Style Core Test
How Will This Test Help You?
The Style Core Test can be used as a tool to make you more confident in yourself and your style, enabling you to target your shopping and avoid costly mistakes. Once you determine your style core, finding clothes that make you feel comfortable will be easier, which in turn will give you a greater sense of playfulness and provide more styling options for the items you already have in your wardrobe.
What Is a Style Core?
There are six style cores: classic, feminine, rock-chick, simple, bohemian and casual.
In its purest form, the core is neutral. This means that none of the words above are better, more interesting, or more exciting than any of the others. For greater clarity, the descriptions of the cores are somewhat stylized. We all own a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, for instance. So for the present purposes, I mention these items only if they’re highly characteristic of a particular style core.
Thankfully, as human beings we’re quite a bit more nuanced than that. So you can easily own a curve-hugging cocktail dress and be a casual core, own a basic cardigan and be a bohemian core, or own a feminine lace shirt and be a rock-chick core. The point is: these particular items will not represent a distinct tendency in your wardrobe.
The 80/20-Rule
The characteristics of your overall choice of clothing will indicate your particular core—this is the general idea. Around 80 percent of the clothes you choose will correspond to the description of one of the six style cores.
So make sure to be 100 percent honest when venturing out to determine your style core—otherwise it simply won’t work for you.
When answering the following questions, make sure to respond to the actual state of things, not your dream scenario.
For each question, you can select only one answer. Try not to over-think it, simply select the option that makes more sense.
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Which group of words best describes your present style?
- Feminine, dainty, soft
- Practical, casual, comfortable
- Tough, rock ’n’ roll, cool
- Classic, businesslike, clean-cut
- Bohemian, artistic, hippie
- Simple, modern, understated
Rare sights in your wardrobe:
- Intense and highly colorful patterns or clothes with a thousand different details all in one, à la Chanel. Your clothes must under no circumstances be perceived as extravagant or “loud.”
- Baggy pants, streetwear, and sneakers.
- Clothes that are worn-out or look as if they are, biker and cowboy boots, wild patterns and flowing robes.
- Traditional classic pantsuits and clothes that are too “nice”; ruffles, frills, lace and flowery items, ballet flats and pearl earrings.
- Clothes with an air of simplicity and neatness, pants with ironed creases, classic pantsuits, pumps.
- Mile-high heels. Clothes in stiff fabrics and fitted clothes that make you feel constricted. Clothes that are too delicately feminine or classically conservative.
You generally feel comfortable in several of these:
- Pantsuit, classic white button-down shirt, turtleneck, V-pullover, cardigan, little black dress, stilettos, flats.
- Generally comfortable clothes without too many details. T-shirts, sweaters, tunics, leggings. Possibly also hoodies and loose pants. You may also own dresses and skirts, but with a casual and informal look.
- Though you obviously own pants and like to pair jeans with your tops, you feel especially comfortable in dresses, skirts, stilettos or ballet flats, and you like wearing jewelry, necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
- Several different types of jeans or jeans-like pants, leather jackets, lots of T-shirts, tank tops, cowboy boots, leather bracelets and silver jewelry, possibly mixed with some streetwear.
- Monochrome clothes with an understated design and stylish details that have been carefully chosen. A peek into your closet will reveal “calm” and a wardrobe with an understatedly trendy feel to it.
- Tunics, loose and airy dresses, sandals, loose linen pants, vests, patterned scarves. Preferably mixed in layers. Lots of accessories: chains, earrings, bracelets, often with an ethnic look.
You are generally attracted to:
- Clothes with a soft and delicate look. Materials such as silk and mohair, though not excluding cotton, linen and the like. You like your clothes to have feminine details like pleats, puff sleeves, draping, eyelet patterns, etc.
- Clothes with a bit of an edge that can look “worn” without necessarily being so. Possibly leather, silver and rivets.
- Good quality, genuine materials and basic colors such as black, gray, blue, beige and white. However, you may at times feel an urge to spice things up a bit, which is when you opt for a dress or a jacket in a loud color.
- Stylish and surprising, yet understated, design details. There’s an absence of bling-bling, pink tutus or mega-patterned Marimekko dresses.
- Ethnic patterns, colors, loose-fitting clothes and fur, and you like to find clothes in second-hand stores and flea markets.
- Clothes that are not too tight, but rather soft and agreeable to wear. Clothes that are comfortable and natural. Possibly clothes inspired by sportswear and sometimes the outdoor style.
General characteristics of the clothes you tend to choose:
- Soft cuts, many delicate details such as pleats, draping, fancy buttons and fine stitching.
- Lots of stylish and unusual details that catch the eye when looking closer at the design. The design is always trendy, but it doesn’t scream for attention.
- A certain air of city cowboy/rock ’n’ roll to the design. There’s a bit of an edge to it and the clothes should never be too neat.
