# Do Si Types All Have an Awful Sense of Style?



## SharpestNiFe (Dec 16, 2012)

I don't mean this as an insult at all.

I'm just incredibly curious.

I find Se types to be more likely to wear matching color schemes, iron their clothes, and are just overall more stylish. My younger brother, ESTP (dom-Se), is, perhaps, materialistic. He owns $120 hoodies, buy $120 shoes, and, seemingly, is ALWAYS dressed to the 9s, even when he's going to the gym he dresses well. HOWEVER, when he puts on a suit, he looks forward to taking it off and putting on more comfortable clothes.

I, an INFJ, am an inferior Se type. At home, I wear what's comfortable, but when I go out, I dress well. I don't own much clothes, but I make due with what I have. I have EXTREMELY nice suits because it is VERY important to me to look very good at formal events. If I'm going on, say, a date, I make sure I get a haircut, workout, that my teeth are shining white, and just EVERYTHING is right. I also have an impressive cologne collection (and I'm the only guy I know that actually knows how to properly apply cologne), though I RARELY wear any of it. Usually when I'm trying to impress someone. My ISFP mother wants me to be one of those guys that wears nice hats and scarves, but I refuse to go that far. I use this organic cocoa butter soap and I research shampoos and conditioners before purchasing them.

My older brother, INTP, is a tertiary Si type. He is pretty materialistic, as he enjoys designer clothing, but he never actually WEARS it (which confuses me). He always looks somewhat sloppy, and doesn't care much for his appearance (unkempt hair, needs to shave, sometimes smells). Funny thing is, my younger brother and I used to make fun of him when we were kids because he'd spend hours in the bathroom and would come out smelling like he just bathed in cologne.

My dad (ISTJ), is very sloppy. Any "style" he's gained through the years is with major assistance from my ISFP mother. He bought basketball shoes for racquetball, and returned them because I told him "why the hell would you wear basketball shoes for racquetball? They are way too heavy and are styled for basketball players." He came home, proud, that he purchased the ugliest shoes for $20 at Wal-Mart. He's very proud of the fact that he ONLY uses what works. "Style," in his eyes, is unimportant. Also, I take his aftershave and cologne from him (part of the reason why I have a collection) because he never uses any of it.

I hear that Si types ARE likely to go "comfort over style." Are there ANY Si types that actually enjoy dressing well? Is there really a correlation, or is my sample size just WAY too small?

I was thinking about including hygiene in this as well, but my best friend (INTJ) admittedly doesn't even brush his teeth everyday.


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## Kingdom Crusader (Jan 4, 2012)

My ESFJ sister sure does


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## Mammon (Jul 12, 2012)

I have self esteem/self confidence blabla issues so no, I never ever try.


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## StunnedFox (Dec 20, 2013)

I've never cared a great deal for style, and "comfort over style" certainly encapsulates my dress sense well...


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## Inveniet (Aug 21, 2009)

Si types have a awful sense of reality.
Hence they pick out things that bring them comfort in this distancing from the direct effect of the world.
They like colours that are faint. 
Strong colors seem like a threat.
Every strong and direct sensation will spur their libido to retreat.


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## TwistedMuses (May 20, 2013)

I like all types of colours... Funky or more toned down...
Si tert here. I like to dress up from time to time, but there are days I rush and don't give a shit about looks... A nice expensive sweater won't complete my tasks at work, nor a pair of fancy shoes...
But I do shine from time to time with my taste, on certain occassions.


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## Sixty Nein (Feb 13, 2011)

lol Si types having awful sense of style.

Perception functions doesn't have to do with anything that involves what is mostly in the realm of feeling.


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## Fern (Sep 2, 2012)

I have inferior Si, so you could say Se is barely even on my radar.

When I was a little girl, I wore mismatching clothes all the time (and did not care), but I'd like to hope my style has improved somewhat since then.


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## Entropic (Jun 15, 2012)

Could people actually provide examples of clothing they appreciate in terms of presentation and color/style along with Se/Si if they know?

As a personal example (I am quite short-handed of them though), I really appreciate Nero's design from Devil May Cry:










I also appreciate Kubo Tite's style a lot, who is the mangaka of Bleach:

http://www.zerochan.net/487980

Can't think of any actual real clothes or styles atm, lol.


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## Mammon (Jul 12, 2012)

ephemereality said:


> Could people actually provide examples of clothing they appreciate in terms of presentation and color/style along with Se/Si if they know?




