Just wanted to add that this thread is fascinating. I am not an artist, more of an analyzer and critic, but I totally identify with so many aspects of this discussion, particularly the idea of juxtaposition of different roles and the impact this has on how you dress. The main take away point for me is that there is no predetermined way an artist should look and just as there is no one way their art will look. Fantastic discussion that I will reread.

WOW, fascinating...love everyone's thoughts
I don't have anything remotely as intelligent or deep to say as everyone else here:)
But just to add .... I am not an artist, but like Vix, I am paid to be creative...I always say ~more art than science~ in my field , I think artistic(creative) and those of us who are able to express and live it daily through our work, or other creative outlets, tend look at things a bit different and that is reflected in clothing/styling choices:)

This thread continues to be such a wonderful read and such rich material for someone who is interested in these topics! This board is such a rich community of interesting people.

Sarah, your comments really resonated with me. As a graduate student, I am constantly reminded that I am "in training", that my writing needs tightened-- stripped of frills, self-involvement, and repetition. I hadn't paused to think about how that training might be affecting my expression in other areas. On the other hand, I may have selected science because I like to think about concepts and am uncomfortable with all of that sticky self-expression.

I also find it really fascinating that people seem to turn up for style renewals when they have somehow stopped, or never started, dressing in a way that authentically expresses who they feel they are. They turn up for help because there is a disconnect between how they feel and how they look to others.

The other theme seems to appear is that people experience a conflict between their self-expression through fashion and societal or environmental norms, or sexism. Obviously, you can be a writer or a visual artist or a fashion designer and wear boring tops, but it violates people's expectations (and maybe also your expectations of yourself). Or, alternatively, you can be a SAHM and wear heels and dresses, when the other moms are in Lulu gear.

I feel like a grateful fly on the wall to have been able to observe this discussion!

Wow! A lot of food for thought!

I will say it's sometimes weird being a technical writer. I'm not "a creative", but often enough I can be the artiest person around. Not to mention one of the few females messing about in the lab or with the equipment on the fab floor. So I do and I don't have permission to be "expressive"; it is and it isn't a mistake to take advantage of the leeway I've got.

One thing I think about people who pursue the arts, in whatever manner, is that you are supposed to have a developed, reasoned aesthetic - a personal voice - and you're supposed to be able to put it on show at will. One of the most interesting exercises I ever did, while studying writing, was mimicking the voices of other writers.

I like the picture of Georgia O'Keefe and her distinctive costume for that reason. For me, what makes her outfit artistic is the strong sound of her voice coming through, her aesthetic.

Oh my what a fascinating thread! I haven't had time to read all the responses yet but it looks like great reading to savor when I get the time to pore it over. I find it interesting to think about my preconceptions of "artist's uniform" in the same way lawyers and bankers are expected to dress a certain way. In my mind I always think of someone wearing asymmetrical cardigans or boho blouses, scarves, lots of jingle jangle bangles, colorful patterns etc. but of course my stereotype is not true! I agree with all the ladies that have been mentioned as having killer arty style and I love to look at their WIW's.

I think Diana is my style idol for the artistic scientist! BTW I love Audi's blog too!

I myself have zero artistic talent and work in a non-artistic field so it's nice that I've discovered a little creative outlet for myself in YLF and fashion. I don't think my style would be considered "artsy" at all but I am having fun putting outfits together nonetheless!

What a fascinating thread - I just want to add one thought. We are ALL artists.

We all express our selves in the way we dress, in the way we decorate our homes, in the meals we cook, in the friendships we cultivate - we are all artists of our own lives.

Laura - I really like what you said. I started thinking, after the scientist chimed in, that scientists DO have to be creative....they need to design experiments and come up with ideas as to how things might work or not work. Hmmmmm.....I also think, now, that coming up with strategy is creative.

Isis, boy do I agree with you. It is somewhat historical that women who care about there looks are vapid and couldn't possibly be smart. It is almost as if there are two brains and if you get the "vain" one, it crowds out the "smart" one.

For the record, I think science is a HIGHLY creative field. All those original thoughts, theories, and discoveries!

