Recently, I reviewed The Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style (recap: I love this book); even more recently, I had a chance to pick the brains behind the book, Lucky magazine's Kim France and Andrea Linett.  France is the magazine's editor in chief, while Linett serves as creative director.  If anyone knows fashion, it's these women, and I was curious about how their own personal style influenced the writing of their book.  Okay what I really wanted to was to look in their closets, but since that wasn't going to happen, I settled for picking their brains.

How did you and Andrea come up with the specific archetypes in the book?

First off, we thought about which styles have most consistently influenced both the way women have dressed, from the street to the runway, over the past several decades. Really, so many of these archetypes are ones that women have returned to again and again. Even rock and roll style at this point is over 30 years old. Then we narrowed down the women who have most most clearly defined these looks: Catherine Denueve is the essence of Euro chic; Jackie Kennedy, American Classic, and so on. Finally, we searched out women in the Lucky universe who were embodying these styles in a way that felt adaptable to this particular moment in time. If we could check off all three on the list, we felt fairly certain we had a category.

What archetype would you identify with? Do you have any specific strategies for keeping your personal look both classic and fresh?

Andrea: I’m a cross between Rock and Roll and Bohemian. I keep things fresh by throwing on some classic pieces like an Irish fisherman’s sweater with my leather pants.

Kim: I’m Arty Slick mixed with American Classic with possibly a dash of Euro Chic as well. I keep it fresh by rotating in a new scarf or belt or necklace and wearing it to death until I’ve got to go find a new little something fresh to freshen things up with.

Is there an archetype that you wish you could make work for you? (I couldn't be a bombshell if I tried -- too flat chested.) Or do you think that any woman can make any of these looks work? If so, what's the strategy for doing that?

Andrea: I would love to dress Euro-Chic, but I don’t have the constitution for it. I’d be worried that I’d spill coffee on my perfect blouse. The stuff I wear has to look good wrinkled too. Everyone has their comfort zone, and what might be easy for me might not be easy for Kim, say.

Kim: Anyone can pull off any look if they really want to, but if it’s not in your personality, it’s not going to happen in a way that’s going to make you happy. I’d look nuts trying to be Rock and Roll, and I’m not un-curvy, but I am terrified to dress like a Bombshell.

Tim Gunn has his list of Ten Core Pieces -- do you have a core wardrobe? If so, what are your personal basics?

Kim's core pieces

Riding boots
Old school boyfriend jeans
Long-sleeve white tees and black tees
Cashmere cardigan
A few day dresses from designers like Martin Margiela and Maria Cornejo, in simple but interesting cuts.
Dark, slim-cut double-breasted overcoat.
Opaque black tights
Slouchy cobalt leather satchel

Andrea's core pieces

Skinny jeans
Platform ankle boots
Thin oversize T-shirts
Vintage Wrangler denim jacket
Oversize cashmere sweater
Asymmetric shearling wrap coat
Indian-print hippie top
Extra-skinny brown leather belt
Giant soft leather shoulder bag Many thanks to Kim and Andrea for taking the time to talk with me, and let me have a little peek into their wardrobes.

Now it's your turn: what are YOUR basics? How do you keep your look from getting boring? And do you see yourself as having a specific style, or are you all over the place?

Susan Wagner writes about style at ParentDish, and about everything else at Friday Playdate. Her look is grown-up Preppy.