* *


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## TwistedMuses (May 20, 2013)

ephemereality said:


> Could people actually provide examples of clothing they appreciate in terms of presentation and color/style along with Se/Si if they know?
> 
> As a personal example (I am quite short-handed of them though), I really appreciate Nero's design from Devil May Cry:
> 
> ...


I could agree about Nero's style.


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## d e c a d e n t (Apr 21, 2013)

hornet said:


> Si types have a awful sense of reality.
> Hence they pick out things that bring them comfort in this distancing from the direct effect of the world.
> They like colours that are faint.
> Strong colors seem like a threat.
> Every strong and direct sensation will spur their libido to retreat.


Liking faint colors: Awful sense of reality. xD

But yes, I'm more likely to go comfort over style, even when going out (which doesn't happen much anyway). Although, I'm unlikely to find something comfortable to wear if I find it outright ugly to look at.


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## Inveniet (Aug 21, 2009)

Nonsense said:


> Liking faint colors: Awful sense of reality. xD


I can see how that can be interpreted wrong. xD
It isn't that Si struggles with the color in and off itself.
It is more like since it retreats into a subjective interpretation the choices of color/shapes etc will be diffused.
Si doesn't see the color as an object to begin with.
So it will get slowly blured in the inner world.
This blured representation will then be prefered. Even though the initial impression was strong.
Se accepts any strong impression and don't shun any new strong impression.
That doesn't mean that it shuns blurred colors, they just aren't as stimulating and hence boring.
So Se will just touch briefly on them and move on, being drawn towards whatever can stimulate more fully.


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## d e c a d e n t (Apr 21, 2013)

hornet said:


> I can see how that can be interpreted wrong. xD
> It isn't that Si struggles with the color in and off itself.
> It is more like since it retreats into a subjective interpretation the choices of color/shapes etc will be diffused.
> Si doesn't see the color as an object to begin with.
> ...


I guess. I do find most things in the world looks either ugly or boring (and often both) unless it reminds me of my childhood somehow.


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## Coburn (Sep 3, 2010)

No.


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## OrangeAppled (Jun 26, 2009)

No, I have a great sense of style. So does my ISFJ mom. 
My ISFP step-dad dresses awful even though he's an artist. 

IDK, I don't see what in the world this has to do with Si or Se. 

This seems like the worst of socionics...especially how it categorizes types (ie. "Si types" for those who have tertiary or inferior Si).


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## Sneaking (Oct 22, 2013)

My experience of my INTPs (tertiary Si) is that either we don't care about our appearance at all or we have a thoroughly individualistic sense of style. I used to be in the former category, and then I fell into the latter category.

I buy very little clothing, and maybe 60-70% of it comes from charity shops (otherwise, from sales), but I take care over what I buy (I have slightly unusual proportions, which makes it a little difficult). I receive compliments from conventionally stylish people, so I think I must be doing something right.

I don't think personality type has a lot to do with dress sense, but I do think that some types are somewhat more prone to consumer tendencies than others. I don't know any INTPs who are materially focused.


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## judowrestler1 (Mar 30, 2013)

Merihim said:


> * *
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah but his hair is all messed up. Wayyy to many split ends.


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## Lurianar (Apr 17, 2013)

I actually care about my style. Only, I usually go with the easy way. Which basically mean going with a few, nice-looking pieces of clothes that I'll use in alternance for a few months (like 5 or 6 pieces over 6 months). I also always wear jeans, which are getting so used that they're losing their colors. But I like them and still don't look retarded. As for hygiene, I care A LOT about it. Teeth brushed twice a day minimum, shower everyday and beard shaving once a week if I'm not lazy.


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## needle (Jan 26, 2014)

I pretty much dress in a sloppy heap of torn gray/black clothing 24/7
it's such an exquisite style most other's are shunned from wearing it every day
but doing it for formal wear too, yo
that takes real devotion to one's fashion taste.

eh, "deranged bum" is a style, too.


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## 66393 (Oct 17, 2013)

I thought the sloppy dresses were the xNTP's


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## CupcakesRDaBestBruv (Aug 6, 2013)

All the ISTJs I know wear black all the time and boring suits
All in the power of Si.


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## d e c a d e n t (Apr 21, 2013)

CupcakesRDaBestBruv said:


> All the ISTJs I know wear black all the time and boring suits
> All in the power of Si.


