I’m still figuring all of this out for myself, Angie, but I can say that my style has evolved a lot over the past few years as I’ve found out more about myself and who I am. It’s been a great full transformation and I’m looking forward to seeing where it will continue to take me.
I like my style to look professional with a bit of spunk. I love mixing my feminine side with my edgy side because I think it shows both sides of my personality. I’m a girly girl, but I also love competition and sports, etc.
What a great read today, thanks for making me think.

I love this post Angie because what I try to convey in my clothing/style is:

Timeless/classic
and creative.

I actually had a Carrie and Danielle “Style Statement” done where they interviewed me for about an hour and came up with my two words being:

Timeless and Creative

I think they hit my inner personality right on.

I think I am attracted to Angie’s style and blog because it helps me bring out both of these parts of my “inner style child” LOL.

The flop-proof formulas and smart casual appeal to my “timeless” side with a creative edge.

Even as a SAHM I want to look “professional” and timeless with a creative edge in my dress and I feel Angie and the youlookfab forum helps me do that.

I will be forever grateful to Angie and the women on the forum for all the help I receive in letting my own style find itself.

Thank you!

This is a great question, and I think I’ll approach it in a slightly different way. I’d like to ask other people what they think my style choices say about me!

My style is actually quite opposite from my personality – I am a very practical person, not particularly outgoing or energetic, but my style is more on the fun side. I like bright colours, and lots of colour combinations together, plus pieces that stand out – basically I gravitate towards clothes that make me feel happy and cheerful when I look at them. It’s clothing therapy (as compared to shopping therapy!).

WOW- you probably hit right on for me with your list!!! I am modest too

This is such a fun exercise. I know how I want to look, but can’t always verbalize why … any it helps me be more focused in shopping and dressing to practice describing my personal style.

I feel like I am:

Graphic: Lots of color, generally in solids, and geometric jewelry

Modern/urban: Although country/hippie looks appeal, they never work. Most of my stuff is meant for city wear, and I like it that way

Indelicate: I have very little that is frilly, delicate, sheer, or intricate. My look involves chunky heels, boots, blocks of color, clean lines

Eclectic: I know this is a bit of a cop-out, but it’s true! I have some punk influence, some retro, some trendy, some sexy … they all meld, but I can look pretty different from day to day.

I’d definitely like to shift my individual style to a bit more professional now that I’m working. It becomes a bit of a challenge when the office style is pretty casual. But my new work place will definitely inform my next shopping spree!

Wow- this post really made me think about what my outfit choices were saying about me. While I’d like to convey sophisticate, fun-loving, creative- I think my clothes choices have conveyed the opposite, mainly because I just didn’t put in the effort or time. YLF has made me realize what my tired handbag and shoes are saying about me. Not pretty!

I absolutely love this site and the inspiration I’ve gotten in how to put clothes together. Thank you- (and I’m working on the pics!)

This topic is definitely something I’ve thought a lot about since discovering YLF. Thanks! I would say, like you, I try to be modern, professional and modest. I would also add confident, streamlined and bold. I think these outward style cues reflect the fact that I am very easy-going yet internally intense which comes out in small doses.

I am still figuring out what my style is, but what I have long loved about your website is all of the qualities you put together. So many are either all about trend, or all about professional, or even all about modesty. Its nice to see how to combine those. As a homeschooling mom to three kids, my aim is to dress fun, practical, modest and creative … all on my thrifting budget! I wore a turquoise beaded necklace yesterday and got many compliments from other moms on how dressed up I was, but that necklace pulled everything together. I’m thinking I need to learn how to accessorize more, since it really changed my outlook on my outfit yesterday!

Sarah, your style has evolved so much in the last year. It’s absolutely inspiring. It’s very evident that getting to know more about who you are is coming through in the way that you dress. Your non-verbal expressions are successful. Well done!

Debbie, how splendid! I’m happy to hear that you are getting closer to making the style statement that makes you happy. Nice that YLF was a part of that transformation.

Wendy, that’s a good approach. It’s very interesting to hear how others perceive your no verbal messages, and more importantly whether it’s in line with how you actually want to be perceived. That’s the crux.

Rachel, you might not perceive yourself as outgoing, whereas others might. Also, you can be attracted to happy colours because of another aspect of your personality – one that you haven’t even thought about!

Sinead, it sounds like your wonderful style journey has begun. I am excited to see it all unfold!

Sal, sounds like you are “a mood dresser”. We have a few of those lasses on our forum too.

