09/07/2026
Today on Gatekept, I’m taking you through one of my favorite seasonal exercises…creating characters.
There’s no need to scrap your existing wardrobe when a new season rolls around but I am a big believer in a little reinvention. Change can be good!
For this guide, I created 12 personas and 24 outfits to go along with them.
The Reader. Emotionally attached to the book in her purse that she has never once read in public. She likes the illusion of being able to read at any given time!
The Host doesn’t sweat the small stuff. The small stuff sweats her.
The Preppette keeps the codes of prep but rejects the stiffness that tends to follow. The silhouettes are 80s. The hair is also 80s. Evidence of a horse phase persists.
The Romantic remains convinced that ordinary life can produce serendipitous chance encounters. Don’t let her easy going nature fool you, she runs a tight ship.
The Artist believes in an unfinished look. It’s all about the composition and deceptively simple pieces. Big advocate for stopping at perfection.
The Guest understands that having a good time is a civic duty. Will buy you the “just for fun!” gift you included on your registry.
The Drop-off is more polished that she feels. Always battling the enormous tote for the location of her car keys, which are buried under loose baby teeth in ziplocs and trash her kids “didn’t want to hold.” Can be kind of a trending lip balm victim but we won’t fault her for that.
The Southerner believes everything is a sign, particularly cardinals. Her apartment smells like Capri Blue and madagascar vanilla bean. Has a deep seated longing for chunky sweaters but can’t wear them until January.
The Busybody is a former “joy to have in class.” She has flat shoes and keeps a surgical eye on her calendar. She adheres to the laws of physics: an object in motion, stays in motion. An eldest daughter, probably. Has strong opinions about when to arrive at the airport.
The Bohemian Academic has bookish shoes and unusual accessories because it’s important to represent both sides of your brain. Has a ceramics class later if you want to tag along!
The Optimist believes deeply that a striped sweater is a perfect fi
