dress for your ethnicity

[@sheilakosoff5806]

So true! When I try the French girl aesthetic, it always leave me feeling blah. But when I embrace colors and draping that is so part of my African roots, I feel alive. This is why I appreciate the body types method. I am curvy and need to follow my curves. I need color as well because my brown skin was made for it.

[@INTJelisaqueen]

same here!

[@klara5578]

I’ve also drawn this conclusion but it took me longer than neccessary because people don’t really talk about it. I went through Kibbe, Kitchener, Carol Tuttle, and several style youtubers before I realized upon reflection that my Nordic heritage (Tall, pale, mousy brown hair) makes me look particularly good in muted colours, long lines, and not too fuzzy or romantic stuff. It’s always a good idea to connect with your roots!

[@courtneyjackson4843]

My mom used to say I looked like the "Celtics women" she was referring to this group of singers we used to see. I used to hate it! However she was right of course and they wore lots of green - also my best color and very flattering with my reddish hair. In fact almost any shade of green - warm or cool works strangely enough.

[@Su-kros]

Me too! I can wear any green🙂 I'm American with strong Norwegian and Irish ancestry.

[@amnbvcxz8650]

any greens are the best colours for me, especially light warm “spring season” green, makes my skin shine like nothing else. Although im european with brown hair and eyes. Pastels and muted colours are the worst for me, especially cool tones.

[@courtneyjackson4843]

@@amnbvcxz8650 I am the same way! Light blue and baby pink make me look like a corpse.

[@dahliaherrod4301]

I had the same conversation with My Father a couple of months ago. You have to consider what your ancestors were before globalisation what's a major Factor. Before people were exposed to entirely different racial groups what do they consider beautiful in how did they express themselves through beauty? It's usually a good starting point. I'm african-american of west African ancestry so I know that I look really good in elaborate hairstyles and Rich colours. It's been really fun to do more research into my ancestry because it allows me to celebrate what makes me beautiful and unique in this world.

[@autumnleaves-77]

I'm European with a very fair complexion and blonde hair. I find dressing in pastel colours with a soft warm hue very flattering. Also I do really like broderie anglaise, Victoriana style clothing really suits me. Merriam could you please do a video about Theatrical Romantic with Ethereal essence? It seems like such a contradictory type and difficult to dress for this particular type.

[@sofitocyn100]

Are you sure you are a TR ? Many women wrongly assume they are

[@annakarina8417]

I think you look a lot like me. Light skin, blonde, TR, light summer and ethereal essence as well. 😅

[@autumnleaves-77]

@@sofitocyn100 yes I'm pretty sure I'm TF although I haven't had an analysis by Merriam yet. I know TF is quite rare too, but I've done a lot of my own research into kibbe body types and I can see the 's' shape curves with the hint of sharpness and the small bird-like figure that defines TF :)

[@amnbvcxz8650]

I’m european and have brown hair and eyes but im light colour season too (bright or warm spring). But pastels look really bad on me, pastels and muted/greyish colours are the worst😅

[@LGrian]

This is only true if you’re relatively high chroma. Most fair olives look like shit in pastels.

[@KristinaDMoore]

I started wearing headwraps as a way to connect with West African culture. Most of my DNA (93%) is W. African.

[@kitty_s23456]

I agree. The headwrap looks great on you!

[@KristinaDMoore]

@@kitty_s23456 Thank you!

[@sofitocyn100]

This is so true. Also, and like Meryem says, if you arent happy with what your ethnicity looks like in our modern times, look in the past. I am a very pale white french woman with a somewhat warm complexion. When i was told i looked vintage, old soul, retro hollywood like), a whole world open to me. Although wheat blonde with black eyes until i grew out of childhood, i am now naturally copper haired with brown eyes. I am almost the only person who remains white throughout summer. I used to be teased for it because the West values tan skin, which looks holiday like. But that's what i am. Only my face is capable of tanning a bit and that removes all what makes me special. Recently i have discovered that i was a TR. I look my best with jewel toned colours and black and intense fabrics like velvet, brocade, transparent mesh, lace. Basically the whole old hollywood look makes me look so good that i get complimented everyday. When i was trying to look like the ideal girl in the west, i looked plain, washed out. I just could never blend in. I am so glad i understood that i could do something out of this paleness and this intense thick, copper hair. This is a look few women can pull off and i am glad i can.

[@thehalfbloodserb]

Trying to think about this from a slavic lens, I think some of the most common features include a contrast of high cheekbones with soft/rounded features. I tend to see a lot of sharpened soft, rounded mixed, and mixed slavic women, which are all types that suit bright colours and contrast. So maybe that's why our traditional clothing usually has contrasting white, bright red, black and other colours, usually in flower motifs, styled with red lipstick. And the balkan slavs tends to incoporate more gold metal - aside from an ottoman influence, it could possibly be since we're more likely to be olive and warmer toned compared to the more northern slavs

[@daniela_to]

Balkan slavs are a very distinct ethnicity --- different from East European slavs due to our location and history: we are part of what used to be called the Near East which also includes Western Asia, North Africa, etc. and were colonized by the Ottoman empire for half a millennium. So, we have high-contrast, intricate clothing, which, by virtue of us being Balkan (a place where peoples have been mixing for millennia) is also quite unique as is often our appearance. Which is why I can never find the right clothes for me in Norway where I live. I mostly shop online or when I travel to southern climes.

[@LGrian]

Olive and warm are not equivalent at all though. You can have cool olives. I agree warm complexion is a bit more common among eastern Slavic groups, but warmth and depth are often so wrongly equated. There is some correlation between warm to cool east to west, but it’s not remotely the rule this video makes it out to be. My mother is Balkan, slightly warm, olive, quite deep in coloring, but LOW contrast. She is not flattered by the “traditional” color palettes at all

[@saramsfi]

All 10body types and 4 colour types are present in all countries, but these 10 are divided in different percentages in each country. there are countries where a specific minority body type is bigger than the rest of minorities and that minority is also bigger than in other countries. Specially the radiant-delicate topic is the one that depends the mist on the ethnicity. I have an obsession with kibbe, geography, phenotypes and sociology so i love this topic.

