Wardrobe Patterns and Myers-Briggs Explained
Today, I want to focus specifically on Myers-Briggs explained in relation to your signature style – particularly how your type influences your tendency toward either expansive or minimalist wardrobes.
When I first started investigating Myers-Briggs, I was looking for an established personality system that would speak to personal style. But initially, I couldn’t decode the pattern. Many style experts don’t think there is one.When I started listening to Personality Hacker and really began to understand the cognitive functions, I found myself using Myers-Briggs to understand people and to help my friends, but even then, it wasn’t immediately obvious how it related to style preferences.
It was only when I began to understand the dynamics of type at a more advanced level that I started seeing connections between personality type and wardrobe patterns. What I’m sharing today comes from that observation and analysis – not just of clients, but of how cognitive functions actually manifest in real people’s wardrobes.
The Tertiary Function: Your Style “Wild Card”
In Myers-Briggs theory, each personality type has four main cognitive functions arranged in a specific order. The third function – what we call the tertiary function – is associated with the Eternal Child archetype in John Beebe’s 8 function model. In Personality Hacker’s car model, this is your 10 year old. This is a function that is playful and approval seeking.
It is also always in the same attitude as the dominant function; that is, pointed the same direction or used in the same world. Extraverts naturally lean into their extraverted functions, while introverts lean into their introverted functions. The tertiary function often creates a distinctive pattern in how we approach our wardrobes, especially before we’ve fully integrated our auxiliary (parent) function.
Wardrobe & Myers-Briggs Explained: Extraverts
Let’s start with Extraverted Judging (EJ) types – the ENFJ, ENTJ, ESFJ, and ESTJ personalities. These types lead with an extraverted decision-making function (either Thinking or Feeling) and are often known for being organized and structured.
ENFJs and ENTJs: Tertiary Extraverted Sensing (Se)
ENFJs and ENTJs have tertiary Se (Extraverted Sensing), so they:
- May indulge in high-quality, sensory-pleasing pieces that offer immediate gratification and/or status recognition
- Often seek validation through the physical impact of their appearance, sometimes overinvesting in “power pieces” that command attention
ESFJs and ESTJs: Tertiary Extraverted Intuition (Ne)
In contrast, ESFJs and ESTJs have tertiary Ne (Extraverted Intuition), which creates a different pattern:
- Often accumulate “just in case” items, driven by excitement about future possibilities and scenarios
- May compensate for uncertainty about unpredictable scenarios by overpreparing with multiple options – like bringing extra layers ‘just in case’ the weather changes or packing significantly more than needed for trips
Extraverted Perceiving (EP) Types
Now let’s look at the EP types – ESTP, ESFP, ENTP, and ENFP – who lead with an extraverted information-gathering function (either Sensing or Intuition).
ESFPs and ENFPs: Tertiary Extraverted Thinking (Te)
ESFPs and ENFPs have tertiary Te (Extraverted Thinking), which influences their wardrobes in these ways:
- May overcompensate with rigid organizational systems or excessive categorization that seeks external validation for their competence. In other words, they may think they have to dress a certain way in order to be taken seriously
- Often swing between playful experimentation and controlling structure, and end up occasionally dressed wildly inappropriately.
ESTPs and ENTPs: Tertiary Extraverted Feeling (Fe)
ESTPs and ENTPs have tertiary Fe (Extraverted Feeling), creating these patterns:
- Frequently accumulate pieces that help them fit into different social groups, seeking approval through adaptable social presentation
- May become overly concerned with the reactions their style choices generate, and become a fashion victim
Wardrobe & Myers-Briggs Explained: Introverts
Now let’s explore how these patterns show up for introverts, who lead with introverted functions and whose tertiary functions maintain the same attitude preference (introverted functions for introverts).
Introverted Judging (IJ) Types
IJ types include INTJ, INFJ, ISTJ, and ISFJ. These types lead with an introverted perceiving function.
INTJs and ISTJs: Tertiary Introverted Feeling (Fi)
- May become unexpectedly emotional or sentimental about certain wardrobe pieces, keeping items for deeply personal reasons they struggle to articulate to others
- Often develop rigid “principles” about their style that seem arbitrary to others but satisfy their need for personal authenticity
INFJs and ISFJs: Tertiary Introverted Thinking (Ti)
- Can become overly analytical about their wardrobe, creating complex theoretical frameworks or categorization systems that don’t necessarily translate to practical use
- May seek validation through intellectual mastery of style concepts, collecting information and “perfect solutions” rather than actual clothing
Introverted Perceiving (IP) Types
Finally, let’s look at the IP types – ISTP, ISFP, INTP, and INFP – who lead with an introverted decision-making function.
ISTPs and ISFPs: Tertiary Introverted Intuition (Ni)
- May become fixated on finding the “perfect” foundational pieces that align with some internal vision, paradoxically leading to both minimalism and perpetual dissatisfaction
- Often create overly symbolic meanings for certain items, attributing almost mystical significance to pieces that represent their aspirational identity
INTPs and INFPs: Tertiary Introverted Sensing (Si)
- Can become surprisingly rigid about comfort and familiarity, keeping worn-out favorites long past their practical lifespan due to emotional attachment
- May build collections around nostalgic periods or past identities, seeking validation through loyalty to their personal history and trusted experiences
How Type Development Changes Your Wardrobe
Type development and Myers-Briggs explained: As we mature and develop our auxiliary (parent, 2nd) function more fully (often in our 30s and 40s), our relationship with our wardrobe tends to evolve as the parent function moderates the childlike tertiary (3rd) function.
For example:
- The ESTJ with tertiary Ne might find their expansive wardrobe naturally streamlining as they develop their auxiliary Si, which helps them recognize what consistently works best
- The INTP with tertiary Si might move from rigid adherence to familiar items to a more balanced approach as their auxiliary Ne helps them explore new possibilities
- The INFJ with tertiary Ti might transition from theoretical style systems to more practical applications as their auxiliary Fe matures, focusing on real-world impact over perfect frameworks
Recently I started taking care of my daughter’s dog while she is at work, so I have the opportunity every day at lunch to go through her bedroom. I’ve been asking myself, “why does she have so many clothes?”
As an ESTJ, my 35-year-old daughter has collected alot of options. She probably has 25 pairs of pants, mostly jeans, and, as I said a few weeks ago, a sizable collection of vintage dresses.
What’s interesting is that I’ve noticed she’s starting to recognize that she has a lot of clothes and is beginning to pare down her collection. Her auxiliary Si is becoming more prominent, helping her identify which items she consistently wears and values, naturally leading to a more streamlined approach.
Myers-Briggs Explained Homework
This week, I have different activities depending on whether you identify more as an extravert or introvert:
For Extraverts (E types): Journal about this question: “How has your relationship with your wardrobe changed over the past decade? Are you collecting more, less, or differently than you did 10 years ago?”
For Introverts (I types): Choose one section of your closet and try on 3-5 items you haven’t worn in at least 6 months. As you try each piece, notice your internal response – is it still aligned with your current needs and how you want to express yourself?
For a comprehensive approach to determining your ideal wardrobe size, download my free Wardrobe Pyramid guide. It will help you calculate exactly how many pieces you need for each lifestyle segment, while honoring your personality’s natural preferences.
If you want to dive deeper into Myers-Briggs explained, check out my Personality Profiling service. It includes a comprehensive guide to the building blocks of your signature style. Or, if you already know your type, you can now buy the Personality Style Blueprint downloadable pdf guide.