might be described as Ingenu, but I don't really see innocence or sweetness or small rounded shapes in Eddie's face, so rule that out too. He tends to disappear in controlled, traditional, preppy styles, so I'm inclined to say no to Classic. I think he can take a bit of messiness and texture, and sometimes his smile looks Natural, so my guess is he's Ethereal and Gamin with a dash of Natural.

Nancy

3/28/2018 02:01:55 am

I think Eddie Redmayne could be an Ethereal/Classic/Gamine. Despite his autumny coloring I don't think he has Natural. There isn't much bluntness in his features and he's not very robust. I think Natural clothes make him look a little sloppy. I suspect Classic because he doesn't look his best when he is too messy. I think he needs some polish and tailoring .

3/28/2018 04:57:21 pm

Respectfully disagree. Lots of Natural does tend to overwhelm Eddie Redmayne's delicate features, which is why I suggested only a dash of it :). I still think that little bit of Natural's a better fit for him than Classic, though. Eddie favors Gamin-style tailoring, but I think taking that tailoring into traditional and conservative territory looks too boring for his unusual features and tends to make him disappear. Mussed hair is much better on him than neat, and his features tend to come into focus if he has a bit of hair in his face, whereas a Classic blend would want the hair out of the face. Open necklines and rolled-up sleeves are also better for him than turtlenecks and full-length sleeves.

I agree that his features are not big and blunt, but there seems to be a minority of Naturals whose features look narrower and more geometrically squarish--among women, this minority is typified by Christie Brinkley, Cameron Diaz, and Heidi Klum. Eddie Redmayne could fit in with these women. If I had to point to any one facial feature that could read as Natural on him, it would be his square jawline. But, again, just a dash of Natural will do him :).

(By the way, Nancy, your comment about Redmayne having autumny coloring made me pay attention to what colors he was wearing in his photos. I also thought he seemed like an Autumn at first glance, but he looks healthiest in cool colors in photos, whereas warm colors seem to wash him out. I think he's actually a Summer, maybe a SSu. Check out his photos and see what you think.)

Nancy

3/29/2018 02:51:56 am

Respectfully disagree about the season of Eddie Redmayne. I believe he is primarily warm. I think he's an Autumn. Maybe Soft Autumn. He could be Warm Autumn too. I have thought about Spring too, but I think he looks muted so my guess is Autumn.

ruby

3/30/2018 12:57:42 pm

I see a lot of gamine in Eddie Redmayne, I would say it's his dominant essence. He looks much better in a bow tie than a tie when he wears a suit IMO, which I believe is a gamine trait.

Kat

3/26/2018 10:36:43 pm

It's really nice to see some articles about dudes here. Because these are usually centered around women, I tend to have trouble identifying types when analyzing men. More articles like this in the future that perhaps go more even more in-depth would be much appreciated.

3/27/2018 10:13:01 pm

I second this :)

Jamie

3/27/2018 12:28:32 am

Oh, I love this article! I have to say that George Clooney looks just like my dad. ♡ Now I'll have to go back through photos to see how my dad looked in C & N styles.

I have also thought that Tony Curtis has a lot of feminine traits in the older movies. What would his type be?

Katja

3/27/2018 03:17:12 am

Jamie, I see what you mean about Tony Curtis looking a little feminine. Could it be the essence of Gamine who gives him a touch of androgyny?

Miranda

3/27/2018 02:56:28 am

I know an androgynous AMAB person who is trying to figure out their wardrobe and has had trouble translating the recommendations (they're REI). This helps!
In general, I've tried to be careful about typing trans friends because the "masculine" and "feminine" labels could be a dysphoria trigger, but this friend has found the system very helpful.

3/27/2018 12:47:21 pm

I think one of the things I appreciate about the honesty of this type of style ID is that it recognizes that masculine/feminine is largely a societal construct. A lot of style ID systems absolutely refuse to type men as romantic or ingenue, and only occasionally type them as ethereal. The result, I think, is that this suggests R & I are somehow only for women - which only furthers the 'othering' of the feminine styles - and also, in turn, suggests to me that the masculine elements of D, N, and G are somehow 'less' appropriate for women. -- I think Rachel's point is spot on: a lot of women have masculinity in their features, and vice versa - and I'm beginning to see how beautifully you can dress within each style (I love the point about Russel & Kit in male-romantic clothing! This is really neat to see!)

I think it's definitely wise to avoid typing others - unless someone's bought into this system of styling and wants help with it, that is. I think fashion - like all self-realization - is something each person has to figure out for themselves. (Though I definitely type people in my head without saying anything to them. I can't help myself!!)

