This is a wonderful idea Patience. I'll have to think about this. I'm excited to hear what others come up with.

My husband wants nothing to do with choosing things for me. He told me right off the bat to not expect him to choose things for me, to just get what I want. He is color blind, and says no one in his family has the stylish gene.
However he has surprised me with a nice piece of jeweley. I appreciated that so much.

My husband has no interest in clothing or jewelry, as long as he is decently covered. He really doesn't even notice too much when I wear new outfits, as long as I stay within my budget! The last piece of jewelry he chose for me was my engagement ring (14 years ago). However, he did go into Bath and Body one Valentine's Day and selected a warm vanilla sugar gift set for me. We both enjoyed it! Maybe fragrance is more along his line...

My husband is an expert on buying electronics, groceries, and OTC medicines (he's a walking pharmacy). As far as clothing goes, the less I involve him, the happier he is. :)

My BF is great with electronics, groceries, vitamins & food supplements and such.
I typically choose my and most of his clothes.

For presents and such, we typically choose what we want in advance so that there's no disappointment later. That takes the stress out of the equation for him. He did buy me once a nice pink BR angora cardigan for Christmas on his own, and it's gotten a lot of wear.

I'll bite Patience, nice thread. I have no doubt hubby will do a superb job of getting a white watch for you.

Hilarious, Ana! Hubbies might be developing a stylish gene, San and Becky. Good gift strategy, Tanya.

My Greg has a superb sense of aesthetic. I ask his opinion on everything aesthetic - from my style, to the interior of our home, artwork, the garden and my blog entries! He knows PRECISELY what I like and we share a very similar taste level which makes life easy. I’d say we bounce “expert” opinions off each other here.

Greg takes care of all decisions electronic, gadget-y and the cars. I take complete control of the food, nutrition and health aspects of our lives. And together we are Yorkie Whisperers.

My hubby is great with jewelery and watches - maybe that is because he is a big spender so he buys the "good stuff". ;) We did have some non-wins when we were getting to know each other but that was just because he didn't know what I liked yet.

He is very helpful with some clothing decisions, while others he will reject just because of things he doesn't like - like horizontal stripes of any type or blousy tops. Also, frequently his answer to "which one do you like better?" is "buy both!". :D

Greg's a Libra, right? We're known for our aesthetics. :D

LOL @ Yorkie Whisperers!

My DH is apparently the expert on deciding when a shampoo bottle or toothpaste tube is ready for the trash - because these things keep jumping back out of the trash and on to the shelf! ;-)

It's an ongoing joke around here. Last night I had to BEGGGG to please throw out this styling product I had tried three times now - it was supposed to leave my hair smooth and silky and instead left it like straw. I forced DH's hand through my hair and when lots of strands came out (because it was like straw and all sticky) he finally agreed the nearly full bottle could go in the trash. Even he - with his full thick head of hair - wouldn't touch the stuff after that.

Aesthetically speaking, he's got a great eye (for architecture and art) but as far as my fashions, it doesn't often go much higher than my ankle. All he cares is that I wear comfortable, flat shoes. That's why when he does compliment an outfit I'm wearing, I know it really means something.

If I left it up to DH to pick my clothing, I'd be wearing docksiders, baggy khakis, and button-down cotton long sleeve shirts all culled from the second-hand store. He doesn't believe in buying new clothes because he's into recycling. I buy him new clothes and he does not like it. "I can get the same thing at the second-hand store for pennies." Though he does often wear what I buy, if I pick well - i.e., new stuff that looks just like the older stuff he prefers. I have bought him slightly - just SLIGHTLY - trendier stuff, and it sits unworn or he re-gifts to his brothers.

As I mentioned earlier, watches are probably the only thing he gets into - but again, he's very particular and the watches he likes are very unusual, and often vintage. If I think about it tomorrow, I'll post a link to the watch I got him one xmas (after lots of hinting on his part).

Although I did recently buy a pair of Cole Haan orange boat-like ballet slippers, I don't dress up to please him - I do it to please myself. And I learned long ago to accept that I can't dress him up like he's my paper doll. He's always neat and clean and has his own personal aesthetic that is uber preppy, so we don't necessarily look too out-of-synch.