Patience, I took “confidence” off the list because that goes without saying. I do not see it as an attribute – it’s a pillar of effortless style, and possibly the most important one. It’s a given that you wear what you wear with total conviction.

I don’t have that much awareness on board – Angie I applaud that you are so purposeful!

I need to take a couple of psychology classes . . . and devote more time to the question.

I don’t have a handle on my style yet, but I do know what I hope to portray:

Effortlessness: I am a low-maintenance woman, and I like this to come across in my clothing without looking sloppy.

Classic: I tend to think of myself as conservative/traditional in terms of my overall philosophy toward life, and I’d like to reflect my “classic” viewpoint without looking like a 50s housewife.

Attractive: I wouldn’t say that I’m immodest, but I don’t mind showing a little bit of skin… as long as it’s age appropriate. (A low-cut, tight mini dress is NOT appropriate for my age or body. lol).

I would like to convey that I am urban, (fairly) cosmopolitan, and practical. Since I am a bit of a wallflower I always avoid drama and usually go for extremely simple clothing. I would also like to convey that in spite of my conservative look and demeanor I am liberal and open-minded – I am not talking in political terms – but I find it more of a challenge. I also realized that this is evolving with age and my personal situation, and needs reassessment every so often. Great topic and food for thought!

Excellent post Angie! Ever since studying identity for sociology, I’ve thought that clothing choices are reflections of people’s identities, and therefore the people who are generally seen as stylish or well-dressed happen to be dressing to suit their personality and identity.

I want my style to reflect certain parts of who I think I am:

Fun: Bright colours, chunky jewellery, short haircut

Feminine: I tend to look for some feminine details in my clothes- little bows on my shoes, extra details on clothing like ruffles or a tulle lining peeking out from a hem.

Sensual: I would like to be perceived as sexy but not over the top, e.g. form-fitting but not revealing clothing, soft fabrics, sensual perfumes.

Grown-up: Might seem odd to anyone not in university but it is important to me to move away from typical college clothing to adult styles especially as I am graduating soon.

Also forgot to add that sometimes I like to play with an androgynous style as well by wearing waistcoats, shirts, etc.

Fun question, but, for me, tough to answer. There are certain items that I am absolutely drawn to – ruffles, polka dots, anything pink, and big chunky necklaces. These are the things that I think definitely define my style. But in broader terms, I’m having a hard time thinking what they translate to…

Well, here’s my stab at it:

Feminine – Ruffles and pink certainly fall into this category. I also love skirts and dresses, despite them not being practical for my daily life working in the construction industry (i’d get some very strange looks walking onto a jobsite in a skirt and workboots!). I am quite the girly girl, so showcasing my feminine side in my wardrobe seems appropriate now that I think about it.

Fun – I love bright colors and mixing them in unique combinations. I’m not a particularly artsy person, so maybe this is the one area where I can let out my creative side!

Vintage – I love unique vintage pieces, such as ornate chunky necklaces and brooches. I am in love with the style of the 1950’s, with the full skirts, cardigans, and high-waisted belts. This doesn’t come out as much in my daily life b/c I don’t have a ton of vintage or vintage-inspired pieces, but my wedding ensemble is very vintage-inspired! You’ll have to wait and hear about that some other time though!

Angie, it seems to me that you might add “Retro” to your list (or make it a sub-group of one of the items). You show a flair for retro glamour in so much of what you wear!

My individual style qualities are:
Classic – streamlined designs
Funky – worn with an edge (reflected through my hair style, color combinations, or accessories, for example)

I hope the result says “creative writer and mom-on-the-go.” That’s the intention

For anyone who hasn’t gone through Angie’s process, you MUST try it. It’s only through trying outfits and posting them on the forum that I was able to surface my style and therefore, feel that my inner self was reflected in my appearance. It was a gift to be able to see myself as others saw me.

