What is your "style statement"? - YouLookFab Forum

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What is your "style statement"?

gryffin

Veteran

I have just been rapt reading Sharon's thread http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....escriptors on style descriptors. Names give us power and the ability to define ourselves - well it does not get more powerful than that. In this vein, I was wondering if anyone else had read Style Statement by Carrie McCarthy & Danielle LaPorte? It's only two words based on the 80/20 principal which defines not only the outer you but the inner you that drives your style: the first word represents your 80% - the inner you, it is the foundation of your being, your basic core. It is the essential, innate, implicit you, your first nature. The second word , your 20%, is your creative edge. It is connected to your outer image, your persona, how you express your inner being. My style statement is Enduring Classic.
Enduring: (80%) devoted, unwavering, stalwart, patient, persistent, pragmatic with a streak of the rebellious, unyielding, protective and one who will not be defined except on her own terms I am, at the core, a tough cookie, a survivor, a loyal friend, someone you can counts on.
Classic: (20%) I reprsent myself by seeking out things of the highest quality, with lasting and intrinsic value, things that have a provenance or legacy. Expressed as simple, harmonious, restrained elegance - poised, refined, a little formal.

I love things that have a history (thanks Gigi) or reference a historical period from frock coats to tuxedo to moto jackets, a bit steampunk and a bit RATE, a little hard edged, matte over polished, from riding boots to ballet flats, LBD's, hermes scarves, pearls to deco jewelry things that show craftsmanship, classical harnony of design, in muted worn down colors, quality fabrics and materials made to last and the better for the patina of life. Like the velveteen rabbit, only becoming "real" when they are loved and a bit worn.

Anyone else have a "style statement?"

General

47 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Golden

Veteran

This is tough, I would say simple because I like neutral colors, clean lines, no fussy details or accessories. And classic because I tend to like things that can withstand the test of time.

gryffin

Veteran

Golden - I really lke your choices. Simple is a great choice - authentic, unpretentious, purposeful, essential. What a great way to be. I am classic too so this really speaks to me. What a wonderful essence!!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think quite a few on the forum have gone through the book and identified a style statement. I got the book from the library but was not able to fix on one for myself at the time. I think I would still find it quite difficult. Just as I find the adjectives exercise difficult (if helpful). And just as I found the whole idea of "style rubric" potentially helpful -- yet annoyingly elusive!

Somehow for me, the "style persona" made it come into clearer focus. So mine was "urban prince" and this, for me, truly captured something for me that the paired descriptors (or five adjectives) somehow didn't do. I'm not sure why. Maybe it feels more "actionable."

Asking myself what would an urban prince wear somehow felt more specific to me than a list of adjectives like "elegant, classic" or whatever. So it allowed me to rule out more things, more quickly, and identify wardrobe holes.

SO MANY ITEMS can be elegant, classic, etc. -- that doesn't mean they are the right ones for me. There's elegant avant-garde, elegant vintage, elegant arty...and so on. Then, there is classic preppy, classic mod, and so on. So those words (which I love, by the way ) weren't necessarily helping me get closer to where I wanted to be.

Having said that, I also found the name of my Kibbe type quite helpful (as well as some of the detailed explanations) -- Dramatic classic. It sort of encapsulates the tension I think I'm seeking between understated timeless elegance and impact.

And I do think it's an excellent exercise to try to do this for ourselves.

Astrid

Veteran

I've read the book a while ago and came up with Simple Chic. But that never really resonated with me. Somehow this concept didn't work for me. I've tried to find some current style descriptors instead this morning and just posted them on Sharon's thread. I went with simple, grounded and feminine. It goes into the same direction using both simple and feminine which incorporates chic in my eyes. But it adds grounded which I think was definitely missing from the style statement.

gryffin

Veteran

Suz - I am also a dramatic classic Kibbe type. I do find that helpful. It helped me understand why juxtaposition, contrast, and unique and unexpected items were so necessary for my style. I think what appealed to me about SS was that the 80% is the internal. Coming up with a single word to hold an essense, well, that defines difficult but it was also illuminating. I like your moniker of urban prince. I thin it really suits your sartorial style, although I would be interested to know if this appiles to all things - the inner you, your philosophy of decorating etc. I think having touchstones is really helpful in filtering what is meaningful to us, as long as we use it to advance out style and do not feel boxed in for restricted by it!!

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

I read the book a few years ago but couldn't come up with just two words. There always seemed to be a piece missing. I now have three words - cheerful, polished, feminine - and I explained them in the style descriptors thread. I'll do some more thinking to see if I can condense them further, but if not, it's okay. Three words that express me well are better than two that leave out a part of me.

gryffin

Veteran

Astrid - I like grounded. Words like elemental, fundamental, foundation, natural, essential, down to earth all come to mind and I like the image with the chic, simple and feminine and can see that in your outfits. Great mantra.

