This is a really great thread! Let's see.

1. My goal in life - including fashion - is apparently "be interesting." My style descriptors are things like architectural, subtly dramatic, unfussy, strong. Feminine is explicitly not one of my style goals, though I love a gorgeous dress as much as the next girl.

1. If it's not black, grey, or maybe white, I probably won't wear it (even if I buy it and like it).

2. Same deal - if it's not comfortable, I won't wear it (even if I buy it). Tight shoulders, pressure on my tummy, jeans so tight they hurt my knees... just can't deal with them. And I dislike the feel of synthetics and synthetic

3. I don't prioritize conventional figure flattery but I have a good eye for proportions. (But I am not always good at judging fit, so feedback on that is always welcome. For instance, many of my "short" skirts are so long that they look frumpy, but I don't realize unless I take a photo. The relaxed skinnies I bought last week are less flattering than I realized. Etc.)

4. My climate (San Francisco) makes basically any clothing appropriate at any time of year. I run hot, so I should usually layer on top of a lightweight shirt.

I am happy to join in because I am looking for constructive feedback when I post WIWs. Not gonna lie and say I don't need cheer leading though!

1) My personal journey - I just turned 50 years old and also just lost 70lbs making me 5'9" and 157lbs. I wear a 10 or a 12 in bottoms and a M or L in tops. Most of my adult life was spent as a bigger girl, so I'm really having fun with buying a whole new wardrobe now that I have more options. However, I'm still not sure what works for me or even what body type I am now. I think I'm inverted triangle since my fanny has gone completely flat! I used to drool over great outfits in magazines but felt that I could never wear them. I also didn't plan anything I bought....just whatever struck my fancy and fit me. Now I am actually finding it challenging to figure out what really works for me.

2) My work - I work in a creative environment and I am a creative person, although I hold an executive position now. Our office is very casual....most of the guys wear jeans (if not shorts) and I only work with two other ladies in my office - an admin and an accountant who is very polished. In our home office, to which I travel a lot, there are lots of women who have a lot of fun with their wardrobe, but still very casual. I can't remember any women wearing a suit unless it is appropriate for a big meeting. I am very outgoing, pretty bold, and not a shrinking violet in any way. I think I am attracted to some looks that might not actually fit my personality.
My job also involves overseeing outdoor events and I really need help on how to look polished and like the femle in charge, but also not burn up in the sun! I haven't broached this subject to the forum yet, but I will be looking for sage advice here!

3) Color - One of my best friends came over this weekend and asked me to show her the new things I have been purchasing for fall. I was taken aback when she said, "Angie, you used to wear such vibrant colors. Now everything in your closet seems neutral - black, gray, brown." It was an eye opener for me. Did I wear bright colors when I was heavier in order to express myself? Am I consciously choosing a more neutral palette for some reason now? Or is it because I am consciously building a wardrobe that I am starting with a neutral palette? Do I even look good in bright colors?

4) Patterns - I seem to have a fear of patterns. When I audit my closet it is mostly solids. I buy patterned pieces but rarely reach for them. Not sure why but I realize that I need to learn how to mix patterns in with my wardrobe in a way that will make me comfortable and be versatile.

5) Style - I don't have any celebrity style icons but on the forum I am very drawn to Rae, Janet, Neel, Suz, Shannon and Firecracker. I only say this because I don't know how to articulate my style. Hope this info is helpful and not inappropriate.

I have posted WIWs sporadically because I travel about two weeks out of every month and I don't have the discipline to keep up! I recently began to catalog my outfits on Pinterest so I could have some inspiration on days when I just can't think of what to adorn my body with! And taking snaps for Pinterest has made me want to post and get feedback. As I said at the beginning, I am looking for solid feedback and analysis because as you can see from the above....I have a lot to figure out! But I do love the kind and supportive tone here. I also sometimes feel guilty because I don't post of lot of my own feedback but it's only because I'm not sure I've developed my voice yet when it comes to fashion. But hey....it's never too late to learn right?

