Final Thoughts on 2010

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Angie is co-founder of YLF and its resident fashion stylist.

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Final Thoughts on 2010

— by Angie

on January 3, 2011

Worst outfit: Lady Gaga’s meat ensemble. Repulsive on so many levels.
Best retail decision: Most retailers in the US heavily discounted their merchandise BEFORE Christmas. We benefit from the discount while retailers clear their stocks before the New Year. A win for all.
Most over-killed retail item: Cardigans.
Best celebrity hair transformation: As soon as Emma Watson finished shooting her last Harry Potter movie, she cut off her locks to sport what I think is the best short pixie cut ever. Absolutely killer.
Worst fashion trend: Wearing leggings as pants and I don’t mean jegging type leggings. I mean leggings that look like hosiery and should be worn that way.
Best retail assortment: Jeans.
Saddest fashion news: The death of genius fashion designer Alexander McQueen.
Best retail customer service: It’s a tie between Zappos and Nordstrom.
Most improved look retailers: The Loft and the Gap.
Best fashion trend: Over the knee boots. From fringe to mainstream and 100% wearable.
Worst colour: To quote one of our forum members “soul sucking beige”.
Most popular colour: Purple.
Most unexpectedly likable silhouette: harem pants and jump suits.
Most ironic fashion moment: Me in Crocs.

Onto to an even better year of fashion and style in 2011!

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33 comments · Add a comment

Inge

Love your fashion summary for 2010, Angie! I’m a bit pressed for time at the moment (with my upcoming move), but I really had to chime in to share my best and happiest (fashion) moment of the year (at least!) with you: meeting Greg and you in Belgium, and spending two fantastic days with you (shopping, and eating, and talking etc. etc.). Thank you again! I had so much fun!!

January 3, 2011 at 2:37 pm

rae

(website)

Veteran

Great year-in-review! I cannot believe how many leggings-as-pants horrors I’ve seen this year. I don’t consider myself overly conservative or prudish but, WOW, that look is simply indecent.

I also love Emma Watson’s pixie — it is refreshing to see a young person shake up her image in a positive way.

January 3, 2011 at 2:42 pm

Evie

Active Member

Well said!

January 3, 2011 at 2:45 pm

Mellllls

Veteran

Well said. I had missed the picture of you wearing crocs before!!

January 3, 2011 at 2:57 pm

Someone

Have to agree about Nordstrom. They still have the old-school department store service that few under 35 even remember, and it sux that it’s generally falling by the wayside.

(Speaking of upscale stores and service, one of the worst used to be Neiman Marcus in Boston. I was shocked several times at how rudely I was treated there, which sure wasn’t what I was expecting! I let my charge account there lapse.)

January 3, 2011 at 3:21 pm

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Amen to #5!!!!

I wish there was some way to tell these people THEY ARE NOT PANTS. *sob*

January 3, 2011 at 3:30 pm

Beth

Veteran

I’d completely missed Gaga’s meat dress. I thought it was faux but apparently it was actual meat. Disgusting for a variety of reasons.

Completely agree with Nordstrom and Zappos; they’re both just fab.

And as for you in Crocs, I’d completely forgotten it! Maybe my brain was so traumatized I developed amnesia!

January 3, 2011 at 3:37 pm

Lisa

Veteran

I agree with all the picks listed. And I’d like to add ruffled tanks and embellished necklines on tops and tanks to the list of over killed retail items. Finding a simple neckline with no extras is not as easy as it used to be lately. And sometimes I just like to accessorize my neck myself.

January 3, 2011 at 3:48 pm

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh, Inge! Right back at you. Thank YOU. I’m already conjuring up ways in my mind to have tea with you in 2011

Lisa, you are *so* right. Ruffles are right next to cardigans for most over killed retail item. That being said, I’d never turn down a Valentino ruffle. His designs are genius works of art and a cut above the rest.

