As you all know, there was a mini-ylf-meetup in Santa Monica last weekend. We got to meet Angie! And we got to shop with Angie. I didn't have very much on my shopping list, so I didn't get to benefit from Angie's shopping help the way other fabbers did that day. But I did something possibly more fun: I watched Angie shop.

Angie was clearly in vacation mode, although she was willing to give her professional opinion to anyone who asked it (including complete strangers). But she was looking, in a very casual and relaxed way, for things for herself. She had insisted that we go into Bloomingdales because she doesn't have one in Seattle. I expected a clinical and thorough approach to taking in Bloomie's. Instead Angie flitted around happily, picking up one thing and then another.

And then she found it--a boxy light gray cashmere pullover ("jumper" of course). It had large black leopard spots scattered around the yoke and upper sleeves. And the center of each spot was neon yellow. Angie was delighted with her find! She popped it on immediately. She slipped into analytical mode briefly to explain that the yellow made the gray wearable for her. Later she gushed that the sweater reminded her so much of the '80s, and that made her happy "Because I'm an '80s gal!" She explained how sentiment had a huge role in her decisions about what to keep and wear.

I was struck that it was past time for me to allow *feeling* into my style decisions. My style progression has looked something like this: (1) cluelessly wear whatever; (2) tackle style as a subject and learn about body types and figure flattery, color theory, and fashion trends; and (3) try my hardest to apply said knowledge so I'll look better.

I'm not knocking the learning, and a huge part of my love for ylf has to do with the pure intelligence of Angie's analyses. But watching Angie made me think that there was ALSO room for intuition, love, and delight in finding things to wear. And that these things could work along with the knowledge.

Often fabbers post--I've done it too--something like "I love this and I don't know why, I'm scared I'm breaking rules, is it okay?" And often it's wonderful! I want to start listening more to that part of me that's saying and feeling ideas that my brain doesn't understand. I want to try something new and maybe be delighted!