I never think about this when shopping, but it is fun to analyze myself after the fact. I think my clothes say that I am:

1) retrospective/sentimental – I like old things that are beat up and have lived through a lot. My belts, boots, jeans, sneakers, and heavy jackets must at least look worn in. And if my bf is about to toss out a cool shirt of his, I will re-fashion it into a shirt for me!
2) silly – I like to wear little things that seem ridiculous or childish, like my pinwheel ring, ninja turtle pin, or sweater sporting a gigantic ocelot done in carpet-like yarn work.
3) funny – recent score was a shirt from Carlos Obrien’s Bar, Grill, & Pawn Shop. I guess that says I appreciate the unexpected.
4) kind of a tomboy – I don’t dress like a man, but I love men’s clothes. I love old mechanics’ shirts, flannel shirts, boots, etc. I’ve always related better to boys, and all my fashion icons are male, so this is natural. I still make sure to emphasize the female body underneath, though.
5) dark and formidable… if you push me – I occasionaly throw in chunky metal stuff. Nothing too big or obvious. My analysis says this is to remind people not to mess with me! lol.

i’m modest as well but i find it extremely hard to dress as modestly as i’d like, once sweater season is over. everything seems to be so low cut (even camisoles!), and everything else is high hemmed (and i’m too old for the leggings look). i need more options between turtleneck and revealing cleavage!

After years of teaching and picking a style to show business-like professional authority, I’m trying to back away from that look a bit. I think I like a classic look that will still allow for creativity in an age appropriate way.
I want to look a bit modern because it can be unexpected in my environment, but I also love some vintage touches (although these become much harder to pull off as you get older, I’m finding).
I’m definitely modest because there’s nothing that deserves getting put on display! However, like tassajara, I enjoy sensual fabrics and some feminine touches. I want to look joyful in lovely colors and fun accessories.
Most of all I’d like to look polished and appropriate for any occasion, which is why I love Angie’s tips for smart casual and am so thankful for this site.

I think this is a great topic as I’ve been struggling with this for a while. I would like to say Urban, Contemporary, Practical and Fun but I don’t think my wardrobe reflects this. I find myself unsure about how to communicate this things in my clothing choices but YLF is definitely helping.

First up for me is modest. I wear floor-length skirts, long sleeved, high-necked tops and a headscarf. It’s a religious thing for me, and it communicates to the outside world that I’m an Orthodox Jew. To people within my own religious community, it communicates something of the type of Orthodox Jew I am. (There are communities where women may dress differently, but still modestly. The fact that I cover with a scarf instead of a wig, the fact that I wear denim skirts, etc. signal to other Orthodox Jews where I stand religiously.)

Beyond that, I like simply and…tranquil. Aside from a bit of red, I tend to stick to deep purples and greens with gray, black and denim. I like my clothing to be quiet, simple and comfortable.

I think it’s harder for me to answer this question because I don’t really like to box myself in to one style. Some days, my style is very classic and simple, and other days I like to look more artsy and creative. How important is it to have a consistent style? I like lots of different styles and messages and I think my (and everyone else’s) personalities have enough depth to pull off a variety of different styles and messages. I suppose what my style says about me depends on how I feel that day.

oh mannn, this is difficult for me too – as maya says, i like so many different styles that it’s hard to define my own! i do know that however i dress, i want to (and HOPE that i do) convey effortless, fun and funky style no matter how staid or plain the outfit, i try to add color or funk in jewellery, bags or – you guessed it – scarves

I agree with Maya. In general, I try to find a balance between on one hand creating a classic and practical/effortless style, while also being young, feminine and outgoing. But then there is for example also my inner bohemian who comes out to play once every while, and make me feel like a totally different look.

So, while I do have some general ‘goals’, it mostly depends on the weather and my mood how the scales tip each day.

Girls, reading your posts on this has been a terrific experience…so many different views and angles…must be the sign of a juicy topic.
Bitsy, I’m very with you on the effortless angle. I’m conscious that what I wear is an expression of who I am…my walking brand as it were but I really don’t overly analyse it.
Being a ‘mood’ dresser like Eilka certainly has the final say for what I wear on the day.

Maya…I hear you! Eclectic is certainly my style…I love bringing lots of individual pieces together and I’m not a neat, matchy-moo person so perhaps that’s saying that I love many things, for many reasons, embrace differences and love to keep people guessing and bit surprised…I value being an individual with my own uniqueness so perhaps that is reflected in my approach to dressing.

I’d describe my style as creative feminine with a touch of dramatic thrown in. My style has changed massively in the past 5 years, I used to be classic feminine when I worked in the corporate world. When I had my first child I became much more relaxed and casual, but that too is gone most of the time.

Every day when I dress I decide how I want to be perceived that day, who I’m meeting with and what they might want from me then dress accordingly.

Angie it’s so true that you need to dress from the inside out – first consider who you are as a person, then translate that into a dressing style.

I like modest but functional too. I want sleeves in the winter, I want to move comfortably in jeans, I want shoes I can actually walk on! These sound like simple things but in reality: not!

