What is style? Can it be learned, or do you have to be born with it? Style is deeply personal and depending on which of the 16 style types you prefer, you’ll approach it quite uniquely. Each of the 16 style types approaches their style journey differently. In this article we’re going to discuss the Enterprising Stylist, ENTP: The Style Chameleon.
Before We Get Into ENTP
Here at 16 Style Types we differentiate between style essence and style expression, and our focus is on style essence. Which is why you won’t find any specific style advice on your style expression in this article such as which colors, silhouettes, styles of clothing, brands and so on will suit you – and that’s because your style essence doesn’t determine or even indicate what those elements of style expression might be.
Women with the same Style Type, for a variety of important reasons, may not find the same kinds of clothing suit them. What they will have in common, though, are similar ways of acquiring trusted information, evaluating options, making choices, and experiencing style in significant ways, which are the concepts we focus on in this article.
Any images in this post are to act solely as possible interpretations of the spirit of this Style Type, (not as a literal example of what this Style Type may wear, might suit them or what they may choose to wear, and certainly not as a recommendation of what they should be wearing). The images exist only to illustrate and illuminate, not mandate or dictate.
The articles are also published in their Style Type pairs showcasing images which may serve to illustrate the differences (again in essence) in those pairs – so here that means ENTP with INTP.
The Enterprising Stylist, ENTP: The Style Chameleon
For many ENTPs, style is a total look. It can mean you’re presenting a soft, flowing look, or a powerful, sharp look. Style is best when it’s congruent, when the outfit, makeup, hair, and even the demeanour, are all consistent with one another. Many ENTPs have come to learn that style is very important and is something deep and psychological that each woman needs to figure out for herself.
“I was working in a bank and recruited in many graduates. I was told the graduates were complaining about what they must wear, to adhere to the corporate dress code. I addressed them, wearing a tailored navy-blue Armani pantsuit. I told them that the impact of clothing is very powerful. It may not be fair, but it’s a fact. I asked them what they would think of me if I was wearing a short leather skirt, fishnet stockings, mile-high patent heels? I had their attention! I said, “My role won’t have changed, personality or positional power won’t have changed but your impression of me will”. We didn’t have a problem after that.”.
ENTPs are strategic thinker and idea generators. They see possibilities all around them and are excellent at enrolling others into their big picture schemes. Competency-driven, ENTPs thrive when gathering knowledge on new and interesting topics and generating options that previously didn’t exist. Not excited by detailed follow-through, ENTPs make great devils’ advocates and debaters, and excel when disrupting traditional viewpoints and ways of doing things. They’re clever, curious, creative, conceptual.
Ways ENTPs can get their style moving
Here are seven ways ENTPs can get their style moving in the right direction.
Recognize the need for style
For ENTPs, finding their style may come slowly, later in life or via a prompt or catalyst. Sometimes this prompt comes in the form of an insight – realizing she may be being overlooked, be missing out on opportunities, or be not taken as seriously as she would like because her image is letting her down.
Grasp your style insight
It can be a significant realization, a shock even, that image can and does communicate and influence other people’s perceptions – competency being the touchstone many ENTPs hold as more important than anything else, including things potentially deemed superficial, such as how one looks.
This insight can be the necessary external prompt that mobilizes the ENTP into paying closer attention to her style and image, and to improving it. When style is grasped as an indispensable tool on the ENTPs life and work pathway, she can use it anyway she chooses – but it must be used.
Change it up
Many stylish ENTPs report they enjoy and relish in discovering the different looks you can get from clothing. Resourceful, out-of-the box idea generators, stylish ENTPs can be very inventive when it comes to their style approach, and this is an asset to be capitalized upon.
ENTPs are encouraged to ensure that any particularly inventive style decisions meet the ‘competency and confidence’ criteria – that they build the ENTPs confidence and feeling of competence and aren’t too kooky or wacky.
Come to closure
ENTPs are generally not especially interested in detailed follow-through, they’re often onto the next big idea. Whilst this is a natural talent for many ENTPs, in the style arena it can start to become a style block, as it prevents the stylish ENTP from defining a clear style for herself, and to executing it regularly with any kind of efficiency.
The enterprising ENTP wants to get her style right – then move on. So she will benefit by coming to closure with her style decisions and approach.
As an enterprising visionary, this can be easier said than done but is important, otherwise the ENTP will never truly feel, or be, stylish in any terms that are meaningful to her. Or her style will need to be re-invented on a regular basis, in tune with the ENTPs visionary way of thinking and imagining possibilities – taking up so much valuable time that it becomes wildly inefficient.
This is where co-opting in help from respected sources can be so helpful to the ENTP – to support in making important style decisions and taking identified style actions.
Rebel with a care
ENTPs aren’t often aware let alone too concerned about how things have been done in the past and can be oblivious to rules – they’re simply not for them. In the style arena, this non-conformist approach can manifest as overly and unnecessarily challenging.
Style will never be formulaic for the stylish ENTP, she will always want to challenge the status quo – it’s part of what makes her, her. Like any strength, overused or used in the wrong context and/or in the wrong way, this can start to become problematic for the ENTP on her style quest.
For her to feel competent and confident in her style choices, a little bit of rule-following can be exceedingly helpful. Just make sure the ENTP defines them for herself and sees a logical reason to adhere to them.
Impression management
The turning point is often coming to grips with the idea that image can be used to create the impression she wants to create, to be effective and successful, and to have impact.
Getting the right pieces of the style puzzle working for her will ensure the stylish ENTP gets her image doing what it needs be doing to support her work life and other important spheres in her life.
Clothing can make someone look 10 years older or younger, can make a person look strong or weak. Style makes her feel better, it’s powerful to buy a new outfit and know she looks good, younger and more vibrant.
Find your inspiration
ENTPs driving need for the new idea is an asset in the style space – she should be encouraged to identify the style items that invigorate her when it comes to crafting her unique style expression.
Style can be a source of inspiring possibilities.
Let’s sum up ENTP style
The stylish ENTP will use her natural penchant for original problem solving to craft a style journey unique and motivating to her. ENTPs have an enterprising, chameleon style when they are their stylish best.
In the style blueprint (part of the ENTP Style Report which you receive when you discover your style type), we describe four stages an ENTP is likely to go through as she explores and discovers for herself what style is, and means, to her – a helpful tool for the enterprising stylist, the ENTP in her chameleon-like way forging her authentic style pathway.
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