Electronics - accck. Bad topic for us. We desparately need new t.v.s and I've assumed this is the "guy" thing to buy... but he's just as clueless as I am so we're struggling with this. Same for cars, which we'll be in the market for in the next year or so.

Home depot -he's got that covered. I won't go in there; gives me a headache from the dust. He practically *lives* at home depot. Anything involving the yard or plants - that's his thing. Our yard is amazing - it's tiny but packed with plants, flowers, tomatoes, etc.

To his credit he never ever whines about my clothing budget. He understands it's my "thing." And I only rarely complain about the empty bottles jumping out of the trash and back on the shelves!

Funny story Shiny. It makes me want to mention also that my husband, though not a person to go and pick things out for me as a surprise, does do many many sweet thoughtful things for me and treats me like a queen. He is also Mr. Fix It, and that is something I always wanted in a husband. He keeps the yard in tip top shape and I enjoy that, and help him when I can. He tells me all the time that he wants me to have whatever it takes in life to feel I'm having a happy one. He's a sweety.

Ohhhh. That’s adorable San. And entertaining, Shiny. Hope that future son-in-laws fix the electronic situation at home!

Quite right, aesthetic Ana – my sweetie is a Libra too. How about yours?

This thread is so much fun. I guess I will add a bit.

My husband is definitely the expert on cars and electronics. (Shiny, what kind of TV do want? I'll find out what model ours is and let you know if that would be helpful.) He's also very handy. He used to do a lot of his own work on the cars. We also used to do a lot of home improvement projects and he got into wood working and build us some beautiful shelving furniture. He has a very good eye for this aesthetically too. Hopefully he will build us a deck one day, but for now he is focused on his entrepreneurial endeavors. Our styles are fairly similar. When it comes down to it, I would probably choose something slightly different that what he would choose, fashion wise but if it's a gift, I've come to see that I love something he gave me *because* he chose it and it was not exactly what I would choose.

Things he is less helpful on, stylistically. He really hates giving an opinion when I'm trying to decide on an item of clothing. If I'm already decided, no problem supporting me. Although he always tells me if something makes me look pregnant. Also, I'm in charge of the food in our house. He cooks and shops which is extremely helpful but I have to give very detailed instructions.

I'm not sure my husband is an expert on anything other than civil procedure and contracts law (ok, bad lawyer joke). I think like Angie and Greg, Christie and Greg work well together. Greg does the laundry and ironing. I do the cooking. He does the digging, I do the planting.

My husband has a fabulous sense of polish. He keeps those fingernails perfectly trimmed, and other things are always well trimmed. He is always well-pressed and coifed. He has had a super influence on me in this way. When we were college students, I sort of disdained his polish, but now I really appreciate it. Most guys don't have that polish.

In so far as decoration goes, he mostly leaves that to me (which makes me happy--not so many people would be as thrilled about bright orange walls and purple velvet curtains like I am). But I do trust his advice on my clothing. And on the occasions when I've gone against his opinion, I did regret it. Plus, he has a love of skirts and dresses (for the ladies, of course), which has guided me in that direction (along with Angie). For years, he asked why I didn't wear more skirts or dresses. Now that I do, he is super content.

But in all seriousness, the man has an amazing knowledge of trial rules.

Hee hee, my hubby's name is Greg, too! I had forgotten about your Greg, Christie. As you stated about your hubby, Christie, my Greg is very good at what he does (he's an agronomist and crop consultant), and I'm happy that he is happy to let me run the household. He's also the financial "head honcho" in our family, which is why he pays attention to the clothing budget!

Wow, we could start the Gregs' Wives Club!

I think that is the key to a good relationship--know what your strengths are and what your partner's strengths are and let there be balance.

Hmmm my husband is not a good gift giver. He hates shopping with a pasion and he usually puts off going anywhere near a store until it's too late. I do ALL the gift giving in the house--I buy gifts for both sides of the family. He's even bad at picking out gifts for himself. HIs birthday was yesterday, and even though I asked him for weeks about what he wanted, the final purchases weren't what he had in mind. Oh well.

He usually notices a new outfit, a new haircut and ALWAYS notices a new pair of shoes. Lets see..he doesn't cook, he doesn't clean, he's not fond of yard work--but since I enjoy doing all those things (except cleaning) it works out well.