Brilliant idea for a thread, shedev. It's great to know what people are looking for, their angle in a direct way.

Also a genius concept: a persona-driven style. There are lots of ways to make style choices... flattering/not-flattering, good taste/bad taste, lifestyle, and... persona.

But ok. Down to business...

Moniker
My Angie Moniker is Quirky Waif. (Nail it to the wall, Angie! Haha!) I see this as reflective of the way I'd rather live in a shipping container than a palace - or a cathedral-ceilinged detached with pool. The current way I'm manifesting Quirky Waif is Country Punk - having laid Put-A-Bird-On-It to rest.

Context
Right now, I'm a denizen of Hipsterville. Probably important to know because things read so differently in Hipsterville... black tube socks and clogs are actually kinda fetching here.

Also probably important to know: I cross tribal boundary lines a lot.

Feedback Five
Things I know I need help with (I'm sure there's more I need help with though):

1. Incongruous messaging, sidetracking: I'm trying to be more consistent stylistically, in the day-in-day-out. If you say "picnic" to me I will bring pâté de campagne, not ambrosia salad. I feel people need to understand this, if you know what I mean. Also, I love being trendy and playing around with different styles, but I need to learn to bend these things to my one single style. Otherwise I just end up with tons of one-off outfits.
   
2. Poor fit: I'm RATE and sometimes I'm too RATE. Sometimes I don't know the difference between being able to put something on and it fitting right. Also there's a lot I don't know about clothing construction and what can be done tailoring-wise and what else might be out there. I need to know when I could be pickier.
   
3. Disarray, dissipation: I regularly fall into fogs, where things don't gel. Maybe it's the result of going off on too many sidetracks at once. So I need diagnostic help from time to time.
   
4. Childishness / junkiness: Another pitfall of being RATE and having too much fun.
   
5. Flattery: Pretty has always been sort of, um, boring to me. So I haven't learned much about it. I think I'd like to learn now - get with the program and develop an appreciation. When something is pretty, why it's pretty, how this or that could be prettier.
   

Gigi, I'm 4'11. Top fit is hard.

Suz, You dress very true to your descriptors.

Echo, could you add 1 or 2 UWP touches to your basic backdrop?

TraceyLiz, yin/yang really works for you.

Alana, that's 5 things. You are off to a great start on your fashion journey.

Cocolion and T, there is no real need to have only one style if more than one makes you happy.

Viva, I love your mixed mood outfits

Kimberly, there's nothing wrong with figure flattery.

Meridith, you may have the most interesting moniker on YLF.

CitygirlDC, wearing different looks might be the fun for you.

greyscale, be interesting is a good goal, your color palette really works for you.

Angie T, asking specific questions will help you get the feedback you are looking for.

Rachy, it is punk to buck the , I dress in this one way establishment. Unless you want to.

1. I'm lazy with my appearance. I rarely get my hair cut, hardly ever wear makeup, only iron when necessary, and so on. As a consequence I don't like things that are too fussy or elaborate.
2. I like to be comfortable. This means I rarely wear fabrics that don't stretch, skirts that require tights, or heels. Well, some recent foot problems mean that heels are out of the question anyway, but even before that I rarely wore them.
3. My default mode is frumpy. I've been trying to get away from this but in recent months I just haven't been all that interested in fashion. I aspire to be "dressy casual" but this often becomes "schleppy". At the moment I'm a hybrid between work-at-home, unemployed, and housewife. Most days I don't leave the house so I am not motivated to dress in anything beyond comfy jeans and a tee.
4. However, I like funky jewellery, especially earrings. I feel naked leaving the house without earrings. And when I do go out and about I like to carry a bag that coordinates with my outfit.
5. I'm a former goth and I love black, even though it may not be my best color. I'm drawn to graphic, bold, edgy, and androgynous looks, but unfortunately I'm quite fat, blonde, and delicate-featured, so none of the bold artsy stuff looks right on me. These looks are definitely for my fantasy lifestyle, but I like to incorporate graphic prints and patterns and bright colors into my jeans-and-tee style.