Excellent post! Ok, this is what I think/hope my outfits convey about me:

- modern: I’d like to think I’m somewhat “hip” and feel contemporary in my choice of clothes, haircut, glasses etc. I do like when modern meets 80s, though, like right now!

- urban: I like street chic and am more of a “city girl”

- trendy: I like to try new things and be the first sporting some looks (though I certainly don’t pick up every trend)

- funky: I like for my outfits to have an edge to them, and differentiate them/myself from more “mainstream” looks. This is probably the biggest aspect of my (conscious or unconscious) clothing philosophy, and I guess it reflects that I also want to be seen as having a unique personality.

- creative: I like compliments along the lines of “this is unexpected, I would not have thought of putting these two pieces together”

- fun: I’m a fun-loving person, laugh often and loudly, and like to be with people who can be silly and laugh about themselves at times. My clothes reflect this through bright colors, daring color combos/patterns (e.g. red and pink floral patterned shoes), and playful accessories like big earrings, artsy pins. Ruffles also are an indicator of fun for me (while on someone else they might indicate a “romantic” or “boho” spirit.)

- (sometimes) sexy: I’m not a particularly modest person, and neither is my clothing intentionally modest – though it’s also certainly not revealing most of the time. I do like to feel and appear sexy at times, e.g. at parties, and will deliberately put on my tightest pencil skirt to draw attention to my bottom.

- professional: I still call my outfits professional looking; they are certainly very appropriate and professional in my line of work, which is high tech, and it’s very important to me to exude professionalism. This might sound like it’s in contrast to the fun/edgy/funky aspects, but I think most of the time it works, both in terms of how I come across in general (professional as well as fun) and through my outfits. Of course I dial the professional aspect up or down depending on the context. (Today I had a professional meeting and dressed the part, though my outfit still had aspects of funkiness through the color combo (red/fuchsia) and the way I layered a shorter sleeved cardigan over a long sleeved white shirt.)

- confident: This I’d say is related to some of the above, especially the fun and funky parts. You have to have some confidence to pull that off, and most days I have the confidence. When I don’t feel confident for whatever reason, I also won’t wear a particularly funky outfit; rather I’ll wear something “safe” that I feel makes me blend in more.

- Euro: I don’t know if this counts, but hey, I’ll throw it in here. I’m Euro (German), love European style, and enjoy being recognized as European, e.g. through wearing stylish glasses.

Ok,
I will attemot to take a stab at this.
Angie, you are so true to your personality in the way that you dress.

My style preferences
1. artistic: always think of outfits as textures, patterns, tones, colors, line, shape much like my painting. This has been true for me my whole life
2. original: eclectic and individual
3. edge, urban
4. romantic, sensual, particularly with dress clothes
5. bohemian: this depends on mood and happens in more casual looks
6. comfortable and effortless: low maintenance, nothing too fussy or crisp
7. current but not trendy, not very classic
I want my clothes to express an ease and creativity that flows into my whole life. As an artist I feel that it makes a difference to wear things that consider the design and color elements that I teach. I think fashion can be a really wonderful artistic statement.

Gosh this is interesting….I’m not sure. I think what we think about ourselves may be different than what others perceive of us. What I think & like is this…

Eclectic – Professional, Fun, Retro, Sexy, hint of Trendy. I think mine all meld as well & can look pretty different from day to day as well but overall probably blend into something like this on a daily basis.

Not sure, it would be interesting to see what others say….

I forgot one in my list (sorry it’s long, but this is a fun topic):

- dramatic: Sometimes I like to add a bit of drama with a statement piece like a special scarf or bold earrings. Not sure what this says about me – though my partner would probably say that I can be a “drama queen” at times…

This topic is so scary for me. I am surprised at how difficult it is for me to answer this. I can say what I do not want to portray. I do not want to look sloppy, silly, to young, to old, boring. Other than that I dress for the occasion. I still do not know what classic style is. What is classic style? A classic car is any car from the past, old enough to be a classic. If Audrey Hepburn is a classic dresser than I know I don’t want to look like that.
Maybe this is a missing link for me and the reason I can’t figure out what style I am. I really don’t intend to give an impression of myself, except for the ones listed above that I don’t want to give. Is this weird and unusual?

I’m not sure I am good at figuring out my outer or inner style. I do know that I have (at least) 2 outer styles, one for work and one outside of work.

