I have been thinking all day about it, and so far I have been able to come up with modern, sleek and well put-together. I am still having trouble coming up with more because of my complicated lifestyle: I prefer dressier items but my work requires more casual dressing, I prefer more tailored/body-con cuts but because I like to follow trends I am happily doing fluid right now. I like both androgynous/masculine dressing and very feminine/sexy (e.g. a Herve Leger dress). Obviously the first one more at work and the second one out of it.
Which explains why I am also yet to come up with my style moniker/style personas - I feel that all of these things are connected and that I have at least two, maybe even three different style personas, Complicated, I know.

I've been thinking and thinking and thinking ... and come up with a fat lot of nothing! I've enjoyed reading the thread a lot - and the exercises will stay with me for at least the next week or so, to see if I can come up with ... something.

Sharon I see your style as dramatic, dressy and feminine.

My Pinterest boards held the answer for me: modern, classic, casual, robust, feminine.
Wow, I can't believe I've actually done this!
At last!

Still pondering. I want to say 'plain' instead of 'no-frills', but I'll never be plain. I want to say contemporary, but this to me involves plywood, blue stain, and geometric cut-outs. I'm not avant garde anymore; frankly, I was more avant garde in high school... Thinking thinking...

gryffin, I think that is a very well-defined list. I think maybe the “unique” aspect might force you to be selective in your choices just by default, as it would lead you to exclude a lot of things. I can see how that would help to curate a wardrobe.

Deborah, I think your list is a good reflection of your style. I think you should be allowed as many words as you can remember!

Joy, I found it helpful to think about when making purchases too.

Transcona Shannon, I see all those descriptors in your style, but I also see a very feminine element

torontogirl, I think there is a lot of consistency and cohesion in those descriptors, rather than repetition

shevia, I love your descriptors and think they suit you to a t

Peri, that’s a great group. You clearly have a strong sense of what works for you

LizA, I think sometimes the adjectives need to overlap a bit to express the complexity of the look we are trying to define

Gigi, that’s such an interesting set of adjectives. I can’t wait to see how it translates as your style evolves

Aubergine, maybe try looking at a few outfits that make you feel great and try and pinpoint common elements? It can be tough to nail down exactly what it is we love

rachylou, isn’t it funny how the definitions can change for us, just in subtle ways as our style develops?

Tanya, do you see any commonalities between your work and off-duty fashion personas? I suspect “modern” could be applied to both of them?

adorkable, keep us posted! I am interested to hear what you come up with

Lantana, I definitely relate to those adjectives. I love your list, especially “robust”. What a great description and I can completely see how it fits with your style.

i read this early this morning, then went to think and do some laundry. now I'm back, and i still struggling. the 1st descriptor that came to mind is boring, but thats not really what this is about. so, more thought….

kkards....oh dear. Sometimes that happens for me, too. In which case I think it's probably time for a style refresher or evolution. If that is the word that comes first time mind then probably you are deeply ready for change. And just have to figure out your best direction.

Sharon and everyone - I just had to chime back in and tell everyone how much I am enjoying this thread!! You savvy ladies are giving me so much to think about!!

Suz, i've done some more laundry and thought about this some more, and i think boring is the wrong word, instead i'll use not very creative.

I feel best when I tick most of the following boxes: Luxe, Cultivated, Effortless, Feminine, Rogue.

I have to agree with gryffin! This is such a fun exercise .... And I have been nodding my head in agreement with how well thought each one's style descriptor is.

I will give it a go too. Words that come to my mind:

Casual - I am working on making this dressy casual. And not just jeans and tee.

Modern - there needs to be an element of modern in my outfits.

Edgy - I love unexpected combos. The element of surprise in it gives me the kick.

I think that's all

after more thought, i'd like to borrow an interior design term:

Transitional Style (as defined by wikipedia) (also known as "updated classic", "classic with a contemporary twist", "new takes on old classics") in interior design and furniture design refers to a blend of traditional and contemporary styles, midway between old world traditional and the world of chrome and glass contemporary; incorporating lines that are less ornate than traditional designs, but not as severely basic as contemporary lines. As a result transitional furniture designs are classic, timeless, and clean.

this term totally sums up what i want to achieve. now i just need to figure out how.