Someone, as at Neiman Marcus today and thought the same thing. Weird.

January 3, 2011 at 4:30 pm

Lori

(website)

Active Member

crocs?! I would have never guessed

January 3, 2011 at 4:57 pm

Sihaya

Veteran

Great list – i totally agree.

January 3, 2011 at 5:32 pm

taylor

Veteran

Great List…I have enjoyed fashion to the fullest this past year and I am not sick of anything as of yet!
I totally agree with the OTK boots, added so much versatility to my wardrobe!

January 3, 2011 at 6:01 pm

taylor

Veteran

Oh, and ditto on Lady GaGa’s meat outfit…repulsive as ever.!!

January 3, 2011 at 6:02 pm

Eleanor (undeadgoat)

Just one major disagreement–I really don’t like Emma Watson’s hair, I would put it on a “fashion worst” list if I made that sort of thing. I don’t think a pixie cut suits her face at all, and in general I really don’t like that length of a cut on young women–speaking as a young woman, if you’re not willing to fully commit and buzz it, a bob is much better, but a pixie is just frumpy–by which I mean that it is so firmly an over-30 haircut that a young woman wearing one is like a young woman in mom-ish jeans or floor-length skirts. Except unlike an outfit worn for comfort or to be edgy by breaing age norms, a haircut is a look that you can’t turn off. I get that she didn’t want to look like Hermione Granger anymore, but geez, bob it or dye it red or something.

January 3, 2011 at 6:13 pm

Debbie

Veteran

I totally agree on the cardigans. They are everywhere.
I have two favorite moments of 2010.
1.Meeting you and Sandy. I credit any fashion progress I made this year to you!

2. Meeting the Texas girls, Donna, AJ, Patience, Sarah and Anna.

I love Emma Watson’s hair and want to go short myself and can’t get up the nerve.

January 3, 2011 at 6:30 pm

Debora

Veteran

Thanks for the great list, Angie! I love end-of-year recaps and am now looking forward to a fresh new year. Can’t wait to see what 2011 has in store!

January 3, 2011 at 6:49 pm

Maya

Veteran

Agree with everything, especially soul sucking beige.

Oddly Lady Gaga wore one of my favorite outfits as well. I can’t imagine what she smelled like in the meat getup though, and the very thought makes me physically ill.

The only thing I might dispute are cardigans. I love having variety in cardis. I’d much rather see ruffles killed off. The sooner the better.

I wholeheartedly disagree with Eleanor on the pixie. Every fashion-clueless suburban soul I know of has some variation on a frumpy bob (which is not to say all bobs are frumpy–I had one for all of 2009 and the better part of 2010).

A pixie takes guts and that gives it automatic edge. If you’re telling me Twiggy and Audrey Hepburn looked frumpy in their short crops at ANY age…I don’t even know what to say. I’m going to be 27 soon and I wish I could pull off a pixie.

January 3, 2011 at 7:33 pm

Kari

Veteran

I so hear you on #9 (SO glad to see a resurgence in these two retailers!) and #1 (I am really over beige and khaki – they are just unflattering on the majority of skin tones.)

I also think that Emma Watson’s bob is adorable. Carey Mulligan looked fantastic with short hair as well, even while growing out her pixie.

January 3, 2011 at 9:18 pm

Lena

I’m going to second what Inge has said – my absolute style highlight was spending time with Angie last year! Definitely something to put on my Best of 2010 list! What a treat!

I’m reading this list and nodding and chuckling along I’d also add jodhpur jeans to another pleasant surprise. It’s probably very fringe, but the fun silhouette makes my heart sing.

Kari, I also miss Carey Mulligan’s pixie cut. Hee, I’m biased of course.

January 3, 2011 at 10:16 pm

rute

Veteran

Loved the post!
Here the best surprise was that this year we saw also heavy discounts before Christmas and that never happened before!

