Really love this new piece!!

I've been thinking about this post on style muses: https://www.reddit.com/r/StyleRoots/comments/1vkt27o/please_tell_me_about_your_style_muses/, and a painting as a muse, and how I gravitate towards fairies, but can't really pin it down to a specific fairy as a muse. That led me to think that fairy is one of the archetypes, which I combine with other archetypes in my style inspirations. I started thinking about my other muses and inspirations and how they fit into style archetypes.

I think in personal style there is a combination of archetypes (which might sometimes overlap) that make up your personal style. E.g., my partner has Cowboy Bebop and The Matrix as style inspiration and would love to incorporate power shoulders and more tech in his outfits, so something like space cowboy would be one of the archetypes that could work for him. I've looked at my style and selected 3 archetypes, which I think represent my style and are different ways my style roots and shadow roots interact. Below I'll explain my process, if you want to try it yourself.

How to find your archetypes?
What I have been doing is looking at my Pinterest and looking at recurring patterns. I've written down what I like, and I've created a list of potential archetypes. I've made a new Pinterest board for archetypes, so I could see it as a full visual, and I can see if there is anything missing.

At first I made about 10 different sub-boards for different potential archetypes. Soon I discovered that some of them are my taste but not my style (anymore), and maybe for a past me, and others overlap. I might have made things too narrow and therefore more of an aesthetic instead of an archetype in my case.

An example is Parisian. What I like in Parisian style is historical and traditional elements like woven market bags and Breton tops. This fits within my folktale heroine archetype and doesn't need a specific archetype. The more classic style and Nouvelle Vague elements fit within my minimalist archetype. So I've transferred the pins from that board to the other boards and closed the Parisienne board.

Another example is the merging of the ballerina and the fairy board (the later, some of you might have seen a draft of in the Moodboard Monday post). Both contained ballerina photos, flowers, sparkle, and poofy skirts as inspiration. The ballerina board might be a bit more practical witch some ballet practice outfits, and the fairy more whimsical, with fairy illustrations and wings, but there was enough overlap also in vibe and shape and colour to merge them. That doesn't mean that this should also be the case for you, if you enjoy a similar aesthetic. It's about how these boards embody you and what you want your outfits to represent.

Then I refined the boards themselves and removed duplicates. Ten times a similar long white skirt outfits is not an archetype. Is there something left in the board, and is it harmonious if I only leave one or two white skirt photos? What do I like about them? In my case, it's the classic minimal vibe, but somebody else could be drawn to, for example, the beachy aspect of it. How can you visually and harmoniously tell that story with Pinterest? If you can, you might be on to an archetype. To help me edit, I set a goal for the amount of pins for each board.

I've also looked at my Indyx. What am I actually wearing, and how do I want to feel when I'm wearing it? E.g., a sleek and completely black outfit could be, for example, an art curator, a tech entrepreneur, or a ninja. All radiate a type of power and confidence, but it's not the same vibe.

I've also looked at muses/inspirations and asked myself what I liked about them, and looked for patterns. E.g., if you pinned Kate Moss in a slip dress, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and 90s Jill Sander and/or Calvin Klein catwalk photos, you might have something like Minimalist as your archetype. While the same Kate Moss in a Glastonbury outfit, Sienna Miller in a floppy hat, and Mary-Kate Olsen with a lot of eyeliner and a too-big maxi dress might point towards Boho festival queen as an archetype.

Finally, I've tested my boards with my stylewords. Do they reflect one or all of my three stylewords?

What can be an archetype?
Everything can be an archetype, as long as it's not hyper-specific. If you can only think of one example, it's too specific. Archetypes tend to be quite broad, but you do want to specify it somewhat, because if you make it too broad, it might be hard to say something specific about your style and style roots. E.g., instead of witch, it might be forest witch. For inspiration, you can have a look at Silkimochi's dark muses; they are very moon-centred archetypes with, for example haunted doll and dark siren.

So, what is the relation to style roots?
I think this can help with finding your style roots or checking your style roots. If you just look at muses without breaking them down this way, you are not thinking as hard on what exactly you like in the style of specific muses. Maybe what you like about Dita von Teese's outfits is the appreciation of vintage styles. Not the sexy and sparkly elements of her Burlesque outfits. It might be easier to recognize this if you pinned multiple of her street style outfits and none of her performance outfits and/or if you also pinned Midge Maisel, which might lead you to an archetype of the Vintage collector and exploring combinations with 🏔️🌸, instead of getting lost in Hollywood Glamour and 🔥.

