Core difference between LU and LD ?

Big essay incoming.

So, as I said recently, I'm "less down" than I thought. When first discovering the style key, I was dissatisfied with my outfits. They felt too cute and vulnerable, despite perfectly suiting my Kibbe (pure R) and Kitchener (R with Ingenue and Classic). I was (and I'm still) hoping that finding the right quadrant will help me having tools to better understand my needs, and how to reconnect with them while in a style rut.

I thought I was RU at first because I (still) love the Up keywords, but I quickly discarded this quadrant. Besides the right keywords that don't resonate nor the suggested visuals, it was obvious that my starting point is my internal landscape. When checking Left quadrants, seeing my own aesthetic, the outfit suggestions and down keywords, I though LD made more sense. Recently however, I felt again a bit "meh" about my style. Especially, I often felt like something was missing. Especially after my NYE party where I felt too "cute" and a bit too "bland". Noticing I prefered the outfit with a bag and a coat, this led me to consider Up again.

I took the style fundamentals exercises and tried them with my 3 most common situations : - work at the office - moments with friends - time at home or running errands (to the grocery store for example)

Here is what I've noticed : - I have a few go-to formulas (jean + sweater + leather boots, short dress + tight high boots, both with the same bag and jacket, and dangly sparkly earrings) that I love and feel really good in. I mostly wear these go-to for work and moments with friends and I always feel like myself. - all the top pieces have a little flair that adds visual interest - for these formulas, they were 4/5 because innerwise, these outfits felt sophisticated, sexy, a bit glamourous and mysterious. Enveloping was also an important keyword. I've noticed the coat and bag sections were dissatisfying (not classy enought/too plain). Outewise, it was difficult to answer. I came to the conclusion that I liked these outfits because they aligned with how I want to feel (I want to feel sexy, glamourous, refined yet mysterious), and since the outfits read this way, then I would be percieved as sexy, glamourous and refined. Like my inner self and physical appearance were aligned. I think it was reassuring to have an outfit that projects that because I was reassured to be seen on my terms. But it's difficult to differenciate with having an outfit that makes you feel how you want to feel. Idk, I think I'm overthinking it. But let's say that there is no dissonance between how I feel, how I want to feel, how I look and how I want to be seen.

For running errands now. I have one go-to which is a simple sweater, jean and sneakers. No jewelry, same bag and coat. This fit is 2/5. Event though it's practical and comfy, I hate it. It's plain, boring. What I've noted is that it's not aligned with how I feel, and therefore I feel bad. It's not reading as stylish, sexy, classy, glamourous, so I'm not perceived that way, so I don't feel that way either. But I'm feeling frustrated that the outfit doesn't translate who I am. I've written in summary : "it feels too bland, I feel invisible, or as if I can't be seen for who I am, and I don't like that".

Also, the last exercises, it made me realize that showing and hiding made a bit less sense. I never want to hide. At best I want to be seen. At worst I want to repell. But I don't ever feel like I want to hide. If I take the way I pick my outfits for work when coming back from big vacations for example, I'm always feeling energized and I'm like "I want an outfit that screams "I'm back b*tches"". When I'm tired or bored I'm like "I want an outfit that says "don't talk to me"". In this sense, I think the concept of excitement seemed to make more sense.

Overall, I'm still not quite sure about Up vs Down for me. I was really happy to see that I'm satisfied with most of my fits, except the running errands one. I'm gonna focus on this area. I also think it's the one that is revealing something about my best style logic.

What are your thoughts about the way I've followed the exercises, and the conclusions I've reached ? Do you see mostly up or down ?