Wow, very enlightening thread, and I'm marking it as a favorite so I can come back and revisit everyone's remarks. It's especially helpful for those I feel I'm only starting to get to know, like Angie_T (and thank you for the lovely shout-out, by the way).

I've probably shared most of this info in some way or another since I've been here, but it's probably useful to distill it into this one post. I'll try not to ramble, since i know I tend to do that.

1. I'm self-employed as an artist, and I also work in a radio station from time to time, so I have as much creative freedom in my wardrobe as I choose to take. I like to express my creativity in my outfits, but I don't like going ALGO or maximal or over-the-top. I am aiming for a balance in my outfits -- I want to look interesting, but not so interesting that it is distracting. I'm introverted but not always shy -- I like my clothes to do some talking for me.

2. I do value figure flattery. If something truly does not flatter me, I want to know. I'm usually a pretty good judge of this, and I am a bit sensitive about the size of my lower half (but not as much as I was a few years ago), so I am wary of dressing in a way that makes me look bigger than I am. However, I am embracing the notion of JFE.

3. I think we determined my moniker was Rock'n'roll Sophisticate or something along those lines. Angie also remarked recently that I do rock'n'roll in a "neat" and fairly polished way -- I dip my toe into RATE looks (I have holey distressed jeans, etc.), but I'm usually happier if I can balance out any RATE item with something polished, tailored or crisp. I enjoy participating in some trends, but I don't generally care to do head-to-toe trendy. I do enjoy modern classic pieces mixed with items that are more edgy or trendy. I like to look "cool" if possible.

4. I am an overshopper, and an emotional/impulsive shopper. I enjoy shopping and that will probably never change. I go through phases in which I abstain a bit more, and then some in which I indulge more. I also keep my closet under control with frequent reviews and culling sessions, but I'd like to slow down my rate of closet turnover. I am actually happier with my style and my wardrobe now than I ever have been at any other point in my life. The items in my closet now work together really well for the most part.

5. My preferences are narrowing and simplifying in some ways as I home in on my signature style. I love color and prints and patterns, but my palette covers about half the color wheel (mainly concentrating on cool tones), and I'm getting more selective about prints. I love interesting details when they're well done, but I'm turned off if an item has too many details (studs = good; studs + extra flaps + mixed media = probably not so good for me anymore). And if I wear something that is a big statement (the Philip Lim vest, for example), chances are good I'm going to keep the rest of my outfit really simple.

Such a thoughtful thread- Thanks.

I prefer minimalist outfits- I am not wearing my scarfs as much now, except for practical reasons.
I am fussy about fabric, and go for natural fibres where possible.
I am not adventurous in my choices, although may seem that way to friends and colleagues.
I pretty much limit my colours to navy, grey, anything blue with a touch of blue-based reds.
Prefer plain over pattern.
I usually choose flattering over fashion forward.

Even after becoming a two year veteran I still struggle with articulating five things about me and my style.

1. I have decided I prefer the simplicity of a two piece outfit or dress. Sweater or top with jeans/shorts/skirt. Prefer a dress to a skirt and top combination. Adding a jacket or third piece, even a sweater over a top, often feels fussy. Maybe the jacket fits are off, I don't know. Figure flattery - or rather minimizing the appearance of size - is important. Waist surrender is eminently comfortable, probably because that is where I seem to gain weight first.

2. Sweaters and knits over woven tops, even though I love the look of a crisp outfit. Wovens never seem to fit or lay (lie?) properly, except for my BR washed linen shirt, which I do love. Love my woven silk summer tops, but they are sleeveless. Color and pattern are draws, but so are solid neutrals and also some high contrast combinations. All over the place much?

3. I could wear jeans every day and be happy. Comfortable shoes are becoming more important. Day to day is very casual, I don't work, and there is always pug hair to deal with. My occasions capsule could use some fine tuning.