He is an AWESOME dad. He loves spending time with our kids. He is patient and firm and loving. He wants them to excell in sports and in school and will do anything to make that happen. He spends way too much money on bats, gloves, bikes, helmets, skates... He is the computer expert in our family, keeps the cars running smoothly, and does anything that has to do with dead mice, bugs, or heavy lifting. And he over-researches any big ticket purchase.

He's a super easy going guy and never says no or hassles me about anything. Any purchase for our home is picked out together. His eye for style goes well with my eye for color. We get a lot of compliments on our home because our tastes are similar and our abilities compliment each other. We both like things out of the ordinary and have a strong inclination toward modern design. Our dream home would be a mid century modern minimalist ranch furnished with Danish furniture.

He is easily overwhelmed when we have too many projects going on at once and tends to freeze up when he doesn't know what to do next. I tend to be lazy until everything is piled up around me--then I go nuts and get it all done at once. We are very opposite in that regard. But 20+ years ago when we first started dating, we were completely opposite!

Brendan is a Virgo, so he's doesn't have much of an aesthetic, but he's very nurturing, and feels best when he's helping someone (even if they aren't asking for help, hee hee). And he's very logical, so I can usually win him over to my way of thinking if I present my idea in a clear, well thought out argument. :D He also has systems for everything, and is super hygienic. He has a system for how he takes a shower (first cleans his ears, then rinses, then his arms, then rinses, etc) and he can NOT be swayed from his system, even if we're running late. It drives me crazy sometimes, but I guess I'd rather he be super clean than not really caring whether he smells or not. It makes camping or all day outdoor activities impossible though--the idea of being in the woods for even 2 days with no access to a shower or toilet is repulsive to him, he can't do it.

He also LOVES cooking, but it's like a giant experiment for him. He'll make the most amazing bread (or whatever), but then he has to tweak the recipe to see if he can make it any better, he can't just be happy with the recipe the way it is.

Hey, I found these zodiac descriptions here. Even though that's a bunch of garbage, they're sort of fun to look at:

http://mizian.com.ne.kr/englis.....ntents.htm

This one is fun too:

http://www.cafeastrology.com/a.....odiac.html

More and more similarities. Such fun!

Christie and Becky, are hubbies “Gregory”? Mine is. Good solid Scottish name.

I see that quite a few hubbies cook. Good for you! Greg can manage a cuppa tea if he really concentrates but that’s it. Food and cooking are my domain and I admit that I love it that way.

Ana, your sweetie cracks me up.

Happy belated birthday Jason (a fellow Cancerian like Mirah, San and myself). You’ve been together for over 20 years and so have Greg and I ( but married for 11). Sounds like you and Jason are a match made in heaven. Beautiful.

My Greg and I are also different but fundamentally the same. I’m an utter extrovert and Greg is introverted. He thinks his way through a decision and I feel mine. His perfect weekend is an unplanned one whereas I prefer structure. His strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa. Thank God it works!

Angie, sounds like you are into Keirsey temperament theory?

My DH is an Artisan and I'm an Idealist. We're both extroverted-feeler types, but I'm more apt to get caught up worrying about the future while he's a live-in-the- moment type. Which is great for me, because he reminds me to make the most of this moment.

One thing interesting about my DH is that he is the social planner for our family- usually that's the traditional female role! While I am just as extroverted, if left to me, we'd probably never go anywhere. He finds fun things to do all the time and makes all the plans. I am more apt to invite along our friends or family, and keep those social ties - but he finds the things to do, and then plans out all the details and logistics.

The only thing is he is much better at short-range planning and hates - loathes!! - to do any long-range planning. So that means vacations and travel are all up to me, since that requires more than 24 hours notice!

So for our upcoming trip to Paris, I booked the tickets well in advance, and I'm handling all the details in advance. But once we get there, it's all up to him to determine what we'll do each day! I trust him; he and I travel well together. Which is saying a lot. He's the only person I have ever traveled well with (without him, I'd much rather travel alone).

My BF does all the cooking, I am pretty bad in the kitchen. The only thing I'm good at is baking/desserts, and I actually love doing those, but for some special occasions only. We have a deal: he cooks, I take care of dishes and laundry.