[@peachfountain]

I'd love to see analysis on this topic; and someday we'll be sophisticated enough to remark on how mixed race people like myself and so many others might play out as well!

[@seabreeze4559]

theapricity goes into some morphology differences

[@infinitusinanis5832]

That's so interesting!

[@Tanager-xr7lr]

This was really interesting to watch. I had the same idea, that people from different cultures around the world had an intuitive understanding of what sort of lines, colors, and details flattered their features and that it was reflected in their traditional dress, or elements associated with their culture. I am mestiza, of mixed half Native American and Spanish European ancestry, but look more native. From my native side, I noticed that women typically wore long skirts and blouses made with natural fibers, especially cotton. Cotton was often woven on a traditional loom and had a textured finish. For both men and women, the overall look is relaxed, practical and minimal detail, lines associated with beveled/natural, which was harmonious with the features Native Americans tended to have: structured, broadly angular facial features, and a beveled/natural body type. Of course, it will vary by region and ethnic group, but this is a general trend I noticed.

[@KDbelieves]

This reminds me of this STUNNING Indian girl I saw on tiktok. The video was pictures of her in her high school days compared to her college. In highschool she was around a lot of white girls, and you can tell she was trying to fit in. She wore a lot of cool pastel colors. Her hair was always straightened. Her makeup was a bit ashy on her etc. Then in college, you can see that she embraced her Indian heritage. A lot of saturated colors. She wore her natural wavy hair texture. Lot's of gold Jewelry. Henna designs on her hands etc. She looked so breathtakingly gorgeous!

[@OhSoPana]

My family is from Panama however, we primarily of West African descent - we wear lots of crisp white linen clothing and jewel tone colors. Even our folk clothing Polleras have a white base and with pops of color. Gold jewelry and relaxed clothing with waist emphasis is common. High saturation blues, cool red tones, purple, and green. I tend to get the most compliments when I wear light, cool colors and dress for the soft natural kibbe style.

[@Pinkychi305]

I’m Asian and reds, green, yellow and gold flatter me the most! I can also be heavily adorned in jewelry and it looks natural on me

[@tlc2741]

I’m soooo interested in this topic! I have a lot of mixed northern European ancestry - I’m a Soft Dramatic kibbe with dark winter color season - and I never quite know how to dress! The easiest thing is usually a simple black/navy sheath dress for work, but I’m much more hopeless with casual wear (slightly stretchy/slightly form fitting jeans and sundresses are my only hope). But I know exactly what you mean - my favorite KZbinr looks STUNNING in her traditional Indian/Pakistani clothes for photo shoots. I just don’t know what the British/Slavic version of that is? I’ve been meaning to incorporate more dark reds, purples, and bright blues based on the dark winter stuff I’ve been learning about …

[@kitty_s23456]

Hi. If you're a European and a winter, try to check out how they dressed Morgana (Katie McGrath) in the Merlin BBC series. She's pale & dark haired and the way they styled her in the earlier seasons - she was just so lovely in those jewel tones. There are Merlin clips on YT. I think she's a bright winter though. (But I've heard that dirty blonde is her natural hair color. I've seen recent pics of her & she still maintains brown or black hair.)

[@andreahultman8272]

I’m in the same club with you: mostly Northern European ancestry, Dark Winter for season, high contrast because of my dark brown hair, Soft Dramatic in Kibbe, but my lifestyle is better for comfortable casual looks, and I live in the subtropical area of the southeastern US. I do what I can with jewel tones and draping silhouettes. Black is actually my best “color” to wear.

[@michelleclark8099]

Dominant localities forces everyone to assimilate to what enhances the dominant culture in power. They create the standard of beauty. If you are opposite of that standard, you have to be strong to push your own beauty. I have become stronger and stronger. Some like my look and some don’t trust me anymore for dressing culturally more than assimilating to the norm in power.

[@tonjawade9037]

My background is interesting because I never felt like I fit in. My father's birth father was Jamaican, and his birth mother was from the American South(Black). My mother is Black with Cherokee, Choctaw, and Seminole/Creole ancestry. Sometimes I look Native American and sometimes I look pure Caribbean. There are also times when I look African (people ask if I have Nigerian or Ghanian blood). I always look amazing in colors from the Bright Winter palette, especially reds, yellows, and pinks! I have deep olive reddish-brown skin, and medium deep ashy brown hair with deep brown eyes. Whenever I wear eclectic style or clothing that's a little Boho-glam I get mistaken for someone who's in the entertainment industry!(lol) This channel has helped me embrace being me!

[@magnisky]

I am sooo happy you made this video. As an Indian brown woman, the style the drapery and the colors on me enhances everything about me. I see these looks on specifically blonde women and it is a difficult look to pull off on them (like it’s too much). 😮 (that being said the right color shade and pattern can look great on them as well, just slightly difficult).

[@parasemear2686]

My ascendency is from south german (and Austria) and north italian but my antecessors emigrated to latin america, people thinks I m foreigner. But, I truly identifies as a latin american person (as I truly am, and I love my country and other neighboring countries). When I was looking for aspects in clothes that suited my body type, years and years after I found that a piece of clothes who ticks all the boxes is a dirndl dress... lol so Merrian is very right ! I think ethnic clothes were developed from saecula to fit and look the best for their body types

[@Claudialupper]

It's more about scale than color when it comes to ancestral dressing. Like many Northern European types (Irish, German & Swedish), I have thin bones, narrow shoulders, long feet, and am tall. Small prints and delicate lace work on me. Bold bright prints make me look costumey. Chunky anything looks weird on me and tends to swallow me. Details such as pleats and peplums are great. In other words, quiet clothes. But not quiet colors because I am a bright spring...best colors are tomato red, yellows, corals, and cobalt blue. My favorite clothing pieces tend to be delicate constructions in bright colors (electric blue dress with laser cut scalloping, bright red dress with mandarin collar and frog style closures, for example). For me, it's scale/proportion. But I do like wearing Celtic accessories.