I've always resisted this as I preferred an intuitive approach. But I decided to give it a go this early (for me) Sunday morning.

Gosh I keep coming back to this! Here is what I think that I have settled on. If anyone sees something that you don't think fits, based on what you've seen of my style, I would love to hear your comments!

My acronym can be RUMMI:

Relaxed - casual, comfortable, approachable
Uncomplicated- not fussy, simple, effortless, not ALGO
Modern- current, fresh, some trends, contemporary
Minimal- moderate, not jarring, not dramatic or contrived, few layers
Interesting- has texture, not boring, not overly classic, a bit different

In my mind, I think there are some differences between each of the words. And if there is some overlap, that it adds cohesiveness between them rather than being redundant.

I'm resting my arms and wrists today so I am off the forum, but a few things below before I leave you to think about your adjectives a little more:

• Suz, knitwear can be crisp. (I wear knitwear most of the year). It's how you put together the outfits with a particular style of knitwear that creates the crisp effect. It's a visual thing - and not a tactile thing. How about Easy, Refined, Fluid and Modern.
• Shevia, you nailed it.
• Debs, I see Black, Dramatic and Minimal.
• Tanya, personally, I think you need Casual and Trendy in your list of words. And possibly Sleek, Pretty or Structured. You are a Sleek Urban Princess. Wave to Zap.
• Cocolion, you are another who needs Casual in their list of words. I see Casual, Fashion Forward, RATE, Unstructured and Fun.
• Shannon, how about Structured, Classic, Current and Bold.

There is no right and wrong answer here, and no need to agree with the words I have suggested to you either. Please don't stress about your style adjectives. It's all in good fun and nothing more than that. AND you can always change your style descriptor. I look forward to reading more about them soon. xo

Ok, I did a little exercise last year and work through all of Angie's blog posts on this subject. I came up with these adjectives :

Elegant.. The dictionary states this as simple and clear, luxurious, well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, graceful

Eclectic... I like to derive style ideas from a broad and diverse range of sources.

Classic... I like many classic styles.

Polished... I just can't seem to do RATE

Creative... Not so much in the real arty sense, but I do make my own clothes a lot and they are unique. Though lately I've been feeling that I would like to explore my more arty side.

What a fun thread! I have been reviewing my photos, and I pulled out some lists I made years ago when I was going through a real style crisis/evolution. It helped me a lot to read over the things that I definitely didn't like - and those things still hold true today. The following is what I came up with, but am open to suggestion/tweaking.

Quiet

Creative

Natural (I have a love of natural fibers and elements that come from the earth and I love wearing things that feel like a natural part of who I am as a person.)

Complex (I am conflicted about this one. I yearn for simplicity, but everything I am drawn to has layers upon layers of texture, detail, and often pattern.)

Quality (This one is aspirational. I love things of high quality, but I don't have many. I would like to make this a goal - adding fewer pieces, and make them count.)

When Angie did the blog post mine were casual, practical and colorful. But I didn't really know what I was going for and I think these descriptors aren't all that useful. I've always tried to find one style definition afterwards instead of creating several descriptors, but because my style has changed recently I haven't had a fitting definition for a while. So I'm going to give the style descriptors another try. Here's what I came up with:

Simple:
No frills. Unpretentious. Uncluttered. Pared down.

Grounded:
Practical. Laid-back. Rustic. Comfortable. Tomboyish. Natural.

Feminine:
Soft. Composed. Colorful. Harmonious. Intuitive. Chic.

Diane, you nailed it. I might have changed Eclectic to Pretty.

Okay. Now I am REALLY resting my arms. xo

Wow Angie, thanks so much for chiming in! Now that you say it, of course it is obvious, but I could never come up with it on my own. You are a true gem.

This is a lot of fun to read what you all are choosing!

I might choose:

Simple-clean lines, unfussy details
Classic-quality, withstand the test of time, not trendy yet up to date (modern)
Natural-colors, fabrics, texture
Casual-comfortable, effortless, fits the occasion

I'm still working on this and have been for some time. Two descriptors I'm fairly sure of are classic and casual. Others I'm still considering are:

Modern - current, never retro

Minimal - nothing excessive, absolutely no bells and whistles, but not stark

Refined - high quality, never RATE.

