Every year I like to choose a few adjectives to capture my style goals and a short, memorable name for my personal style that I call my style moniker. You don’t need a moniker or a tidy list of adjectives to have great style. Your outfits can communicate who you are without any labels attached to them. Many people express their fashion preferences intuitively, guided by experience, comfort, practicality, mood, and what simply feels right from day to day. If thinking about adjectives or monikers feels stressful, unhelpful, forced or confusing, leave them off your style journey.

On the other hand, adjectives and monikers can be helpful and fun when you’re in the mood to reflect, refresh, or refine your style direction. They can help articulate what’s working, what you aspire to wear more often, and how you’d like your style to evolve.  

polished· relaxed · playful · classic · bold · quiet · colourful · current · refined · earthy · bohemian · sporty · retro · avant-garde · bombshell · romantic · soft · rock ’n roll · juxtaposed · eclectic · elegant · structured · unstructured · creative · witty · athletic · sassy · mischievous · modest · alluring · modern

Adjectives like the ones above can steer you toward choices that support your current sartorial preferences. They can can help you to make informed wardrobe editing decisions. And keep you grounded when shopping by providing a framework for evaluating new pieces. They can be inspiring and aspirational.

A moniker can feel like a tiny style superpower. Style is a creative expression of you and your context, and sometimes naming things sparks joy and amusement.

The process of choosing the words can be just as enjoyable as applying them. Your adjectives and moniker can shift with the seasons, your lifestyle, or your own curiosity. Nothing is set in stone.

Choose from three to five style adjectives, and a style moniker to go along with it. I use five adjectives that I’ve tweaked over the years. I will continue to wear outfits that are Modern, Crisp, Retro, Playful and Dressy.

Modern, because I enjoy injecting some carefully chosen trends into my seasonal look. That’s part of why fashion is fun. It keeps things fresh, and works well with my line of work.

Crisp, because I love wearing shades of white and clear brights, and have a strong need to create a fresh, professional and tidy appearance.

Retro, because of my fondness for fashion from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, but remixing retro sensibilities with a good dose of current.

Playful, because it’s become important to me to wear outfits that are or have soft, amusing, sentimental, and nostalgic elements. This also reminds me to not take fashion and style too seriously, and to do my own thing.

Dressy, because super casual does not make me happy.

My style moniker is Urban Polish. I live in the city and walk almost everywhere in all sorts of weather with doggies in tow. I wear smart casual and dressy clothes daily, and comfortable shoes that go the distance. I am very neat, tidy, and organized by nature, so it’s important that my outward appearance exudes a high degree of polish. My moniker is like a personal style mascot, and a wink to myself each time I get dressed.

The most important thing is to keep style enjoyable, honest, manageable, practical, and filled with good energy. If adjectives and monikers boost your clarity or creativity, embrace them. If not, pass on the process. Over the years, the YLF community has engaged in many a delightful conversation helping Fabbers find their style adjectives and monikers. Feel free to ask for assistance on the forum if you’d like to get a head start. Feel free to share your own style adjectives and moniker in the comments section too.