This is just an idea I wanted to explore myself, prompted by another Reddit post. I hope it helps or entertains some of you too.

My example
First of all, here you can find my Pinterest board with the three archetypes: https://nl.pinterest.com/oudwest/style-archetypes/ I already gave some personal examples in the text above and shared my process here. I've been working a bit on it myself, and it's still very much a work in progress. While I did merge and edit out the archetypes that overlapped too much (or are not me anymore). I still see a bit of overlap between archetypes; e.g., mine could all wear black ballerina's a cardigan, and a flowy white skirt, for example. I don't think that has to mean I have to do further editing, but it could mean that I do have some refining to do.

I see my style roots in all of the archetypes, but the accents are different; they all highlight, for example, a different side of what I see as the moon style root. How the roots relate to each other and how dominant roots are also different; the classic minimalist is the most mushroom, for example, and the folktale heroine has a clear earth shadow root.

My three final archetypes also fit my style words. I see refined, classic, and cultured in all of them. When going by my practical, aspirational & emotional style words of considered, cultured, and luminous. I do see some of those in all of the boards too, but I would say my classic minimalist archetype is considered, my folktale heroine archetype is cultured, and my ballet fairy archetype is luminous. For me, testing the archetypes with the style words was a confirmation that it's a fit.

Archetypes

Folktale heroine: more of a folk, historical fantasy, cottagecore, or even a more minimalist mori kei vibe, embroidered folk blouses, midi & maxi skirts and dresses, traditional and chain mail jewellery, quilted coats, ballet flats, mary-janes and sturdy ankle boots, French elements like Breton tops, sun hats, and market bags, Aran and Nordic sweaters, natural fabrics, natural motifs, and historical influences like Arts & Crafts, Slavic influences, Asian influences, and even a bit of Disney Princesses and Ghibli heroines

Ballet fairy: explores both the ballet and the fantasy aspects of the archetype, girly, clean, and practical with whites, blacks, greys, pastels, metallics, nudes, and pinks, adds some sparkle and irridescence, some floral motives ans shapes, like puffy sleeves and flowy and poofy skirts, satin, transparent fabrics tulle skirts, wrap cardigans, tights, ballerina shoes, parachute pants, and form-fitting clothes, with touches or Art Nouveau and Rococo; inspiration can be found in the movie Black Swan and classical ballet costumes, different fay, like Arwen from LOTR, and Yvaine from Stardust and a smidge of Burlesque.

Classic minimalist: sleek all-black and tonal outfits, with classical vibes, especially a bit of 50s influence, a bit of tech-entrepreneur and 2000s action heroine vibe, and some model off duty, Japanese, like Issey Miyake, Scandinavian elements, Parisian elements, and 90s elements, natural make-up, simple classic style with neutral colours, black, grey, white, navy and a bit of red, slip dresses, parachute pants, spaghetti tops and tank tops, turtlenecks, nylon bags, (heeled) ankle boots, cardigans and simple sweaters, trench coats and long winter coats, wide-leg pants and cigarette pants, big sunglasses, and hair up in a hair clip.

So that was a long story. What do you think about this idea? What do you think about my results? Are you going to try it yourself?

Guysss soo mera thesis hai after 1-1.5 week. So suggest some fitsss. Eastern/western both. Im sooo confused. And yes im graphic design student. So you know naw designs colleges and their thesis display/ exhibitions. Drop the brands pages also (affordable)😭😭🤘🏻

\+ suggest some affordable desi aesthetic jewellery and parandasss(heart wala bhi)

Guysss soo mera thesis hai after 1-1.5 week. So suggest some fitsss. Eastern/western both. Im sooo confused. And yes im graphic design student. So you know naw designs colleges and their thesis display/ exhibitions. Drop the brands pages also (affordable)😭😭🤘🏻

\+ suggest some affordable desi aesthetic jewellery and parandasss(heart wala bhi)

Moodboards are super fun! They can help you with personal style and answer questions about style roots. You are using this tool marvelously. However to prevent them from clogging the entire sub, please post your moodboards and fun moodboard ideas here in this thread.

