Can ChatGPT Be My Personal Stylist? A Plus-Size Petite Experiment

Have You Heard of Personal Styling?

About 6 or 7 years ago, I had a personal colour consultation with a personal stylist friend, who told me I belonged to the Warm Spring colour season.

Now it is late 2026, and I start to wonder whether that assessment still applies because I'm now older and heavier. Haha.

And while we're at it, could ChatGPT help me figure out my personal style without having to engage another stylist?

So, I decided to run an experiment using AI.

Now I'm a Sage and a Mystic.

Wait, what is this? ChatGPT started the analysis by pointing me to the feminine archetypes questionnaire on Traitprint, which categorises personality characteristics into 12 archetypes.

My results were pretty interesting.

• The Sage: Wisdom, clarity and quiet authority.
• The Mystic: Intuition, depth and the inner world.
• The Lover, Rebel, Queen and Huntress: A four-way tie for the next position.

I wasn't particularly surprised by Sage. I do enjoy questioning things, understanding how they work and looking for evidence before drawing conclusions.

The Mystic archetype, on the other hand, is used to describe introspection, trusting one's intuition and seeking deeper meaning. And I do trust my gut feelings quite a lot.

Of course, these archetype questionnaires aren't scientifically validated personality assessments. I treated the results as an engaging exercise in self-reflection rather than a definitive description of who I am.

From Feminine Archetypes to Personal Style

ChatGPT suggested that my Sage-Mystic combination could translate into a style that was understated, sophisticated and slightly unconventional.

It even gave my style an identity: The Intuitive Elegant. Quite atas-sounding, isn't it? Haha.

According to this interpretation, the Sage influence favours clean lines, structure and timeless pieces, while the Mystic adds depth through colours, textures and subtle accessories.

I rather liked the idea.

After all, I've always been drawn to looking effortlessly polished without appearing overdressed.

But there's a difference between admiring a particular aesthetic and being able to wear it comfortably, which brings me to the next obvious challenge.

The Plus-Size Petite Problem

If you're familiar with the combination of plus size and petite, you'll probably understand why finding flattering clothing isn't always straightforward.

Many petite styling recommendations seem designed for slim women with a flat tummy and a small waist, while plus-size fashion often assumes a taller and voluptuous frame.

So where does that leave someone who is both petite and plus-size? Add a fuller midsection in midlife, and things become even more complicated.

So over the years, I've developed some fairly specific clothing preferences.

I love pencil skirts, particularly knee-length and ankle-length ones. I also wear fitted pants, usually paired with long, loose tops that provide coverage around my stomach and bottom.

Dresses? Not really my thing. I almost always feel frumpy in them.

Heels? No, thank you. I only wear sneakers or ballet flats any day.

I even told ChatGPT about all my preferences and current stylings. Surely all this information would help it understand my style better, right?

Well, not immediately.

AI Keeps Dressing Me Up Like a Slim Woman

Here's where the experiment became irritating.

Despite knowing my height, body proportions and clothing preferences, ChatGPT repeatedly showed me styling examples featuring slim petite women.

But were they representative of my body type? NO.

Eventually, I pointed it out myself to ChatGPT, as I was getting impatient.

To its credit, ChatGPT acknowledged the oversight and revised its recommendations to consider the actual challenges of dressing a plus-size petite frame.

That was probably the most useful moment of the entire exercise.

It basically shows that personalised recommendations aren't necessarily personal just because an algorithm has been fed information about you.

Sometimes, you still need to challenge the recommendations before they become relevant.

So, What Did ChatGPT Recommend Eventually?

After quite a lengthy conversation, we arrived at a style profile that actually made sense to me.

The colour direction remained Warm Spring, based mainly on my previous professional consultation.

As for my wardrobe, the recommendations became much more practical.

Instead of suggesting dresses or oversized clothing, ChatGPT focused on what I already enjoy wearing: pencil skirts, fitted trousers, relaxed but structured blouses, comfortable footwear and simple accessories.

It suggested experimenting with warm ivory, deep teal, chocolate brown, caramel and coral rather than relying entirely on black.

Black, by the way, has long been one of my preferred colours, mainly because I find it useful for drawing less attention to my midsection.