This is so interesting!

Fun thread! Mine are cheerful, polished, feminine.

Cheerful - this is the high-spirited part of me. To me it means bright color, like lime green, cherry red, or turquoise, worn in a large block (with black or gray). The more I incorporate bright colors into my daily wear, the happier I am. This part is still a work in progress as I only started working with a large block of bright color last year. Also, cheerful can be expressed in choice of buttons and some details, like narrow trim at the edge, as well as haircut (my short pixie).

Polished - this expresses the classic part of me. It is seen in the neutrals I choose, the smooth-faced luxurious fabrics, and simple shapes. Also classic, elegant footwear.

Feminine - this represents the romantic part of me. To me, this means fabrics on the drapey side of the spectrum, waist definition, skirts and dresses rather than pants when possible, and soft, rounded details (shawl collar, waterfall neckline, etc). Also high heels (this is no more than 3" in my world - my usual heel height).

Okay, here's a first shot. Thoughts welcome!

Soft - I'm thinking of shapes here rather than colors. I'm not sure if this is the right word for it, but I don't really do crisp or starchy. I also don't do feminine in the sense of ruffles or fussy bits, but "feminine" might be closer. Synonyms? Maybe "boho" - although boho makes me think of fussy embroidery and too much volume, neither of which is my jam...

Modern Classic - I don't tend to care much for trends. I love avant-garde things in theory, but I don't feel pulled together in most of my really out-there choices. I don't think it's just classic or just modern, but both together. I love crazy outrageous pattern mixes and the like, but I'm cautious about how I deploy them.

Playful - I need color, or texture, or fun jewelry, or something. I feel boring in all neutrals and all classic pieces.

Bold - I'm not sure if this is the right word. In general, I prefer contrast and high saturation.

ETA: Cross-posted with Alexandra, and her "cheerful" gets a lot of what I'm looking for. Her definition of "feminine" is also similar to what I mean by cheerful.

I haven't participated much lately, but for the last year, both a career change (step up to more responsibility, more technical and more dynamic medium) and a weight gain ( I am happy with how i look, it's just most of my old clothes won't fit) I realized I've changed. When looking to build the new wardrobe to represent me, i purged and cleaned and realized I moved from very feminine in a more romantic girly way, to more womanly. I now have pencil skirts and shift dresses/sheaths. From fit-and-flares to more restrained more flowing and even mod. To wrap dresses. What i kept was the love of bold , dramatic and sleek. I also moved from polka dots to stripes, chevron ( and hounds-tooth). From girly cropped blazers To more tailored and strict. To geometrical shapes in jewelry. To color green , and yellow, and blue ( before i was more of a black white and red/pink/fuchsia kind of girl). To zippers and leather on my knits. To higher heels ( i was a single sole convert). More jeans. And fewer of everything.
I think my style descriptors could be
Declarative ( as in bold, unapologetic, high contrast black and white, full on bombshell looks , in a tailored and strong way., more statement necklaces,)
Sharp ( even though i moved from a lot of woven to include knits, the clothes that please me, even fluid are sharp ). I would have said tailored in the past. But now a fluid fit impeccable navy top with my white pencil skirt and black booties comes to mind. I love that outfit. It's not tailored per se, but sharp.
Sophisticated ( I like quality and simplicity in a new way. I wear a lot more white, enjoy the subtle details like the cotton lining and the softness of my burgundy leather jacket, the fine wool, the quality of textiles in general, the i drape, the skim)
I am less dressy in my lifestyle than i was, even though i still dress up. I am not casual either. I feel i am just starting to understand how to do casual in a way that resonates with me. There should be another word for this but i'm lost

I came up with my descriptors a year ago and they've really helped me stay focused with dressing and shopping.

Casual - I was fortunate to retire early so I don't want an "office" look, more the "non-mom on the go look".