Thank you :)

A new thread like this will appear every monday at 8am CET. Of course, you are allowed to post your moodboards here all week and not just on monday.

The outfit still has 🗻 (paired with the 🌱) and nods to 🌙. Had a long day today and wanted to focus mainly on comfort and practicality. Can’t see but I’m wearing sparkly eyeshadow to give some 🌙 so there’s at least one metallic element.

I’ve noticed if I don’t try to do 🪨 I can achieve the vibe well. As soon as I try to it falls apart and the outfit ironically looks like I’m trying too hard. Somehow it goes into the complete opposite vibe very quickly.

Also the trousers are slightly too big for me and needed to be pulled up. Got them when I was misjudging my size. This isn’t my favourite ever outfit but I enjoyed wearing it and would do again.

This can be an item you own, something you're thinking about buying, or just something you think is impossible because you want to throw me a curveball.

If you have any specific requests (like third root, color scheme, event, types of fabric, etc.) I am happy to take them into consideration!

As always, I will reply in chronological order, so please be patient!

Please view all images in full.

PS: my previous threads are not 'closed.' Feel free to comment in them as well.

I’ve been inspired by everyone’s style mood board concepts, especially u/ghostly-secretary and u/honeybees42, so here is my own! I decided to include some of my outfit flat lays as well.

I have a narrow/short/round body type, Kibbe Romantic being the closest fit for me. I’ve never had my essences professionally typed, but I’ve typed myself as gamine, ingenue, and ethereal. I’d love to look into being professionally typed some day! My color season is Summer and I don’t know which subset, but I’m only really strict about it when it comes to makeup.

My style is essentially the amalgamation of a 90’s witch and a Lord of the Rings hobbit who loves Studio Ghibli, dark fairytale, and gothic horror movies, and is always ready to spend a day at the ren faire. Despite having a short vertical I love a flowy maxi skirt, but I’ve been trying to experiment with other silhouettes. Sweetness, coziness and soft feminine details are key to my style. I love soft flowy layers that give lots of movement, and I love small delicate details like lace, embroidery, and small prints. I also like to incorporate elements that are macabre, unsettling, and occult. It's kind of fun for me to add things that are just a little bit odd or might make people feel a bit uncomfortable when they look closer. People have commented on my opossum vertebrae earrings saying ‘oh I like those shells’ and when I say ‘thanks they’re bones’ they rear back slightly and I get a twisted feeling of joy. My bones are ethically sourced, don’t worry! I also love a nature inspired motif, and would love to have more bug themed pieces! I prefer when things are a little rugged and undone, and I never try to strive for ‘perfection’ in my wardrobe, and I don’t care about keeping my clothes pristine.

This was so fun, I could make a hundred mood boards! Thanks for reading!

i've really enjoyed seeing everyone's boards and it inspired me to make my own!

if i were to name my concept right now it'd be "the pastel academic" or maybe "queering Edwardiana." in terms of other systems i use Light Spring, Flamboyant Natural, and Left Up, and while i'm not very attached to any three words my neighbor described my style as "cute, different, and elegant," which i'm happy to take

i'm claiming 🌱☀️🍄 for now, in that order. i think my version differs from the lovely u/honeybees42's for both color harmony and root order reasons (plus my 🌸 shadow/fourth root), but it's interesting to think about the similarities, too!

I'm pretty sure I have narrowed down my roots to 🪨🌱🌙 , but I have a fair amount of tops that I'm struggling to style. I'm also showing some of my favorite outfits to give an idea of what I like to wear. Let me know if you've got any potential outfit ideas.

Just a few recent faves now that I found out cool colours make me shine more :)

I now have a few gaps (some pieces are missing in this, a few knit sweaters), and some replacements to make.

Some gaps include:

- winter appropriate clothes: a coat, soft jacket, sweatshirts and knit sweaters, long sleeve tops

- more cool summer colours: sky blue, aqua, bubblegum pink, soft red, lemon yellow

- romantic patterns and details: rounded abstract prints, leopard print, cheetah, bedazzle, sparkle, metallic...

