Tomboy Vs. Grrrl: 6 Trends Done 12 Ways

Unless you're at a costume party, these days, you rarely come across a person dressed completely in line with one style trope. Even if you qualify yourself as a tomboy, you probably don't see a sea of overalls, Converse, and team jerseys when you open your closet. Likewise, the ladylike dressers among us must own more than silk blouses and A-line skirts. There's always going to be some overlap between the two style philosophies, and if there's any real distinction, it's mostly in their approaches to putting together outfits, not necessarily the items being worn. (We go way into the nerdy nitty-gritty in our book!)

So, what are the differences between tomboy and grrl style? Speaking as a team with folks firmly on both sides: Tomboys favor utility and versatility over fussiness; grrls know exactly what makes them look sleeker, slicker, taller, and trimmer, but enjoy playing around with those proportions, too. What are both groups into? Clothes, obviously, and we've fleshed out six fall trends and how both style types would wear 'em. From traditionally "feminine" pieces, like knee-length skirts, to the "masculine" ones (denim, believe it or not), we've employed a more modern definition to showing how girls like us fool around with fashion, no matter which way we swing.