"Twee" is a word that I only have negative connotations for; it's a word I've only seen online, usually in a British context. I've thought about it like Firecracker has - too much of a good thing. Too young, too girly, too silly. Trying too hard.

My style is my own. It shares with the retro girls, and the vintage girls, and the rockabilly girls, and even somewhat with the lolitas. But it's not any one of those, so it doesn't get the "free pass" of being a truly alternative dresser.

I admit I'm afraid of being called "twee." Because of those negative connotations. I've always been a "pretty," colorful, full-skirted, defaulting-to-matchy dresser in a world that values jeans and black and gray. Maybe it says a lot about my self-confidence that a casual, unsmiling glance from a contemporary (or younger) woman makes me imagine all sorts of judgmental commentary of myself. But these moments are few and far between. I do get an awful lot of compliments. (I was even called "the fifties girl!" the second time I came to my new choir rehearsal, though I have no idea what I was wearing the first time that looked that way. )

There are things I eschew for myself. Some are natural, or changing, preference, and some are through discovery of something that works better. I don't tend toward true head-to-foot pastels; I prefer more saturated colors. I've never cared for classic twee designs like polka dots or cherries or bows. (I do sometimes wear a bow in my hair, but it's inspired by Rose-Marie and not Minnie Mouse.) I don't dislike ruffles, but I'm very picky about the placement. Round-toe shoes are good if I'm doing early 1940s, but only as heels or wedges, not flats. I feel elegant in pointy toe flats, but dowdy in an early-1950s-teenager way in round toe flats.

Twee and pretty are comparative. Some of the "twee" I've seen described here sounds not at all like twee to me! . Which makes me fearful - how over the top twee am I really? Am I fooling myself by trying to find what I thought was a "pretty" medium?

I'd be in good company on YLF as a twee dresser, but I'm not sure I really qualify.

Coming back to add that for me the word "twee" has a certain connotation of sweet/innocent/juvenile that I really, really want to avoid. It's similar to what ginger talks about above. I'm all for pretty and even cute, but I hope I manage to display at least a little sophistication.

But I think this is mostly a semantic issue. I think that your (Angie's) definition of "twee" does not really have the same undertones and is more of what I consider "pretty" (which I'm fine with being!)

I agree, Diana, that the word twee has connotations of a lack of sophistication. Quirky, if you will. Not that there's anything wrong with that! In fact, "killer twee," as Angie describes goldenpig's style, is quite admired on here. Nobody can say she doesn't look sophisticated. So yes, semantics once again play tricks on us.

Ginger, I can see it being a challenge avoiding twee if you're dressing in a retro/vintage style, since "quaint" is one of the descriptor words of twee. It sounds like you've really given it some thought, and have refined your style to be pretty!

Nothing like a cuppa twee to enliven the day's discussion!

High five, Diana. Go Team Pretty.

Twee is not negative in my book. It's a style that can be adorable, refreshing and endearing.

Ginger, you have a HUGE twee gene. And you rock it.

Suz, Viv and Rachy, you have a fun twee gene too.

As Sharan and Diana suggest, pretty and twee are NOT interchangeable words. I bat for Team Pretty all the way. Always. Forever. Bury me in one of my lace dresses with pearls.

I just want to take a moment to appreciate the title of this post. It made me smile.

And I LOVE twee in small doses. I have a friend who I could easily call the QUEEN of twee because she never gets tired of it. Too much for me, but perfect for her, and I like a touch of twee here and there.

Thanks, Kaelyn! I'm with you on the twee-in-small-doses stance. It works best on me in very small amounts, but others embrace it wholeheartedly and manage to pull it off brilliantly. That's fascinating to me!

So I'm wearing a top with this butterfly print today, with my citron j crew crops, a black cardigan and Topshop sock booties. Twee-lite?

It sounds twee-licious! Let's have a photo. I adore the butterfly print, I could get lost in it.

Wow, I heard someone calling my name!!! Love your post title--I'm a fan of punny titles too! I never thought about myself as twee, just because I've never heard it in anything other than a negative context (has anyone ever said anything other than "too twee"?). I've always had a hard time with wanting to not look too young, because my patients already think I look too young as it is. But I guess I am twee if you go by Angie's definition and just need to own it. I always have this irresistible attraction to matchy matchy (and hypermatchy like #1 with the bird dress, bird belt, bird earrings, bird necklace and bird earrings) and animals/insects and cutesy jewelry and purses. And I suppose if I'm doing the matchy matchy with my daughter (3) then I must be twee by definition! I love to do cutesy and then throw in a dash of edgy once in a while (6, 10-11, 17). Or here's a quick twee shortcut--take whatever outfit you're wearing, and just add a Kate Spade novelty purse. Bam, instant twee! LOL! Or add some cute but slightly subversive cartoon characters, like Tokidoki (16), Paul Frank (12-14, 16-17), Emily the Strange (10-11) and Totoro (15). I do like twee with a dash of darkness (yes to the Wes Anderson reference!). Like Una's spoonful of sugar in her black coffee, I like my cup of sugar with a spoonful of black coffee--we must be yin and yang! I didn't realize twee could be a style aspiration! Killer twee, I love it. I think that could be my new style moniker! Thanks for the revelation!

I've always had the same negative connotations of "twee" as well -- whimsical, girlie, cutesy, taken too far, or at least far enough that no sophistication is evident. I have used the phrase "too twee" in the past, so I do think there can be a sliding scale, and what is "too twee" to me might be just right to someone else. Or what is "too twee" for work may be just right for play, etc.

Interesting to take the negative out of it and just see it as a style. I agree, Natalie, you do Killer Twee to a T!

GLAD YOU CHIMED IN, Natalie. Your twee style is Killer. And thank you, Janet.

Twee can be VERY good. Pretty can be VERY good. Classic can be VERY good. Hijab style can be VERY good. Maximal can be VERY good. Modest can be VERY good. Minimal can be VERY good. Boho can be VERY good. OTT can be VERY good. The style world does not end at Hard Edge, Rock 'n Roll, Avant-garde, RATE and Bad Arse.

The most stylish thing that you can do is love a style for someone else even though it's not for you, and keep your poison eye to a minimum.

I love both twee and bad arse, Angie! That's why your killer twee moniker is perfect for me!

<3 this thread! Hooray for twee!

And hooray for examining and reclaiming terms with negative connotations!

Natalie, I am so glad you jumped in, since you are our queen of Killer Twee. i liked your yin-yang coffee/sugar comparison with Una's. Brilliant! Clearly, twee is alive and well on here, and enjoying the celebrity it deserves. Thanks for inspiring us all to work some twee into our outfits. Vive le twee!

"The most stylish thing that you can do is love a style for someone else even though it's not for you, and keep your poison eye to a minimum."

Hear, hear!

I've enjoyed reading this thread immensely and seeing everyone's interpretations of "twee." I think there's a version of it (the positive connotation of it) for everyone. Sentimental touches are what make a look yours.