Which Girl Are You? The Topshop Edit & Understanding My Personal Style

Did anyone else get an email from Topshop land in their inbox this morning called Which Girl Are You?

I LOVE things like this because personal style is something I really struggle with.  When I was growing up I was a greebo: I wore baggy trousers, band t-shirts, lots of eyeliner and studded belts.  And you know what, I actually felt really clear about what I did and didn’t want to wear.  It never once crossed my mind to think about what actually suited me because I fitted into a tribe and that tribe had certain styles associated with it.  Easy peasy.

When I got to the age where I became old enough to go out and drink, style suddenly became a lot more difficult for me.  I realised that there was more out there than baggy jeans and I bought a pair of size 10 Miss Selfridge, fitted jeans.  It was literally an instant revelation – wow I have a body and it ain’t half bad.  With the Miss Selfridge jeans came more attention on me – from girls, from boys, from everyone.  Turns out a pair of jeans can really change your life!

However, this brought a whole load of problems for me.  I felt pretty damn good in my fitted jeans and my strappy tops (it was 2004 after all) but I suddenly had to take some sort of interest in what I put on.  I no longer had a tribe to conform to.  Sure, I still loved the same music and hung out with (mostly) the same people but my style was evolving and I didn’t know how to cope.

As I went to university, I was faced with a new set of wardrobe problems.  It seemed like I was either dressing for going to lectures hungover and bumming around or getting my glad rags on for a big night out.  My go-to wardrobe therefore became either a hoodie, skinnies and Converse or a mini skirt and heels.

Three years later and I am projected into another world – the world of work – with a whole other set of rules and styles.  I found myself dressing in smart suits and stiff shirts, like some kind of 80s power dresser.  I don’t even know where I got that from, but it took me AGES to discover I didn’t have to wear suits to be successful.  I can even tell you the minute the realisation dawned – I was waiting to be interviewed for a job and I had turned up in a frumpy suit while the girl sat opposite me being interviewed for the same job wore a smart, slim dress.  She looked great.  I felt like the Michelin Man under all my layers of shirt, jumper and jacket.  I knew right then I hadn’t got the job.

As I’ve grown through my twenties I’ve fluctuated in weight slightly (largely depending on how happy I am, because happier = bigger unfortunately) but I’ve pretty much been able to wear what I want, bar crop tops and bra tops but they’re not really my bag anyway.  Despite this relative freedom, I’ve felt totally paralysed by not knowing what to put on in the morning.  It takes me ages to get ready because I don’t know what to wear.  I want to be comfortable and I want to look good, but I accept that I would rather sleep in for an extra ten minutes than put my hair into an elaborate style, my make up is minimal and simple and it’s the same every day.

So why do I find it so difficult to pick an outfit?  I am coming to realise it is because I am torn between the desire to fit in and the desire to stand out.  Some days I’m happy for people to playfully joke about the fact I’m wearing 90s style dungarees and a sparkly top underneath, other days I want to emulate what other people are wearing because I want to fade into the background.  I sometimes think I absorb the style of others and maybe because I live with a boy I dress more boyishly?  Jeans, an oversized shirts and Doc Martens are my go-to.

So this is why I was so excited to have a bash at Topshop’s quiz – to see what it said and what it brought out of me.  So what were the results…?

I am The Rebel Girl.

And do you know what, I am super happy about it!  It gives me the validation I so obviously needed that I can wear whatever the F I want.  I don’t have to worry about fitting in, I can be happy with standing out.  I can wear the starry boots (thanks ASOS), I can wear my oversized leopard print fur coat and my huge hoops with pride.  BRING IT ON!

So what did Topshop specifically recommend?

Well these are the things I love:

And sure there are things I didn’t like as much, but the great thing about the process is you can give feedback on the styles you like and don’t like.  You see those little ticks and crosses under the clothes? – that’s what they are for.  As the programme learns more about you, it (presumably) gives you better options to help you refine your style.  There was not a single crop top in sight, which was fabulous, and it gave me loads of ideas for how to amp up my outfit with some accessories.

Bravo Topshop!  I hope this is the future of shopping – much more personalisation and advice can’t be a bad thing in my opinion.  So what are you waiting for, give it a go – take the quiz by clicking here.

And I’m dying to know, are there any other fellow Rebel Girls out there?  Or what style did you get?  Comment below and let me know!

♥ JH