People are always ranting (often humorously) about the different “types” of people there are out there; for example: the types of drunks, the types of brown girls, and types of friends. Well, now it’s my turn to rant, except I’m not trying to be funny here – just stating my observations.

Fashion is a broad, broad concept. There is no certain “look” that can solely define the term “fashion”. It is presented in a variety of styles, trends, patterns, materials, sizes, cuts, etc. As a University student, I see and meet girls of all types, whether it is in passing or sitting next to me in class; I like to observe their sense of style. Of course going to a school away from the GTA means that the average chick does not usually dress-up to go to class, so the benefit of the doubt is given! And no, I am not judging them based on the clothing on their back. I’m just checking out their outfit because well, I love fashion! And let’s be honest, girls dress up to impress other girls – not guys.

So after much thought, I narrowed down the various styles into seven of the most common ones that I come across on a daily basis. Which category would you place yourself under?

1. The Hipster

The hipster girl has “SWAG” written all over it: the large, rectangular frames (or those darn 3D glasses), the slouched toque, the piercings and tattoos, fresh sneakers, camo print, “religious” symbols (in no particular order). Although, the original hipster was seen as an individual who rejected the mainstream views, had an elitist taste in music, and predominantly shopped at thrift stores as an act against consumerism; the modern-day hipster does not keep up. They are, in fact, the new “mainstream”, their taste in music may vary, and they have a large variety of clothing ranging from Value Village to Urban Outfitters.

2. The Classy-Sassy
She’s got a little bit of class and a little bit of sass. This girl’s outfits are prim, proper, and often a little prude. She seamlessly transitions her outfits from professional to casual with a simple change of shoes or accessories – and is never a slave to the latest “trends”. Most of her pieces are timeless and even considered high fashion. But don’t get it twisted – she isn’t cocky, she’s confident. And she often dresses a little older than she looks. Expect her to have stunning and regularly update collection of heels and purses (she is obsessed, I’m sure of it). Her wardrobe ranges anywhere from Zara to Club Monaco (she must definitely have a job to afford those prices!).

3. The Mannequin

A walking, talking, storefront mannequin; never mind the physique, pay attention to what she’s wearing – from head to toe she is straight from the New Arrivals section. Spikes, skulls, crosses, and cheetah print – she is held captive by the trendiest of trends. She stays on top of her game by paying regular visits to the mall, keeping the online shopping tabs open, or even by endlessly scrolling through Tumblr/Instagram. She is always dressed to impress and looking fresh to death – but let’s be honest, she’s also that girl with the paragraph of hash tags under her Instagram picture. #ootd, #wiwt, #instastyle, #instagain, #ootn, #ighub, #fashion, #self, and the list goes on! Expect to see her sporting the latest from Forever21, H&M, or even Sirens. With that kind of quantity, prices must be affordable!

4. The “Cali” Girl

Now, when I say Cali girl, I don’t mean a skinny, blonde chick with the itty-bitty bikini on. I’m talking TNA, Uggs, crop tops with leggings, lace tops, etc. etc. She sports her natural beach waves, a messy bun, or a simple braid. Her style is effortless and comfortable (for the most part). She usually sticks to lighter, subtler colours and prints – rather than the bold, pop-out look; and she goes easy on the accessories. Although she’s well equipped for the winter days with her TNA parka and classic Uggs, the summer is definitely her season! Most of her clothes will be from stores like Garage or Pink.

5. The Outdated

For lack of a better word, this girl’s wardrobe is simply outdated. She is a firm believer in reusing, reducing, and recycling. Aside from the handful of recent, trendier purchases, which she may save for special occasions, she still proudly rocks clothes from high school (or where ever she was 5+ years ago). Sweater dresses, bell-bottom jeans with the big buckled belt, cropped zip-up hoodies, high-top Air Force Ones with the tongue sticking out. She probably still has her collection of Roca wear, Baby Phat, Exco, or Phat Farm still hung up neatly in her closet as well. I envy her ability to save her money for things other than clothing (my confession as a shopaholic, I cannot save money even if my life depended on it… which it does). On the bright side, fashion is an on-going cycle, so the clothes that she still has will probably come back in style eventually (but not the brands). Where does she shop? She doesn’t shop enough!

6. The Tomboy

We all know how this girl looks: sweatpants, hair tied, chillin’ with no makeup on. She has sweatpants ranging from one end to the other. From the grey scale to hoodies in all colours of the rainbow. And let’s not forget the SHOES! Keds, Chucks, Nikes and Timberlands! Some of these girls are the full tomboy package: along with the clothing, they’re also sports enthusiasts, gamers, and have no clue how to use an eyeliner or straightener. And then there are others who are tomboys in the fashion sense, but still act like girls in every other way. But when these tomboys ditch the sweatpants and get dolled up from head to toe (with the help of her friends), everyone’s like “DAAAMN! Is that really you?!”. She is very limited in the selection of stores she shops at, such as Foot Locker or Bluenotes.

7. The Daredevil

The daredevil is incomparable; no two daredevils are alike. What makes them unique is very simply their uniqueness. I have very rarely come across a dare devil in person, but there are definitely some out there, aside from the celebrities (like Madonna, M.I.A., and Rihanna, to name a few). A lot of girls are more recently inspired to find their inner dare devil. They are trendsetters. They may incorporate some fashion trends into their outfits, but overall, their get-up is a product of their own creativity, and therefore difficult to duplicate. They are bold and edgy when mixing colours, prints, and materials. To ensure maximum originality, they don’t have 1 or 2 regularly visited stores; they pick and choose from anywhere and everywhere. The high-end daredevil will shop from a variety of designers, but the local daredevil shops all over the place, and even thrift shops regularly for hidden gems (because those pieces are nearly impossible to duplicate!)

Although there are probably more “types” of fashionistas out there, these are the top seven that I come across on a daily basis. My descriptions paint a picture of the most typical of its kind, and is not meant to offend any sense of style. If you cannot categorize yourself in any one of these categories, not to worry! You are probably a combination of various looks, or you probably don’t care enough to portray a particular look.