why do we get dressed?

understanding personal style outside of the aesthetic vacuum

In a video posted last week, I mentioned the concept of reflecting on your style “values” just as much as your aesthetic style descriptors a la Allison Bornstein 3 words.

I define style values as motivations for caring (or not caring) about the way you dress beyond pure aesthetics. Most of us first dial into style from an aesthetic lens, but it’s also social, emotional, political, personal…these values add context to the way our aesthetics are collected and expressed, and reflect the limitations of our circumstances as well. To start considering your own style values, let’s unpack them through the lens of a classic fashion case study, Carrie Bradshaw.

Identifying Your Style Values

Carrie Bradshaw

Allison described Carrie’s 3 words as daring, elaborate, and mismatched.

I agree with this diagnosis, but if you’re also an avid SATC watcher, you can make some inferences about how these aesthetic words are informed by her values. I would say in style, Carrie values novelty and idealism.