“We learn who we are in practice, not in theory.”

David Epstein writes this in his book, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. I love this quote (and the book) for many reasons but will focus on this quote in the context of your personal style range.

The question that often arises when I work with clients is, “how would you describe my style?”

Have you thought about this before? Right now, what are three words that come to mind that describe your style at this very moment?

It’s common to put yourself into boxes. But boxes have walls and aren’t very fluid. They’re safe and secure, they keep things in, but don’t leave room for you to bend, move, and adapt. You are constantly bending, moving, and adapting. 

Your personal style is, too. Let’s break down the boxes and instead look at personal style as a venn diagram. You can be five (or more) aesthetics if that’s who you are. As long as they feel true to you, then own it. Yes, we all want clarity, but clarity doesn't have to come at the expense of your personal expression. Stifling and over-simplifying your look solely to seek outward affirmation can leave you feeling stuck or even defeated. Instead, clarity can mean deep understanding and confidence in your personalized choices.

Does this seem like a lot of work trying to figure out your style archetype? It is and it isn’t. You learn by practice. By trying something new, experimenting, observing, and recording. The sampling periods of experience and exposure (e.g., making a clothing choice in the morning) are integral to learning more about yourself. This includes making fashion faux pas and also going out on a limb and trying something new.

Just like your style is different from the person next to you, my style is not your style. Each one of my client’s styles is different from all of the others. Each of us has our own range of style that’s multi-dimensional, and specific. No two are alike.

Rather than looking at it from a need for an end target, instead, consider it as this venn diagram constantly moving and evolving… all in practice.

I’ll leave you with one other David Epstein quote as you think about your style range: “Our work preferences and our life preferences do not stay the same, because we do not stay the same.”

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