[@alisha1377]

I think the description of body should be more diverse. Traveling through China, I noticed most Europeans had bigger bone/wider structures (generally), and clothing there and basically in most parts of Asia being so much smaller in comparison to European sizing.

[@zamar2158]

But Scandinavian traditional dress is bright coloured

[@laylamaria1457]

I'm Spanish, all my ancestors are Spanish too as far as I know, but I live in the UK. Yes I am European but I look quite different from native white british.

[@rivkaruthgolan]

Swiss (by canton) dirndl, fitted vest (feminine lines, same color as skirt mid length) feminine white blouse, stockings, sweater “jacket” black flats

[@vtcs1963]

Cleopatra was ethnically Greek. I can list ten ethnic Greeks who I grew up with and went to school with who have blue eyes and blonde hair. I know the current narrative is that she was somehow African by ethnicity but history does not support that.

[@amnbvcxz8650]

True about Cleopatra’s ancestry. But Greeks more commonly have dark hair and brown eyes and intermediate or light olive skin, and Cleopatra had brown eyes and either black or reddish brown hair

[@vtcs1963]

@@amnbvcxz8650 These kind of statements bother me because of the whole “you don’t look Jewish” thing (not me, I do apparently). Every culture has intermingled with every other culture over the last 2000 years. All our DNA is mixed up. We don’t know what Cleopatra looked like from Elizabeth Taylor playing her in a movie from before we were born! (And I’m old LOL).

[@zamar2158]

Africa has negroid and non negroid people. Just like asia has mongoloid and caucasoid people. So to imagine that all of africa is black negroid is wrong.

[@zamar2158]

​@@vtcs1963 jewish is a religion, but because of consanguinous marriages and intense endogamy there is a certain look. But expecting a religious group to look alike is odd. Anyone can choose to follow a religion.

[@vtcs1963]

@@zamar2158 Jews are an ethnicity. We had our own country for over a thousand years in what is today Israel. The name of the Jews in Hebrew in every prayer is The people of Israel. If you are Christian you heard of a dude called Jesus. He was a Jew, born in Nazareth, a city in Israel, and reportedly crucified in Jerusalem, a city in Israel. Over the thousands of years that the Jewish religion formed - in Israel - certain people endogenous to the region formed a nation. That nation is now scattered around the world for the past 2000 years. If you look at DNA studies you will find that all Jews, including those whose ancestors never set foot in Europe, are closer to each other genetically than to the European people or middle eastern people they lived among for 2000 years. You are right, anyone can choose to become a Jew, and after he is turned down three times he can insist, do all the rituals including, for men, circumcision, and he can choose to live his life as a Jew. Just like the Greeks, Romans, British, Turks, and (gasp) Arabs, Jews married out of their nationality and accepted converts over the millennia, just like the king of Jordan, an ethnic Bedouin (btw the closest genetic group to Ashkenazi Jews) married a Caucasian American woman of Northern European descent, and made her a Muslim. All that to say, there actually IS a Jewish look, but there are plenty of Jews who don’t have it. This is not about politics. It is about science.

[@nesminra8982]

Yeaaa finally! I was thinking the other day that we look best in the color range of our ethnic costumes

[@kaitlinroth7555]

YES! this is spot on and what i've experienced in my styling journey - neutral "old money" casual looks horrible on my coloring.

[@eden.adriana]

So, in my case I should look good in a Viking clothes mixed with Macedonian, Scottish socks and big Slavic flower headband 👀

[@linibellini]

Regarding your example of India, I don’t think it’s as homogeneous as you portray it here. A lot of Indian people are actually cool toned and also not petite in the kibbe sense. The focus on warm colour and gold tones in the traditional dress has other reasons rather than having been the most flattering. Also if you look at some Northern European folk dresses, they are very bold, high contrast colours but the people wearing them would largely probably best suit paler, more muted tones. I just don’t think people cared much about colour theory in the past and chose colours and metals more because of what they symbolised.

[@perly0153]

Yes, this is not good for generalizing because people come in many ways in any country or place

[@LGrian]

it’s extremely generalizing and problematic. East and south Asians are not all olive. She does not understand what olive (low chroma) complexion actually is. Many Asians look their best in muted colors and many Europeans look sickly in pastels and muted colors. The very notion of dressing in the colors your ancestors did is so weird. Should only people of Phoenician descent wear royal purple, or do Tudor descendants make the cut too?

[@perly0153]

@@LGrian agree

[@4264127]

That's not true most northern Europeans before immigration from other parts of Europe used to be 1- icy blondes 2- Golden blonde 3- bright Red head or in Ireland bright Dark haired.its true they suited light bright colors with The exception of the dark Irish but definitely not muted.muted elements came later with immigrants from other parts of Europe in the 19 century.because of mixing with someone Darker then you will in a lot of times make you greyer and softer and vice versa🎉

[@4264127]

And pale is different from light skin.pale means faded color.someone like Ann Hathway.Amy Adams And Nicol Kidman Are not pale they are light And bright. most bright almost blinding colors are light white, yellow orange etc🎉

[@MariaElenaAlfano-z7i]

I totally agree with the opinions that you express in this video, because they coincide perfectly with mine. In my opinion, if you learn to recognize your real ethnic beauty, It's much easier to automatically recognize which style elements, colors, accessories and details enhance you the most. Also, I think that wearing the style elements of your ethnicity gives you a sense of belonging and connection to the past that no other "aesthetic" can do.

[@FitPandY]

What an interesting topic.

[@BeTheChange-d5h]

It sure is. I hope she'll do more and show images too.

[@laurarivera1992]

I’m Puerto Rican and German! I love my reds and colors!

[@Daiseehead]

Mexican 🇲🇽 ancestry here. Traditional clothing was often stark white with bright winter-type colors, embroidered. Very festive 🎉, and it compliments a lot of the skin tones. ♥️

[@bluevelvet2]

I love love love traditional Mexican clothing!

