We’re having another week of stunning weather in Seattle (highs in the low 70s, or around 23 degrees Celsius). It’s been sunny and mild, but not quite warm enough to leave off the topper for the entire day. In these temperatures I’m comfortable wearing lighter layers on top with jeans and more open shoes. No need to wear socks, and the topper can come off later in the day. 

This outfit combines old and new pieces, which I love to do, and is why I make sure that I can wear a new separate with several existing wardrobe items. The top and the jacket are new. The jeans, shoes and bag are last season. And my prescription sunnies are five years old. 

I’ve added quite a few tops in new-to-me styles over the last year thanks to the bumper knitwear trend, the sporty trend, and the resurgence of fluid and oversized fits. This asymmetrical split hem top from Zara is one of them and I’m thoroughly enjoying its clean, straight lines. I was attracted to the neatly fitting crew neck, fluid fit, crunchy fabric, raglan sleeve, warm pastel tone, and cropped sleeves. It’s breezy because it’s a viscose blend.

The blush is a little more peach, which actually works better than a cool blush against my skin tone. The colour is warmed up even further by wearing it with bright shades of white and nude lipstick. 

An asymmetrical split hem top creates interesting lines on the bottom half of an outfit. Even more interesting when you layer over a boxy cropped topper. The split hem restores some visual symmetry because the top of the split is the same length as the hem on the shorter side. And although this top accentuates the straightness of my shape, the diagonal lines of the top — along with the jacket — add architectural structure without fitting closely to the body. 

I wear white jeans frequently — at least twice a week — and have several pairs across an assortment of styles and shades of white. The reason I’m such a White Jeans Gal is manyfold. They are dressier than blue jeans, bright, provide a crisp and modern touch to outfits, and intensify the polish I strive to create in my style. I also love how they freshen up a pastel. So I chose my straight leg AG Stilts, which are an optical white. I rolled the cuffs to showcase the ankle straps of the shoes. I am extremely particular about the length and hem width of ankle pants because the look can turn into my poison eye very quickly.

I like ankle pants best matched with ankle strap shoes because I like the way the strap fills the gap. The low contrast between my top and bottom further lengthens the leg line, as does the shorter side of the asymmetrical top. I could have worn my silver suede ankle strap pumps, but my in-house fashion stylist Greg preferred the punch of the pony. 

The off-white Zara jacket was love at first sight because of its drape, colour, boxy cut, gold zippers, structured neckline, high-low hem, round shoulders and pointy front lapels. The style allows me to wear the round-shouldered trend in a subtle way that does not overwhelm my slight frame. I was thrilled at how well this jacket fitted my narrow shoulder line, while at the same time being brilliantly boxy and short. I love items that drape, but the drape must be straight, angular and strict, and not flowing, curved and soft. The jacket ticked all the boxes. I prefer wearing the jacket open to maximize the angular drape and boxy cut, but it looks nice closed too. I’m fine sporting bracelet length sleeves in Spring and Summer.

Although I bought a different white mixed media moto jacket earlier this year, I need white toppers in a variety of thicknesses and shades of white, so this one is not an unnecessary duplication. This one is cotton rich, lightweight and perfect for a mild Summer day. It might not be your cup of tea to mix shades of white in one outfit, but I like the effect. It adds depth to the look, works with my hair, and is less matchy-matchy. 

I finished things off with a pastel turquoise clutch that was a gift from a dear friend, sunnies, gold watch and wedding ring. The clutch introduces another colour, but the overall effect is still soft and tonal. My apple green specs make the outfit look more cheerful, but I can’t squint in the sun. So it was back to Wayfarers for this photo shoot at the Shilshole Bay Marina near Ballard. 

I’m deliberately lightening and softening my outfits even more for 2014 because that’s my style preference at the moment. I’m staying away from hard edge by wearing light and bright colours with shades of white. Some looks are tonal while others are high contrast. Of course, black and white outfits will always have a special place in my heart and I still wear them. But I’m using black as an accent colour instead of a statement colour, and piling on the white as well as wearing lots of ink blue. It will be interesting to see if I feel the same way about colour going into Autumn and Winter. Preselecting at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale next month will be telling, and the suspense of not knowing how I will choose is fun too.

Although most of the ensembles I did for May still reflect Spring dressing, the theme of many posts was about preparing for Summer. I think on some level I’m really just encouraging it to arrive as soon as possible! So this was the area I chose to highlight in the May recap. If you subscribe to the newsletter, then it’s probably already in your inbox. If not, please consider signing up. 

For those who aren’t signed up, here is the online version.

In the newsletter we focus on content so it doesn’t mention one big thing that happened in May: We launched the new YLF Finds feature. Many people are using it to create a collection of items and post about them in the forum. During the month we also made some improvements, adding to the list of stores supported, adding the ability to share finds and recommend them to other members, and adding the ability to organize your finds into folders.

It’s been great to see people embrace the Finds feature since we launched it a few weeks ago. If you’ve been collecting up a storm like I have, then you’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the items in your collection. So it’s time for the next improvement: Folders that help you to organize your finds. 

There are four folders: 

1. Considering: The default folder for all new finds you collect.
2. Shopping List: A folder for items that you are getting ready to buy.
3. Wardrobe: A folder for the items currently in your closet.
4. History: A folder for items that you no longer own.

When you first collect an item it starts out in the “considering” folder.  Moving finds between the folders is very easy. Just open the information popup (using the little info icon on the bottom left of an item’s card) and click the arrows alongside the name of the current folder.

In the example below the find started out in “considering” and then moved to “shopping list”, “wardrobe” and then “history” with three clicks of the right arrow alongside the name. These changes are just as easy to undo by clicking the left arrow to move the item back into the previous folder. The change will immediately be reflected wherever the item appears.

Each folder has its own colour, and this colour is also reflected in the little heart in the top right corner of an item’s card. 

In order to browse the stuff you put in a particular folder, go to your finds (the “MINE” tab of the finds page) and click or tap the name of the folder at the top of the page. Below is the contents of my “wardrobe” folder. I have added all my 2014 purchases and it feels great to have them organized. 

This is definitely not the last word on organizing Finds and we have more things planned, but for now it might help you to create some order. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Four interesting fashion exhibitions, Gap rolling out its “Reserve in Store” programme, sneaker chic for the men in your life and more fashion news that made the rounds this week.

• If you’re interested in the history of fashion, and you find yourself in Paris over the next couple of months, then these three exhibitions will be a triple treat.
• And another fun exhibit. Downton Abbey fans can go check out memorable costumes from the series in Delaware.
• This month Gap rolled out its “Reserve In Store” programme to all US stores.
• In France, shoppers can now buy Comptoir des Cotonniers items from 10,000 locations by using Bluetooth technology.
• Vogue becomes the first fashion print publication to make its Instagram feed shoppable. Other print mags are bound to follow soon.
• Next month, British fashion brand Ted Baker is bringing out a bespoke collection of audio products.
• For the men in your life: Tom Ford is doing sneaker chic this Fall with high-end sneakers handmade in Italy. 

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that Elsa Schiaparelli was the first fashion designer to appear on the cover of Time magazine. She made the cover in 1934. Sophie Gimbel, the lead fashion designer for Saks Fifth Avenue’s Salon Moderne, became the first American designer to grace the cover (1947).