3/27/2018 01:13:27 pm

I was more musing generally on the style system, but I wanted to add that I think that's awesome and says a lot that your friend is able to use the concepts of this style ID system to feel most comfortable. I think that's fantastic and it's cool that you've been able to join them in that process. I was more thinking aloud that I am SO tempted to try and type people around me -- but as I've had trouble typing myself, that's probably something I should leave to the experts. :3

Miranda

3/27/2018 05:26:23 pm

Oh yeah, I always get permission. I would feel like a total creep staring at someone's picture for that long without permission...lol...

3/27/2018 06:08:45 pm

Heh! Totally. And I was not trying to say youy shouldn't type friends. But I think what I was trying to write did not translate to what I wrote. I was thinking more like: "That's awesome when fashion can help people feel authentic. That's what it's supposed to be about, right? Yeah! That's so cool your friend is making that journeyj and I wish then and you all the best with that. If only more people were authentic, and didn't get pressure to be a certain way just because it's the norm, the world would be happier, I think." And what I actually said came out a lot more incoherent than that. X]

Islah

3/27/2018 08:14:39 am

Please, can you type Michael Fassbender?

Nancy

3/27/2018 09:14:53 am

DCN? I don't know. It's difficult to type men.What do you think yourself?

Islah

3/28/2018 02:37:54 am

I think he has Dramatic and Classic both.

Lena

3/27/2018 09:18:33 am

Classic /Dramatic?

Rosetta

3/27/2018 10:58:53 am

Hmm, in my opinion Benedict Cumberbatch does look better with wispy, longer hair than with straight, sharp lines, hair slicked back... But then again I find longer hair more attractive on basically everyone, so maybe that's just a personal bias. ;)

And I didn't know men can actually have Ingenue, I thought the same qualities (as female Ingenue) are always Gamine on males! But come to think of it, if women can have Gamine, so why not Ingenue for men. ;)

Lena

3/27/2018 12:53:46 pm

Can anyone type Richard Gere? I just can't figure out his style-ID.

3/27/2018 02:42:30 pm

I'd say romantic

3/27/2018 10:06:15 pm

I can see a bit of Romantic in him too--he looks good with a bit of softness in his clothing and curl in his hair. However, the small eyes, big nose and jaw, and cheekbones that are prominent in the front all scream Natural to me. He also seems to look good in Classic suits, and I think his best hairstyles have an element of neatness to them that wouldn't fit a Natural-Romantic, so my guess is that Richard Gere is Natural-Romantic-Classic.

Islah

3/28/2018 02:39:30 am

I think he is a Natural. He is cast in romantic roles, but here we are talking about style identities, it´s not the same.

Nancy

3/28/2018 04:49:17 am

I agree with KC. The small eyes and prominent cheekbones scream Natural. But could that big nose be Ethereal? I can see wisdom and peace in his eyes so that made me think if he has Ethereal. Am I all wrong?

Lena

3/28/2018 05:00:00 am

Yes, he is cast in romantic roles, but I don't think he would be able to pull that off if he didn't have some sort of sex appeal. So I'm thinking Romantic for him. I think he has Natural too. And perhaps somthing more, but I don't know what. I don't think Classic when I think of him.

Lena

3/28/2018 05:35:36 am

Does anyone think he could have Gamine or Ingenue? He is not very tall.

3/28/2018 03:58:03 pm

Hmm, I hadn't considered Ethereal for Richard Gere. Maybe that's the femininity I'm seeing instead of Romantic--definitely worth considering. His big, blunt nose is definitely Natural, though--Ethereal noses are more long and narrow.

I found a picture of Gere on Google where he wears a newsboy cap and a scarf with a small plaid print, and neither of them did anything for him, so I don't think he has any Gamin. Small details in general don't seem to match him, and I can't see him in cherubic curls, so I also think Ingenu is out.

It's often difficult to see Classic in a person's style mix, especially when it's not the dominant essence, but I still think Richard Gere needs a bit of neatness and tailoring that isn't accounted for by a Natural-feminine blend--see his suit and shorter hair in Pretty Woman versus when he lets his hair go all Fabio-esque. Overall, I'd consider NRC or NEC for him.

Janelle

3/27/2018 11:13:35 pm

Yes, I was watching the winter Olympics last month and was struck by how ingenue Australian snowboarder Scotty James looks! When he took off his goggles and I could see his whole face, I thought what a pretty guy!

