The first week’s Wardrobe Architect assignment involves figuring how different elements of your life affect your personal style choices. I love pondering my own navel, so this was probably more fun than it should have been for me.

I was a youngun’ in the 1990s, the age of “alternative” fashion, Manic Panic hair dye, and oversized flannel shirts. The evolution of my personal style really began when I was in college. I started to gravitate toward a kind-of-vintage kind-of-punk thing, but at that point, I really didn’t know what my style was all about, so it was mostly kind-of-nondescript.

But the beginnings of a fashion sense were there.

I was raised to value neatness, and looking presentable. I rebelled against that pretty strongly as a teenager, but I know that those values are part of how I dress now. I don’t believe sweatpants should be worn in public, nor do I believe that leggings are pants. I think it’s important to look nice when you go out into the world. Thanks, Mom!

That being said, I live in California, and life out here is pretty casual. My colleagues wear jeans and t-shirts. My social life doesn’t involve clubbing or movie premieres or wild parties, so flashy fancy clothes have no real place in my life. And while I believe in looking presentable, I also believe in being comfortable.

That picture above really looks like I’m crying, but I swear I wasn’t. It was just an early morning.

The (unfortunately) big thing that has always influenced my fashion choices is body image. Wah wah, what a girl I am. But pretty much since I was 14 I have shied away from anything revealing. No shorts or short skirts, no sleeveless shirts, nothing too revealing. I’m a prude, apparently. I used to dream about those bathing suits from the 1900s. I’m learning to appreciate my figure, but I still am not a huge fan of revealing clothing. You won’t see me in a midriff-baring anything any time soon.

So what sticks out in this analysis, for me? I like comfortable clothing that has an element of classic, vintage style and an element of quirky, punk-ness.

And apparently, I was a real fashion plate at 10. Yup, that’s me, on the left, with the fabulous bangs.

Next, we dive into defining a core style, one that remains constant through the ever-changing dictates of fashion’s fickle ways.

If you want to ponder your own life and your relationship to fashion, download Sarai’s awesome PDF worksheet. Who doesn’t love a worksheet? You can find more details about this week’s assignment on her blog.

What are the core things that stand out for you about your life, and how it might impact your clothing choices?