4. Have no clue as to a style moniker. I wear pretty traditional pieces but find myself really drawn to the more casual aspects of Suz and Viva's outfits - even though I am much larger (rounder and wider, not taller) and don't have that much in my current wardrobe that jibes with their pieces, especially since they both wear more woven tops.  Maybe their short hair has something to do with it too.  I would like to try short hair again but hesitate because of a double chin and my husband's preference for longer hair.

5. Feel like I could definitely make a minimal four season closet work (except for shoes and coats) as I find myself repeating pieces I like and actually *make*  myself wear others because they are 'there' and I don't worry about day to day mishaps ruining them. 

Hmm, I guess that was easier than I thought

1. My secret (or not so) style wish is that I would love to be referred to as elegant.
2. In contrast to the above, I love to be comfy.
3. I prefer simple if possible - mostly solids, classics but with a modern twist.
4. I am slow to adapt to new trends but I am working on it.
5. I am also becoming pickier about fit, flattery and buying only pieces that I really love.

What a great idea for a thread! I have bookmarked it and will refer to it often, especially when comments on posts by forum members whose style I do not know very well.

1. My style moniker is "Sleek Urban Princess" , and the style descriptors are Sleek, Trendy, Structured, Casual and Pretty. I think they fit me really well, though I love dressing up for occasions. Went going out I like outfits with some Bombshell thrown in and I also have a shadow style persona that loves edgier, rock-and-roll looks.

2. I love trendy clothes and tend to be early adopter. I am not super early like Anna, and tend to tone things down a bit, but still love staying on top of the new things. However, especially lately, I have been developing some love for modern classics too. Mixing the trends and modern classics is something I have been liking more and more.

3. I work in a research lab, with a set dress code: no skirts, shorts, dresses etc. allowed, for safety reasons. So it is full length pants or jeans all the time. I can get away with them rolled a few inches though. Also, no open toed shoes are allowed. There is also an itneresting dressing culture, everything is super casual and most people are completely uninterested in fashion. So I always have to walk a thin line of staying true to my self and not standing out too much. It has become a bit easier lately.

4. I live in a four season climate. I used to have a fairly active social life with lots of going out, with a lot of cocktail dressing and even long gowns a couple of times a year. I am also into ballroom dancing and need lots of specific clothes for that. In my free time, unconstrained with work restrictions, I like to experiment with fairly trendy looks. So, I have quite a few very different fashion roles.Plus I love variety and get bored easily. As a result I have a very large wardrobe and I am fine with it. I just try to keep it under control and edit frequently.

5. I have had two big neck surgeries in the past year, which has left me with large and visible scars. I was told by doctors to keep them covered and protected from sun for some time. As a result I currently have to keep my neck covered. I achieve that either by wearing tops with high enough necklines, or with accessories such as scarves and little crocheted chokers. I am looking for some illusive choker necklaces to wear as style signature, but have not found any so far.

An interesting proposition, shedev! I have always seen it the other way round. I.e., punks didn't buck the establishment; the establishment unilaterally broke the social contract with punks. I'll think about it. I was very young and in England as the last of the oldies were killing themselves off with heroin...

Ok, I'm finally biting. And, as others have said, I'm saving this thread to refer back to so that critiques or comments can be made with a bit more knowledge of the wearer.

Also, and a bit selfishly, this is a great exercise for each of us, or at least me, to help clarify these details.

1. love tailoring and sharp lines; the converse is that I fear drape and too much volume; being relatively larger busted and shorter waisted, i'm really paranoid about looking busty and short

2. love looks with an edge - as long as they flatter; it's important to me to be a little fashion forward- not trendy, but look like i am aware of what is happening in fashion right now- I work with retailers and like to look like I know what I'm talking about with regard to home decor, merchandising, etc for that side of my business; I am all for black leather, edgy jewellery, slim jeans, boots, Alexander McQueen scarves etc - that kind of look ; in sales, it's important for me to look current and energetic - blurring the age lines if you know what I mean

3. fear of pattern and colour - although I would like to relax about both if I could figure out what those options would be; but no florals. ruffles, tiers, waves , ditsy prints, polka dots, hallucinogenic crazy prints that sort of thing

4. have reasonable confidence in the type of clothing that flatters me most, but am not sure I have a great eye for proportion always - back to the busty and short issue

5. have great latitude in what I wear for work, and exercise it a lot! however, would love to broaden my horizons for casual weekend wear; too often (especially in the winter and working from home, I end up in my yoga tights and a sweatshirt)

Thanks Shedev for doing this! And thanks to everyone who has posted thus far - have enjoyed reading every single one!