Another Rachel

3/29/2018 05:52:33 pm

I’m pretty sure my husband has a dash of Ingenue. But he’s a man’s man (mostly natural) so I would never tell him that!
He looks Irish and has naturally very curly hair that he keeps short. His features are masculine and he looks great with stubble, but he has kind eyes and a face that doesn’t have any guile. I suspect that it’s the ingenue influence. Women tend to become friends with him really quickly, maybe because they sense that innocent quality.

Cassie K

3/27/2018 09:10:48 pm

What a lovely post! I had trouble typing my husband, and this made me realize he's not buttoned-up enough to be Natural-Classic. Rather, he's Natural-Gamine -- playful., boyish, but still fairly tailored.

It's almost simpler to see to style elements in men's clothes because they're more basic (and probably because I/we have a lot of pre-conceived notions about gendered dress). A lot of women's dress looks costume-y on the wrong woman -- "Ren-Fair," "Bombshell," "School-Girl," -- while men simply look uncomfortable and maybe a little dorky.

3/27/2018 10:47:21 pm

Interesting how both Russell Brand and Kit Harrington have a lot of Romantic, but they're both featured in this post with beards--I would've thought that men with strongly feminine style IDs wouldn't be able to pull off facial hair. There are definitely men in the world who look best with facial hair and other men who look like they have a dead rodent on their face if they try to grow a beard. One of my cousins falls in the latter category--I think it's because he has a lot of Gamin.

Maybe it depends more on the style of facial hair? Like maybe an Ethereal man could pull off a long, wispy wizard beard? I do think that Dramatics look good with "devilish" goatees. Anyone else have thoughts or experiences related to men who can and can't pull off beards?

3/28/2018 09:24:22 pm

My partner is a man who looks best with a wizard's beard! He's also a pure Ethereal.

Basha

3/29/2018 01:09:31 pm

I think that a man who has a lot of ingenue might not be able to pull off a beard--they look youthful and playful, and the beard usually indicates age. Romantic, I think, the essence is a mature sort of a attractiveness (not ancient and wise like ethereal, but definitely adult) so some facial hair would work for that look--short, trimmed beard/stubble would be suitable, as it indicates maturity, but not the old soul vibe of ethereal.

Rachel

3/31/2018 08:28:25 pm

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. It seems like men with a lot of R or E seem to be good with facial hair. Yet men with a lot of N are also often great with facial hair. This has had me puzzled for quite a while. Literally as I was typing this, a possible explanation occurred to me: R, E, and N all need soft edges and a lack of structure. Hair is inherently soft-edged and unstructured, right? A person has to go to a lot of effort to make hair look stiff or sharp. *blog post idea...*

Nancy

3/28/2018 01:45:01 am

In my opinion men with strongly feminine style IDs are not able to pull off a beard. It makes them look even more feminine.

Anna

3/28/2018 02:31:25 pm

Oh my goodness Rachel you have totally blown my mind once again. I have already re-read this article several times (though I do this with most of your work), and it's really been helpful in analyzing myself as a woman -- somehow, removing the female context and learning about the steps in applying the system to men has given me a lot of insight into how it applies to me! Thank you as ever for your insight and innovations.

Cheryl

3/29/2018 12:41:11 pm

Can someone please tell me what style type Hugh Jackman is?? He looks so dreamy in suave polished looks (tuxedo, slicked back hair) and also smoking hot as Wolverine! I think we can safely rule out Ethereal, Gamine and Ingenue (nothing otherworldly or little boyish about him and i cant picture him in anything resembling squiggly little curves). But of the rest?

Victoria

3/29/2018 09:14:58 pm

In other systems he's considered a Dramatic Natural. I'm not sure what he'd be in this system, if he'd have a 3rd identity...

Nancy

3/30/2018 03:33:49 am

I think Hugh Jackman is Dramatic and Natural. He might have Classic too.

Cheryl

4/2/2018 01:55:41 pm

I never thought of Dramatic :) but yeah it makes sense! Personally i think his most dominant type is Classic, while the secondary trait could be Dramatic or Natural...(i maybe wrong, i am quite new to all this!)

Lena

3/31/2018 03:30:51 am

Can anyone type Johnny Depp? I think he has Gamine. I don't know what more.

Rachel

3/31/2018 08:19:58 pm

Hi, Lena! I suspect he has a lot of Dramatic and a lot of Romantic.

Nancy O.

4/1/2018 05:14:53 pm

I think you are spot on with these!