[@gsanchez5116]

I think this is definitely true! I am half white and half Hispanic (which is not a race) but I look I suppose mixed as most Hispanics do but I more so resemble Puerto Rican with my big hair. (Though ethnically I’m southern Mexican, Nicaraguan, French and German) My undertones are warm. I sadly live in the Midwest where it’s dreary and gloomy for a large portion of the year but during summer and in tropical settings I tan extremely easy and I love being outside. I wear flowers in my hair and I wear gold as opposed to silver and I am told the way in which I dress suits me. I feel the most inspired by how people who live in tropical areas tend to dress and it works on me

[@saramsfi]

I've noticed in the MENA/Arab world that Oman and the gulf pull off golden jewelry a lot better, specially Oman that also has a more Radiant skin and radiant clothing due to being next to Indian influence instead of the more Delicate skin/colours that Assyrian, Palestinian traditional clothes have and more than their Yemeni neighbours who also prefer silver and non radiant clothes. In north Africa Tuaregs/Mauritanians in the desert also pull off gold better than northern north Africans ( riffians, Kabyle) despite being same ethnicity. I think this is related to the fact that getting tanned makes the skin more radiant.

[@LGrian]

I wish she had talked about more specific observations like this rather than sweeping statements about “east” versus “west”

[@pinkroses01]

Hi! My ancestors are from Spain, I have dark hair and light skin. I find that I look my best in and am drawn to black lace, such as tops, hair accessories, lingerie 🖤

[@lvs6775]

Yeees this is the video I've been waiting for! I was born in the states, but all four of my grandparents and my dad were born in Mexico. I have long hair and love braiding it.

[@sheilakosoff5806]

I watch a lot of cdrama and kdrama and I often notice that the men wear colors that are warm toned and they look amazing. Park Seo Jeon in a saturated color is chef’s kiss. When the women wear red or orange or greens they look gorgeous! I think East Asian people are stunning. But sometimes the actors look off to me when the hair color is dyed to a light brown. I find that it makes them look much older and tired looking.

[@RoOoma1989]

I’m so glad you talked about this, Merriam. I agree with what you said, however, I believe it mostly applies to color type, not body type! And a lot of women wrong themselves when they try to wear the traditional clothing of their ancestors! For example, the Bedouin clothing of the Arabian desert has different shapes and colors according to the tribe but they share main basics that affect and drown other body types. This clothing is mostly rich dark colors with long lines and large sharp or rounded lines. Works amazingly beautiful for sharpened softs, soft naturals and even mixed tauts! But it would heavily unjust the rounded types and blended types! That is even applied to religious attires in the Middle East including Abayas, Kaftans and Jalabiya. My own personal explanation for this is the idea of evolutionary natural and sexual selection and how they influenced female and male body ideals. I believe the female body ideal is the sharpened soft across most if not all cultures! Due to the fact that it would be considered the fittest female body, it would win both the natural selection as well as the sexual selection game. Just as the male flamboyant natural body type would win that game on their side! That’s why cultures tend to design their clothing to reflect that ideal! Hence, you could assume it’s a world wide phenomenon. And That’s why a lot of models and actors are naturals and sharpened softs! Their long lines give strength and hint queues of being the fittest. The sari has asymmetrical shoulder, a lot of texture and folding, long vertical lines. I think it looks amazing on Indian actresses because they are either soft naturals or sharpened softs! The regular normal rounded, gamines or classic short Indian people don’t look that good in them. It is also the same for Kaftans, Abayas and Jalabiya’s which mostly have long lines rich colors no waist emphasis and thick fabrics. I am rounded mixed warm and delicate olive medium high contrast with a classic essence. I’m Saudi Arabian. My gene pole has mostly Arabian Middle East, then a little bit of North African Central African and a little bit Indian ancestry descent. While the colors of those cultures look really good on me, the clothing lines however are bad on me. I look amazing in Marilyn Monroe and European elegant classic styles instead. I don’t look that put together in Abayas (Abayas are not supposed to have waist emphasis) But I have to wear them in public (mixed environment with male presence) otherwise I would be cast as a rebelion slut by the community. I wear what Suits me best in female only environments. I’m still struggling to find or design the Abaya that fits my body type and reflects modest religious attire not fashion or beauty. One last point might I add, the gold in our cultures is 21 karat with heavy textures and intricacy (less diamondy sparkle) which is too warm and too heavy for my body type and color type! It overpowers me and steals the show all the time. I found myself preferring to use the European small shaped 18 karat gold with sparkly crystals. Recently, I started wearing 18 karat rose golds after your advice! I see a lot of women in my culture wearing traditional clothing and using the gold which does not suit them. I used to be them. That’s why I’m not for following the trend and what’s common in your traditional culture. I’m for personalized styles with knowledge in mind. It is how I discovered you on KZbin and I’m so happy that I did! ♥️💕🌷 all of knowledge about body and color type came from you and I started following your advice and videos religiously and it has been great since then 🤍 I was typed by you, thank God 🙏🤲

[@RoOoma1989]

Note: the higher the karat number, the warmer and brighter the gold gets. 21,24 karat gold totally steals the show from warm and delicate and people consider their motive to wear gold is to show off their resources and their status instead of using the gold to complement their body and color type and make them appear more beautiful. Females are usually selected for beauty not socioeconomic status according to evolutionary hypothesis.

[@RoOoma1989]

Note: for the gold, the higher the karat number, the warmer and brighter the gold gets, as well as the heavier and more expensive! 21,24 karat golds are too warm for warm delicate. and they steal the show all the time from them. gold and jewelry is supposed to beautify the female not reflect her economic status because females are selected for beauty over socioeconomic status according to evolutionary hypothesis. if you wear gold that over powers you, it's like you are showing off your high economic status not reflecting your natural beauty.

