I'm awfully late to this discussion, but I've enjoyed reading the responses! It's been fun getting to know how you see yourselves in relation to your clothing, and quite revealing -- I'm sure these conversations will help improve future outfit labs and the like!

Beliefs:

• Clothes can express who we are and who we want to be in the world.

• Style is for everybody. It’s not limited by a person’s age, size, income bracket, race, ethnicity, gender, body type, nationality, etc. Stylish people come in all kinds.

• Style can be learned and developed over time. You don’t have to be born with it.

• Clothing can be a source of aesthetic pleasure, and aesthetic pleasure is a good in the world. It brings us joy.

Values

• Practicality: Clothes have got to work for the wearer. (Or at least this wearer).

• Beauty: fabrics that drape well or hold their shape, well-cut designs, rich colours, interesting textures—these enrich our lives and are worth seeking out.

• Fun: Girls just wanna have it. And for me, fashion’s a place I can play. Learning is also part of that fun, which is one reason YLF is such a great gathering spot--so much to learn from Angie and all of you!

• Sustainability, which for me means maintaining a moderate sized wardrobe that includes a mix of older and newer pieces, buying consignment/ vintage at times and at other times seeking out locally designed or mindfully sourced fabrics, continuing to learn about the impact of the industry on the planet, and donating my gently used items so that they get a second life.

• Coherence: Meaning, significance, making or revealing connections. I'm not sure this will make sense to some, but it's about a felt need to make sense, to make, period, and to communicate.

Personality:

If you look in my closet, you’ll see a whole lot of blue! Alas, it’s true, I have a melancholic streak…but I like to think I’m also lucid and reflective. Often, I appear calm, but you know what they say — still waters run deep! (Gah…to think this woman calls herself a writer, right? Okay, okay…)

Also…see those flashes of red and berry and magenta and fuchsia? Yep, I have a fiery side, and I’m warm and energetic, too. I need to move, and I need to spend time outdoors….hence, the importance of practical clothing.

There’s a fair amount of white — for clarity. And grey, because I’m the farthest thing from a black-and-white thinker — in fact, my friends and family tease me that one of my favourite phrases is: “It’s complicated.” Ambiguities intrigue me.

Look at all those stripes and tartans and patterns —even on the footwear!— and all that silver and pewter—there’s the spunk and fun coming out. I’ll mix them in, mix them up, and happily wear them every which way. In other words, I don't mind standing out a bit, don't mind drawing attention to myself. Sometimes. And unexpected associations delight me. As does the slight friction of juxtaposition.

In shorthand, I’m an INFJ-(maybe A? if you believe those subtypes..or any of them, frankly), like Staysfit, and maybe Jenn. And probably half a dozen others here. While I need my alone time to process, in person, I’m talkative and social and sometimes quite assertive, especially on behalf of others. I love to connect with people and help them (there’s a reason I teach), I love love love to learn, and I need to make meaning of my experience with words.

I’m also an Upholder with a questioning side.

And also, a lucky parent, because my kid just cooked me supper!