1. A computer-implemented method for associating an avatar with a user identity, the method comprising: detecting a selection by a user, the selection being at least one of an avatar selection and a wallpaper selection for use in an instant messaging environment, wherein the selected avatar or wallpaper comprise one or more attributes; inferring, using at least one processor, one or more user profile attributes for the user based on the detected user selection, wherein the inferred user profile attributes are not identical to the one or more attributes of the selected avatar or wallpaper; storing the inferred user profile attributes in a user profile of the user, wherein the user profile is viewable by one or more other users within the instant messaging environment; accessing stored attributes for multiple avatars that are potential candidates for selection by the user to represent the user in a communications session; identifying a subset of less than all of the multiple avatars based on a comparison between the inferred user profile attributes located is the stored user profile and the accessed avatar attributes; and presenting the identified subset of avatars for selection by the user.