I’ve learned extrovert traits to get by, but I’m not most comfortable being extrovert.

I find that our culture–and especially the internet, most particularly fashion forums :)–is geared toward the extrovert. The harder, louder, more you say your opinion, the more influence you have. Now of course, your opinion could be dead wrong and you could actually be passing bad information and possibly doing damage, but you’re right because you’re the biggest presence.

Shoes: Introvert; suede, muted colors, flats, laces. Extravert: pointy toes, heels, patent leather.

See my posts this week on Yin-Yan dressing!… See More

Culture is biased against introverts indeed, no doubt. They make less money, are less powerful in society and politics, have less influence among their friends.

Karen

Christine - thanks for pointing that out. I know there are days when I just don’t feel as confident or whatever and I prefer more subtle clothing.

A couple of other things about me: I’ve mentioned before that I’m a bit on the shy side, so the advice given by most outgoing people to invite people over and so on … well, the inviting is a bit draining for me. It’s getting better, because we’ve lived in the same place for almost 13 years. I do better when I can just show up and there are friendly people there. I love being the “check-in” person at events!

And I also need a fair piece of alone time, time to think. But as a stay at home person, that’s not difficult for me to manage most of the time.

About people in general: I suspect there are alot more variations than simply introvert or extrovert. For example, I think I’m both introvert and extrovert, more extrovert. But I think my hero is neither introvert nor extrovert, more introvert. Does that make sense?

In society, I think we do sometimes value the extrovert more. As my mother used to say though, “Still waters run deep” and often it’s the quiet person is the most interesting. I think extroverts sometimes believe that introverts don’t like them. But most extroverts are also excellent listeners and they want to get to know everybody.

As for style, I think I do fit into the extrovert category. But I know when I’m ill, and hiding from the world, I prefer to blend in, I dress very much like an introvert.

Regarding the other question, I think Elana has it - “society” is necessarily interactive, therefore intrinsically extroverted. Or, perhaps, extroverts’ notions of how people are supposed to interact dominate expectations, just because extroverts make so much more noise. Also, I think it’s safe to say that most extroverts really don’t “get it” when it comes to introverts’ preferences. (”Nobody would ever want to be alone by choice, would they? Let’s go save the sad people from their solitude!” Ugh. Go away and be quiet.)

Is your initial reaction to the question to do with the less-than-communal tendency of the modern mode of living? Because I can buy that, and I believe that’s something felt especially by people in “transitional” life seasons. But it’s a feeling that does say “extrovert” to me, because the thought of living in, say, Mediterranean (and most historical) cultures where isolation is a non-option literally horrifies me. (But I’m an extreme case - I’ve been known to get cranky when I can’t self-check my own groceries. Working on that.)

Vildy - the Italians are somewhat like that too, although not maybe as intense. Must be a Med thing.

My thinking behind bold prints associated to introversion was these two things: bold prints can be a bit intimidating, giving an introvert the space they need to initiate contact, and bold prints are often those with greater visual space.

Jenna - I once took a personality and gifting series of tests (I think it was Willow Creek’s leadership deal) and came out exactly evenly split between introversion and extraversion! That is, there were 9 questions and I had marked 4 for each, but couldn’t decide on the 9th. I definitely need both. But if I had to choose one way or the other for the rest of my life, I’d choose extravert. It’s also, I think, the more challenging to manage, because it’s dependent on other people.