Suz: Your style, mixed with architectural style, makes me think of images like these:

My take on arty architectural:

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/84301824253006490/

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/84301824253006492/

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/84301824252876166/

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/84301824252847590/

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/84301824252788605/

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/84301824252724952/

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/84301824252495624/

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/84301824252412509/

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/84301824252385563/

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/84301824252349534/

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/84301824252343952/

Thank you all for weighing in with images. You've given me so much to think about and consider!! I appreciate your taking the time and trouble to explain your thinking.

Based on this, I suspect that people were responding to the drama of the cut and my bone structure and looking for me to play that up. Perhaps a feminine, floral full skirt (my wildcard, note -- not a normal wardrobe item for me!) is a bit too sweet now with the grey. I get that. (Darn, though -- waste of money!! Psst...anyone want a pretty silk skirt...?)

And I do in fact like the idea of a bit more drama in my style -- as many of you know, I've been seeking that for some time, and while most of my experiments have been failures, the hair may open doors that were previously closed and could even help me identify new possibilities! Yahoo!!

I'm not saying that I want or need an instant fashion overhaul; I'll be thinking about this over the next few months as I edit out a few summer items than no longer work as well. In the fall, once my cut has "settled" a bit into a shape that I will keep for a little while, and once the remaining bits of champagne blonde have all been cut out of it, I'll start buying with some adjusted guidelines in mind. It should be fun!!

I appreciate all your ideas! Having said that, I have to be real with myself and acknowledge that even if I crave a bit more drama, the drama of most of these images is not right for me. Most of these clothes, while beautiful, would be unworkable in my real life. And that is the first requirement, one I learned here at YLF. Beautiful clothes that only sit on hangers will make me sad. I need beautiful clothes that don't feel too demanding. I also need a dose of fun or playfulness in my style. And a huge heap of practicality. I know I drive poor Lisa nuts with my "If I can't walk 5 km in these shoes, what good are they?" but honestly? That's me. Luckily I can walk pretty far in the right heel.

Also, I may give up my floral skirt, and I may indeed start to wear black more often (more on that later) but I'm not getting rid of my soft blues or my strong blues or my denim blues, or in short, any of my blues. If black is Deb's signature and white and citron and tomato red are Angie's, blue is mine, and there's a reason for it. Changing my hair colour has, if anything, confirmed this. The hair itself has a blue cast (especially at the back where the gold is all gone).

There. That's my rant for the day! Thanks for humouring me and I'll post more once I'm able to get some photos.

Suz, please don't give up on your pretty Wildcard skirt! For me it was less the skirt and more the combination with the classic button down and sandals. If that makes sense? And of course it was a lovely outfit, it just didn't mesh with your hair in a way that said "Suz" to me.

And you're totally right to stick to the colors that suit you. I wouldn't change a thing when it comes to color if you have manged to reach a point where you know what works. Style changes are easier to implement when you change colors, but that change isn't a necessity. You can always choose bigger contrast/lower contrast/tonal looks within your color palette if you want to. That already makes a lot of difference.

100% agree with Astrid. The skirt is totally workable -- I think you'll just find it suits your style better with a less expected pairing than the button-down and classic sandals. I'm imagining a boxier, slightly cropped sleeveless top in navy, for example.

I go back and forth between a super-short pixie and a chin length bob, always with an annoying grow-out phase in between. I've been trying

for years to figure out how to navigate the style shift this inevitably entails. I understand what you mean about a severe pixie being a statement in and of itself and requiring a stripped-down aesthetic.

When I think of you I think more "modern edge" than "arty architectural" -- arty and architectural both strike me as too overwhelming or trying-too-hard. I think "tough but breezy" or something along those lines might be more apt. And mod would definitely be a fun route to go -- shift dresses, a-line tunics, colorblocking, bold graphic prints a la Marimekko, etc. I'm on a borrowed phone right now and can't figure out how to do pics, maybe in a bit.

And that silk skirt... what about a white denim jacket? What about some tougher sandals -- gladiator style? Studded? Metallic? I think you'll need to contrast the skirt with some more androgynous elements, but it's such a fabulous summery piece, and the colors are perfect for you, so I wouldn't write it off.

