My lovely friend Laura, an author and biographer, has been a loyal Fabber for twelve years. Her positive outlook on life, pleasant and polite demeanour, courage to try new things, great attitude, generous spirit, and charm, are just a few of the things that make her fabulous. We share a love for dresses, anything ‘80s, short hair, and yellow. 

Some time ago Laura started doing something at the beginning of the year that’s become a meaningful tradition. She takes some time to review and celebrate the outgoing year, and sets priorities for the new year. Following that, she picks a word that reminds her of how she wants to feel for the year. For 2019, Laura picked the word “sassy” because she wants to be forward, audacious, bold, fresh, assertive, and a little bit saucy! After picking a word, Laura picks a colour. Her colour for 2019 is orange, because it’s the colour of creative energy. Since Laura will be undertaking a cool new creative side hustle soon, sassy and orange are dead right.

I’m inspired by Laura’s tradition and have joined her “word & colour party”. It’s all in good fun. I fancy the simplicity of one word to keep top of mind for the year, and I believe in the power and symbolism of colour. My word and colour for 2019 came to me quickly.

Relaxed

My word for 2019 is “relaxed”. I need to be less tense, uptight and anxious about certain aspects of my life. I am often the cause of my own stress, which is something that I control and can therefore change. I want to stop worrying about things that are not important, because they take up precious time and energy that I could be investing elsewhere. 

I am extremely relaxed about fashion, my own style, and my work with clients. Those areas of my life cause me no stress and give me lots of pleasure. I relax into every style analysis, closet edit, closet review, purchase, sale, hunt, shop, outfit creation session, and don’t let any of it boss me around. I want to extend that relaxed feeling across other aspects of my life so that I can focus on new challenges and experiences because life is too short!

Red

My colour for 2019 is red. Not only because of my affection for the colour, but because it symbolizes passion, intensity, good luck, courage, power, and excitement. It also has a classic touch. I want to be relaxed, but I also want to maintain my high levels of energy, energize those around me, show unconditional affection to my favourite people, be creative, go on exciting adventures, continue wearing my heart on my sleeve, and make a positive difference. 

From a fashion and style perspective, I’m going to go beyond tomato red and continue adding all sorts of reds to my wardrobe, and wear them from head to toe. Red is a classic colour, and reflects that I enjoy the classics as much as I love trends. Red has always been one of my favourite colours. Our signature looks do not date, because they create a personal stamp that gives us power and makes us happy.

Red is not a relaxed colour, and I love the harmonious tension this creates between my word and colour for 2019.

If it’s your cup of tea, feel free to join Laura and me in choosing a word and colour for the year. Don’t overthink it too much, because your first and freshest thoughts on the subject are usually the best. Share them in the comments section or on the forum. I’m looking forward to hearing them.

Pantone’s colour for 2019, a UN charter for sustainable fashion, a TV show based on British Vogue in the ’90s, and other style news that caught our eye last month.

• Stella McCartney has launched a UN charter for sustainable fashion.
• ‘Living Coral‘ is Pantone’s colour of the year 2019.
• Raf Simons is stepping down from his role as chief creative officer at Calvin Klein after two years.
• ASOS has released a collection for fuller-busted women.
• Chiara Ferragni of The Blonde Salad is filming a documentary that will focus on her private life, as well as the professional persona she presents to the world.
• Blake Nordstrom, co-president of Nordstrom, has passed away at age 58.
• Sustainable fashion brand Reformation’s denim collection is now available in sizes up to size 24.
• Chanel has announced it will stop using exotic skins in their future creations.
• A TV show based on British Vogue in the ’90s is in the works.

Fun Fashion Fact

Most people use the terms button-down shirt and button-up shirt interchangeably, but did you know there’s one detail that sets them apart. The Huffington Post explains it like this:

“Button-down shirts, like button-up shirts, have buttons running straight down the center of the front of the shirt. But button-downs have an extra set of small buttons right below the collar, and corresponding button holes on the collar tips, to fasten the collar down to the shirt”

According to Business Insider, button-downs were originally made for polo players so they could fasten their collars to their shirts during matches to keep collars from flapping up around their faces while they were playing.