Nah, wearing suits all the time is a Te-thing.


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## LadyO.W.BernieBro (Sep 4, 2010)

Alright, well l used to mismatch _bright_ colors. Not intentionally, please do not ask me how this did not look wrong to me.

l completely agree with you about Se types, l've had friends who match that way tell me my clothes ''don't'' match when they simply aren't supposed to...not clashing in the way l mentioned above, but not necessarily coordinated in any way.

Since l identify with having somewhat of a lack of physical ability/awareness to attend to an individualistic, highly maintained fashion sense at all times, l tend to be monochromatic. 

l don't actually feel a draw toward dull/drab, but l've tried to organize my wardrobe with a lot of colors and l can't keep up, can't seem to take inventory of what will match.

l usually have one piece that stands out in some way, two at most. My favorite color is green(standard-not dull green), yet l wear a lot of black to avoid clashing, instead l will invest in a green coat or a green bag.

Currently l have iridescent, girly Chuck Taylors. The rest of my clothes are tame.


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## soya (Jun 29, 2010)

I'd say my fashion sense is much louder than my demeanor, actually. I like to play with color, texture and pattern, I definitely have my point of view style-wise...I even have my own color palette, if I think about it. I have always had a strong aesthetic sense, and began choosing my own clothing when I was a young child - my parents said I demanded it, even before I was old enough to go to school. I dyed my hair blue when I was 12. Guess this means I must be a mistyped ISFP, then, according to some of you...

(I don't think fashion sense is based on the sensing function at all, really)


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## Arya (Oct 17, 2012)

An awful sense of style is completely up to subjective opinion. Why should the style sense of an Se type be considered the stylish way? It might be considered to be most fashionable by the pop culture, but that is meaningless. I personally have loved bright, "unmatching" colors since I was a child. But I don't consider them to be unmatching. Colors simply look good together. Saying that certain colors don't look good together seems to me to be a bunch of bs. Same thing with pairing various patterns together. I'm not an Si dom though, so I don't know how much that relates to my Si. I also can't believe that plenty of Si doms don't follow the fashion trends


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## aisa (Nov 19, 2013)

ummm, I agree with previous posters who mentioned fashion style not being directly linked with Si...

I do think though that the urge to wear comfortable clothes is Si-related. In my case, I wear matching clothes and get complimented on my style. I sometimes cringe when I see someone dressed in a manner that 'hurts my eyes'. But in the end... hey if it makes them feel good, live and let live.
Regarding every-day clothing I prefer comfort, enjoy well-fitted jeans and vivid colours (not clashing in one outfit). It is comfort over elegance, but this doesn't mean I'd wear sth ugly just because it's comfortable - it does however mean I won't buy sth that I find pretty if I know it doesn't "feel" good on my skin or that I'd have to spend an hour ironing it every time after washing it...

I enjoy dressing up for occassions and then I will make exceptions for comfort and wear sth uncomfortable but pleasing to the eye. Except for shoes. They should look nice. But they also *have to* be comfy.


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## Galaxies (Apr 9, 2013)

One of the things I love about my ISFJ sister is her sense of style and ability to put clothes together _effortlessly_. Her sharp attention to detail (Si) in clothes (patterns, colours, textures) enforces her ability to conform to the latest trend; her style doesn't change and, unlike most people, she can incorporate new trends effectively. She doesn't read magazines or fashion blogs but through her senses and ability to notice nuances, she keeps up-to-date and well-dressed even though she doesn't put any effort or thought into it. Many people are intimidated by her style, she's hard to beat. 

As an INFP, I love many people's individual style but mine changes frequently (Ne). I'm not comfortable with the idea of wearing trends that are dated (though I like vintage) so I always read fashion blogs and magazines. I'm very aware of what doesn't suit me and current fashion rules. According to my ISFJ sister and friends, I have a strong eye for clothing that is aesthetically beautiful; I tend to choose colours and shapes that _grab_ my attention. Compared with my ISFJ sister, my default style is classic and elegant whereas her style is modern and understated. I wear clothes and accessories that look new and crisp, I go for the polished look. I'm not the INFP that looks like a hippy or a hipster, though I love both looks, I tend to blend into the crowd. 

My INTP sister puts clothes together like a maniac (seemingly). She pays no attention to details or social norms, at work she blends in but, casually, her style is either a hit or miss. When it's a hit, it's incredible and unique but when it's a miss, she looks... looney but hilarious. Her style is more pronounced, now, she doesn't take advice from anyone but she's getting better at dressing within social norms. I'd say her style resembles Jessa from Girls (without even trying to). 