Mander, I'm still gothic at heart (ok, more post punk) I just don't wear the uniform. I experience the subculture thru music, movies, and literature mostly.

Janet, you do look cool.

Lyn. D. nice color palette.

Pil. adding a jacket does make a casual outfit feel less casual.

MRL, I'm sure there are pieces that are simple, elegant, yet comfortable. Cashmere and silk come to mind.

Tanya, I didn't realize you had surgeries.

Rachy, maybe it is just the nature of Americans vs the English. Or the small town I grew up in.

Ok ok. Sorry! I have to say it because you just said it - Punks out of uniform! The old rally!

Ok. I'll leave off now

p.s. Mander, that all makes a lot of sense. Your style now makes a lot of sense...

It was harder than I thought to come up with 5 statements. And great idea bookmarking this thread.

1) My style descriptor has been Casual Gamine Classic, but I think I'm starting to drift away from the casual part.

2) Dresses and skirts make me happy when it comes to work attire. I'm not sure why, but most pants don't feel comfortable to me at work. I think I may give wide leg, fluid-y trousers a try, though.

3) I love classic silhouettes.

4) I like color, but in moderation. I feel like I keep saying I want to add more color, but when I try to wear it, it doesn't feel right. I think I'm most comfortable with one colorful item and keeping everything else neutral.

5) I have no problem recycling outfits with high happiness factors, but I think I can take it to the extreme by falling into ruts. One thing I really want to try to work on is keeping my happiness factor high, but being more creative with it.

This is a great idea, Shedev. Here are 5 things about me because I really want to find the best looks for my age, body and life style.
1. I'm almost 68, a small busted rectangle with apple and IT tendencies; about 5'3" tall with footwear limitations that include no high heels and open sandals, although I sometimes ignore the one about sandals. How YLF can help: help me find stylish clothing that doesn't overpower me and is feminine without gathers and ruffles that don't work with my angular body and limbs.
2. My style moniker is "Elegant Eclectic" which means that I want to look elegant but get distracted by other styles. How YLF can help: keep me from mistakes. I'd like to stick more to fewer but better pieces and definitely nothing Junior, but have trouble sticking to it.
3. I live in a definite 4 season climate which can vary from year to year. We can usually count on hot, humid summers with hot winds, sometimes with a week or more of temperatures reaching over 100 F. We also usually have a week or more of winter weather below 0 F, again with strong winds, not much snow but occasional ice storms. Spring and fall can be so short as to be nonexistent. Weather definitely plays a big part in getting dressed each day.
How YLF can help: I look for inspiration for dressing especially for the heat and tend to accumulate too many spring/fall items.
4. My life is casual but I'm not attracted to really casual outfits or exercise wear. I'm so happy to have discovered Angie's MOTG and smart casual formulas. How YLF can help: suggest ways of dressing down the dressy stuff I like, such as dresses and skirts, or dressing up a simple tee with jeans.
5. I love having fun with fashion and experimenting but can go off course without realizing it. I fear looking frumpy and dumpy and being an invisible old lady but also don't want to dress too young and not sexy or bombshell. Neither am I interested in being edgy or dramatic. I am often drawn to looks that are too bold and overwhelming for me. YLF can give me the confidence I need to wear new looks that work and steer me away from what doesn't.

So enjoying this thread and really appreciate what everyone has shared. So helpful when looking at everyone's WIW. Ok had a think and here is my input:)

For background, I am a Program Manager with an international humanitarian organisation. It is an environment in which there is a lot of freedom to wear whatever you want. Away from work I run a community meal, serve on the board of our local community radio station, and am very involved in church life. I like a wardrobe that can work across all aspects of my life. One of my challenges has been dressing for my real life:)

1. I love Black! My colour palette is essentially black, white, grey, blue.
   With very occasional accents of red or cobalt.

