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ICONS | Tomboy Style Archetypes


I've organized the book (out April 3rd!) by seven archetypes of tomboy style: The Sophisticate, The Prep, The Naturalist, The Rebel, The Girl Next Door, The Jock and The Adventuress. Lately, this subject has been coming up a lot in conversation or out at dinner—people ask the questions: Which one are you? and Which one am I? It's fun to think about! I'd love to know, which archetype are you? Are you a mix of a few? Which one do you want to be more like?

Photos: Janelle Monae © Getty Images; Smith College © Getty Images; Nicky Bluhm © Noa Azoulay-Sclater of Feather Love Photography; Jane Asher © Getty Images; Susan Ford courtesy of The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library; Minnie Cushing © Getty Images; Osa Johnson courtesy of The Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum.
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marcella r said…
definitely a mix of the sophisticate, the rebel and the girl next door. a healthy mix, i like to think! ;)
March 22, 2012 at 7:10 PM
Claire said…
i am actually a mix of all of them except the sophisticate, sometimes i go through phases where i am mostly the rebel or the girl next door but most of the times i'm always a mix of them! this is so accurate!
March 22, 2012 at 7:28 PM
Annie said…
I tend toward the Prep and the Girl Next Door, with a little Sophisticate thrown in. Would love to channel more of the Rebel and the Adventuress.
March 22, 2012 at 7:38 PM
Lizzie said…
@Annie: me too, same exact thing for me. Ha.
March 22, 2012 at 7:39 PM
Kaleen said…
I think I'm a mix of the girl next door and the naturalist...and occasionally the others. Wish I was a little more rebellious and adventurous at times.
March 22, 2012 at 8:35 PM
shannon said…
definitely a combination between the rebel, jock and the adventuress!!

cant ask for anything else !!
March 22, 2012 at 10:59 PM
Allison said…
SO excited for the book to come out - I think I'm a mix of the Girl Next Door and the Prep...and maybe mixing in a little bit more of the Sophisticate as the years go by!
March 22, 2012 at 11:43 PM
Stacy said…
I like to think that I'm the prep, but I tend to fall into more of the Girl Next Door category. Pulling in more of the Sophisticate would be nice, but I often fall back into my comfy habits.
March 23, 2012 at 12:38 AM
viv said…
I think I'm prep/girl next door with a hint of rebel... no adventuress in me, sadly. Can't wait to get you book!
March 23, 2012 at 1:51 AM
Caroline Hancox said…
I guess I'd like to think I was a rebel but probably more girl next door!!
March 23, 2012 at 3:20 AM
Lexie said…
girl next door, for sure.
March 23, 2012 at 4:37 AM
Viktoria said…
I´m a neat freak and I think we tend to be prep. I go sophisticate when I dress upp.

I do love this blog, recently found it and surprisingly I find that it really sums up the style I go for (never really thougt of myself as a tomboy before). I love, love, love the ease and practicality and quality and un-fashioniness (but major stylishness!) of traditional men´s clothing. I know myself better thanks to you.
March 23, 2012 at 6:28 AM
Beth said…
Sophisticate in the winter, girl next door in the summer.
March 23, 2012 at 7:30 AM
Milena - juegos de vestir said…
I am a salad of them all but none of the jock ....
very interesting article ..
greetings ..
March 23, 2012 at 7:33 AM
Allie said…
Prep/Rebel during the winter, and Naturalist/Girl-Next-Door during the summer :)
March 23, 2012 at 8:57 AM
Catherine Fishback said…
I'd like to think I incorporate a little bit of all of these things into my style, depending on the day, but I'm probably mostly prep, jock, & girl next door. (Haha.. is it possible to be a mix of prep and jock at the same time?)
March 23, 2012 at 9:19 AM
Unknown said…
I'm definitely a girl next door and a naturalist (mostly because make-up is not my favorite thing to waste my time on). I really want to incorporate all of these styles - the sophisticate (like Janelle Monáe) is such a style inspiration!

xoxo,
mon amy
March 23, 2012 at 9:29 AM
Heidi said…
Prep and Girl next door mostly, but the others come out from time to time, except perhaps the rebel.
March 23, 2012 at 9:45 AM
nicole said…
I'm the girl next door who wants to be more like the rebel! xo.
March 23, 2012 at 10:26 AM
Gold Feather said…
Definitely a naturalist and adventurist but I want to be more of a rebel and I cant deny I am a prep and jock too!
March 23, 2012 at 1:11 PM
Mamavalveeta03 said…
Sadly, I'm the girl next door who longs to be the more exotic adventuress. But I toss in a little bit of the naturalist while vacuuming, if you get my drift ;-)
March 23, 2012 at 7:02 PM
Felicia Shelton said…
Still selling in Paris! I just put my photo of your book at Galignani on Twitter. So very happy for you! Love the book!
March 24, 2012 at 2:56 AM
lisa w. said…
The girl next door mostly now and the rebel definitely in my youth. Now as I age I think I'm moving more toward the prep, the sophisticate and hopefully the adventuress. Never been or will be the Jock!
March 24, 2012 at 11:12 AM
gia said…
I'm a mix of the jock and the girl next door.. I love this.
March 24, 2012 at 11:33 AM
kristin said…
The Naturalist & The Rebel mostly, with a bit of The Prep and The Girl Next Door thrown in here and there!
March 24, 2012 at 8:50 PM
mae said…
I think its hard to really categorize yourself into one mould, but what is really great about what you do is featuring outspoken, courageous, wise women, who looks forward to the next big road-trip, adventures, instead of the living for the next petty piece of gossip. They don't fit into expectations of other people about what being a girl really is. or what a girl should be interested and spending their time doing, they pursue their passion regardless of all that.