- A clean-cut and simple design with no unnecessary details. The inspiration often comes from men’s clothing.
- The automatic notion of “comfort” popping up in your head when looking at the clothes. Comfort is the main focus behind your choice of clothing.
- Something wild and untamed in the design with inspiration taken from back in the ‘60s and ‘70s when the hippie lifestyle and flower power were in its heyday.
If you were to choose one of the brands below, which one would correspond best to you and your present style?
- Chloé
- Armani
- Roberto Cavalli
- Petrizia Pepe
- Diesel
- Rabens Saloner
Select the group of items that best describes the contents of your wardrobe:
- Cardigans, button-down shirts, pantsuits
- Monochrome clothes with unexpected design details
- Leather pants, fitted T-shirts, boots
- Tunics, harem pants, lots of jewelry
- Dresses, skirts, ballet flats and jewelry
- Basic tops, jeans, and sweaters
Which of the six collages most resembles the present contents of your wardrobe:
Which description best matches your home-decoration style:
- Your style is modern, contemporary and functional, and you like the design to be streamlined with carefully considered details. Modern Italian design can have a certain appeal. Antiques and trinkets are rather absent.
- You like trinkets and furniture with a certain patina to it (the shabby chic style) or the rather romantic style with lots of pillows, blankets and candles.
- You have a mix of new and old furniture plus things you’ve collected through the years and made to match each other somewhat. The main objective is for you to be able to relax in your home, and for it all to be just nice and cosy—everything matching perfectly is of less importance to you.
- You don’t want a whole lot of knick-knacks, but rather a modern style with a surprising and sometimes even provocative edge. You like up-and-coming artists and mixing things in unconventional ways.
- You love colors and patterns, and your style has an ethnic look to it, where you mix different styles in every possible way. You may have a soft spot for flea markets.
- You like designers such as Arne Jacobsen, Børge Mogensen and Piet Hein. Or you may be attracted to antiques, fine china and/or rokoko- or empire-inspired furniture. You may also own genuine Oriental carpets.
And the results are...
Looking for more information?
If you want to know more about the different style cores, I have written the book From OK To Hot. In my book, you can read even more about the different style cores and get tips for yourself and your style. Download a free copy of the book right here
You have now taken the Style Core Test, and in the chart, you can see your scores relating to the different style cores based on your answers. The test shows you how you perceive yourself at this point in time.
The core with the highest score percentage-wise may very well be your style core.
If you score almost equally high in two different cores, you should check your wardrobe once again to determine which of the two cores is the correct one. To gain an accurate overview, it’s a good idea to do a bit of cleaning out first.
Should one or two other cores also score high, this may be because you tend to choose items from that particular style core and mix them with your overall style core in order to play with more possible looks.
Du har nu taget kernetesten, og på grafen kan du se, hvordan dine svar slår ud på de forskellige stilkerner. Testen viser, hvordan du opfatter dig selv lige nu.
Den kerne, hvor du har det største procentvise udslag, kan være din stilkerne.
Slår du næsten lige meget ud på to forskellige kerner, skal du kigge en ekstra gang i din garderobe for at afgøre, hvilken af kernerne der er den rigtige. For at få overblikket er det en god ide at rydde ud først.
Er der en eller to kerner, som også slår godt ud, er det muligt, at du tit vælger tøj fra den stilkerne og sammensætter det med din egen stilkerne for at få flere udtryk at spille på.
Ved at klikke på de forskellige kerner kan du læse beskrivelsen af dem.
Classic Core
You generally feel very comfortable in several of these:
Pantsuit, classic white button-down shirt, turtleneck, V-pullover, cardigan, little black dress, stilettos, flats. Generally, most of your clothes are monochrome, but you may own a few things with patterns. It could be a simple flowery pattern, possibly black-and-white, puppy tooth, herringbone or check patterned.
You are generally attracted to:
Good quality, genuine materials and basic colors such as black, gray, blue, beige and white. However, you may at times feel an urge to spice things up a bit, which is when you opt for such items as a dress or jacket in a loud color.
Rare sights in your wardrobe:
Clothes that are worn-out or look that way, biker and cowboy boots, wild patterns and flowing robes.
Brands with a classic style:
Armani, Max Mara, Hugo Boss.
People with a classic core:
Michelle Obama, Susan Sarandon.
The classic-core clothes are characterized by:
A clean-cut and simple design with no unnecessary details. The inspiration often comes from men’s clothing.
Feminine Core
You generally feel very comfortable in several of these:
Although you obviously have pants and like to mix jeans with your tops, you feel very comfortable in dresses, skirts, stilettos, ballet flats, and you like to use jewelry, necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
You are generally attracted to:
Clothes with a soft and delicate look. Materials such as silk and mohair, though not excluding cotton, linen, and the like. You like your clothes to have feminine details, for instance pleats, puff sleeves, draping, eyelet patterns and possibly also lace and ruffles. Sequins and patterns with for instance flowers may also have a certain appeal.