2. My goal is to look interesting, edgy and elegant.
3. I like solids, textures and layers.. not pattern.
4. I am aesthetic driven not trend driven.
5. I consider my style quite 'minimal'

Great thread!
1. Angie titled me thrown together elegant tomboy and I love the sound of it although I am not really a tomboy and only aspire to elegance.
2. I love mixing second hand higher end clothes with Zara (both new and thrifted).
3. Shoes are the keystone to many of my outfits. They have to be comfortable and are usually flat.
4. Through YLF I have learned to appreciate bags and have a large collection of second hand bags at this point.
5. I love unconventional outfit pairings and trying new silhouettes.

LisaP, it's not selfish, it's more like a little bonus.

K, maybe time to adjust the moniker.

Joy, I think that you express feminine thru color palette and elegance thru cut.

Deb, you nail, interesting, edgy, and elegant.

shevia, I see the hint of tomboy in your style.

Nice idea! I am really not sure and that is why I joined the YLF community,but here is what I know so far:

1. I am 5'9", athletic and thin. I am pear shaped, with muscular legs, and a small chest. I have a long neck. I am a physician working in a school setting. I want to have a warm and friendly appearance. I dress for my head/neck first as this is what most people will be looking at, then I worry about the remainder of my look. I try to look professional but approachable, so I don't want to wear anything too stuffy, fancy, or casual. I am not entirely sure how to define my look, but I am attracted to simple lines, solid colors, one or two details that stand out to make the look interesting. I have found that too many details quickly overwhelm, distract and look too busy on my small but tall frame. Clothing and footwear must be comfortable, easy to move around in, be age appropriate, have some element of fun, and it must make me happy. If it does those things, I assume it will also fit my personality.

2. I prefer solid colors. I mostly wear colors from the soft autumn palette. I love these colors and think they help create the friendly appearance I need for my work. I almost never wear black.

3. I have to dress for 4 seasons, but our winter goes from October to late April, and is always cold and snowy. I definitely have a winter uniform of wearing jeans, a cashmere crew neck sweater, boots, and a scarf. I also wear dresses year round, and recently decided to add pencil skirts with loose blouses. I have not had any success in finding blazers or jackets that fit me well. Instead I wear cardigans. I am open to exploring new silhouettes. I have tried some of the new looser/ draping tops and sweaters but they are much too large and hang like bags on me. Not sure what to do. I find I need something that shows I have a waist.

4. I have a tendency to over purchase multiples of the same item - for example ivory blouses, and to spend a lot of money on certain items- especially shoes. I am working to really refine my style and to purchase fewer high quality items. I really have a tendency to over purchase many things, not just multiples. I just like to shop. I am not a minimalist, but would like to have more moderation with my purchases.

bumping...

This is a great thread! I'm going to bookmark it. When I get my wits about me I'll make a comment, too. Thanks shedev!

staysfit, professional and approachable can be a pretty tall order.

Claire, looking forward to your post.

What a fun and intriguing thread! I am bookmarking it as well

1. I don't know that I have ever committed to a style moniker on this forum, but I hear 'retro' 'bombshell' and 'sexy' a lot. Here and abroad in the world. My best friends call me Betty Boop. Dita von Teese and Monica Bellucci are my two biggest style icons. In my perfect world, my style moniker would be "Italian Modern Noir" - equal parts film noir, 60's Italian cinema... but brought into the 21st century. I am trying to work out how to get a little bit more sci-fi into the mix.

2. I am 4'11", 115 pounds, and currently a size 2-4 - and you would never tell it from my photos - I look a lot heavier in photographs. So for me, form-fitting, figure-flattery, and visual height are not merely my goals, they are my everything in outfit planning.