My work style would be sophisticated and professional – I am a gal in a previously dominated male industry (although it has moved forward) and have always been and looked young for my position. I want to be credible and authoritative as Angie puts it in her style comments, but also a bit alluring. I am a consultant in a conservative industry so I must be confident in the advice that I give to my clients. I think this is stated in the bold colors with slightly edgy style. I am also caring – about the clients I serve and people I work with. Hm, I’m not sure how this shows in my outer style.

Outside of the office I am still confident and authoritative, but here I am more casual. I wear a lot of color with my neutrals. My hobbies are outside and earthy (canine sports and hiking) so the best I can do about being “fashionable” when engaging in my hobbies is be color coordinated and layered. Of course, when hanging with friends and I can inject more style in my outfits.

Angie, you know my style better than me. I think I have multiple personalities. Is that normal?

Fabulous comments, ladies. Thank you Greenglove. I appreciate your validation.

Here is my 2 cents worth:

o The notions of “confidence”, and “effortlessness” are the same. In my opinion, they are not qualities that require conveying, but prerequisites for looking stylish. They are feelings that arise as a result of your style. I hope that makes sense.

o Tassajarra, Greenglove and Antje, excellent assessments of your style and I feel that you have succeeded 100%. Very well done.

o Shell, Rae and Meg, nice job too.

o Laura, astute point and I absolutely have a retro element to my style. I view “retro” as a subset of “modern”. Nowadays, modern style almost always incorporates a retro aspect, and not just in the area of fashion but in the areas of interior design and food as well.

o Maya, you can look classic and arty at the same time. It’s all one personality. The same goes for you, Eva. Also, Eva, it’s one style and personality spread over different dress codes. Hope that makes sense.

o Imogen, you hit the nail on the head: you have to dress from the inside out.

o San post that exact question on the forum and we’ll explore it.

I have had a practical, professional, urban style since I graduated from school and started working full time, but lately have been trying to shift to a more funky and modern look. So I wear a lot less black now, more colors, and pay much more attention to accessories.

At university I was more of a jeans and T shirt or boho girl, but I would never want to dress like that again. Eew.

I love applied psychology! I admit that this is why fashion interests me so heavily: it can convey to others who you want to be perceived as instantaneously. We are such visual creatures, it pains me to see people take such a sloppy attitude towards dressing. As a college student I see way too many pretty girls in North Face fleeces and sweatpants tucked into Uggs.

I want to be:

Edgy: I LOVE cyberpunk and steam punk fringe fashion (think Blade Runner and Mad Max), but since it’s pretty over-the-top I’d like to tone it down into a sleeker silhouette and incorporate it mostly in the details, like tech-inspired jewelry or unexpected pyramid studs.

Whimsical: I’m obsessed with bold color, but I’m a little afraid of wearing it, so I’m starting to get my fix with shoes and nail polish. I want to look fun and youthful, and since my other style preferences are so severe and dramatic I think that a dose of whimsy keeps it all in perspective. I love wearing neutrals with a bright, bold pop!

Chic: I love clean, sleek modernity. Grecian draping, origami pleats…Calvin Klein is one of my favorite houses because it tends to keep things in a neutral, solid hue and all of the drama comes from the literal sculpting of fabric. Nothing gets me more excited than an otherwise boring article of clothing that has some weird sartorial detail that makes it special.

Avant-Garde: Perhaps this is a subset of edgy, but in my mind it includes a bit more softness and femininity. I wouldn’t take it as far as Tilda Swinton or anything, but I love sculptural, dramatic clothing, specifically space-agey craziness, like the things Yohji Yamamoto designs.

Gamine: I deeply admire Audrey Hepburn. I love masculine pieces, but I dislike playing with androgyny. To me, gamine is a clean mix of masculine and feminine touches that ultimately make the wearer more feminine without dressing in frills and such. It’s a little girly, a little sporty, a little Parisian.

“Geek Chic”: I’m pretty nerdy, so I really like geeky humor and video game/comic book/cartoon iconography. I don’t like how sloppy my demographic tends to be, but I do like to give a shout out to the internet and pop culture I’ve grown up with. It’s another outlet for me to add a bit of playfulness to an otherwise intense aesthetic. I’ll probably lose this part of my style identity as I get older, but I’m young, and for now this is who I am (although it pains me to think I’d ever be otherwise!).

I think what I want to convey overall is a sense of humor and forward-thinking. I don’t like wearing vintage or retro (unless it’s retro-future!), and certainly not earthy, bohemian looks. I want to be very modern and fun, but not trendy or of-the-moment. I am very much a product of my generation, and it is that futurism and optimism I wish to exude.