Anonymous

I've not read the book, but using your criteria that include more than just outward style, I suppose my 80% would be PRACTICAL. This includes usefulness, simplicity, environmental and social responsibility, versatility, flexibility, durability, plus happiness factor.
My 20% is more elusive???maybe ECLECTIC or another word embracing the unexpected element, playfulness, change or evolving, a bit of the dramatic, high-low.
This will take more thought. I just know that there is a tension between the two words, whatever they are.

gryffin

Veteran

Alexanda - I think that's an important point. This is a tool, two words great, short and sweet but if it takes more to define you that is fine. The point is that it should be meaningful and helpful. Cheerful, polished and feminine - what great qualities to represent you. I think the fun part will be to read the SS in conjunction with the style descriptors - it's really fascinating and illuminating!!

gryffin

Veteran

Joy -

‘It is the pull of opposite poles that stretches souls. And only stretched souls make music.’

— Eric Hoffer

‘Conditions for creativity are to be puzzled; to concentrate; to accept conflict and tension; to be born everyday; to feel a sense of self.’

— Erich Fromm

I believe it's tension, trying to unify the various contradictions within us, that are necessary for growth. Too much harmony can be static, Tension makes us dynamic. I like practical electic very much as your ss, for all the reasons that you've stated and I think your personal style really captures that!!

Neel

Veteran

I love your style statement gryffin. You sure know yourself and your style very well

I tried hard and I think my two words would be FUN and REBEL.

Fun is what I am. I think. And my outfits are an expression of rebellion. I love juxtaposition for the same reason.

rachylou

Veteran

I actually did the live consultation thing with Carrie and Danielle. So much easier to classify others than one's self! They gave me Contemporary Beauty. I wonder if it holds true today. When I first heard it, I couldn't get my head around 'contemporary'. It's come to make more sense to me and 'beauty' less so. Go figure! One thing I've realised is that it's not a descriptor of how I look from the outside. (They tell you that, but it's been hard for me to get it.) It's more what I think about when picking things. In that way it's very very true. I ask myself if something is representative of the forefront and if indeed it's beautiful - in the sense of having spiritual depth, connected meaning, thoughtfulness, and principles - as well as pleasing and harmonious form.

From the outside, I think I look prototypical hipster (I'm too old as my neighbor points out to actually be one). The only thing about this is that while hipsterdom has Contemporary Beauty, it's also rather pathetic. It's so weird. I was sitting next to this hipster this past month, and I mean, he had working hands. Still, he was tragically precious. Still just playing even tho everything he did was for real. Quite odd!

ironkurtin

Veteran

I did this the first few times it cropped up on YLF and now I've mostly abandoned it. I think this practice is useful when you start out or if you're confused, but it can create dissonance as you change. Many peple find it useful, but I don't much these days.

gryffin

Veteran

Neel - I love your SS. You definitely showcase both of those in your outfits!! Especially with the juxtapostion of your new leather skirts today!! So great!!
Rachylou - wow that would have been so cool to speak with them. It's interesting that you think it's easier to classify others. I don't think that would be true for me. The 80% is meant to be who you really are inside. My husband it the best friend I will ever have but I don't think he would have picked my mantra for me, although he immediately understood it. Did you ever pick words for yourself? other than hipster and remember words have layer upon layer of meaning. You can define them in a way that relates and is helpful to you.
IK - I agree, no tool will be helpful for everyone. I am very introspective and I love words so these exercises really resonate with me. I think the key is keeping an open mind in life and picking what works and resonates with you. Wherever and however you find your meaning, your truth, your path - that's the right way for you!

Helena

Veteran

Hi, I also enjoyed Style Statement and came up with "simple cultivated" - meant to reflect my basic style, but also the fact that I am constantly tweaking and refining with an eye to perfecting the formula someday!

shiny

Veteran

My two word style statement is

Special Snowflake

Okay I kid, I kid.... I find these style descriptor exercises difficult and confusing. Maybe because I am a chameleon, constantly reinventing myself. That said, I am consistent in a lot of ways -- some of that is dictated by 5'0/ fit dilemmas/lack of choice. I often think if I was taller my style would have evolved in an entirely different manner, but maybe not.

At the end of the day, I do not want to be confined by a handful of adjectives, which are labels, I don't think humans ought to be labeled. I'd rather live outside of the box, and enjoy the surprise of .....surprising myself!

I.e., earlier on I would never in a zillion years have used "casual" to describe myself... and now here I am... wearing tees and jeans... go figure...

Aziraphale

Veteran

Lol @ Shiny.

