I want to save this and think through this for myself as soon as I have time. Thank you for this thoughtful post!

This is such a good analysis! I think we're sisters under the skin, although not quite the same - my moniker is The Duchess Next Door. So, a bit of a difference, but some of the some juxtaposition. I'm also heavily vintage-inspired. I do something very similar to your outfits with my winter ones, just with short, cozy dresses instead of layered cardigans.

It's also really good to define what your style is not. I find that very helpful for myself when I am shopping in particular. I make fewer mistakes and can better focus on what my true needs are.

Really enjoyed reading your analysis here. Really interesting and it's really clear what style you were describing.

I'm an new & intermittent poster here, and have thought about trying to figure out my style moniker as well. But unlike you, I don't seem to have either the time or the words to do it.

But I'm determined to do it this year!

Ah, now I see what you mean Angie. I am glad to have a style that comes across as authentic, and agree that "folkloric" might be a more evocative/descriptive adjective to use in my list.

Runcarla, yes!! So excited for the Downton movie! And you're right about "Kinfolk" as a search term on Pinterest -- a lot of what comes up is too minimalist for me but if I click on the occasional layered look there's a lot of good stuff in the related pins.

Thanks for reading, lisa p. I'll save some of that caprese salad for you.

Thanks shevia and Tammyb!

Ginger, I agree -- there's lots of overlap between our styles. And where there's not, there's a common sensibility. I always enjoy your WIWs!

ElizabethP and hereforthecake -- would love to read what you come up with if you do a similar exercise.

smittie, you asked about anything aspirational or a direction I'm headed. Dangit I did this big analysis, can't I rest on my laurels for a little bit??? Heh -- kidding. A few quick thoughts:

• More focus on the lighter colors/mid-tones in my palette (it's very easy to accumulate dark colors, especially dark neutrals, because they're so readily available. Need to push the balance to a slightly different spot.)
• Add some new silhouettes. Straight-leg pants would be great if I could find some. Or some more dramatic toppers, like cape-style cardigans? Midi-length skirt outfits for cold weather? How far can I push the "girl on the moors" idea without it becoming too costumey?
• Challenge myself to put together some Pinterest-inspired outfits, following Runcarla's example.
• Inspired by Brooklyn's approach, develop AND CARRY OUT (always the sticking point for me) a theme for a season. Have some ideas about doing this for fall (incorporating the first two bullet points above) but will leave that for a later post.

I’m lined up for the Downton movie too ! And while Kinfolk mag is lovely to look
at, it scares me And whole we’re at it , I’ve never heard anyone use the term “ stinking cute” outside of the US. Interesting !

It took me forever to come up with a style persona. Like, I didn't know how to accurately describe my style in a catchy phrase, so I just called myself a dystopian minimalist (because I like things so RATE that they're rough through and through) and I am a bit of a minimalist.
Funny how this place makes us find ourselves...
One day here on the forum, somebody started a thread about what role we would each have in the zombie apocalypse and I mentioned that I was probably out in the woods, hunting food for the community, a la Daryl Dixon, and how I would kill any zombies that tried to eat my fellow fabbers' brains, and somehow that made me decide that Avenging Angel kind of fit me and that's my style persona in a catchy phrase. It covers all the facets of my style that I cycle through, from shredded sweaters to dippin-dots colors to rocker chic and everything in between and it all happened because of the zombie apocalypse thread LOL
Thinking 'Avenging Angel' has made such a difference in how I react to clothes and shoes when I'm shopping. There are fewer "what was I even thinking" moments happening in my closet these days LOL

lisa p I hear you -- I have mixed feelings about Kinfolk mag too. And to tell you the truth I suspect that "stinkin' cute" would wind my daughter up even MORE than just plain "cute." :-p Ah well -- at least back to school shopping for her is easy: 8 plain, neutral, long-sleeved crewneck tees, 1 black zip-up hoodie, pack of black ankle socks, pack of white ankle socks, and we're done!

cindysmith I LOVE "Avenging Angel" as a moniker for you! I feel like the "avenging" part covers your love of RATE/ripped to shreds, and the "angel" suggests those dippin' dots colors. The combination is SO YOU. Glad it is working so well in practice. Yay!!!

Sarah, I'm awfully late to this thread but I just want to join in the applause! You've done a brilliant job of encapsulating your style and I especially love the word "heathered" as a descriptor—it captures the elements of softness and nature that might otherwise be missing and reminds you of a core ideal when you are shopping. Wonderful!

Suz, thank you for popping in and adding your support! “Heathered,” YES, I am so happy about this adjective! And like I said, I didn’t have it in mind when I sat down to write this up but discovered it in the course of writing. Definitely an argument in favor of doing this exercise.

I can’t believe I missed this fantastic post! What a superb style analysis. I really admire how accurately you describe your style - it corresponds so well with your posts I have seen during the time I have been following you here.
Very inspiring. I am not really there myself yet, but will try to do this due time as well - I think it is particularly interesting to see how you use the similar, but not quite the same characteristics and also the “not you” features. My style is very different from yours and it is fun to see how we are almost opposites - I wear saturated bold colours, no patterns, height contrasts, crisp, pointy toes etc. This is what I love with YLF.

This has been a great thread. I was so excited about the Land Army that I forgot to say that I never wear white denim. Actually, I rarely wear white anything.