Good luck with this! I love the hair (it really does read Jean Seberg to me!) and I think you have a lot of great options already.

Posting from my phone and should be studying, but:

Don't give up on the skirt!!

Haha, Janet, that would be the Zara top that I had to give up since it was stained and pilled and that I cannot find a replacement for....sigh....

I'm realizing that my associations to classic button downs may be different than other people's. Hmmm. More food for thought!

But yes, LaPed, I have white and blue denim jackets and some grey sandal booties and other footwear, so I can toughen up the look if I like with that skirt. Thank you for the suggestions. I agree 100% that "architectural" would read as "trying too hard" on me and "arty" mostly overwhelms or distracts.

Thanks, Becky! And thanks, Astrid, for the styling thoughts and colour confirmation.

Hey Suz this is what I would love to see you in. I thought about what you said. I don't want to change who you are but I could see you playing. So came from the angle of let's really play. I n loved reading different responses.

You know what I love about photos 1, 2, and 6? Those women have serious attitude. That's the key. Maybe the drama comes less from the clothes themselves than how a person wears them. Thanks, Ledonna.

Ok, the skirt and button down and sandals was a preppy look, but I like preppy...

I haven't read any other replies so I may be totally off base here... I had a bit of (what I think may be) an ah ha moment when I read Angie's latest blog post with her drapey, floral top. I have always been drawn to drapey, artsy looks but they look horrid on my because the drapey-ness overwhelms me and makes my already narrow, sloping shoulder look even more so. I finally decided to avoid anything drapey because it doesn't work for me. Well when Angie explained that her top works on her because she made sure the neck/shoulder area are still tailored and fitted I felt a spark of hope! Maybe I can do drapey, arty, dramatic it just can't be drapey or have extra fabric around the shoulders. I haven't actually put this into practice yet but it's a little nugget I am tucking aside for later shopping experiments. All that to say... what about something along the lines of what Angie wore in that post? Dramatic, pretty, current and playful to go along with the new hair?

Hey Suz... I've been reading with interest, but no time or brain power to articulate a good answer. But this comment hit me... And I do in fact like the idea of a bit more drama in my style --
as many of you know, I've been seeking that for some time, and while
most of my experiments have been failures, the hair may open doors that
were previously closed and could even help me identify new
possibilities! Yahoo!

I am going suggest that maybe, just maybe, this style IS you? I just doubt that you'd be trying/seeing something for a long time that really isn't. And that perhaps it was your previous cut/colour that was what was not working? For example, I know that for me, coming clean with my hair has made it so obvious that angles and high contrast are ME. they go with short silver asymmetrical hair, they didn't go with a long brown pony tail. So even if I'd tried them 3-4 years ago, they'd have felt wrong. Despite how right they are.

Wait until all your colour is gone, because it still will be influencing you, then start experimenting again. Let's see what happens

A thought: This hair, on its own, is going to add drama you didn't have before. Once you sort color out you may find that stylistically you don't actually need to move too much further away (or maybe you do, who knows!). Also, please keep that floral skirt! It's gorgeous. At least for a little bit, while you get adjusted. I think it's totally wearable in a way that feels right.

Suz I am a bit overwhelmed by all the fantastic info and suggestions on this thread lol.

Do you have any 'style icons' (for want of a better word) who wear gorgeous silver pixie cuts or similar?? Elisa Nalin usually dresses in a very colourful fashion but I think you *might* relate to her style. You would give it your own flavour of course, I am not thinking you would copy her, simply she could provide some inspo. Just search her up on Pinterest and there are some awesome outfit photos.

We have a gorgeous newsreader here called Jessica Rowe and she has an awesome pixie cut. Here is the link a general google search I did https://www.google.com.au/sear.....38;bih=498 there is a lot event outfits but I like her day to day and more minimal looks. Makes me think of you

Suz are you are your daughter on Instagram? Check out this account

https://www.instagram.com/annna_karenina/?hl=en or search user name annna_kareeninaew. Her style is seriously cool. Again not suggesting her look it you, but might be some inspiration for you.