3. I am happiest when I pursue my aesthetic/style moniker + figure flattery - but I have a hard time committing to them, living in such a casual world in a warmer climate. With an unlimited budget and perfect cool weather conditions, I would dress in Tom Ford, vintage TF during his YSL era, and vintage Gaultier. So I muddle through with casual outfits I don't really feel happy in - and I have come to a recent understanding that this is why I tend to overshop and why I have closet orphans.

4. If a trend comes along that I love, I will cash in on it and keep it forever. - I felt like I'd won the lottery when fetish and flamenco popped up in 2011. I adore leather, black lace, hints of fetish, Chinoiserie-inspirations, Spanish/equestrian, 1930's military/dieselpunk, and refined safari looks. I like there to be just a little hint of rugged or manliness in what I wear. Too twee, and I feel like a jerk. Too RATE, and I feel like an imposter. I love to study the trends on these forums, and I always walk my mind through them, "How would I make this work? Could I make this work?", but the reality is... the greater my specificity, and the more I stick to my moniker... the happier I am.

5. My favorite basic "uniforms" are:
a) Year Round: Fitted skirt + stretchy or draped top + heels/heeled boot(ie)s/ballerina flats
b) Spring-to-Fall: Shorts + stretchy or draped top + wedge sandals/delicate high heeled sandals/pumps/ballerinas with a knit jacket topper
c) Fall-to-spring: Fitted ponte pants + knee high/over-the-knee boots + draped top + leather jacket + cadet-style cap (for colder weather). For warmer weather, ballerinas or delicate high-heeled sandals/pumps + shorter sleeves

La Belle demimondaine, the words Broadway Bombshell popped into my head reading your description.

Thanks for a great topic. Here are 5 of my style things, not in order:

1. I work from home in front of a computer all day, so most of what I wear is a uniform of pants/shirt/casual shoes. I am currently working on building an interesting wardrobe capsule that's still comfortable.

2. A challenge is finding tops that are both flattering and visually interesting. I'm 5'1, 117 lbs, an hourglass with a short, squarish waist and a large chest (34dd). Button-downs rarely fit well, nor am I wild about the look on me. Wrap tops, I am always adjusting them. etc.

3. The style direction I'm moving toward is minimalist, architectural, modern creative professional.

4. As I continue to get older (I am 45), I want to look....good. Cool. Chic. Something beyond "age-appropriate."

5. I love love love tiny floral prints and ruffles and romantic details, puffy sleeves, pintuck blouses, stuff completely out of the realm of reason for me. Except as the trim on a hat or something.

This is fun! Bookmarking is a good idea, too...

1) I do not wear slacks... It's jeans & more jeans; or a skirt! I don't make a huge distinction workday to weekend, day to night. The best sort of pieces for me make these sort of transitions seamlessly. My favorite day look is a drapey black t shirt, comfortable bra, jeans & boots. My favorite night look is a drapey black t shirt, a sexy bra, jeans & heels. I guess I'm what you could call low maintenance.

2) I choose clothing kind of how one would choose framing mats; I want to feel supported and highlighted by my clothes not upstaged. I dislike clothes that feel like they are wearing me. Assertive shoes, however, are encouraged to come to mama! Lol

3) it turns out I like rules. I shop for my body type (inverted triangle) and follow a color scheme (soft autumn). Being in my 50s I feel free to pick and choose when it comes to figure flattery. I'm much more keen to look interesting than ingenue. im still working out my style words. I am, oddly enough, rather class conscious. Probably because I was raised in a working class household with a single teenage mom, I am never completely comfortable abandoning the social signifiers of fine leather goods, smart woolens, quality jewelry.

4) I wish I could own minimalism, but I would be lying. I'm just sort of lazy about shopping, fitting, trying and returning. Once I get a few things together I like, I head to the movies or pick up a novel or drive to the beach. YLF helps keep me from being chronically underclothed. I doubt I will ever in this lifetime assemble a large wardrobe, and I'm okay with that.

5) Women who are overly groomed & styled frighten me a little. I can't help but feel like their relentless pursuit of physical perfection must be rather cheerless and pogrom like to execute. I'm much more enamored with women like Emmanuel Alt or Vanessa Paradis who manage to be stylish without looking plastic or Stepford. I like to feel at ease in my clothes, my hair, my skin.

