Coco Chanel, Katharine Hepburn, and Diane Keaton were sartorial feminists who defied convention with their slacks, vests, and ties. L.A. writer Lizzie Garrett Mettler pays homage to them in her new book, Tomboy Style (Rizzoli), in which she defines seven archetypes
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The Adventuress
has a heart-fluttering drive for excitement. She’s the war correspondent dodging bullets, the angler battling rapids. Shops: REI, Feal Mor, Orvis The Ideal: Ginger Rogers
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The Girl Next Door
comes by her wholesome confidence naturally. She does handstands in the pool and washes her car in bare feet in the driveway. Shops: Gap, Converse, American Apparel The Ideal: Ali MacGraw
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The Sophisticate
exudes a glamorous androgyny. She proves that a woman can be much sexier in a tuxedo than in a gown. Shops: Paul Smith, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein The Ideal: Marlene Dietrich
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The Rebel
doesn’t follow a dress code. She burned her bra, disdains hair dryers, and started a punk band. Shops: Levi’s, thrift and military surplus stores The Ideal: Patti Smith
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The Naturalist
sees trees as ladders and would never get a mani-pedi. Her outfits are dictated by Mother Nature. Shops: Anthropologie, RTH The Ideal: Tilda Swinton
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The Jock
is all about competition. She’s not afraid to slide into second base or head a soccer ball, no matter what she’s wearing. Shops: The Running Store, Lululemon The Ideal: French sailor Florence Arthaud
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The Prep
is educated and sporty. She feminizes masculine pieces to create a traditional look that never goes out of style. Shops: Brooks Brothers, GANT, and her boyfriend’s (or husband’s) closet The Ideal: Princess Caroline of Monaco