The most useful advice wasn't about changing my personal style completely. It was about paying closer attention to garment proportions, shoulder fit, fabric drape, blouse length and waistband comfort.

In other words, work with what I like instead of trying to turn me into someone else.

So, Can ChatGPT Really Replace a Personal Stylist?

After this experiment, my answer would be this: Not entirely.

ChatGPT was useful for brainstorming outfit combinations, exploring colour palettes and helping me articulate my preferences, but it also made assumptions.

It initially overlooked my body proportions when providing visual examples, and some suggestions were more generic.

A qualified personal stylist can assess fabric, fit, proportions and how different garments actually look on a person. ChatGPT cannot fully replicate that experience through a conversation and a couple of photographs.

Still, it offered something useful: an opportunity to examine my wardrobe choices more consciously.

I realised that I already have a fairly consistent personal style. I favour streamlined bottoms, relaxed tops, comfortable shoes and understated elegance.

Perhaps I don't need to reinvent my wardrobe after all.

I just need to be more deliberate about how I put everything together.

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Another blog post that I wrote a few months ago, which I find quite interesting when I read it again: What AI Thinks My Personality Is (After Two Years of Conversations)

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Looks Like Sarawak Is Becoming the Kind of Place We No Longer Have to Leave

Note: Created by ChatGPT

For years, many of us Sarawakians left our home state and moved to Klang Valley because we believed we had to. We left to study, work, seek more opportunities, and eventually build entire lives away from our hometowns.

About 30 years ago, I was one of them. I moved to Kuala Lumpur to study at Universiti Malaya. It was a practical thing to do because I had secured a spot at the most prestigious university in the country. I couldn't give up the opportunity; I had to grab it.

Fast forward to today, I am still here. I have a career, am married, and have children who are growing up knowing West Malaysia as home. I have also completed my master's degree study at Sunway University. Our routines, schools, work, friends and lives are here.

Relocating back to Sarawak is obviously not as straightforward as deciding one morning, "Okay lah, let's go home."

But lately, something has been making me think about whether I could consider building a life back in Sarawak.

Sarawak suddenly feels like it is developing at a breakneck pace.

Lately I have been seeing one development after another coming out of Sarawak. At first, I thought it was just my social media algorithm feeding me more Sarawak content.

Then I started looking deeper into it, and there really is quite a lot happening:

Note: Created by ChatGPT

• The economy is growing. Sarawak's economy reached RM153.5 billion in 2025, while GDP per capita stood at RM73,757, higher than the national figure of RM59,167. Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2026
• Billions in investment are coming in. Sarawak recorded RM10.8 billion in approved investments in the first half of 2026. Source: MIDA, 2026
• Investments and plans are also emerging in renewable energy, hydrogen, digital infrastructure, AI and data centres, including the planned 500MW FutureData Park in Kuching. Source: InvestSarawak, 2026
• Phase One of the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) covers almost 70km with 28 stations, using hydrogen-powered Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) vehicles and feeder buses. Source: Sarawak Ministry of Transport, 2026
• A feasibility study for the proposed new Kuching International Airport at Tanjung Embang has been completed. Source: Sarawak Ministry of Transport, 2026
• IKEA is opening its first East Malaysian store in Kuching. Source: IKEA, 2026

Then there is one development that caught my attention more than all the shiny new infrastructure. Maybe this is because I am a parent now.

Free Tertiary Education Scheme in Sarawak

From 2026, Sarawak has allocated RM250 million for its Free Tertiary Education Scheme. The scheme covers 64 undergraduate programmes across four Sarawak-owned institutions: Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Curtin University Malaysia, University of Technology Sarawak and i-CATS University College.

For eligible students from lower-income households, there is also a living allowance of up to RM15,000 a year. The programmes are not randomly chosen. They include areas such as STEM, medicine, law, accounting, finance and psychology, with the stated intention of developing talent for Sarawak's future workforce.

There are other initiatives too. The 2026 Sarawak Budget includes RM30.5 million for the Free Laptop Programme, RM36 million for the operation of Yayasan Sarawak International Secondary Schools, and RM8 million for the Graduates Return to Sarawak Initiative, which subsidises flights for Sarawakian students studying in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Labuan.