[@dv7361]

100% agree with your comment. I’m Indian and what you’ve said about what suits / does not suit us Indian women is spot on

[@gratefullypositive5143]

Loved your commentary ! I so see myself in it (well maybe except the part about our community. I love wearing my jilbab outside and pretty clothes in my home for myself and my closed ones. I do it for Allah, as it’s in our Holy book, not for men and their opinions. I live in France so i’m your opposite. People here hate my long veil and even created laws especially against it. So wherever we are in the world, people are not gonna like our attires to a certain extent. The question is more what are your own believes and what are you willing to do or abandon for it I guess.) Anyway going back to our common roots! I’m also arab (from Algeria, in North Africa), and rounded mixed. So I so sooo understand what you mean about our traditional clothes. I literally look like I’m drowning in it. Its as you said mainly long sharp lines or very natural flowy lines. And it literally looks off me, like I’m wearing my mother’s clothes Even if i’m myself a mother 😭. We really look better with very fitted clothes and thicker fabric not too thin. I’m also high contrast, with olive skin. But contrary to you not golden tone, I’m more cool and radiant (more like amel clooney skin tone I would say?). So I look better in silver than gold. And black, dark red, emerald and dark blue. Jewel tones. Like you said fit well with our rich dark traditional clothes. Lets help each other what do you think! I would say what suits us the best is asymetrical design, fitted clothes on our arms, wrists, waist emphasis with a belt maybe, mermaid skirt, lots of details with rounded jewleries just not as big as we can see it with other arabic women but not too tiny, details with arabic embroderies. Our long dress/abayas/skirts stopping above our ankles not after it’s always too long lol. I still love long hair tho. Oh and probably delicate rounded shoes but im not sure what kind, if you have any idea? And what kind of european outfits were you thinking about ? It’s very interesting to hear your opinion as an Arab European I’m so used to them. Ohh and the European clothes too simples don’t work well too as we need more details! (Maybe some things could still differ as im definitely not a classic essence, probably more romantic essence.) Loved your takes ✨ (Also I went to Saudi arabia last winter Allahuma barek and it was the most beautiful trip ever I felt so at peace there. I will come back one day إن شاء الله 🤍)

[@gratefullypositive5143]

Oops just realized I mixed up merriam’s system. Im soft gamine so im mixed soft, not rounded mixed! Sorry for the confusion . We’ve got very similar recommendations, but still different body types

[@bluevelvet2]

I am Serbian with some Greek and Albanian ancestry too, so basically 100% Balkan. I love the folk dresses of the Balkans and take inspiration from it all the time. I also love it when women of different ethnic groups wear clothes of their traditional culture. Edit: spelling

[@downthedrain19]

Croatian here! I also love Balkan folk dress. As I was watching the video I was wondering how do you think we could take inspiration from those lines in contemporary wear?

[@cecee3480]

How do you make it more modern?

[@bluevelvet2]

A few details come to mind. many southern Slavs are mixed kibbe types in my experience (ie, gamine). Our folk dresses are often a combination of opposites and have a youthful, natural feeling to them. crisp and plain white under clothes contrasted either beautifully patterned embroidery, dresses that stop at the ankle or the calf rather than a floor length gown, white stockings contrasted against a black shoe. Our coloring also tends to lean slightly darkish but not intensely vibrant, so darker and delicate colors tend to look nice on us, especially the more south you go. There is also a naturalness, earthiness, and girlishness in a lot of our dresses in terms of both the length and pattern which I think reflects southern Slavic beauty well. It’s very “maiden of the village” which suits many of us. So, in my day to day life, this looks like: - contrasted elements in dressing, especially plain/simple clothes with a flash of femininity -delicate coloring, nothing too vibrant or too muted - shorter “peasant style” dresses

[@reflectsonlife]

From India ancestrally, i find the central tenet of western color typing - what are the best colors on you - at odds with the Indian approach - what are the colors, fabrics, and prints that you want to wear. The western approach centers the gaze of the person looking at you, whereas the Indian approach centers you and centers the garnent. So, dressing for my ethnicity would mean: who cares if someone looking at me doesn't think I'm wearing one of my best colors, if what I'm wearing (color, fabric, print, flow) speak to me and make me feel vibrant and alive?

[@jessicagp]

This is so interesting! I would love to hear your wisdom in my case. I am mexican. I did my ancestry and I am 30% indigenous mexican, 30% spanish and the other 40% is a mix of European and north Africa. What should latinas do since we are the very definition of mix race?

[@texasgirlsoutdoors2669]

I am half Native American and half British. I don't look good in any colors except icy clear cool pastels it seems. Brights are waaay too bright on me and Autumn colors turn me green or orange lol. Spring colors make me look sallow and dark colors look harsh on me. Except for charcoal gray. My personality is youthful and playful. I'm into nature, romantic decor and I love bling lol. I'm 62 and still trying to find myself. I'm a survivor of abuse, 1 year free, and design upcycled clothing to support myself and my daughter. ❤... Lori and Elina.

[@miasenna4107]

That’s why Indian outfits look so good on Indian girls and so off or aging on Caucasian girls

[@Bianca-nb7by]

I live in Australia and I’m half Italian, half British, with light olive skin and high contrast. I’m also soft classic. Slightly warm suits me better than slightly cool. I tend to stick to basics when dressing, but am curious now if I should try dressing for one of my halves, or try blending both? I’d also be curious to see some examples of Italian Soft Classic style. 🇮🇹 ❤

[@pinkroses135]

That is interesting. I do love cooler cloudy weather and am a soft summer. Also green is my favorite and forested areas would be another background thing.

[@mufithabuhari4021]

Hi Miriam. Thank you for bringing this topic up. Best examples can be seen from Indian Ambani's wedding guest outfits. Love from Sri Lanka ❤

[@zamar2158]

India has many different ethnic groups with lots of dna from everywhere. So they all don't really look alike. They have both dark and light olives and browns, cool and warm tones, soft and heavy features etc etc. The key thing is that they carry off any and all colours with confidence. Some of what she mentioned is wrong such as saris are light fabrics. Nothing that is worn at weddings is light. These are 600 thread count silks with heavy gold work from embroidery to beading. There is noth8ng light about zardosi or kanjeevaram. If worn with flair and style we can all carry off every colour even those that don't "suit" us.

