Myers-Briggs and Thinking vs Feeling
In this article I’m going to explain what the T or F means in your Myers Briggs type. You probably already know that it means thinking or feeling. These are judging functions. It has to do with the criteria we use to make decisions and I am going to tie it in to how to apply your preference to your wardrobe decisions.
At the dichotomy level, the F or T in your four letter code stands for feeling or thinking. In truth, everyone feels and everyone thinks. The question is which criteria do you prioritize when making decisions? Personal criteria, that is, pertaining to people, or impersonal, that is, pertaining to data and metrics?
If we go a level deeper to the cognitive functions, we find two different flavors of each preference, an extroverted version and an introverted version. That is what we were going to talk about with regard to how you dress.
How I became interested in Style Personality
Last week I talked a little bit about when I got started in the art and science of personal style. Shortly after I discovered The Triumph of Individual Style by Carla Mathis (affiliate link), another homeschooling mom in my community invited me and my daughters and some other moms and daughters to go through the book together. We also went through the book Fabulous You! by Tori Hartman (affiliate link) about style personality. I drew inspiration from the ideas in that book for my quiz, which I created during lockdown, and only later figured out some of the connections to Myers-Briggs.
Using the Myers-Briggs Thinking and Feeling cognitive functions in your style decisions
If your Myers-Briggs code ends in a J, it means your primary judging function – the F or the T – is forward facing, that is, used in the exterior world.
Extraverted Feeling
Extraverted feeling uses personal criteria to make decisions in the outer world. It does things like mapping the web of relationships, understanding and influencing culture, and responding in real time to get peoples needs met.
For what to wear, the focus will be on those outer world, personal criteria. If this is you, you probably never want to wear something that would make someone else uncomfortable and you likely understand naturally what is appropriate and on trend. Dressing as such will make you look like who you actually are.
Extraverted Thinking
Extroverted thinking as a decision-making function is all about using impersonal criteria like data and metrics to get stuff done in the outer world.
When it comes to dressing, the extroverted thinking user is focused less on pleasing others and more on the impact they want to make. Their clothes should be practical for the activities and they will also be chosen according to the impression they want to make in their setting.
With both extroverted judging functions, if your first letter is an E, you should consider adding a little bit of in charge flavor to your luxe. If your first letter is high, you may be more comfortable in safer looks, looks built on neutrals or that are similar to what everyone else around you is wearing. You may not want to stand out too much.
Now, on to the introverted judging functions. This is if your type ends in a P.Â
Introverted Feeling
Introverted feeling is the process that prioritizes personal criteria in the inner world. When making decisions, it is focused on motives, values, intentions. It is highly interested in peoples stories and the human experience.
To visually communicate the priority of introverted feeling, the look is likely to be highly individual and self expressive, maybe even a touch of romantic.
Introverted Thinking
And, finally, introverted thinking. If introverted feeling is focused on clean motives, introverted thinking is focused on having a clean thought process and a lot of data! It distances self from information to make unbiased decisions.
In my mind, this is the person who can and should do some version of a uniform or capsule, weather decisions are mostly made ahead of time. It’s all about what makes sense to the person.
Extroverts using either of the introverted judging functions may want their clothing to be a little bit casual and free and they may enjoy more options. Introverted versions can go very minimal, even black pants and a black T-shirt every day, if that’s appropriate for your setting.
Application: Myers-Briggs and Thinking vs Feeling
Take the lens of your Myers-Briggs type and your decision-making function and look over your wardrobe. Are there things you never wear because they offend your decision-making criteria?
And if you aren’t sure about your type, I can help with that. Check out my package The Overnighter to get conversational personality profiling plus a color palette and save $40 thru the month of April by using code episode28.
Thanks for being here. Have fun being you!