It’ll be a long time until I get to this point though! Hopefully I’ll become more active in the YLF forums and I can get closer to achieving my goal.

This is tough, because I’m definetly a mood dresser. I relate the most to what Antje has written (I love her comment about pencil skirts!!!!), but I don’t think “funky” is on my list, or if it is, it isn’t as key as it is to Antje but more of a minor player (when the mood hits).

I’ll add:

Experimental/risk taker- I want to be seen as the person who will give anything a shot, but will use good taste and the benefit of my 40-something years of wisdom while doing so. Does that make sense? I think this is in reaction to the fact that in my field I’m working with a lot of young people and it’s young people who are seen as the ones with all the “next big” ideas, not us middle-aged folks. Ideas are great when balanced with a dose of experience and wisdom. That’s what I want to project, in my professional life. (This is probably my mid-life crisis speaking, LOL).

Sophisticated and chic. I’ve always wanted to be perceived as sophisticated. But it’s always seemed just outside my grasp for some reason. Sigh. I don’t think I have the bone structure, height, coloring, attitude or whatever to really pull this off. But one can wish.

Artistic – but in a way different than Antje and Maya and GG. It’s more about someone appreciating art and having a good eye for other’s art, rather than someone who is an artist herself, because I’m not. I am around artists all the time in my work and personal life. In my work life, I often have to critique creative work so I want to appear as if I am someone who a creative type would feel is a credible critique.

Current. I’d rather be viewed as “current” rather than trendy. Maybe this is nit-picking, but it’s the reason I’m not that big into logos on purses and things like that. I don’t need the “It” bag of the season. Does that make sense?

Appropriate. I don’t know if that counts for these lists, or if it’s another term similar to confident. But it’s an overriding theme for me.

Interestingly, before YLF I would’ve had “Classic” top on my list, but more and more that word just sounds boring to me. I wonder why that is.

This is harder than I expected. Maybe because I’m in the middle of a career change and I’m still figuring out my new wardrobe?

I have always had a preference for clean lines and for clothes that are sleek, streamlined and feminine. Items that say ’simple elegance’, have a certain timeless air, yet are modern with a playful element to them. I like ruffles and other girly details, but in a minimalist way, and with a little edge, if that makes any sense at all.

I love a more exuberant style with more embellishment and frills on other people, but whenever I try this look for myself, it just doesn’t work. (I’ve noticed that this is most apparent in choice of jewellery and other accessories, like handbags. I adore some of the things other ladies on YLF choose for themselves, but realize it just wouldn’t suit me/my personality).

Not sure what all of this says about me…

Oh, and I want my new business wardrobe (casual clothes too, actually) to be polished and professional, arty, imaginative and creative (to mirror what I do), with funky details and a nice helping of spunk. I’d like to exude confidence (in what I do and who I am), yet still be approachable. And then tie it all together with a unique ‘inge twist’.

I feel I’m not quite there yet, but I’m definitely making progress.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently, so it’s a timely post. Here’s what I think so far:

* authentic/natural — I don’t colour my hair and I’ve gone grey young (it’s nearly white in front and I’m 40). I like natural fibres and prefer to wear them. I prefer patterns with some history. I like to buy direct from the mill for fabrics if I can. I sew some of my clothes myself. etc. I have a handknitted scarf and hat for winter.

* serious (practical, hardwearing); The challenge is not being TOO serious, after all I’m a rather playful person — I suppose this is why I want to *appear* serious. hmm. Also I really don’t like shopping so I want things to last

* thoughtful (detailed, complicated, interesting) — I love small details that signal quality. I like to put extra touches into my own garments like facings in a coloured silk. No one sees them but me. Great buttons. Interesting cuts. My glasses have a second colour on the inside that’s difficult to see. They’re cool.

* eccentric (offbeat or unusual in some way). Well, in some ways just not dyeing your hair or wearing lots of makeup is eccentric! But I’d like to add a little touch that says “look deeper”

* feminine. Can’t help it, I love flowers and sheers and ruffles, puffs and poufs and whatnots.

I think the key to pulling off this style is the “thoughtful” element — otherwise you just look frazzled. I’m working on it. The second key is a great haircut.

The thing I really need to work on is accessories. I’ve got no idea about them at all.

