Suz, dynamite comes in small packages

YES. Passing on your items in an ethical and sustainable way makes a difference. Most of my items go to DFS Seattle where most go to auction to raise funds for the non-profit. My retired bags go to friends.

How about: Powerful Playful Pragmatist, or Powerful Pragmatist

btw, trailblazer totally goes with your awesome western belt....

I like pragmatic pixie and silver superhero

Suz - I agree with all,like Angie, who pointed out you have a very strong signature style. "That's so Suz!!" Elegant, tailored, refined, fun, edgy classics with nods to the trends but always practical, easy, unfussy, clean and harmonious. You always have great proportions and balance to your outfits, both structure and color - the way you harmonize the elements is I believe your signature and it's very difficult to do. Brooklyn also does that very well but your styles are different. The playful, colorful and trendy elements of your wardrobe are so you!! So why is it we all feel we "should" be doing something other than being exactly who we are sartorially and otherwise?!! That's the thing that gets me into so much trouble and wasting soooo much money. It's the crux of my mistakes. My strict palate works for me because I'm an introvert. Not shy, but I get overwhelmed by too much stimulation. I need quiet and order. Toss me into a big mall store and I'm going to shut down. My quiet wardrobe is a place of respite, shelter around activity, a portable way station of repose. Theme and variations, texture over color, harmony, quiet interest, detail - those items which bring calm and cohesion to me are a one way ticket to ennui for you!! In the same way I can so admire and even lemming an outfit that's so perfect for you, it would not be me. I think the hardest thing to do is be truly authentic to ourselves because grass is always greener, the shoes are so much more comfortable and edgy, the accessories more divine, etc, etc when someone else wears them so very well, as you always do. The trick is to remember that that's so suz, or brooklyn, Lisa or bijou or angie and then step back and sigh, deep cleansing breath, credit card tucked security in bag and then realize the only question I really need to ask, love it though I do, is is it me?! I think you have an amazing wardrobe and wear it so well. You and your wardrobe seem pretty perfect to me, just as you are!!

So so true, Gryffin! You made me laugh out loud with the "shoes are always edgier" etc. Especially Janet's, right????

Your observations about your style being a refuge are really interesting to me. You see, I am an introvert, too! But like more "action" in my clothes. It made me wonder if this would be the case if I were still a full time teacher. I used to come home completely drained because while I loved the kids, it was just too many people and too much stimulation in one day! (I also avoid malls, though I love city streets when in the right frame of mind to face the crowd.) Anyway -- I am sure environment affects our style in ways that go beyond mere weather. (Not that "mere" really characterizes weather in your part of the world or mine!)

Anyway, you are so right -- to thine own self be true is a good motto for us all. I wouldn't be me without all my many blues and pops of red and silver, and you wouldn't be you without quiet, mysterious, powerful black. Onwards!

Suz - that's exactly right. I'm a physician and I spend all day with patients. True service profession but it takes a lot out of me. I need to be up for everyone, on it, engaged. It's the prefect field and I love what I do but I get tired, weary on long days. So I need to build in tiny islands of repose whether it's an outfit, a couple of sips of tea, a quick check of email, I sometimes need to step back into center. If I spent my days at a computer or quiet repose I would probably crave more outside situation! Something tellsl me I'll drop in harness but if I ever find out I'll let you know. But that's very insightful. And Yes, RIGHT!! No one has edgier and better shoes than Janet, well maybe Una and well hey where is Anna, queen cool of shoes!!

Hi Suz. My first thought in reading your post was if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. You have a style that is trendy, flattering, practical and distinctive. What’s to change? You also seem to make very few mistakes, which suggests you know what you are doing, at least intuitively, even though you may have trouble articulating a theme.

Personally, I don’t find style monikers and adjectives that useful. I am drawn to a number of styles, and usually broad adjectives don’t help me to choose between them. For instance, I think one of my adjectives would be “polished”. To my eye, there are a zillion ways to be polished (as the members of this forum regularly demonstrate) so that doesn’t necessarily help me on the question of whether I should buy into a particular trend. It might help me with outfit creation (is this outfit making me unhappy because it’s not polished enough?) but not necessarily on additions. Lots of things can be worn in a polished way.

I like to have a more practical and refined list of the style elements that I want to focus on. It has to be reflective of my current mood, which changes, and my desire for creativity.

This year I have 3 themes going. I’ve given up on trying to stick to one. I’ve thought about them a lot and I’m happy with each of them. I will aim for every new purchase to be used towards at least one of those themes. And I will use them as a tool for outfit creation and editing decisions.

So, for instance, white boots. I have been toying with buying a pair for about 2 years now. I love the graphic punch that they add to an outfit. You, Angie and others in the forum look terrific in them, and I tend to be influenced by that also. When something looks good on someone else, or it’s trending, it can be hard for me to make an objective decision about whether that’s really where I want to go, stylewise. I just want to give into my impulse to buy, buy, buy.

But, when I sit back and think about my 3 themes, white boots are not an obvious “fit” with any of them. I fear they would be a mistake for me. And I’ve made a lot of mistakes in the past and would like to avoid making more! If my mood changes and I decide to pursue an 80s retro theme, or a bright, graphic theme, or a classic theme or a Ralph Lauren winter white theme (which is tempting!), then white boots might have a place in my wardrobe. In the meantime, no. So my themes help me navigate and filter trends. I get to boss them around instead of them bossing me around.

All of which is a long winded way of saying it’s proving to be a useful (and fun!) tool for me. If you wanted to develop a theme, I suggest starting a mood board of images that you are drawn to. Not necessarily specific outfit images. Think patterns, colours and textures. Images of nature or man made structures. Try to figure out what connects them and how you can interpret those images through your style choices.

Or...just keep doing of what you are doing. You always look fabulous to me!

What Brooklyn said—both on Suz`s fabness and on wardrobe curation. If you don`t mind, Brooklyn, might you share with us your three themes?

Column, thank you! And yes to Brooklyn sharing themes. I think she has done so in earlier posts but maybe a round up post would be good?

Brooklyn, thank you so much for your considered and kind reply. I hear exactly what you are saying -- "classic" is a word that functions in a similar way as "polished." There are so many versions of "classic" that you almost wonder why bother with it as a descriptor? But by picking a theme you help yourself refine your choices. Got it.

And yes, maybe a mood board. My tendency has been simply to go with the retail flow. I'm not tempted by trends that don't tempt me, if that makes sense -- I mean I'm rarely tempted by trends that won't suit me, or if I dip my toe there, I barely get wet. (E.g. ONE flare sleeved blouse vs. 10, and I decide -- NOPE -- and move on.) So I guess I am lucky that way. But if I want to steer the style ship myself it would still help to pick a theme to keep me focused. Thank you!

Suz, it sounds like you are not an impulsive shopper the way I am (or can be unless I have a plan). A theme helps to keep me on the straight and narrow. But you might not need that restraint. It also helps to divert my attention away from shopping and more towards outfit creation. Which is a good thing for me.

Column, I will post the themes eventually. Visuals are still in development Thanks for the interest! I think about it a lot. That’s part of the fun!