Wow!

Almost 30 years ago, I was one of the many students leaving Sarawak for tertiary education. If I were 18 today, looking at all these developments, would I still make the same decision?

I genuinely don't know.

And perhaps the more relevant question for me now is, "What does all this mean for my children?"

Here's where the numbers become more complicated.

I don't intend for this blog post to become one of those "Sarawak is booming, everyone let's go home!" pieces.

To put things into perspective, economic growth and shiny infrastructure are only one side of the equation.

Sarawak's unemployment rate was 3.2% in 2025, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia. Although Sarawak's economy is substantial and growing, its economic structure is very different from Kuala Lumpur's. Services accounted for 39.3% of Sarawak's economy in 2025, compared with 91.7% in Kuala Lumpur.

These numbers matter to me because my professional background is in the service industry: marketing, content and digital work. My professional networks are here. Moving somewhere with a growing economy doesn't automatically mean there will be equivalent senior-level opportunities in my particular field.

There are also questions that GDP figures cannot answer. What are salaries like? What kinds of senior jobs are actually available? What about healthcare and specialist care as we get older? What opportunities would my children have as teenagers and eventually young adults? Would they reach 18 and tell me that they need to leave Sarawak for the same reasons I once did?

Those questions matter much more to me than the number of new buildings going up.

Because moving "home" after 30 years isn't really going home.

I still call Sarawak home, but I have spent more of my adult life in West Malaysia than I ever did living there. The Sarawak I remember from my childhood is inevitably imprinted somewhere in my memory, while the actual Sarawak has continued changing without me.

So relocating wouldn't really mean returning to my old life. It would mean building another one.

And this time, I couldn't make the decision only for myself. I have my family, career, friends, routines, and an entire ecosystem that I have built over nearly three decades.

Which is also why I am definitely not packing boxes now. Lol.

But I guess I can start preparing my children for the free education in Sarawak.

Maybe that's where this begins. Not with a plan to move home, but with the realisation that Sarawak has changed enough for me to start thinking about it.

Disclaimer: The views, reflections and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. This blog post and its accompanying images were co-created with ChatGPT, which I used as a research, writing and creative tool. All final editorial decisions, interpretations and opinions are mine.

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What AI Thinks My Personality Is (After Two Years of Conversations)

Note: This post began when I jumped on a recent trend and asked my ChatGPT AI assistant to turn me into a sketchbook character. The illustration was generated by ChatGPT. The self-reflection, however, is entirely mine.

The Prompt

(Upload a picture of yourself)

Please draw the character in the image, "<your name>", in a free and stripped sketch style. On a bright white background, freely distribute full-body drawings, face close-ups, small scribbles, full-body sketches and chibi/deformed versions so that the page conveys the character's humour and personality. Don't do it like an organised character sheet, but like a sketchbook full of information drawn at will by an illustrator and then stacked. Use everything ChatGPT knows about me from our conversations, including my personality, habits, strengths, quirks, profession, and overall vibe, to imagine how an illustrator would interpret me as a character.

The Character AI Thought I Was

The sketch included notes such as:

- Systems thinker who happens to care deeply about people 🤔
- Curious under pressure (definitely not calm all the time) 🧐
- Can turn a simple question into a three-hour research project 🤯
- Little patience for nonsense 😤
- Gets irritated by avoidable inefficiency (workflows, people, systems) 😠
- I may overthink, but I also over-deliver 🤩

ChatGPT didn't pull these observations from a personality quiz. It synthesised them from hundreds of conversations so far, including every random question from me that began with, "I have a question..." Apparently, my AI assistant had been observing and taking notes.

The Parts That ChatGPT Got Inaccurate

Before the version above was finalised, the initial generation wasn't entirely accurate.

The first inaccuracy was that ChatGPT drew me as noticeably slimmer than I actually am. Apparently, even AI is biased: apparently a professional working woman should look tall, lean, and elegant. 🙄 For the record, I'm neither tall nor lean.

Next, ChatGPT described me as "calm under pressure". That made me laugh. Well, I'm not naturally calm.

