For the most part, my significant other Greg likes what I wear. I attribute this to the fact that we have very similar aesthetic preferences. We both like strong, sleek, simple, modern, edgy and retro silhouettes. Nothing too bohemian, earthy, whimsical or ornate. We adore geometric patterns, bold contrasts, saturated colours, black & white, military styling, turtle necks, textured surfaces, zipper trims, superb quality and clever design detailing. We’re two peas in a pod.

But there are things I love to wear that don’t go down particularly well. For example: ruffles and frills, shiny fabric, poufy sleeves and lace. I’m happy for Greg to say those types of silhouettes are not his cup of tea. I appreciate his opinion. At least he has one! But that doesn’t stop me from wearing these items. I just know that on the days I wear ruffles, shiny things and poufy sleeves, Greg is not going to love my outfit. And that’s okay. We can’t both love everything all the time.

Does your significant other like your style? Is it important that they like what you wear? Do you ever wear items that they don’t like? I’m really interested to hear your thoughts on this one.

Update: It turns out that Hanna from the forum wrote an interesting personal perspective on this topic just yesterday. Her experiment, asking her significant other to describe her style in 5 words, is a great idea.

Note: When I wrote this post I had quite a broad definition of “significant other” in mind. The The American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy captures it well. “A person whose close relationship with an individual affects that individual’s behavior and attitudes. A significant other is usually a family member, spouse, child, employer, coworker, friend, or lover, who serves as a role model or whose acceptance and approval is sought.”