Wearing white jeans in Winter looks fresh and gives your blue jeans a break. It might not work in your snowy, slushy, rural and wet climate, or be your cup of tea. But as a white jeans advocate, I’m hopeful you’ll give it a go anyway. Maybe you’ll wear the look on a bright, dry and sunny Winter’s day. Or when you’re being chauffeured and don’t need to traipse through the snow. Failing that, freeze the idea till things thaw out in Spring.

For those who like to wear white jeans in Winter like I do, here are four ways to combine them with a neutral support act. You can swap out the black for navy or olive if that’s more to your taste.

1. Classic Fabness

Create a column of white with jeans and an off-white or tan pullover. Tuck or semi-tuck into the high rise and add a belt to bookend the black jeans, and possibly your dark hair. The horizontal line of the high-contrast belt is offset by the column of colour and high rise of the jeans that elongates the silhouette. Top things off with a high-contrast neutral coat. I love this even though I don’t wear black booties. I’d substitute the black for cognac booties and belt, and wear an olive parka, or navy coat.

2. Earthy Flares

Create a column of Winter white with white jeans and a cream pullover. The white flares are lovely but desperately need DRY weather. I like the oversized fit of the pullover that’s offset by the sleeker thigh fit of the flares. The unstructured toffee topper adds visual interest. The heels create a longer leg line which can prevent that “dumpy” feeling when you wear wide unstructured layers. But by all means create a more structured silhouette and wear tapered jeans. White boots are fab, but toffee or metallic work as well.

3. Cosy and Wrapped

Combine white skinnies with a turtleneck or layering pullover of your choice. Bring on the drama with a patterned or solid wrap or poncho. Wear it unstructured or belted at the waist. Add neutral boots that work with the palette of the outfit. Here, tan boots would have worked as well as black.

4. Structured Equestrian Lite

This one is for extremely mild Winter weather. Heck, I’d wear the combination in Summer. Combine white skinnies with a black tee and plaid equestrian blazer. Add black boots, mules, shooties, loafers or booties. For a proper Winter, I’d tuck white skinnies into tall black riding boots, and layer a black turtleneck under the patterned blazer. I’d throw an anorak, military coat or cocoon coat over the lot.

Last October, The Flex, a strapless bra from Harper Wilde, had racked up a 6,000 person wait list.

The Guardian reports that “the new lingerie is all about comfort and body confidence.”

“It may not seem like it, but there has never been a better time– not in the whole, entire history of bras — to find a bra in your size, in your style and to fit your budget,” says Fashionista.

New lingerie brand CUUP is revolutionizing bra sizing.

Lingerie brand Lively is combining lingerie and leisure, and has penned the term ‘leisurée’.

Popsugar recommends the Pepper the All You Small Cup Bra for small busts.

The Pool has tips on where to find underwear that feels good on your body and makes you feel good in turn.

They also have recommendations for bralettes and non-traditional bras which offer decent support and comfort.

Fab Links from Our Members

Suntiger thought specs wearers would find this blog post on eyeglass frames for your natural colouring interesting.

As we’re looking at style directions for 2019, she also wanted to share this post.

“The hottest branding trend of the year is also the worst.” Shevia thought this was very telling.

Runcarla enjoyed this interesting interview with designer Tanya Taylor. “Great points about inclusivity, optimism, and having fun with fashion.”

Vildy wanted to share this article about the luxury marketing strategy: “These exclusive brands market for generational endurance and use counter-intuitive strategies to position themselves even away from other luxury brands. They don’t want to know what the consumer thinks about them! They tell you what to think. And whether you may buy. And when and how. And this works.

She also thought this article about Fashion Nova, an online fashion store offering affordable clothing, and how influencers tend to look the same and wear the same things, was food for thought.