Current - Need to look like I've shopped within the last couple of years, everything doesn't need to be last six months and an item could be a few years old, but I definitely need to look like I know what is going on this year (thank you, Angie and YLF).

Elegance - Not sure if I can describe this, but I know it when I see it. Simple but not stark, plain design; I like some interesting details, whether color or jewelry that invite the eye to linger. Maybe I should say structured elegance as I don't care for too much draping on me drawing attention to my bony shoulders. Maybe tailored elegance - I'm a blazer, not waterfall cardigan type girl.

Everyday - Need to be pulling the look together everyday. Came to this realization a few months ago when I wore old, ratty trainers on a 500 mile drive (thinking they were the most comfortable option). I stopped to visit a cousin and was embarrassed to to realize how frumpy I looked and that I had another pair of shoes that were just as comfortable and looked good. This descriptor should also keep me on the straight and narrow for buying for my real life.

Okay, guess it's Casual, Current, Tailored Elegance, Everyday.

Sharon, looking at common elements of things I love is a good idea!

I was also thinking just now that, in addition to soft and urban, "subtle" might work for me. That would cover understated, but also convey the idea of interesting details and textures and combinations that may not be obvious at first glance, but are noticeable when you look more closely and give depth to things.

Will keep thinking about whether I should tweak these and/or add some more.

Wow, fantastic analyses here so far. I'm enjoying reading these, and it's helping me articulate some ideas. Like Denise, I often resist this kind of exercise because I'm such am emotional, intuitive shopper and dresser. But I do think it's been useful when I've tried to nail down some descriptors.

I also find it much easier to come up with a list of what I'm *not* trying to accomplish with my style. And when I think about it, I know my list has changed in the last three years since finding YLF. In fact, I think it's changed a little in the last year or so.

But here are some words that come to mind. Please forgive me, as I've stolen from some of you!

- Modern -- I want to keep in touch with trends without being overtly trendy. I also feel like the term "modern" might encompass "rock'n'roll" which is a definite component of my preferred style -- a little toughness makes me feel good.

- Easy (thanks to Suz) -- I don't want my style to look or feel forced, stiff, or overdone. I'm going a little more minimal in accessorizing, and I'm less tolerant of any clothing that constricts me or restricts my movement. I love an effortless look that is not too matchy-matchy and conveys ease and a hint of casual. Like Suz mentions, I love a garment with built in interesting or architectural detail, but there's a fine line for me these days -- I don't want too much detailing. I love a long and lean look, even if it's not the easiest thing to accomplish with my body type.

- Sophisticated -- This is the necessary companion to the modern/rock'n'roll aspect of my style. There is a nod here to age-appropriateness, but a larger issue of wanting my "edge" piece (moto jacket, great boots) to be softened with a classic piece or two.

- Juxtaposition/Unexpected -- I tread carefully here and could probably be more adventurous, but a bit of a wild card sometimes feels right for me. An interesting print, a trendy piece, a touch of boho, statement jewelry, the occasional hat or fingerless gloves, even some of my footwear collection -- all provide opportunities to convey my creative side without screaming "quirky" or "artist." Any more than a hint of that makes me feel like I'm wearing a costume.

What do you all think? Any feedback or additional thoughts?

This is much harder than it looks. Like Tanya, I have two style personas in work and casual. Focusing on work.

Classic--this is the foundation for me. Pieces that don't date quickly, do fit well and keep the outfit grounded and professional.

Current--as Ginko said above, I need to look like I've been shopping in the past couple years. I want my look to be fresh and "classicly modern".

Effortless--no one needs to know that I changed three times that morning. I want it to look like I just chose a top and a bottom, accessorized appropriately, and it worked perfectly.

Uncomplicated--clean lines, no frilly or fussy bits, nothing to tug at, easy structure.

Relaxed--there's a more appropriate word, but I can't come up with it. What I mean is not stiff, buttoned up, corporate or stuffy.

Love this thread so much! I keep reading it over and over and absorbing everyone's knowledge.

Angie - thank you, thank you, thank you! I felt like something was missing, that I was a bit off on my descriptors and you have nailed it! And even more so, I'm really pleased with what you have suggested. Those are descriptors that I'm kinda proud of