We are quite opposite when it comes to planning and such: I like to research everything in advance, plan, compare, organize. Ha hates all of that ( he's famous for doing everything the last moment) so he gladly lets me take care of it :)

I feel my boyfriend and I were made for each other. We make such a great team. Both of us are artistic, with me more interested in the fashion forward and my man more interested in the reasonable (he keeps me grounded!). I was so enthralled by him when we first met because he was so stylish and chose the BEST presents for me, exactly what I would want without having to drop hints. I don't know how he does it, but he continues to impress me with his aesthetic eye. I ALWAYS ask for his advice on what I'm interested in, because I know he will tell me the truth, straight up. I love it. Sometimes I don't agree with him and purchase the item anyway (such as the Yummy black look-a-likes of SJP's Diors in the Sex and the City movie: http://www.stevemadden.com/item.aspx?id=46706). And Angie, like you and your hubby, my boyfriend and I are different, but quite the same. I say we bounce ideas off each other constantly. Such a great thing when you have someone to do that with :)

Yes, Angie, mine's a Gregory, although I think his name was given more in honor of the past Popes Gregory (I don't know how many of them there were) than any Scottish ties (though there are some).

I am enjoying this discussion of differences/similarities between significant others. My Greg and I indeed make a good team; we're both long-term planners, but he is more spontaneous in the short-term. I'm the cautious one; he's the risk-taker. I'm the tactful, diplomatic one; he's the blunt, refreshingly honest one. Very interesting to think about!

What's the Keirsey Temperament Theory?

I just took the Myers-Briggs and I'm an ENFJ--The Idealist Teacher. That's great, since that's what I want to do. Brendan is an INTJ--The Rational Mastermind. I don't know if you can really sort people based on a questionnaire, but both of ours were pretty darn accurate!

Nice Becky. You and your Greg sound like a complementary match :-)

HA! Another similarity. I'm an ENFJ too, Ana. Greg's an INTP. We score very definite end results. We have taken very involved Myers Briggs tests over and over again over the years and like a coconut, we score the same end result each time. It’s accurate.

Tanya, feel free to send dessert my way at any time. I too adore bananas.

That makes sense Angie! You're definitely a teacher on this site. :)

How interesting. I am an ISFJ- The Nurturer , not the greatest personality type for one aspiring to be a serious scientist. My BF is INTP - The Thinker too, so he does much better in the science thing, at least it's more natural for him.

Angie, I'm curious where you took the involved test, I'd be interested in doing the same.

I am happy to send a lot of dessert your way. In fact, if you ever a visit a city where I'll live at the time, I'll be happy to make a lot of them for you, including mu signature chocolate banana cake.

Another question ( boy am I curios this morning), do you ever travel for work, like accepting clients in different cities and going there to help them with the wardrobe ovehaul and such, or you only take the ones that live in Seattle or come there for shopping? I am hoping of being able to hire you one nice day...

Ana, as a Virgo, I think I might have to take issue with your comment about Virgos not having much of an aesthetic... :-)

My Greg is a Gregory, too. His name has much to do with his parents wanting him to have the same initials as his father, and the other options were a bit aged (George? Geoffrey?)

Oh no, I'm so sorry Christie! *blushing* :) I didn't mean it the way it came out. Virgos (as a sign--if you believe all that stuff) are more known for their kindness and willingness to help others, orderliness, and clear, logical thinking (I would never want to get into a debate with one!), but that's NOT to say they have no aesthetic. That is more what I meant by my comment--my husband specifically has no aesthetic, but is amazing in other ways. I know you particularly have an awesome eye--you shop at J. Crew! :D Julia does as well (who is also a Virgo, I think). Anyway, I apologize--that didn't come out right at all! (sheepish half grin).

I *think* I'm kind of split INFJ/ENFJ and I'm not sure what my husband is. What Angie said about feeling your way through decisions really rings true for me. My husband is definitely a visionary. I'm the cautious, stable one and he's the risk taker but we still make a great team. I think that's because we have a very similar value system and have identified at least some of the differences. Also, he's a great joke maker and I always laugh. We both tend to make our plans last minute.