I'd say it's dependant on where Si is focused, I know ISTJs and ESFJs that dress very plainly and ESTJs and INFPs that dress impressively.


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## Psithurism (Jun 19, 2013)

As a general rule, if your value judgment is formulated similarly to ''do all X do Y?'' or ''do all X have Y?'', it is probably problematic.


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## Entropic (Jun 15, 2012)

Blissful Melancholy said:


> As a general rule, if your value judgment is formulated similarly to ''do all X do Y?'' or ''do all X have Y?'', it is probably problematic.


I thought it was aristocratic.


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## 0+n*1 (Sep 20, 2013)

I value Si and I don't follow trends and I wouldn't say I'm stylish. I think I care about matching colors and also about individualism. I wish I could provoke in people the thought that I have a unique style. Some people have told me I dress well. Sometimes I think I lack style or that my style is too plain but I wonder how objective is my self-assesment because other times I think I have an interesting style in comparison with those that wear the standard and don't put much thought into it. This doesn't mean that I am sloppy or that I'm pretty individualistic. I am only sloppy when I'm not going out and I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing some clothes because they are too odd. Sometimes I dress for the ocassion but I generally dislike those situations. I dislike dressing up. I also have had problems with hygiene.


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## TwistedMuses (May 20, 2013)

I actually think Se is more prone to pursuing dominant fashion waves than having a better sense of style. Si just sticks with what has worked through time. 
My ESXP flatmate has a shit ton of weird, funny and interesting designer clothes. She never pays much, buys them from sales or charity shops. She prefers any kind of colour and any kind of shoes, from flats to monster platforms, lol. Her personal hygiene is really good - nails always clipped, dyed and washed hair, never smells. Uses make up moderately.

My INFP roomie is a bit classical with her tastes, mostly darker (red, blue, black, a bit of white) classical cut clothing, a few pairs of shoes. She certainly dresses up nicely, but she has a small sweating problem. Uses make up too.

As an INFP, I find make up to be too time consuming if I go somewhere without a certain aim. The best and most posh clothing I have is biker cut stone brown denim jacket and good quality blue jeans with a simple top. I find no certain need to have loads of unworn clothing and leaving it rot in the wardrobe. I do fancy a dress or two, heels and a necklace, but doing this every day is exhausting. I'd rather clean up my mess or make something to eat instead of trying to make impression on people I do not care about. My sense of colours and shapes in clothing is mediocre, so I look a bit weird from time to time, lol. My hygiene - average, but my hair fucks up everything, so does my bad habit of nailbiting. I need to wash hair every second day to look decently and sometimes I am too lazy. Yet since there are people around, I keep up with it in order not to mess with their appetite.


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## Bardo (Dec 4, 2012)

Se types generally have less ability with style, even if you're talking about N doms the Se/Si part is noticeable.

The exception is ISFPs who hold up our teams side of things single handed. They can blend items of different styles or eras, they can wear military jackets with floral hats and just find a way.












ISFJs tend to be able to automatically fit an entire outfit together with a balance of all the color and geometric elements. Those two types are the respective fashion masters of Se and Si. If you read Dario Nardis neuroscience of personality you'll see that these two types have the greatest use of the different visual areas of the brain when analyzed under an EEG helmet.


Se types usually have items of different textures and are more freestyle. It's like the rawness of touch is converted into visual themes.

Si fashion is more flat in terms of texture. Well dressed Si types look as if they have stepped into a wardrobe and their complete outfit has assembled itself on their body in one piece like an iron man suit. Each item contributes to the united whole and they can look really good even in what they wear to a barbecue.
If you take something quite plain like an office where everyone has no choice but to wear basic smart clothes a fashionable Si type can look extra good anyway because they have just the right color tie to go with the very light grey trousers and dark shirt they chose etc, which all suit their build and height specifically, making them stand out just by competent balance of the exact same ingredients everyone else is using.



Se types are more likely to see a unique and very 'hot' individual item like a purple tie or elaborate shoes and make the mistake of buying it. It's heat level will be too much for it to blend with other items of normal clothing.

Si types can rely too heavily on accepted themes. A lot of 'alternative' people are Si types, goths, bikers, metalheads, punky types. They think they are different but look more similar to each other than 'regular' people, practically uniform. A lot of Si types have too many piercings or tattoos.




