As a fashion stylist with training in both psychology and fashion design, I found myself marrying both directions in a discipline I call “fashion therapy”. I stumbled across an article in Psychology Today that really resonates with this philosophy. My views on the true meaning of style are captured perfectly by the author:

“style is a life-affirming expression of your character and spirit, a conviction that you are worth knowing, worth looking at and can present yourself well”.

I believe that personal style has two aspects: the internal and the external. Your personality and attitude towards life makes up the internal part; and how you physically present yourself to the world makes up the external part. They are inextricably linked. Time and time again, I’ve seen what a little magic on the outside can do to bring out the magic on the inside. I see this happening with my own clients, forum members and my underprivileged clients at Dress For Success (where I work as a volunteer dresser).

In a world of varying body types, countless retailers and overwhelming clothing choices, it’s no wonder that many of us are lost when it comes to dressing and grooming our bodies in the best way. So, in an effort to create clarity within this fashion chaos, we started youlookfab.com. Dressing well and the ability to express a great sense of style through clothing are things that can be learned. As the author in the article states:

“Fashion is in the clothes. Style is in the wearer”.

This is why we question the latest fashions and discuss how they can be worn with style. Even though I talk about fashion every day, YLF is more a style blog than a fashion blog.

Yves Saint Laurent said “fashion fades but style is eternal”. Coco Chanel said “Beauty is no guarantee for happiness, strive instead for elegance, grace and style”. When we look good we feel fabulous, but by the same token, feeling good is an essential ingredient of good style.