Thanks for starting this!

Oh wow! I had forgotten about this thread (I was always going to come back to it and participate - but never did) - and here it pops up again, so I'm going to jump on
My five are:
1) I live in a year-round mild climate so, technically I could wear almost all of my clothes year-round - but I don't! I put the warmer sweaters away during the spring and summer, and I put the really light tops away during the winter - but the rest of the stuff i consider full-time wardrobe items.

2) My lifestyle is super casual. I work at home several days a week, I work at a warehouse 2 days a week, I spend a good day and a half a week volunteering for an animal shelter, and I also go to Boot Camp 4 days a week - so you're not going to find any dressy items in my closet. Accepting this fact about my lifestyle has had a huge effect on my shopping habits - as I used to mostly be interested in buying dressier clothes than what was practical for my lifestyle!
Even though my lifestyle is casual - I make a point to always look put-together and stylish. My stay at home outfits usually consist of BF jeans, fluid top, and flats. If I go out, I might change the flats to booties, but that's about it. I put make-up on and do my hair every morning, even when I know that I'm going to be home all day. I just feel better and am more productive if I feel good about the way that I look.
3) I don't think that I have a Style Moniker - I haven't ever been able to come up with one, and I don't think that anyone else has ever suggested one for me either! Some of my style descriptors include: sporty, early adopter, casual, trendy, edgy, fearless,and tomboy with a feminine twist!
4) I used to be an over-shopper and I was miserable. I was bringing things home practically everyday. We have so many shopping options where I live, that it would be easy just to swing by a store on my way to boot camp, etc. etc. and pick up "a little something!" I was buying things without any thought as to how they would fit into my wardrobe - and my closet and dresser became a disaster! But, it didn't matter because I just kept finding all of these beautiful things out there that I just had to bring home! Finally, economics put the ka-bosch on that - and so I had to go cold-turkey SYC! In the beginning I was miserable - but the longer the time went by, the easier it became and I began to have a much better appreciation for what I had - because I had plenty of clothes! The only part that really hurt was not being able to adapt the new trends - oooohhhh that one was a killer!
5) I am on the RATE team. Because my hair is un-tameable I will always be on the RATE team. And that fact has led me to just "go" with my hair, instead of fighting it, and so I keep it cut in a style that will allow for bangs flopping over my eyes, messy strands of hair that are not all going in the same direction, etc. etc. In fact I have found that I can wear a very classic outfit, but because of my hairstyle - people don't see it as a classic outfit - which I like! My hairstyle takes me right into Edgy territory - a descriptor that I am much more comfortable with, than Classic! I also love distressed leather and metals, distressed and faded denim, frayed edges - all things that I associate with RATE.
6) I love black clothing but it looks horrible next to my face - so I very seldom wear it near my face. Navy blue and charcoal gray are much better neutrals for me - as is white/cream. Wearing the right colors for my skin tone, eye color, etc. are very important to me and I think are one of the first things a woman should consider when she is going to build a wardrobe. It's just not true that we can all wear ALL of the colors!

I like classic style but am a big fan of juxtoposition (pencil skirt with chambray top, dress topped with Jean jacket, jeans with dressy topper (silk shirt, channel style jacket), etc.)

I like clothes that 'hug' me and skew as somewhat body con (t-shirts vs button downs, pencil skirts vs flared skirts, sheath dresses, slim or straight leg trousers).

Being a wardrobe minimalist, I have a core of neutrals (black, grey, navy, white) and a little colour. Howeverever, wearing the colourful items makes me happiest.

My goal is to be more current, but I am a late adopter and don't always understand or interpret a trend right. Sometimes I shy away from a trend out of a fear of looking foolish or age inappropriate.

Frugality and limited accessibility to 'nice' stuff is so ingrained that I am struggling with my goal of replacing older and worn out stuff with better fitting and better quality higher end stuff now that I have access and can afford to!