Wow this is an interesting topic. Like many others, am finding it hard to describe my “style”. For some reason its easier to think of things that I am not, rather than things that I am. Without trying to overthink it, here’s my thoughts:

- Edgey – I’ve stolen that word from someone else further up the list sorry. Even so I’m still not sure if its the correct word. “Tough” sounds too harsh. “Not cutesey” or indelicate is more what comes to mind. I don’t see myself as a girly girl.
- Comfortable & relaxed
- Playful – I don’t take myself or my clothes too seriously

That’s all I can come up with for now. I find it hard to pick one particular style box to peg myself in. I love both punky looks and hippy looks, but aren’t they kind of opposites?

I’ve been considering this since you posted it, Angie, and am still thinking about it. So far here are some words that I’ve come up with:

CREATIVE and INTELLIGENT are far and away the two words that are most important to me. These are the two aspects of myself that I value the most, that I think are most prominent, and that I want to project to others more than anything else.

Other words that come to mind are dynamic, intuitive, edgy, modern, strong-willed, feminist, original, streamlined (this is tough concept to sum up: I find that clothes that are minimialist, architechtural, geometric, origamic-like, sharp-lined, or cleanly but assymetrically cut reflect me best. I’m not sure what adjective to use to express this. Even when I buy something with ruffles, for example, the ruffles are either large and sculptural, black, or brightly colored; I don’t go for lots of tiny ruffles or ruffles on pink) and modest (which for me connotes respect for myself and total lack of desire to dress in a way that equates myself with sex or an overt desire to attract sexual attention).

Only a fraction of my wardrobe probably actually conveys these words.

Been thinking about this all weekend! Here’s what I narrowed down:

Approachable: I work with/supervise a large, diverse group of individuals and want to reflect my approachable, common sense, people centered management style in my appearance. Color is one way I do this. Jewel tones seem to perk me up and hopefully reflect that spirit on the outside. The matchy black suit can be so severe so I usually wear as seperates.

Professional: See above. Showing too much skin/cleavage in the workplace is not for me. So as the pacesetter for work appropriate wear for my team I keep it modest (not frumpy!). In my industry, we are often climbing ladders, unloading deliveries, etc. so I wear trousers 80% of the time. I always keep cute flat shoes handy and switch up with my heels.

Modern: Adding “new” shapes (a trapeze jacket when they started hitting stores for example) for flair. I like a little retro-edge as well.

Signature: I wear a lot of statement necklaces and that has been “my thing” for some time. Hopefully I can keep finding my “look” and not fall into the Rut category.

I tend to mix a conservative style with a feminine/sexy/slightly revealing style… Which is probably the reason why I m (almost) all about skirts . Pencil skirts in neutral or dark colors are perfect if you want to express a certain conservatism, and adding a pair of knee high boots with high heels makes the look turn feminine and sexy in an instant. Loose fitting skirts make me feel more feminine than pencil skirts, though, which is why I feel a need to wear them sometimes (and because I like the look).

I ve been stuck in a terrible black rut for 10 years, that I ve now recently decided to get out of… Among other things because I am an optimistic person, and black from head to toe does not exactly scream “optimist!” . I ve forbidden myself to buy anymore black clothes (except for shoes, belts and underwear) for a very long time to come. I plan to buy dark grey or dark blue instead of black if a dark, neutral color is needed.

And I plan to add more REDs to my wardrobe! I have strawberry blonde hair (I think that s what it s called in English… a reddish blonde color?) and I was always told I couldn t wear red, so I simply never did… And then once, I bought a chunky knit fuchsia turtleneck because it was on sale and I needed something warm, which, to my great surprise, looked very good on me. I ve never understood how it could be possible that I looked good in fuchsia (I sort of thought I was fooling myself), until I read Angies post about how good redheads can look in red… Then it dawned on me . Thx, Angie.

And red is both optimistic and sexy, so that should be a color for me… With a little grey added for the sake of conservatism .

I have been having fun reading everyone’s comments, though there are so many I haven’t read them all at once!

My style is quite consistent with my personality.

Classic: I am a traditional person in many ways and I love traditional fashion. Classic colours, shapes, combinations – all make me excited. Part of this likely comes from wanting to be taken seriously.

Interesting: though classic, I always want to include something interesting in my outfits. So if it’s a red pashmina on a neutral background, a scarf tied in a funky way, an odd bracelet, interesting earrings, or a funky hairstyle, I want there to be am element of interest.

Approachable: I want to be an approachable person, one who people can talk to about problems, etc. This happens to me a lot and in my style I make an effort to be put together but not out of place. For example, this means that when I work with youth I will leave out some of my more tailored/traditional outfits and work instead with a funky/casual top and Converse. I want to be able to connect and so I do adapt my wardrobe to my environment.