[@miasenna4107]

@@zamar2158most Indians look similar from south to north except the ones bordering Pakistan/ Afghanistan and also Tibet China border

[@minttuhuuha6154]

Loved this video! I have been thinking this, since I'm Nordic, but have Roma ancestry, and I noticed dressing in romantic essence really brings those features out and makes me look healtier

[@the.warmistress]

I find this topic very interesting, because I am adopted and have no idea what is in my genetic heritage.

[@banbani4186]

Finally someone talked about this

[@colourmeright]

Blanketing Indians, Chinese and Korean as mostly olive doesn't really sound right. I have done colour analysis of a lot of Indians and tbh have come across few olives. Also, red and gold don't work for a lot of us. I believe in drawing inspiration for styles and lines from our ancestors but that is about it, your personal style will always be based on YOU.

[@stur5252]

I feel like you have been reading my mind lately with these topics and expanding on them nicely 🥰

[@priscafrey9505]

Wow, I never though about it but it makes so much sense. Thank you for sharing this with us 😊

[@kaalad3666]

I've had similar thoughts. I'm from the Caribbean and my appearance I think reflects mostly my African (presumably West but idk) and Amerindian ancestry. I have high chroma skin colouring so I do look better in bright colours which I think is typical of those ethnicities. I look better in small delicate and shiny metal jewelery though, rather than colourful chunky jewellery but I wouldn't say I've fully explored that area, mostly just been sticking to what I know looks good. In terms of lines of clothing though, I have to experiment more. I'm some type of Gamine (i swear my bottom half is Soft and my top is more Flamboyant lmao) or Mixed type fwiw. I love the topic of styling! Anyway, random question. My skin colour is medium brown with very yellow undertone... kinda like Rihanna's for reference. Yellow looks great on me, orange can be okay depending on the shade but red seems to clash terribly with something..idk what it is. Just wondering what that could be? Is it that red and yellow don't really go together? Also I'm a bright spring if that helps.

[@jessicagarland9176]

I know what you mean with the red , i should suit red on paper with dark hair, dark eyes and light tan complexion but reds look off on me I discovered its because im olive and have green undertones, Rihanna is olive perhaps you are too. Try a smoky ,warm burgandy red .

[@kaalad3666]

@jessicagarland9176 interesting! I didn't think I have olive undertones but maybe I do! I can pull off burgundy.

[@kitty_s23456]

​@@kaalad3666in one institute (House of Color, I think), after they've determined your color season, they drape you and determine which colors are your good, better and best. They recommend that you wear those colors in 25%, 50% & 75% respectively (or was it 50, 75 and 100%?). So even if you're a bright spring, a certain red might be "good" on you, not "best". There will be colors in your palette that you look good vs great. I agree with the other poster - try burgundy red or maroon if bright/ tomato red is too bright.

[@lilianapapp6731]

Im Hungarian with some Russian in my ancestry. I have very fair skin, dark hair and dark eyes. brigtht colors and classic style is the best on me.

[@LGrian]

The statement that people from south and east Asia are all olive is ridiculous. There are MANY high chroma winters among Asian ethnic groups just as there aren plenty of olives in every European ethnic group

[@CathDaddy]

Girl, the way I constantly look up Turkish influencers because I have ancestry and i think that’s where my ashy brown hair and olive skin come from!

[@frenchy6115]

I'm loving this philosophy, but I'm a mix of so many ethnicities. What would you recommend for a person who identifies as white, but I'm 4'11 with dark blond hair and brown eyes (Native American)

[@sideeffect2]

What happens when you don't fot your ethnicity though? I'm entirely Western European but I've got golden green skin, green eyes and ashy hair. I'm very petite but curvy.

[@Rachael91]

Green eyes and ashy hair are European?

[@useyourwandbro]

This is a very interesting idea. Traditional Ukrainian garb includes a lot of bright, rich colors and high contrast - red, black, white, blue, yellow, as well as flowers, embroidery and lots of big, heavy jewellery, made from brightly colored beads. All things I have steered clear from because I thought would be too overpowering on me, but perhaps I should try it out.

[@theroyalshaman]

What do you think about those of us who are more mixed? It is interesting bc I’m mixed mostly Caucasian & African American, smaller amount of Native American ancestry but my Mom is True Summer & I’m Soft Summer even tho most ppl thought I was Autumn or Winter

[@BeTheChange-d5h]

Interesting. You could really look smashing with jewelry line and designs from all those cultures.

[@sonder2874]

This is so interesting! Although since I’m mixed I feel like this wouldn’t completely work for me, but thinking about how this could work for other people is very cool

[@SuperiorRobyn]

I mean i imagine you could pick and choose different styles, and colors and pattens and accessories from your different ancestries, kind of mix and match. But obviously find stuff that meshes well and suits you. Coming from a fellow mixed person.

[@zhannapetryk6059]

What a nice observation! It explains a lot)) I live in Ukraine, there is some diversity in features and traditional clothes. For example, on north people are usually low-contrast, with natural vibe, and their traditional clothes are minimalisting, red and white, very complementing (see 'поліський стрій'). In mountains people more gamine-like, usually with high contrast and olive skin. Their clothes are very colorful, with a lot of black, green, navy (see 'гуцульський стрій')

[@so_she_said]

This is a super interesting point. Thank you so much.

[@Mark-c9h3l]

Very intelligent and interesting, thank you.

[@karendeol5176]

Yay! I've thought about this for years. When it really stood out was the rise of the man bun. I could see how it just wasn't as accentuating, it didn't tell the same story for some people.

[@corinasucre]

This is so interesting! I wonder how this can work for a mestizo type, like a latina, who may be 85% caucasian (French, Spanish and British), and 15% native american. I feel it’s so specific it’s almost crazy hahaha. But I am sure that what you are saying is true because cultures have appeared in history for a reason. Just need to find the specific particular mix that suits my own specific mix. It’s a good reminder. Thanks for the video!

