"As any artist will tell you, it is possible to break the rules successfully, but first you must know what the rules are."

The MyPersonalStyle Unity Quiz

Check your Style IQ

If you’ve read Fashion Themes or if you’ve visited the YOUnity Boutique, you’ve had an introduction to and a sampling of "unity." When everything in a given composition "goes together," and there is nothing that doesn't belong, you have unity. This is sometimes called a "pulled-together" look. The designs are harmonious and tend to hang together in a unified motif.

If you think of an outfit as an artistic composition, you can create unity -- balance, harmony, and singleness of effect -- in the same way an artist creates unity. You do this by choosing components that "go together." This is not the same as simply choosing colors that harmonize, but all of the particulars: lines, shapes, textures, and the emotions and imagery they evoke. These are the components of a fashion theme.

There is a school of thought that "opposites attract." Many women (and highly paid designers) attempt to add a twist, or a surprise juxtaposition of materials or other facets that don't go together. These looks often become popular (e.g., the rhinestones and denim of many years ago), but they inevitably become dead fads because they break time-honored rules of composition.

As any artist will tell you, it is possible to break the rules successfully, but first you must know what the rules are. And to be truly successful, to create YOUnity, requires that you treat yourself -- your skin, hair, eyes, figure, and your personality -- as the central theme of your composition. You are not a mere canvas requiring a good coat of paint. You are the main subject, the inspiration for the work itself -- and the painter!

The MyPersonalStyle Unity Quiz is an attempt to reintroduce you to various styles, colors, and fabrics in a way you may not have previously thought of them. Each question presents four possible items: colors, fabrics, even hair styles. One of the four clashes with the other three in terms of fashion personality. The question each time is, "Which item doesn't belong?"

You will not necessarily like or dislike any particular group of items, but try to identify those that are harmonious with one another even if you don't care for them. This doesn't mean your preferences are unimportant; quite the opposite, in fact, as your likes and dislikes will give you more valuable clues to your Fashion Personality and move you closer to understanding YOUnity.

Ready? Okay, click here to begin the quiz.