Let's see...I guess mine would be something along the lines of "unsentimental free spirit". Unsentimental is certainly at the core of who I am, style-wise and with everything else. I say "free spirit" because that's a term I've heard people use to describe me many times over the years. It's not necessarily how I would describe myself, but apparently it's how others see me.

gryffin

Veteran

torontogirl - I do see a lot of "simple" in your style sleek, purposeful, essential and cultivated is a great word too - growing, refining, organic but directed, developed, trained, evolution toward a goal. I hear that in the voice of your posts. Great words!!
Shiny - I think living outside the box can be a good place to be!! You don't need to define yourself, you have only to know yourself and language may not be how you do that. Your ideas about your authentic self might be visual or feelings, however you know yourself, is the right way for you!! Don't stuggle to do something that is not right for you. The blessing and curse, for at least this english major is to use words, despite their inadequacies, to understand myself and the world. Words help me, they may imprison and hinder you. Bag them!!

MuseumGal

Veteran

I haven't read the book, but what I've been going with lately is "East meets Wild Wild West," which was actually coined by our own E to describe my aspirational style.

So the eastern part is a strong oriental/Asian (ornate, luxe, silk, precious gems, etc.) influence married to a wild west base which is sturdy and practical (jeans, leather, cotton, base metals) - and the extra wild suggests a fantasy 19th century influence, very Firefly/Serenity (the TV show and movie), a little bit steampunkish, and a lot of Edwardian and Belle Epoch thrown in.

On a practical level most days this just means jeans and a top with something "eastern" as decoration - a silk scarf, some Asian inspired jewelry, etc...

This has been far more useful to me than modern bohemian or global ethnic chic, or whatever, because it's hard to look at a basic navy T shirt (which is a staple of my wardrobe) and think "modern bohemian," but easier to think, "Will this play as a nice base for east meets wild wild west?"

Helena

Veteran

Oh Gryffin, I love 'essential' - that gets to the heart of it for me - pared down, but full, if that makes sense. Thank you!! You are like the style philosopher!!

Anonymous

I read the Style Statement book fairly recently, and I actually had trouble with it too. It's sad to say, but I think something about the language brought out my inner eye-rolling teenager. Everything just seemed written in this emotionally intense way I couldn't quite relate to, although that may be more my fault than the book's.

It did get me thinking, though. A lot of the words I was considering were either along the lines of soft/quiet/relaxed or of urban/sophisticated/cultured, which is definitely useful as a starting point.

Shiny, I also wonder what my style would be like if I didn't always have to take being really short into account in choosing my clothes.

Anonymous

Oh! I want to be a special snowflake too !

Gaylene

Veteran

Why am I reminded of Tom King, Jasper Friendly Bear and Grace Heavy Hand in the Dead Dog Cafe Comedy Hour spinning the Authentic Indian Name generator? Any other Canadians remember that show?
http://www.cbc.ca/rewind/episo.....medy-hour/

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Bwahahahahahah, Gaylene!!!!!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Gryffin, good question..does "urban prince" define the "inner me"? Uh, no....I don't think so. I am not sure I could come up with any specific style -related words that would.

As for decor...I think my house is almost the opposite of my aspirational sartorial style! It's definitely urban, and to some extent it is refined....but it's not at all modern -- it's a 19th century workers' row house, with a warren of small rooms and a distinct absence of clean lines. It's filled with highly textured antiques (not truly RATE like shabby chic, but Quebec pine with a lot of patina) as select pieces of more modern furniture. Lots of books. Quite a lot of art -- most of it contemporary. It's also very colourful --- actually decorated in muted primaries -- predominantly golds and blues but our living room has red walls. Oh, and there are some secondary colours as well -- greens, oranges. (Pics below --- looking a bit crowded because we had moved furniture around for a celebration.)

Previous houses have been more modern in spirit and overall effect, though. Even though we had the same furniture. We're working with what we've got here. It's basically a Victorian Regency style house. So we have taken our cues from what's here. Perhaps that expresses something important about my style.

First two pics are different view of the living room space. #3 shows dining room/ kitchen area. #4 is a part of my study. Most of the art there is my daughter's.

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Isabel

Veteran

I find that statistical split very interesting because it is the same split that represents what we don't wear ( 80 ) in our wardrobes and what we do (20 ).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ha! Isabel, that is hilarious!!

Vildy

Veteran

I had trouble with the book. About the closest I could come was Pragmatic (80%) Romantic (20%).

ETA: maybe Pragmatic Sensualist, since it matters to me how everything on my body feels to me and I'm very self-indulgent. Get all the pragmatic stuff lined up and squared away so I can have time and space to be hedonistic.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Vildy, from your comments (because I haven't seen much of your style) I would say that's quite fitting! I'd say you did very well!!

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