The Fe doms are each good examples of the mistakes Se and Si types make with appearance. They are similar but they take it in an Se or Si direction.

ESFJs are the orange women with too much fake tan, eyelash, lip gloss, sexiness has been attempted way too hard, the hairstyle is flamboyant. It's over feminine.

ENFJs are more along the lines of everything being too busy, dramatic Cruella De Vil coat, dramatic shoes or boots, dramatic scarf, dramatic bag, random zebra print. The classiness is overshot.

There are well dressed Fe doms of course, but for how committed they are to social spheres and how concerned they are with appearance I don't think they do amazingly great with it all in general. According to Dario Nardi Fe doms are the least visual in terms of brain activity.




Best dressed N dom - ENTPs hands down, the eye for style is quite a surprising element to the type. Leonardo Da Vinci was like the royal interior designer lol.

INFPs and ENTJs dress quite well. 

I tend to just wear whatever happens to be clean at that moment lol, I'd wear robes everyday if it was acceptable.
If I do have to choose clothes or decorate something I tend to apply concepts to it in the same way I would art or music, like different shades of 1 color = something that can work, no more than 3 colors unless you use all the colors in the rainbow together, things like that. I've noticed other INFJs thinking the same way.


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## LadyO.W.BernieBro (Sep 4, 2010)

Bardo said:


> Se types generally have less ability with style, even if you're talking about N doms the Se/Si part is noticeable.
> 
> The exception is ISFPs who hold up our teams side of things single handed. They can blend items of different styles or eras, they can wear military jackets with floral hats and just find a way.
> 
> ...


He had a theory about Te functioning ''visual engineas theer center'' of the brain, l don't think it was looked into much beyond that but l did find it interesting.

Te/Fi types being seemingly inclined that way  regardless of perceiving function IME, even INFP's and ISFP's having a similar visual sense with inferior Te.


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## Bardo (Dec 4, 2012)

Lady O.W. Bro said:


> He had a theory about Te functioning ''visual engineas theer center'' of the brain, l don't think it was looked into much beyond that but l did find it interesting.
> 
> Te/Fi types being seemingly inclined that way regardless of perceiving function IME, even INFP's and ISFP's having a similar visual sense with inferior Te.


It is pretty interesting that all 4 NTJs and STJs have strong use of the visual engineer region, the same amount in fact. ISFPs are better with that region than all of them though which is really interesting.

It is a trend that the Te types have that preference but then INFJs use it as much the Te types randomly, so it's not totally Te exclusive.


I think it makes us all take an architectural approach to anything visual, it can be beneficial to have that neatness in your eye but it can give things a very severe tone if not done right, especially clothes. Looks like ISFPs avoid that though.


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## Violator Rose (Sep 23, 2011)

Si is my inferior function, which makes Se my 8th demonic function (if you believe in shadow functions, that is.) My sense of style is whatever the fuck I want to wear.

If I want to wear a sundress with combat boots, I'll wear a sundress with combat boots! If I want to dye my hair teal with fuchsia streaks, I'll dye my hair teal with fuchsia streaks! If I want to wear bright eye shadow and red lipstick at the same time during the day, well goddammit I will wear bright eye shadow and red lipstick at the same time during the day!

And I think I've done all three more than once. And I looked DAMN FINE. :wink:


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## Nordom (Oct 12, 2011)

One time I tried to dye my hair blonde and it turned out orange. It was like 4 years after Dennis Rodman retired.
I have awful, awful style. I'll put on things that someone else tells me I look good in until I gain like 20 pounds and it's 10 years later and someone tells me I don't look good in it anymore.
I grab a girl with style when I go shopping and say "You there, come with me and tell me what to buy."
The snazziest dresser at work is an ISFJ hands down.


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## mirrorghost (Sep 18, 2012)

i honestly think "good sense of style" is mostly subjective. my ultimate favorite styles would probably not impress 95% of people, while i find a lot of celebrities with supposedly "good style" rather boring, so there's that. also lots of currently hip styles are actually pretty bad from my point of view, often worn by people doing retro looks who were barely alive in that era who wear things ironically, (don't even get me started  ) but in this time and place they might be considered to have "good style" by lots of people but to a lot of us they totally don't. so yeah, it's _mostly_ subjective. 

that said, i think maybe across a myriad of styles, there can be looks that are flattering, and different things are flattering on different people...


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