Funny enough, I was just recently pointing out to my fiance how much he looked Kit in face and body, even down to the curly/wavy hair, and suspected they both share a lot of Romantic. Nice to have a confirmation about my instinct!

4/4/2018 12:34:28 pm

Thoughts on Jared Padalecki? I wanna say he's mostly Ethereal and Dramatic, with a bit of Ingenue.

Nancy

4/5/2018 02:10:11 am

Maybe Natural/Ethereal/Ingenue?

4/5/2018 05:38:46 pm

Thanks! I hadn't thought of N, but maybe I was confusing N broadness for D. (In Kibbe's system he might be Flamboyant Natural...but FN can't account for the innocent/delicate vibe he gives off, despite his size.)

4/8/2018 01:52:06 am

Jared Padalecki has Ethereal for sure. Tailored looks and suits are terrible on him, which is a strike against Classic, Gamin, and Dramatic. I also don't like slicked-back hair on him, and his attempts at an "I'm going to kick your @$$" face pale in comparison to Jensen Ackles's, so I'm going to vote against Dramatic. I don't see any Ingenu either, despite the fact that Padalecki tends to be cast in naif roles--nothing in his features is small and rounded, his old flip haircut with bangs looked silly, and I can't picture him in cute styles like bowties, polka dots, high rounded collars, or small curls. Not to mention, Ethereal-Ingenue styles tend to be delicate to the point of frothy, which I also can't see on him. I think Padalecki's an Ethereal-Natural.

Of course, this whole discussion begs the question: what about Jensen Ackles? I'd be very surprised if he had any of the feminine essences; he looks very masculine to me. He looks much better in suits, leather jackets, and short hair than Padalecki does, and he has a very expressive face, including an impressive death glare--I think he has a lot of Dramatic. I'd also consider Classic, Gamin, or Natural for Ackles. What say you?

Nancy

4/8/2018 11:34:57 am

I would like to change Etherea/Naturall/Ingenue for Jared Padalecki to Ethereal/Natural/Gamine. I think he has something youthful and that would be Gamine.
I don't see much Dramatic in Jensen Ackles, if any. And I don't think he looks very masculine either. There is something in his face that is a little feminine. His chin and mouth is not very masculine to me. I don't think his feminine essence is Ethereal or Romantic so maybe it is Ingenue. He seems to have something youthful and I do't think it's Gamine. I also think he might have Classic and maybe Natural.

Mat

4/6/2018 05:02:46 am

Finally men, Thank you. Please don't forget them in the future.

Lena

4/14/2018 03:12:26 am

Can anyone type Matthew Mcconaughey?

Julia

4/15/2018 05:19:37 am

Lots of Natural, possibly some Romantic. His whole character in Zoolander was basically a Natural/Romantic stereotype, but to be honest it wasn't terrible on him haha.

Nancy

4/15/2018 07:14:01 am

He's a difficult one! He might have Natural, but I'm not sure. I think a beard doesn't flatter him at all. He definitely has some yin essence, but I don't think it's Romantic. Maybe Ethereal? Ingenue?

Lena

4/15/2018 07:19:38 am

I haven't considered Romantic for him, but maybe that is not such a bad idea! He does have curly hair and cute dimples, but I don't know if dimples read as Romantic. Maybe that reads as Ingenue?

Nancy

4/15/2018 07:26:46 am

KC, what do you think about his style ID?

Kathryn

5/23/2018 01:00:26 pm

I read an essence breakdown on Benedict Cumberbatch (Cabbage Patch haha) by John Kitchener one time. In the psc system, Benedict has every what-the-hell essence going on at once. You can see the Dramatic, Ethereal, and Gamine if you really think about it. I can't remember the specifics of the rest, but presumably he has all seven essences. And we thought *we* had problems! LOL

Lisa

6/2/2018 03:07:15 am

Hi,

I know I'm late to this thread, but my curiosity is killing me.

Is anyone willing or able to guess the Style ID of Marton Csokas and /or Jason Statham?

Shawna

6/2/2018 02:53:19 pm

This post is so awesome I keep re-reading it and all the comments too. My son has long, curly strawberry blonde hair, chiseled features and something about him that reads dramatic, classic and ethereal. He would make a convincing Lord of the Rings Elf and has a similar facial vibe to Orlando Bloom. I think his colouring is Soft or True Autumn, could be True Spring but I think he is best a bit more muted. It's a unique and interesting look and so interesting to begin looking at men in this way.

Some Thoughts on the Style Types of Male Celebs

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