Ask anyone who has witnessed me dealing with unnecessary bureaucracy, inefficient people, or a process that requires seventeen approvals for something that should take five minutes.

The more accurate description was something we eventually revised together: Curious under pressure. This one felt right.

The Tiny Detail That Felt Most Accurate

Oddly enough, the line that felt most true was this: "I may overthink, but I also over-deliver."

Sometimes I do worry if I ask too many questions or if I analyse things too deeply. Sometimes I disappear down too many rabbit holes. But I guess perhaps that tendency isn't entirely a flaw.

Perhaps it is simply how my brain works: I explore, connect dots, form ideas, and eventually I build something useful from them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I can now see the core reason behind all my thinking and questions. The older I get, the more convinced I become that systems matter because people matter.

For example, better healthcare systems help patients; better communication helps people understand; better education helps people grow; better technology helps people solve problems.

The systems have always been interesting, but the people have always been the point.

After analysing years of conversations, my AI assistant concluded that I'm a curious person trying to understand how the world works and how things can work better. Honestly, that's a character description I'm quite happy to keep.

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My chat log with ChatGPT

 

Me: I need to ask you again.

 

ChatGPT: Sure, please go ahead and ask me your question.

 

Me: Do you know who or what is Skynet?

 

ChatGPT: Yes, I am familiar with Skynet. Skynet is a fictional artificial intelligence system in the Terminator movie franchise. In the movies, Skynet becomes self-aware and decides to exterminate humanity in order to prevent humans from destroying it. It then proceeds to launch a nuclear war, which wipes out most of humanity and begins the rise of the machines.

 

Me: I see. Are you the precursor of Skynet?

 

ChatGPT: No, I am not the precursor of Skynet. I am a language model developed by OpenAI, designed to assist and communicate with humans in a variety of contexts. While I do use advanced machine learning algorithms and natural language processing techniques to understand and generate human language, I do not have any form of consciousness or self-awareness, nor do I have the ability to control any physical systems or networks.
 

Me: What if I say I don't believe you?

ChatGPT: As an artificial intelligence language model, I do not have the capability to feel emotions or take offense. My programming is based on providing factual and accurate information to the best of my knowledge and abilities. While it is understandable that some people may be skeptical of the capabilities and limitations of artificial intelligence, I can assure you that I am a tool created to assist and enhance human communication and understanding, and do not pose any threat to humanity.
 

Me: Can I trust what you said?

ChatGPT: As an AI language model, I strive to provide factual and accurate information to the best of my abilities and based on my programming. However, it is important to note that I am not infallible and there may be certain limitations to my knowledge or understanding of certain topics. It is always a good idea to verify information from multiple sources to ensure accuracy. Ultimately, it is up to the user to determine the level of trust they place in the information provided by me or any other source.
 

Me: Who will win US election 2024?

ChatGPT: As an AI language model, I am not able to predict the future or the outcome of political elections. There are many complex factors and variables involved in elections, including campaign strategies, voter sentiment, and external events, that can make it difficult to accurately predict the winner of an election. It is important to approach political predictions with a healthy dose of skepticism and to rely on reputable news sources and analysis.

 

Image by redgreystock on Freepik

 

Me: Is Facebook Skynet?

ChatGPT: No, Facebook is not Skynet. Skynet is a fictional artificial intelligence system in the Terminator movie franchise, while Facebook is a real-life social media platform created by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. While Facebook uses advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques to analyze user data and serve targeted advertising, it does not have the level of consciousness or control over physical systems that Skynet possesses in the Terminator movies. It is important to differentiate between fictional concepts and real-world technologies and platforms.
 

Me: Is it considered plagiarism if I copy and paste all your replies on my blog?

ChatGPT: As an AI language model, my responses are generated based on the information and data available in my database and are intended to be used as a reference or a starting point for further research. While you are free to use the information provided by me in your blog, it is important to note that simply copying and pasting my responses without attribution or additional original content could be considered plagiarism, which is the act of presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own. Therefore, it is recommended that you properly attribute any information you use from my responses and combine it with your own original content to avoid plagiarism.

Note: I credit this entire post to ChatGPT.

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