Rare sights in your wardrobe:
Baggy pants, streetwear and sneakers.
Brands with a feminine style:
Chloé, Blumarine.
People with a feminine core:
Katie Holmes, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
The feminine-core clothes are characterized by:
Soft cuts, many delicate details such as pleats, draping, beautiful buttons and fine stitching. Many of the designs could be inspired by the ‘20s, ‘30s, ‘40s, or ‘50s—now translated style-wise into the twenty-first century.
Rock-chick Core
You generally feel very comfortable in several of these:
Several different types of jeans or jeans-like pants, leather jackets, lots of T-shirts, tank tops, cowboy boots, leather bracelets and silver jewelry, possibly mixed with some streetwear.
You are generally attracted to:
Clothes with a bit of an edge that may look “worn” without necessarily being so. Possibly leather, silver and rivets.
Rare sights in your wardrobe:
Traditional classic pantsuits and clothes that are too neat; ruffles, frills, lace and flowers, ballet flats and pearl earrings.
Brands with a rock-chick style:
Diesel, Miss Sixty, Acne.
People with a rock-chick core:
Anastacia, Kate Moss.
The rock-chick-core clothes are characterized by:
A design with an element of city cowboy/rock ’n’ roll. There’s a certain edge to it, and the clothes can never be too neat.
Bohemian Core
You generally feel very comfortable in several of these:
Tunics, loose and airy dresses, sandals, loose linen pants, vests, patterned scarves. Preferably mixed in layers. Lots of accessories: chains, earrings, bracelets, often with an ethnic look.
You are generally attracted to:
Ethnic patterns, colors, loose-fitting clothes and fur, and you often find clothes in second-hand stores and flea markets.
Rare sights in your wardrobe:
Clothes with a very simple and neat look, pants with ironed creases, classic pantsuits, pumps.
Brands with a bohemian style:
Cavalli, Dries van Noten.
People with a bohemian core:
Helena Christensen, Annisette, Naja Munthe og Karen Simonsen.
The bohemian-core clothes are characterized by:
A certain wild and untamed touch to the design, somewhat inspired by the ‘60s and ‘70s when the hippie culture and flower power were in their heyday.
Simple Core
You generally feel very comfortable in several of these:
Monochrome clothes with an understated design and stylish details that have been carefully chosen. Apart from that, you own a little bit of everything—a peek into your closet will reveal “calm” and a wardrobe with an understatedly trendy feel to it. You’re down with the trend, but you don’t flaunt it.
You are generally attracted to:
Stylish and surprising, yet understated, design details. There’s an absence of bling-bling, pink tutus, and mega-patterned Marimekko dresses. The clothes can be trendy, but, as always, they must be so in an understated way.
Rare sights in your wardrobe:
Intense and very colorful patterns or clothes with a thousand different details all at once, à la Chanel. Your clothes should never be perceived as extravagant or “loud”. You would never buy a logo blouse with “Chanel” written across the chest.
Brands with a simple style:
Patrizia Pepe, Phillip Lim, Poul & Joe.
People with a simple core:
Stella McCartney, Gwyneth Paltrow , Iben Hjejle, Maibritt Saerens, Ellen Hillingsø.
The simple-core clothes are characterized by:
Lots of stylish and unusual details that caught your eye when taking a closer look at the design. The design is invariably trendy, but it doesn’t scream for attention.
Casual Core
You generally feel very comfortable in several of these:
Generally basic clothes without too many details. T-shirts, sweaters, sneakers, hiking boots, rubber boots, big scarves, tunics, leggings. Possibly also hoodies and loose pants. You may also own dresses and skirts with a casual and informal look. If your clothes are fitted, they definitely contain Lycra or are otherwise very flexible and comfortable to wear.
You are generally attracted to:
Clothes that are not too tight, but rather soft and comfortable to wear. Clothes that are simple and natural—you tend to favor cotton, velvet and velour, but also more synthetic sports materials such as microfiber and viscose. Possibly clothes inspired by sportswear and sometimes the outdoor style.
Rare sights in your wardrobe:
Mile-high heels, tight corsages and bling-bling. Clothes made from stiff fabrics. Fitted clothes that make you feel constricted. Clothes that are too delicately feminine or classically conservative. However, you may own a blazer that you use to sharpen up the more casual look. You tend to use very few accessories, or if you’re among the braver ones, you pair your clothes with accessories in stark contrast to your core, for instance highly bohemian, feminine or rock-chick.
Brands with a casual style:
Adidas by Stella McCartney, Isabel Marant, Rabens Saloner.
People with a casual core:
Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz.
The casual-core clothes are characterized by:
The automatic notion of “comfort” popping up in your head when looking at them—and they will indeed be comfortable to wear. Comfort is the main focus behind your choice of clothes. Trendy or not is off less importance.