I’m actually not terribly trendy, but I like to work with small elements of trends, such as skinny/wide belts, etc. I always am looking for the classic elements of a fashion trend and I try to adapt things in that direction.

Another great topic Angie! Like a few others, I’m a mood dresser. My style varies from artsy/eclectic to modern classic to romantic to bohemian. One thing I am looking to convey is a modern/current look, but not necessarily trendy/fashionista. I pick a few trends that I love and skip on the rest. I don’t buy something just because everybody else is wearing it. I also want to have a professional look, but with some artistic flare. Being a singer and singing teacher who enjoys drawing, sewing, and writing as hobbies, “artistic” is a huge part of my personality. More and more, I’m learning to mix my artsy side with my classic side instead of picking one or the other for the day. There is also an element of girly/flirty to my style, which makes sense, because I am anything but sporty. I’m a petite girly girl. I want to look alluring without appearing vulgar or overtly “sexy.” I also want to avoid looking like a high schooler, which can be challenging for a 5’2” size 0. And on the other side of the spectrum, I want to avoid dressing like a little old lady. I certainly don’t look old, but in the past, I dressed old, and I have moved on to that.

Fabulous responses, ladies. I appreciate how you have thought about this concept and put it on paper. It’s a fun and insightful process if you don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed by it.

Conveying intelligence is an interesting point. This is not something that I feel is overtly reflected through your style choices. I think that intelligence is implied through the combination of your style qualities and hopefully automatically assumed once you open your mouth. I can take this point even further. What actually constitutes intelligence?

Well better late than ever – I have been thinking this over all weekend. I would like to convey approchability, interestingness, lack of pretension, modesty and on the negative side, not to be frumpy. I am having mixed success with all this!

I think I’m a mix of fun and modern. I like simple lines, bold colors and accessories that make a statement. My wardrobe has a classic foundation, but I keep it up to date with the latest accessories. The foundation of my wardrobe is basically blazers, jeans, boots, pencil skirt, shift dresses, white shirt, trousers, and colorful t-shirts. My neutrals are gray, black, brown, red and navy. I’ve been around for 40 years and find this stuff works for me. In the summer I wear skirts, dresses, and berumda shorts. I am loving the whole scarf and big handbag thing now!

Each decade of my life has had a different esthetic depending upon what I was doing. I think my fashions have always been influenced by wanting to “fit in”, depending upon my work environment or group of friends. If I could have been my inner free spirit I think mostly I would have been unemployed because allot of my sewn experimental outfits looked odd to most of my conservative friends. So now most of my clothing experiences have led me to believe that you can only get what is available. I think we are controlled by the marketing in your area. This used to make it possible to go to a different city and find different looks that weren’t available where I lived. That has all changed with the chain stores. I’m not complaining mind you because there is so so much available in this country. Allot of my favorite pieces are vintage finds or bought from crafters at craft fairs. I love to add ‘Jove de vivre’ with a little artist piece of jewelry or scarf that I know is unique because someone made it. So what is my fashion identity: conservative classic pieces with eclectic touches
Great web site I really enjoy all of the contributors comments!

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Great question. Even before you raised the issue, Angie, I picked Intelligent as one of my words. Because, I do in fact think that intelligence can be conveyed through style choices. Too much cleavage; micro mini skirt combined with cutesie Hello Kitty hair clips; head to toe pink… these are all valid style choices and can absolutely be worn by women of intelligence but probably convey characteristics like sexiness, fun-loving and girliness more than intelligence. Anyway, that’s just my opinion.

My words would be:

- WARM: I hope I’m a warm, kind person and I love clothes that I think convey warmth. Nothing too starched or stiff; hints of cashmere and velvet and lambswool and, for the summer, softest silk jersey. While I adores silver and ice blue, I prefer to wear warmer colours.

- FEMININE: Maybe my idea of feminine is more “womanly” than “girly,” since I’m not really a big fan of bows and ruffles. I love the androgynous look on others but I prefer long hair, clothes that hint at my curviness and gorgeous lingerie for myself.

- INTELLIGENT: Let’s see if I can define what I think this looks like. Perhaps items that look like they are of a decent quality and fit well, and are put together in a way that make sense.

- ELEGANT: I am fairly casual in the way I dress, but even in a t-shirt and jeans a woman can have a sort of elegance.

Do I achieve my style goals? No, I fall shamefully short, but blogs like this certainly inspire me to make more of an effort.

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