I love what you do, keep doing it. :)

peace and love, and all the best.
March 25, 2012 at 12:28 AM
Ringo, have a banana! said…
The Naturalist, with a touch of the Adventuress--or so I'd like to believe! Been reading "I Married Adventure" and it's truly amazing.
March 26, 2012 at 12:03 AM
Kelly said…
Prep and Girl Next Door-mix! Dress me in a pair of broken-in jeans, a striped tee, and a pair of boat shoes and I'm good!
March 26, 2012 at 7:48 AM
Kristin said…
This is very cool - I love seeing these style archetypes relating just to tomboy style vs. what we see in magazines: the over-done "classic," "girly," "bo-ho," and "wild" types. I would have to place myself somewhere in between the sophisticate and naturalist camps :)

PS. I found your blog recently and just wanted to let you know how much I really love it. Keep doing your thing.
March 26, 2012 at 8:50 AM
courtney said…
naturalist, but i yearn for adventuress!
March 26, 2012 at 10:46 AM
ANH Style said…
I think I am primarily The Sophisticate or The Prep, with a nod to The Girl Next Door. I think I'm in for the New York Marathon this year, so I hope to be more of The Jock this year!
March 26, 2012 at 1:10 PM
Jenny said…
I love Tomboy Style! And I also love how you categorized them into archetypes because I've never been able to pinpoint what kind I am. I just knew my style was always a bit tom boy. :)

As for the question at hand: I'm a mix of three! Prep in the fall, Sophisticate in the winter, Girl Next Door in the summer and spring! I would love to be more of the Rebel and the Adventuress some day, however. Sigh.
March 26, 2012 at 3:46 PM
Anonymous said…
I'm a mix of the Girl Next Door and the Prep, with a dash of the Sophisticate. Although I'm trying to work on being a bit more of the Adventuress. Hopefully opportunities will pop up once the weather gets warmer!
March 26, 2012 at 10:22 PM
Sketch42 said…
I think Im all of these!! Love love LOVE this blog.
March 27, 2012 at 8:23 AM
lindsay said…
this is probably my favorite blog, because i can so well identify with this... i'm a mix of the sophisticate and adventuress, but would love to be a little more naturalist. though i do have my rebel days :)
March 27, 2012 at 3:26 PM
Unknown said…
I think that i'm part Girl Next Door part Rebel & part Naturalist. I would like to add more Sophisticate.
March 27, 2012 at 10:54 PM
Susan said…
I'm the Naturalist, with a little Girl Next Door thrown in to tone down that whole 'crunchy granola' thing people have a tendency to label me with. ;)
March 30, 2012 at 3:12 PM
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
March 30, 2012 at 4:37 PM
Unknown said…
Cameron says...

Naturalist by default. High fash breaks the piggy bank. And I never wear shoes. Flip flops always. Is that work appropriate? Probs not. DO I care? Noooot really. So maybe rebel? Occasionally I venture out on a wet day with a jacket, keep the legs bare (skirt), shoes high enough to keep me out of puddles, and color combos that keep me findable in the monsoon. Sometimes I go rogue too. Wearing my own belt even if the threads came with. CAN'T STOP ME!
March 30, 2012 at 4:39 PM
xobley said…
“It doesn’t have butch connotations anymore.” why not? you'd have another archetype -- arguably the most devoted to the very aesthetic of masculinity. if you're afraid of losing your heteronormative appeal, you could probably get away with hilary swank in boys don't cry. fashion industry is missing an opportunity to sell expensive suits to this much underserved archetype ...
April 2, 2012 at 7:48 AM
xobley said…
NYT quoted you on sunday: “It doesn’t have butch connotations anymore.” why not? you'd have another archetype -- arguably the most devoted to the very aesthetic of masculinity. if you're afraid of losing your heteronormative appeal, you could probably get away with hilary swank in boys don't cry. fashion industry is missing an opportunity to sell expensive suits to this much underserved archetype ... i just spent 1500 bucks to get measured for suits by tailors based in hong kong. i'm going for "real" as they say in drag culture.
April 2, 2012 at 7:50 AM
jessica patrice said…
Congrats on the book release!!! I actually saw an ad for your book in the Sunday NY Times and screeched to my boyfriend at the breakfast table, "oh, oh, I love this blog" and I am really itching to get my hands on the books so hopefully it's at my local Powell's. So to the question at hand: I'm alittle Girl Next Door alittle Naturalist. Also, this isn't a category but I'm also going to say I'm a Pretty Tomboy too. I love bright colors and love alittle shine too--alittle goes a long way with me and they make me feel pretty.
April 3, 2012 at 1:54 PM
L said…
I think I'm an equal combination of the jock, the prep, and the girl next door with possible dashes the sophisticate thrown in. Just found this blog and I think it's great; its definitely on my read list now!
April 3, 2012 at 2:46 PM
Lauren C.T. said…
I'm definitely a combo: mostly the girl next door, with a little bit of the prep and the naturalist mixed in. :)
April 4, 2012 at 10:22 AM
h-fashion said…
wow, it's so exciting to wait for its coming.
June 25, 2012 at 11:44 PM
Luz - juegos gratis said…
Fantastic blog! I love this post
June 28, 2012 at 7:54 PM
Em said…
Jock and naturalist, with some prep undertones. Definitely a rebel in my teens, but now in my twenties I've mellowed out a lot. Great blog!
July 29, 2012 at 5:09 PM
Tricia in SF said…
Wow I’m so happy I found this blog. I'm a lesbian and actually on the tomboy side of life. I never really felt comfortable in women’s clothes, but always too nervous to dress in my tomboy style. Thanks to finding this blog I'm no longer going to hide my love of being a tomboy. I am a mix of soft butch and tomboy. And proud.
April 9, 2013 at 3:10 PM
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