[@Jordè1222]

I am soft natural body type, romantic inginue essence and soft summer color pallet. I am a very soft and feminine person. I feel awful in pants and look overtly sexual in them. I also look younger when my hair is in it's natural curly state. I am a mixed race woman so my taste come from my many backgrounds of Africa, Europe and north Africa ❤ I gravitate towards English heritage style for fall in winter (think ralph lauren, frye riding boots, long plaid skirts with cropped boat nect cardigans) and for summer I wear lots of soft fruity colored floral like raspberry pink and periwinkle blue. I wear long sleeve a line dresses with open neck lines that show off my prominent collar bones and feminize my muscular biceps. I also love long sleeve wrap dresses and crop skirt sets. I always wear cropped tops with long sleeves and open neck, like peasant blouse style. Your channel is awesome I love your approach to individual beauty and how we should celebrate and accentuate what makes us unique❤ the style I wish I could have is 60s twiggy style with overall dress and turtle neck 😂 it looks sooooo bad on me!!!! Haha

[@saramsfi]

Indian actress Kajol devgan is soft natural and warm and radiant and looks absolutely amazing in the Indian clothes in movies like K3G, DDLJ. She also looks amazing in the western soft natural lines in DDLJ. Imo a lot of indians are warm or cool olive but they are very radiant . I think they are the most radiant skinned people in the planet (some subsaharn countries too)

[@French-Kiss24]

For some of us, it’s confusing. I’m 1/4 Italian. Italians can always spot it. However, I’m 1/4 Welsh, and the Irish think I’m Irish. I grew up in Anglo-Saxon New England where most had the coloring and looks of the English. But I agree. I had a Japanese friend who insisted I try on her kimono. It was beautiful, but I looked ridiculous.

[@BeTheChange-d5h]

Kimono type blouse( collars for example) Just a little bit would make your look unique.

[@sylviegrandmaison2735]

HI Merriam! I was wondering if a Paysley or Cachemire prints could be ok for a dress, to a soft gamine? or is it to big?

[@Su-kros]

I am American but with strong Norwegian and some German and irish ancestry, and i am a soft gamine & bright spring. It would be interesting to look up historical fashion for those countries🙂 Im not sure if i fit in though.😅

[@kalulu1675]

What to do when you look like a mix of two ancestries and neither historic style seems quite right? You just have to get creative, sometimes mixing the parts you like, and pretend you are the founder of a new ethnic group. I tell myself that, at least. Seems to work okay.

[@DearBill]

Not all Chinese Japanese Korean are olive. Plus China is a multi ethnic country, and some Northern Han and Manchurian are naturally pale skinned almost like Fan Bing Bing or Sui He.

[@merriamstyle]

Fan Bing Bing is olive.

[@zoeliu48]

I love this and the comments

[@Shiva-te6jq]

I want to lean into my 20% Italian and 10% middle eastern but I know that 70% NW Euro is winning…this video is so accurate and insightful

[@mandycurlycrown]

love this Merriam !

[@perly0153]

Maybe in some cases, not enough for a generalization

[@Hanakow]

Well... I'm a mexican about to dye my hair a bit on the copper side. I know the colour that suits me best its dark brown. I'm a mixture of Yoreme (wich it's one of the native groups of the north of México) and people from Spain. I don't fit the indigenous styles, neither the spaniard fashion. It's been difficult to find something that suits me because Mexicans kind of need to create our looks. We appear one way, but when we try that it doesn't suit us naturally.

[@jennifers1040]

I don't look like my ancestry though.😔

[@youneedtea]

Fashion has no boundaries? Cleopatra did not have a plump figure either

[@Angel-Number444]

I found another KZbinr who also has her own system of Color Analysis, she is known as Ella Ray Style. Her explanation for skin tones is very much based on science. But a lot does not make sense to me. I wanted to know y’all’s thoughts!

[@kalulu1675]

I've seen her too. It sounds like her method makes sense, but there's part I do not understand either. Still, her examples look pretty good.

[@littleflor2975]

Well I'm a mix of British, polish, Trinidadian, barbadian, Spanish and Indian!! I'm a mish mash.

[@Danceswithfishes]

I'm from south America but where I live in the UK most people think I'm Asian. However, many people look down of these ethnicities 😢 Therefore I try to dress as english as possible to avoid stares, and hostility.

[@labb592]

Stand out

[@sheilakosoff5806]

I totally understand how you feel. You want to blend in. But that is part of the psychology of white supremacy. You try to minimize your culture’s beauty but the white supremacist will never accept you. So you have to resist erasure by adding small doses of your culture into your style. It can be as simple as using accessories from your culture. Unless you go through major surgery, you will never be seen externally as someone who is of British ancestry. It’s not your fault. Also remember that many European designers steal from the global majority. That what you are part of. While you are trying not stand out in your ethnicity, some people will appropriate or appreciate to stand out. Think, boho, yoga, Afro pop, hip hop, avocados, head wraps, cowboys, Zumba and much more.

[@LowSlungBadBitch]

English stare at everyone

[@Tanager-xr7lr]

My friend, don’t be afraid to be yourself. It’s your right to express yourself if you’re not harming anyone. If someone reacts negatively, that speaks to what kind of a person they are, not you.

[@Luisa_san]

I'm too mixed from a country too mixed as well for this

[@raylin2057]

Great video!

[@peachfountain]

Well I'm a quarter Jewish, 15% Mediterranean, and the rest various countries in Africa and other places in Europe. Where are my roots? 😂 Edit, to be clear i totally agree with you Merriam and i love that you articulated this idea! I think it's true, but i am laughing because i don't know how to apply it for myself

[@maricelg777]

❤

[@Lady_Dali]

Don't think traditional slavic or far north (not northern europe, I mean indigenous ethnicities) will suit anyone. I guess your examples are pretty, striking and creative. You can be blonde blue-eyed and dress like an Egyptian, just accomodate the colour palette. Just to note down, a number of ancient Egyptian mummies were proven to be originally blonde. So... Probably that girl might not have felt the outfit as well as You did. And failed to style it better. Coz maybe she is not a professional stylist (or is, but worse than You are).