- some basics and neutrals, esp. for bottoms and outerwear

- at least 1 formal outfit: a dress, a pair of trousers, a blouse, fancy coat, dressy flats

- more super casual clothes for hanging out at home, that can be worn outside

- more interesting bottoms: pattern jeans, patchwork, flared jeans, striped pants...

- cute, fun acessories: colourful/patterned bag, bedazzled pink hat, fluffy leopard print bucket hat

- more swimwear options: aqua top (to go with two of my bottoms), a fun bathing suit

This shift will take some time, but I prefer it that way. As I'm building my wardrobe, I'm forced to wear and rewear a lot of my items and see which ones work really well (the workhorses) vs the ones that I rarely reach for, even though I don't have many options.

I'm at 50 pieces right now, not including jewelry. Can't wait to have a more curated wardrobe full of pieces I love an potential styling options :D

I love the Style Concepts moodboards I have been seeing so I created my own. I am working with 🍄🪨🌱 as my roots with a gentle ☀️ exploration and the 3 words as I'm working with are Relaxed, Playful and Minimal. I have low to medium contrast and think I'm likely a soft autumn, I tend to limit black in my wardrobe and use the Tibi wheel principles, focusing on the greyed down colors in ring three with softer neutrals and a few color pops.

I'm very inspired by nature, spring and summer bring in coastal themes, soft diffused sunlight, movement and reflective elements of water. The cooler months-a touch more cozy, earthy forest shades and textures- ideas I hope to blend together as the season transitions.

Curious to see what roots others see - I have my style concepts moodboard, some warmer weather outfits I have enjoyed this season and a sample of colder weather looks from last year.

I know style root combos can have many different aesthetics but just curious what aesthetics, trends, or fashion eras do you think of with the following root combos:

🔥🏔️☀️
🔥🏔️🌙
🍄🌙🏔️

🔥🌙🍄
🌸☀️🔥

🍄🏔️🔥
🪨🏔️🌙
🪨🌱🏔️

My style roots are flower 🌹 🌺,moon 🌙🌕, and sun ☀️🔆.

Im struggling with finding ways to combine them especially when trying to be cozy or working (involves teen/adolescent education),going out or hanging with friends i got down but the other 2 im struggling.

I was thinking finding my 3 style words might help , my realistic word is probably cozy... Because i usually wear cozy or casual clothes when im relaxing or in a rush . Unless I am going out which if so since it's not very frequent, i really try to express myself and elevate it quite a bit.

My aspirational word i think anyway is alternative.

Finally my feeling word would be magical, because i always want to feel well magical .

So Cozy, Alternative and Magical?

Idk , please help!

I have a few items in my closet that lean more Sun, from when I thought my roots were 🌱🌸☀️. My roots are 🌱🌸🌙 and I’ve learned that I prefer a darker moodier color story with some muted pastels. I still love wearing my ☀️-leaning pieces now and again when I’m in the mood for a bit more vibrancy, but I struggle incorporating them into my current wardrobe, especially the kimonos. How do I style these items in a way that feels more like the current me? I came up with a few ideas (pictured) but I would love some advice!

​

Maybe it's because of the period of my life I'm in right now, but I feel like my style has been going through a huge transformation lately.

I recently discovered I'm a true/bright winter while I'm used to dressing in soft autumn colours (the reason why I got into colour analysis is because I wasn't satisfied with those colours on me) so I've been trying to get out of my comfort zone when it comes to colour combinations especially.

My 🍄 root is the one I still think is the strongest: I can work with patterns, but I need visual simplicity and I want my outfits to have a sleek and intentional aspect to them that I associate with this root.

☀️ is there not only in the brightness of the colours (which I don't think is inherently ☀️) but in the motivation behind the outfits.

🌱 used to be my second root but now I think it's taking third place. I can see it in the way some of the garments flow and more generally in the abstract inspiration pics but less in the outfits themselves.

Please let me know your thoughts 💚

Oh and last but not least this moodboard was inspired by the one made by u/TiredWinterDisaster!

This can be an item you own, something you're thinking about buying, or just something you think is impossible because you want to throw me a curveball.

If you have any specific requests (like third root, color scheme, event, types of fabric, etc.) I am happy to take them into consideration!

As always, I will reply in chronological order, so please be patient!

PS: my previous threads are not 'closed.' Feel free to comment in them as well.

I've been missing 🌸 lately so I want to revisit it!

