Happy July afternoon, dear readers!

Lately, I have fallen down a very specific rabbit hole.

And by rabbit hole, I mean the kind where you open Pinterest to find outfit inspiration and suddenly you are three hours deep analyzing whether a dress belongs to your woodland fairy Pinterest board, an enchanted princess board, or a wizard board.

(As one does.)

I have always been fascinated by personal style. Not just trends or what is popular, but the deeper question behind style:

Why are we drawn to the things we are drawn to? Why do certain outfits, rooms, colors, and objects immediately feel like “us”? Why can two people wear the same trend but somehow look like they belong to completely different aesthetics or have totally different vibes?

Recently, I came across Ellie Jean’s Style Theory and I was immediately intrigued.

I really loved the idea behind it: that personal style is not just about finding clothes that look good, but about understanding the patterns behind what we naturally gravitate toward.

I like to think that style is storytelling. Our closets, homes, and Pinterest boards are often little collections of the worlds we wish we belonged to.

However, while I really appreciated Ellie Jean’s theory, I never fully found myself fitting into it. Not because I thought it was wrong or anything, just to be clear. Actually, I think it is a really creative and thoughtful way to approach style. But I realized that my brain approaches aesthetics a little differently and has a bit of a different lean. I don’t just look at an outfit and think, “I like that dress.”

My brain immediately goes:

“That looks like a fairy’s ball gown!”

“That looks like a Wizard’s casual fit.”

“If I were a knight, I would wear THAT.”

(Yes, this is how my brain works. No, I cannot turn it off.)

I realized that I didn’t just connect with style through categories. I connected with style through stories. Specifically, fantastical creatures and characters that are associated with these stories that we often see in popular media. And that is where my fantasy-inspired style theory came from.

The Fantasy Style Theory

The idea is simple:

Your personal style can be understood through seven fantasy archetypes.

These archetypes are not meant to tell you who you are as a person. They are not necessarily personality tests. Instead, they are a fun way to describe the themes, feelings, and imagery that you are naturally drawn toward.

The seven primary archetypes are:

👑 Princess — Beauty

The Princess is drawn to elegance, romance, softness, and things that feel special.

🌿 Goblin — Nature

The Goblin loves the organic, handmade, collected, and earthy.

🛡 Knight — Structure

The Knight values craftsmanship, practicality, order, and strength.

🔮 Wizard — Wonder

The Wizard is curious, imaginative, and drawn toward mystery, knowledge, and magic.

🐉 Dragon — Power

The Dragon embraces confidence, intensity, drama, and richness.

🧜 Mermaid — Flow

The Mermaid loves movement, elegance, emotion, and things connected to water.

😇 Angel — Peace

The Angel is drawn toward serenity, harmony, spirituality, and lightness.

Rule One: Primary Archetypes

Most people will not fit into only one archetype. Actually, I think the fun comes from mixing them together.

Maybe you are mostly Princess with a little Wizard. Maybe you are a Goblin who loves Knight structure. Maybe you are even a Dragon who secretly loves soft Angel details.

Your style is a recipe in a sense. And these seven main archetypes are the ingredients. Now, onto rule number TWO!

Rule Two: Child Archetypes

When two archetypes combine, they create a new expression.

Examples:

👑 Princess + 🌿 Goblin = Fairy

👑 Princess + 🔮 Wizard = Enchantress

🌿 Goblin + 🔮 Wizard = Druid

🛡 Knight + 😇 Angel = Paladin

🔮 Wizard + 🧜 Mermaid = Sea Witch

These combinations create smaller aesthetics that blend the qualities of both archetypes.

Rule Three: Major Aesthetics

When three archetypes combine, they create even more specific aesthetics.

Examples:

👑 Princess + 🧜 Mermaid + 😇 Angel = Venus

🌿 Goblin + 🔮 Wizard + 😇 Angel = Cottagecore

🛡 Knight + 🧜 Mermaid + 🐉 Dragon = Lighthouse Keeper

👑 Princess + 🔮 Wizard + 😇 Angel = The King’s Seer

These combinations are where the storytelling really starts to happen. You can also go HIGHLY specific from here.

Rule Four: Emphasis Matters

This is one of the most important rules. The recipe matters, but the proportions matter too (Just like with baking!).

Two people can have the same archetypes and create completely different aesthetics depending on what they emphasize.

For example:

🌿 Goblin + 🛡 Knight + 😇 Angel

With more Angel:
A peaceful pilgrim aesthetic. Soft, simple, spiritual, serene.

