Finding a style that fits

Boutiques.com images
Which look do you prefer?

I always admire people who have a singular sense of style. Even though I write about it, it's mostly theoretical and I feel like I'm one of those people who's all over the map, boho one day, classic the next, then street, then edgy. A rival said of me once, "She never met a trend she didn't like." Oh, meowww!

It's kind of true, though. I'll try anything once, whether it's suitable or not. But, the older I get, the more I concede that maybe it's time to grow up and learn to edit my closet. Step one is figuring out my true style, though the difficulty, like taking a personality test, is that most of us are attracted to a little bit of everything. That's what makes it so hard to shop. We might head out the door in casual mode and shop accordingly, or maybe we watched a concert and came away inspired by the performer's street or boho style.

The quickest route to finding your style is via Boutiques.com, where you don't have to do any self-analysis. Just clicking on “Create Your Boutique” leads you to its Stylizer analysis. It shows pairs of photographs along with the question “Which is more your style?” You’ll make dozens of choices that will lead you to one of six style categories: Boho, Casual Chic, Classic, Edgy, Romantic or Street.

It won’t be easy to choose sometimes. In many cases, I found myself wanting to wear both ensembles offered. When that happens, don't feel like you're forced to choose. Hit the “SKIP not my style” button and more images will appear. It’s better to move quickly and intuitively than to overthink your choices.

Once the logarithm has determined your style, a boutique is created for you, filled with current items that suit your style, allowing you to shop more precisely. Of course you don't have to buy anything, but you might have a better idea of what to look for when you get serious about building a working wardrobe.

Based on the site's logarithm, my overall style is edgy, which did lead me back to designers I already like, such as Helmut Lang, Alexander Wang, Alexander McQueen and McQ, and some I'm not familiar with, like Loeffler Randall, Plastic Island and Robbi & Nikki. I particularly liked this McQ dress below, but what's funny is that looking at all the choices generated for me, and a lot of black, I'm tired of it already! One look that's missing, but that can be found in the book, "Get the Look: Extraordinary Style on an Ordinary Budget," by Mark Heyes, is quirky cute. I don't think I can live without that element of oddness.

Here's an example of other pairs the site might present for your vote. Choices aren't limited to clothing. They might also include accessories, cities and drinks that evoke a particular aesthetic. Have fun looking!