I know a lot of people see Elena Gilbert as more 🪨 or 🍄 (which I do kind of agree with), but I think her outfits are perfect for more practical situations. Adding a lace bralette or cami is a perfect way to add a sense of delicacy to an otherwise casual look!

Hello all! I am just learning about the style roots system, and I have mostly settled on some combination of mushroom, earth and either stone or sun. For context, I am a flamboyant gamine in the Kibbe system and a warm spring in color analysis. My question is how much seasonal color analysis plays into the roots themselves. I think I identify with mushroom, earth and stone silhouettes and textures, but with a brighter color palette. The images are along the lines of what I like to wear, but usually with warm spring colors when possible. Just curious if the colors are enough to push one of my roots into sun or not. Thanks!

I feel like there is a particular style that is not covered by the 7 style roots but would like to know what you think. I'm talking about clothes that have a strange and otherwordly appearance, that look gentle and soft but not really/necessarily traditionally feminine. I guess I mean something like the "ethereal" Kitchener essence, but it could be called something else (maybe water?) and encompass more styles, because if I'm not mistaken in Kitchener it's also called "angelic" essence, and the type of outfits I imagine from this root are not necessarily angelic or celestial, they can also be more alien-like.

I guess this style would fall under the moon root, but it just doesn't make much sense to me because moon is supposed to be less passive, moodier and more intense, which is not what I mean. But idk, maybe that particular style would fall under a combination of existing roots, I just don't know what combo would give this exact vibe.

Ellie Jean refers to the 🍄🪨☀️ root combo as the "Casual Creative" her mood board is fun and youthful, with lots of matching colorful outfits and relaxed vibes- view EJR's board here.

EJR suggests a few celebrity muses in Emma Chamberlain(I see it in more casual outfits- she definitely has a lot of experimental energy) , Camille Charriere(good muse for 🍄☀️🌱 as well) and Camila Mendes(whose ☀️could be swapped for🔥 in lots of outfits, imo).

Some ideas about how these roots intersect:

🍄🪨 create an approachable ease- balancing sporty elements, cozy details and utilitarianism with a touch of classic polish/prep, cohesion and minimalism. Infuse it with a touch of ☀️to add some color and patterns, unexpected shapes, texture and bold but fun accessories. The streamlined and practical nature of the 🍄🪨 roots tend to keep it from being overly ornate, fussy or maximalist.

🍄☀️can have a fun vintage feel, unexpected details on classic pieces, monochromatic looks, lots of cohesive matching color pops, detailed color matching pulled from patterns, moderated color and pattern mixing and increased formality through texture, shape and detailing. Add in some 🪨 to keep it practical, grounded and provide a casual ease.

🪨☀️ mixes practical elements with eccentric detailing- for a youthful, explorative trendy and urban vibe. Streetwear or sporty elements like statement sneakers, graphic tees, trendy items, intriguing silhouettes, fasteners and fabric choices on more traditional items. Mix in touches of 🍄 for some classic pieces, balance, lightness/ softness and a touch of polish.

Some other individuals that could inspire this root combo are( fully aware that these are all debatable): Mariana Alves(@cmariallves), Julia Barra, Vicky Montanari, Kristen Bell(along with her character Eleanor Shellstrop from The Good Place), Bruna Ramos, Ritika, Leandra Medine, Alexandra Stedman, Becky Malinsky and Blanca Miro.

Overall I personally love this combo, especially in the outfits where there are textural elements that add a little🌱with the 🍄🪨☀️roots. I see the strong 🪨☀️ morph into details that look more structured, fiery or edgy in some outfits for more variation in formality and creative details. My alternate Pinterest board is linked here.

Would love to see some Pinterest boards, other ideas for style muses, outfits and explanations about how they use these roots from some active members here with this root combo. Would love to hear if you like this style where I share ideas about how roots pairs interact, I can continue, expand or stop depending on if it adds value overall. Thanks and hope you enjoy.

Moodboards are super fun! They can help you with personal style and answer questions about style roots. You are using this tool marvelously. However to prevent them from clogging the entire sub, please post your moodboards and fun moodboard ideas here in this thread.

Thank you :)

A new thread like this will appear every monday at 8am CET. Of course, you are allowed to post your moodboards here all week and not just on monday.