January 4, 2011 at 4:01 am

crutcher

Veteran

Lovw your end of the year list…I totally agree that the best customer service, all around care and mostly decent delightful shopping experience is my dear ZAPPOS and Nordies…I can second the rude NM customer service…I no longer carry a NM card or shop in their stores…Their loss…
Best in 2011…

January 4, 2011 at 4:36 am

kimlee

Veteran

I got a big chuckle out of the “soul sucking beige”. However, I have to agree that it is my least favorite color. As Kari stated, it is not flattering on the majority of skin tones. When I wore a beige top, my husband questioned if I was ill.

January 4, 2011 at 9:42 am

Kay

Nordstrom is the very best ever!

Emma’s pixie is cute for a change. I would love to be able to wear my hair like yours, Angie, but it just doesn’t work for my face at all!! I liked Halle Berry’s hair when it was really short. And Sharon Stone’s as well.

Honestly, in Houston I don’t think I’ve ever seen one person wearing harem pants So maybe it’s more of a regional trend?

January 4, 2011 at 10:41 am

Barbara

Veteran

Great list, Angie.

Lady Gaga needs to be ignored; I somehow manage to do so!

January 4, 2011 at 11:04 am

taylor

Veteran

A Pixie like Emma’s is absolutely the cutting edge of fashion and has been for decades…as someone mentioned Twiggy and Audry Hepburn and many other fashion forward celebs under 30 .

It not only takes a beautiful face , but S T Y L E to pull it off …very few can wear it successfully ..Emma and our very own Angie do so beautifully and perfectly…I really can’t see therm wearing a bob with such stylish impact!

January 4, 2011 at 11:08 am

taylor

Veteran

Speaking from a hairstylist perspective of course!

January 4, 2011 at 11:14 am

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Fun list, Angie! Absolutely agree on the strong selection of jeans and massive overdose of cardigans, even in my size. More soft pullovers in pretty colours and flattering necklines, please.
There are perks to being blind. I suspect not having to see the meat ensemble is among them. GAG!!

January 4, 2011 at 1:23 pm

wilson

Active Member

Wow, I missed the meat dressed too. That poor, poor animal. I wish my curiosity hadn’t led me to look at the link. This really makes my stomach turn.

January 4, 2011 at 1:41 pm

Tiffany

Great list! How anyone can think a pixie cut is frumpy (but a bob isn’t?!) is beyond me Emma Watson went from a pretty girl to a chic young woman with that cut.

January 4, 2011 at 2:03 pm

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Lena, I loved meeting you too!

Eleanor, thanks for chiming in about your alternative perspective on pixie cuts. Perhaps you can link to pictures of what you perceive as an edgy bob? Perhaps I can still change your mind when you look at Emma Watson’s fashion spreads in Marie Clair and Vogue? I still believe that she sports just about the best pixie cut I have EVER seen. Elegant, edgy and fun all rolled into one. Tiffany said it well.

Maya you crack me up. I agree that bobs can look frumpy fast. It takes a special pairing of hair, face and cut to get that right. Anna Wintour and Cleopatra are my bobbed style icons.

Taylor, your professional opinion about hair styles is highly appreciated – and so are your very kind compliments about my pixie cut. Thank you

January 4, 2011 at 6:21 pm

RoseandJoan

Veteran

A great list Angie, I do love a retrospective but I’m now aching for the spring stock to hit the shops. Yes both you and Emma do rock the crop (and bang, that little seed is planted again).

January 5, 2011 at 3:23 am

Inge

Ooooh Angie, I’ll have the biscuits ready!!

And I’m putting in another vote for Emma W.’s pixie cut, it’s beyond stunning!!

January 5, 2011 at 3:06 pm

Tanya

Veteran

Totally agree with everything you wrote Angie. And purple is and always be my personal favorite color, but I wish it weren’t so ubiquitous now. Everyone is wearing purple at the moment!

January 5, 2011 at 8:17 pm

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