[@LowSlungBadBitch]

Deliberately missing the point methinks. According to Dr. Janet Davey of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine states she’s only seen 4 blonde Egyptian mummies in her career and that it was very rare. Multiple other sources have said the same.

[@Lady_Dali]

@@LowSlungBadBitch True. I didn't say there were many. Four is a number. My point was that different ethnical styles can suit different people. It just depends on the skills of styling things. The example with the blonde Egyptians was to say, that it was possible for them to dress this style thousands of years ago. Therefore, it may be possible for everyone.

[@familyburrowes7987]

💡 Ideas 💡, Hello Meriam could you body type Olympics or athletes bodies. Surely they should have a variety of body types? It's seems that people choose their sport according to their body type right? Another question, does having small teeth it's a sign of being a gamine/mixed when you tend to look at first sight more like a natural, or any other categories then romantic. I found that many of my accointance have various bodies type but with small teeth. My assumption is that small bone are exclusively seen in a romantic body type (teeth are also counted has bones right?😅). Therefore Gamine typing is the only solution if you have a mix of small bones and big one.

[@suek.2898]

I love this

[@DearBill]

Sorry but Indian are not all short and curvy , Rajasthani , Punjabi and Gujarati are often very tall and skinny , only Tamil and Bengali are petite and curvy. I’m not a desi guy btw.

[@hesperio9]

I'm mixed-race, but I find what you're sharing actually interesting, well intended, and accurate. Thank you 🎉.

[@DebbyTheBad]

Can you please do a video of Rihanna and Lily Collins best colors?.. I think most of the time they are" reviewed " in a wrong way

[@vanessac1965]

I'm half Lebanese and half Australian. I look right in Eastern European styles because I came out looking Eastern European!

[@jose11032]

I really think you are very skilled, Merriam, and I think its an important topic that I am very sensitive and also passionate about. My father is french with dark glowing skin and black hair, my mother is danish with freckles and red hair. I am this weird mixture of them both, transitioned as a baby born with black hair into ginger, then into platinum by the age of 3 and at last this weird mousy color that NO ONE seems to be able to describe, like a cool-but-toasted-not-dark-blonde-but-not-light-brown-either. My skin is so greenish tinged and pale that I look DEAD SICK in every school picture (and just any picture), but apparently I am too pale to be olive skinned, also because I dont tan in the sun. NEVER in my life have I had a bikini line. And believe me, I have tried. I can wear all colors and no colors, everything is just NOT RIGHT on me, even my eyes are this weird mixture of cool green with a bluish ring at the edge, BUT they also have a small ring of warm gold near the irish. AND NOW ... on top of all that ... I have to concider my roots? Blending danish and french with some german and swedish, somehow blending those styles together ... What am I now, a viking in red lipstick? Wearing a minimalistic dull-grey boxy dress but with a frilly bag and high pink heels? (I am being dramatic, for those of you who are doubting). WHAT ABOUT PERSONALITY, PEOPLE???? I'm a singer, I'm a tattoo artist with NO tattoos, I'm into divination and tarots and all clothes flowy and tribal, but apparently I need to dress my apple shape in straight empire or A-lines to hide myself, fabric should be thick and structured - but I have ADHD, there is NOTHING STRUCTURED about my mind?? WHAT DO YOU WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? WHO ARE YOU? WHAT IS YOUR MOOD TODAY - if its bad, CHANGE IT WITH SOME COLOR! I am a warm, loving, bubbly woman who is sometimes daring and sometimes insecure, I love to draw and write and make art, I LOVE all colors and the energy they give off, I love Nintendo and Zelda and Studio Ghibli and I believe in the spiritual realm and their energies - what would it look like if I dressed up for THAT? I would scare away the people who were never vibing with me anyways, attracting people with similar interest and personalities. I dont want to be "perfect" anymore, I want to SEE PEOPLE, not their perfect waist or skinny ankles or collarbones, can we PLEASE for a moment just try to imagine living in a world, where none of this "cleopatra with blue eyes" meant a damn. I was dressed up as a black woman for "Fastelavn" (which is like a dress up carnival for kids in Denmark), and I thought I was SO BEAUTIFUL. I was wearing a curly wig and smothered in the stuff you put in sauce to make it darker, I was stinky and slimy and I felt like a million bucks - because I was exploring a different side of me. I didnt give a shit about how others thought I looked. I didnt even think about how anyone could be offended - I was dressing myself up to look like the black beauties I so rarely saw where I grew up. I was just a human trying to connect with other humans. I hope people vibe with me. And if not, your are not my tribe.

[@cb9825]

From how you describe your hair colour I guess you got the "rusiy" colour which is typical for Russians 😄

[@jose11032]

@@cb9825 I guess i must add some furry russan hat to my outfit then … 😂😂🫣

[@cb9825]

@@jose11032 oh I just noticed that you have a profile picture. Yes, this is the colour that Russians call "rusiy".😀 it is so common that it is a category of its own. Like blond, rusiy, ginger, brunette. What I mean to say there are multiple style guides for women with this hair colour, they can be easily translated in Google or something. So it's easier to pick clothes if you are not sure what suits your colours.

[@cb9825]

@@jose11032 your eye colour is also looking like Eastern Slavic tbh 😅 what a coincidence!

[@pelephant2024]

Proud to be white

[@m.e.a.n.y]

I'm mixed race- look 'typically mixed' with coily curls and medium toned skin- ethnically I'm Nigerian and Afghan, born and raised in the UK. Given that by looking at me you could guess I have African ancestry but one might not guess I have central and west Asian ancestry, I've never felt entirely comfortable in traditional Afghan attire. BUT, I like to incorporate the heavy boho-esque jewellery, kohl rimmed eyes or _khaal_ that Afghan tribal women pull off so well. It's more challenging incorporate our parent's cultural and ethnic dress when you look like both (and therefore neither!) of your parents, who in turn look very different from one other. But learning what aspects you can incorporate is definitely worth the process! You certainly have to be honest with yourself about what suits you, but remain open-minded. We live in a great time to experiment!