I have a brother that is nearly 8 years older than me and he was really the first person who introduced me to the idea of personal style. He was the person who introduced me to the idea of “pegging my jeans” and all sorts of other crazy 80’s fashions. If there was anything I would say about him though, it’s that he’s always been confident in his style and who he is with it. But me, no way. I know what I’m comfortable in but I’m still playing around with what my style is. That’s why I love and hate this wardrobe series. It’s asking questions I’ve never really considered.
The focus for this first section is all about your personal style. You can find the style worksheet here. The worksheet is broken down into different sections that should help me figure out how I dress and what I like. Here’s how my answers shook out.
History
How has your personal history informed the way you dress?
I think I started out being a little different (thanks to an stylish older brother), but over time I got nervous and I’ve gone very plain and traditional. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve really realized what I like, what I feel good in and what fits my body well.
Philosophy
How does your philosophy, spirituality or religion affect your aesthetics and buying habits?
I’m not super fond of short skirts or showing off my back. I don’t mind a good tank top, but overall I’m pretty modest. I’m not sure if that is as much a reflection of just who I am deep down or my religion.
Culture
How did the aesthetics and values you grew up with affect your tastes as you got older?
When I was young, I wanted to dress cool to impress my older brother. But as I’ve grown up, I’ve started to slowly let go of the desire to dress to impress others and focus more on what I like.
Community
How are you influenced by the people around you?
Their encouragement definitely plays a role in what I wear and sew. I do dress for the different communities that I’m in. If I go out, take my daughter to her homeschool cooperative group, hanging out with friends or traveling to a bigger city. Each of those places plays a big role in what I’m going to wear. If I sew something and get compliments on it, I definitely get a boost in my confidence – not only in my sewing ability but also in my sense of style.
Activities
How do you day to day activities influence your choices?
I tend to be at home a lot so there are many days that I honestly just throw on something super comfortable and throw out the idea of any sense of style. When I do go out for different activities, I do try to be more intentional about what I’m putting on. But honestly, most of the time I’ve got on stretchy shorts and an old t-shirt 
Location
How does climate factor in?
I live in the Southeastern US and the climate changes for sure around here. Layers are key in the spring and fall. Winter can be fairly cold and summer can be miserable humid and hot.
Body
In what ways does body image affect your choices in clothing? What clothes make you feel good about the body you live in? What clothes make you feel uncomfortable or alienated from your body?
I like fairly loose fitting tops, but yet tailored. I like skirts a lot, especially long flowy ones and can live in a soft, knit tee for days. I love cardigans.
I’m not a fan of tight tees or shirts with collars. I have almost completely lost my love of capri pants, although I do like to roll up my jeans just a little bit above my ankles. I don’t like cropped shirts and want my shirts below my hips most of the time. I’m also not a big fan of hoodies.