It is so unfortunate that some professions almost demand that you cultivate a purposeful lack of style in order to be taken seriously. That whole mindset that says you can't be thinking serious thoughts--or be very intelligent--if you look good should be kicked to the curb once and for all.

This has been such a fantastic discussion. Thank you all so very much. And yes, it is true, we are all capable of creativity, in our work and our lives. YLF is evidence of that. The site itself is an expression of creativity and the energy it generates is also deeply creative.

I haven't felt like I've had much to contribute to this duscussion, but... yes. My clothes and my house are the way I express myself visually. They don't just express my artistic side, they, like, ARE my artistic side!

Whoa! There are a lot of responses here. Not sure if I have anything new to add, but I'll answer your question as best I can, Nancylee, since I'm an illustrator and I suppose I do have an arty element to my style. How to go about adding an element of 'artist' to your look (try any or all of these - *wink*):

1. Wear things that your friends aren't wearing
2. Wear things that make you happy
3. Add details, like interesting hats or belts, that you don't get from the local mall
4. Wear silver or leather jewellery made by local artists
5. Wear awesome shoes/boots
6. Wear a fitted waistcoat (for some reason these always look arty)
7. Don't be afraid of items that look well-worn or used, in true RATE style (but don't overdo it -- one 'distressed' item is enough)
8. Get an edgy haircut
9. Have paint splats on your battered Converse sneakers
10. Manage to look utterly confident no matter what you're wearing

I say this semi tongue-in-cheek, but there's an element of truth to it.

BTW I've been a scientist and an artist, and I'm a caricature of neither.

Wow this has been a fantastic read! The insight here is incredible, not just into what Nancy initially asked but on so many other levels as well.

I totally agree with what Angie said ("You don't need to look arty to express your creative side"), and what Tara said ("I think being an artist, at its core, means being yourself, and expressing that to the world... What makes NancyLee NancyLee? What do you want to say to the world?"). Especially Tara's allergicness to the word "artist" (perhaps the little rebel in my head).

I know that most people here think I am an engineer/scientist primarily, but in truth that is my secondary nature; I am 100% artist first, scientist second. But I never introduce myself as an artist, and even when I was doing art primarily (music, in my case) I rarely called myself an artist. These days if people ask what I do for work, I simply say I'm a programmer, but my field is typography and language; the bulk of what I do is far more art than science (I like to say I solve artistic problems with scientific methods) and actually I am only programming perhaps 20% of the time.

Do I want to portray myself as a programmer? Not really, I would say the way I dress is quite atypical of most programmers. Do I want to portray myself as an artist? Perhaps a little, though I wouldn't call my style "arty". My goal isn't to look like an "artist" but just look "creative". To me, and to others as they've said above, style IS an art, a way to be creative, and I treat it as such. I definitely use the way I dress as a form of artistic expression and I do think my creativity comes through in my outfits. Jean's comment "I think about many of the same things when I dress that I do when I paint" really resonates with me

It is interesting to me, though, that people who meet me in person are often surprised to hear that my degree is in science, whereas most people I've "met" through text first (here on YLF, email discussions with others in my field, etc.) are often surprised to hear that my true background is in art.

So many wonderful stories and such great points in this thread. Nancylee, such a though-provoking topic!

Speaking of which, it made me think a little deeper about my own style definition of eclectic/creative --- what elements I see as expressing this and, more to the point, WHY. I realized I see aspects of style that stand out -- because they are either challenging norms and expectations, or simply unexpected (the whimsy of mismatched earrings) --- as being 'creative'. It's not just about novelty or creating something new, making something different. For me, I think it relates to my understanding of the social role of the 'artist' or 'creative' personality --- one of the functions of the artist, the writer, and the philosopher is the provocateuse, as I see it. I associate the unexpected or unconventional as signalling that role or that questioning/provocative mindset, and thus a sign of engagement with 'art'.

Personally, I am often the one who asks 'well, why not?' in social as well as work discussions. That personality trait, for me, relates to the provocateuse element too, and despite being a bit of an introverted wall-flower, I like to play with that from time to time. Does that make me a little bit 'arty'? I do wonder what people see when they look at me.

Thank you, Nancylee --- for a suitably engaging and provocative question!