A lovely reader recently shared a concern about my Personality Dressing Style quiz as she received a “Relaxed” style result, but found herself puzzled because she didn’t connect with many of the examples provided. This situation highlights a common issue many face when using style quizzes or guides—feeling disconnected from the suggested styles. Let’s dive into why this happens and how you can find clarity in your personal style journey.
The Core and the Expression
First, it’s crucial to understand what my Personality Dressing Style quiz aims to uncover. It’s designed to identify the core elements of your style personality. The something vital you have to have in every single outfit you wear. For example, the “Relaxed” style might signify that comfort is paramount for you. However, the way you interpret comfort can vary significantly from someone else with the same style core. It could be physical comfort, not itchy or scratchy, or alternatively easy to move in. It could be mental comfort, wearing something that it feels like you and what you want to communicate with the world. There are so many different versions of what “comfortable” means to each person.
In the world of personal style, there is no one-size-fits-all. The examples shown in style quizzes are just a tiny snapshot of a vast landscape of possible clothing and accessory choices. Each style personality, such as Relaxed, encompasses a broad range of potential clothing choices, and it’s impossible to capture every variation in a single image or selection of examples. This is why you might not see yourself in the provided examples, even though the core principle—comfort, in this case—resonates with you.
The Essence of Style
Consider the essence of the Relaxed style. While one person might equate comfort with natural fibres and loose fits, another might prioritize practical, easy-to-care-for garments that don’t require ironing. Someone else might prefer stretchy fabrics that allow for movement. Each of these interpretations is valid and falls under the umbrella of the Relaxed style, yet they look quite different from each other.
One person may choose to wear soft natural colours like olive, rust and sage which are a feature of the Relaxed style, but rather than wearing jeans and a tee, they opt for pencil skirts made from knit fabrics. Whilst another may prefer their comfortable knit tees to be in bright bold colours and worn with sneakers and cargo pants. Both of these are a combination of Relaxed, and Relaxed may be at the core but one is more Feminine and Relaxed, whilst the other is more Relaxed and Dramatic.
Your unique style is a blend of various elements, and the core style identified by the quiz is just a starting point. You might have a strong inclination towards relaxed clothing, but it doesn’t mean you adhere strictly to the examples given, in fact, you’d probably be uncomfortable if you only wore Relaxed style garments. Your personal style expression is a mix of multiple influences and preferences and pulls from at least three of the personality dressing styles.
Combining Elements
We are all a combination of different dressing style personalities. The quiz result highlights your dominant one, but you likely scored highly in other categories as well. For instance, you might have scored five points in the “Relaxed” category and four in “Classic.” This means that while comfort is essential to you, you also have a penchant for timeless, elegant pieces. This blend creates a unique style that the quiz might not fully capture in its examples. But your result will only tell you about the cores style and not your combination of dressing styles.
Practical Steps to Align Your Style
To align your style with your personality, start by reviewing the quiz results and noting what resonates most with you. Here’s a practical approach to help you refine your style:
- Highlight Key Elements: Go through the report and highlight aspects that speak to you. Is it the emphasis on comfort? The preference for natural fabrics? The desire for practicality? Maybe it’s the patterns or the colours that appeal to you? Or maybe you just hate ironing and will never handwash or dry clean?
- Identify Your Preferences: Reflect on your clothing preferences. Do you favour stretchy materials or easy-care garments? Are you drawn to a particular silhouette or type of fabric?
- Blend and Adapt: Remember that you are not confined to the examples provided. Blend the core style elements with your personal preferences. If you appreciate the comfort of the “Relaxed” style but lean towards the elegance of the “Classic” style, find a harmonious balance between the two. Or maybe you like the boldness of the Dramatic style or the delicate fabrics and details of the Feminine.
- Personalize Your Wardrobe: Curate your wardrobe to reflect your unique style blend. Choose pieces that fulfill your core needs while incorporating elements from other styles you resonate with.
- Experiment and Reflect: Personal style is an evolving journey. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different looks and reflect on what makes you feel most confident and comfortable.
Embrace Your Unique Expression
Your style is a powerful tool for self-expression, and understanding the nuances of your preferences can lead to greater confidence and satisfaction in what you wear. While my free quiz and guide provide valuable insights, it’s just the beginning of your journey. Embrace the flexibility and diversity within your style personality, and let it guide you to a wardrobe that truly reflects who you are.
If you want to dive deep into truly understanding all aspects of your personality and how it influences every single style choice you make, I’d invite you to join my 7 Steps to Style program which includes a deep dive into all of the personality dressing styles so that you can really nail down your personal style.
In the end, personal style is about feeling good in what you wear and expressing your unique self. By acknowledging and incorporating the multifaceted aspects of your style personality, you can create a look that is authentically and uniquely you.
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Yes, all this is so true! I get a bit fed up with reading elsewhere that relaxed style (which I come out as in quizzes) is about wearing jeans and casual stuff only. Also, even worse, that we generally do not care much for our appearance or read fashion articles. I like to wear jersey a lot, its comfortable, but as you say, in pencil skirts and more feminine clothes mostly, relaxed bias cuts and animal print, also love jewellery and make up. This is a long way from being just scruffy (I hope!) or not caring, but it can look very natural and comfortable to wear and move in.
There is more to Relaxed than athleisure and jeans (fortunately) and how you mix that with your other personality dressing styles is so important – sounds like you have a mix of relaxed, feminine and maybe a touch of dramatic!