With more Knight:
A forest guardian aesthetic. Practical, protective, structured.

With more Goblin:
A woodland caretaker aesthetic. Earthy, handmade, collected.

Same ingredients, but you can end up with a totally different “flavor”.

Rule Five: Modifiers

Sometimes someone resonates with more than three archetypes.

Those extra archetypes become modifiers. It is important to note, however, that modifiers do not replace your main aesthetic. They add another fun little layer to the overall aesthetic.

For example:

A Princess + Wizard + Angel might be a King’s Seer.

Add a Dragon modifier, and suddenly the aesthetic becomes richer, darker, and more mysterious.

Add a Goblin modifier, and it becomes more nature-focused and earthy.

Think of modifiers like adding spices to a recipe. (Yes, I know I keep comparing style to cooking. I stand by it. Also, I’m not a great baker so let me have this.)

Rule Six: Distillations

Each archetype also has a pure expression. (Still workshopping these tbh)

👑 Princess → Muse

🌿 Goblin → Forager

🛡 Knight → Champion

🔮 Wizard → Alchemist

🐉 Dragon → Sovereign or Empress

🧜 Mermaid → Tidekeeper or Leviathan (Still thinking about this one)

😇 Angel → Saint

These are the strongest expressions of each individual archetype.

The Purpose of the Theory

At the end of the day, this is not about putting yourself into a box. I want it to be about giving yourself more language to understand what you already love. You can be a Princess who wears combat boots, A Knight who loves pink, A Dragon who collects flowers, and even a Wizard who lives in a cottage.

The point is not to follow the rules. Or box youself into a highly specific category. The point is to discover the story you are already telling.

Because, in this theory, personal style is not just about what we wear. Maybe it is about tapping into the little fantasy world we create around ourselves. Pretty cool, huh?

ANYWAYS, sorry for the info dump, and thank you for making it all the way through this post. Feel free to leave your thoughts below!

Hello, friends! It’s been a minute, so I thought it was time to check in with a little life update. Some exciting changes have happened recently. The kind of changes that come with cat hair on your clothes and a hard hat in your car.

So let’s get into it.

Meet Lori and Midna

First things first, I got cats. Yes, plural. Two tiny creatures who rule my life with a mix of adorable chaos and constant naps.

● Lori is my white kitten. His full name is Lorrian because every cat needs a slightly dramatic name to match their mysterious personality (he is anything but. He screams at me day and night for love and cuddles). Lori is playful, curious, and oh-so-needy. He desires cuddles at all hours of the day and makes that need known.

● Midna is the queen of the house. She’s my sleek, black cat, full of charm and just a touch of mischief. If you’ve ever played Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, you already know the inspiration behind her name. Midna has the vibe of a cat who knows all your secrets and still loves you anyway though she might judge you a little.

Having two cats has been such a comfort. They keep life entertaining and, somehow, their little purrs can turn a stressful day around in an instant.

I’m an Environmental Scientist!

In bigger news, I officially started my career as an environmental scientist. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that I get to say that out loud. It’s been an adjustment, for sure. The early mornings, lots of learning, and a hefty dose of responsibility are just a few factors I’m trying to navigate with some level of grace and maturity (along with the fear of failure at ANYTHING.) but I’m so grateful to have landed a job right out of college. It’s one thing to dream about contributing to conservation and environmental work; it’s another to step into the field and do it. I am very blessed and I don’t want to ever NOT acknowledge that.

Some days are filled with fieldwork, which makes me feel like I’m back on the farm, in my element with fresh air and soil under my boots. Other days involve reports, lab safety videos, and presentations, which are equally important (but slightly less glamorous). The balance has been a learning curve, but I’m enjoying it so far though I still have TONS to learn.

Adjusting to This New Chapter

I won’t lie to you guys- life after college feels like I’m faking it till you make it. I think I’ve got it figured out one minute and then feel like I can’t make it in this big world the next. There are moments of confidence followed by flashes of doubt, and that’s okay. I think the most surprising lesson I’ve learned is that nobody really has it all together. We’re all just doing the best we can, whether we’re starting new jobs, adopting pets, or figuring out how to cook something other than spaghetti or tacos.

Between Lori attacking my shoelaces, Midna napping on my laptop, and work keeping me on my toes, life feels full. It’s not perfect, but it’s good. And I’m thankful for that.

That’s it for now! Tell me what’s new with you in the comments—I want to hear about your pets, job wins, or even just the small victories keeping you going. Until next time, I’ll be over here, trying to keep my white kitten from drinking toilet water and my black cat off my keyboard.

Take care!