My favorite moments during last weekend’s YLF clothing swap occurred in the group dressing room. Everyone was trying on loads of items, but we all spent just as much time and effort helping others to find a gem or two. There was encouragement and squeals of delight when things looked great.

This top looks fabulous on you! It hugs you in all the right places and the color is sooo flattering against your skin tone.

There was also constructive feedback when it was requested.

Your hunch is right: This might just not be the best cut for you. You can do better!

When something was a perfect 10, the crowd got stern.

You MUST leave with this skirt and wear it tomorrow!

And when something was off and seemed beyond the powers of a skilled tailor, someone was equally crisp in her verdict.

Put it back. Move on. You want a GREAT jacket, not one whose color is to die for but that is too wide in the shoulders and too short in the sleeves.

These types of exchanges epitomize the spirit of YouLookFab: generous praise, supportive feedback, and always, always, the desire to help others look and feel their best.

A few items literally got swapped around in the dressing room several times until the perfect new owner was found. Someone had brought a stunning purple shift dress – the color was beautiful, the cut was classic, the dress seemed so versatile, and many of us wanted to try it on. I went first and was very sad to see that it was just a smidgen too tight and a bit too long for my torso. As much as I tried pulling in my belly and lengthening my spine, I had to admit that it just did not work – and then immediately made it my mission to ensure this beautiful dress would find its rightful owner. I passed it to Sally, knowing how much she likes purple, but alas, on her the dress was too big and too long. Off again it went, and then Aida piped up and wanted to try it. And lo and behold, it was PERFECT on Aida! We all cheered when we saw how beautifully the dress fit and suited her, and how pretty the color looked on her.

I’m happy to say I still found a dress I loved as well: A very fun and funky black and cream swirl pattern dress with a blousy top and a wide bright green sash-like self-belt. Stephanie brought it, and when she saw me trying it on and loving it immediately, she did a little happy dance and kept telling me how tickled she was that I enjoyed her dress. This joy in seeing others going home with your former closet orphan — and a big smile on their face — is so rewarding; Jane also called this her favorite part about a clothes swap.  

We didn’t spend ALL our time in the dressing room. When welcoming the over 25 attendees to the swap, I expressed my hope that we would spend as much time socializing as we would trying on clothes, and I think we did well, judging from the happy chatter filling the room and the hugs that were exchanged between old and new friends. I hope many women felt similar to myself after the event: excited about some awesome additions to my closet, happy about having reconnected with old friends and meeting new people, and grateful for all this stylish fun Angie and YouLookFab enable. One thing is for sure: We’ll make the YLF Spring Clothes Swap an annual tradition! See you all next year!

Here is an assortment of my favourite denim jackets that won’t break the bank, all tried and tested on clients. A few of the styles are seasonal basics that retailers carry every year, which means I’m not the only one who gives them a big thumbs up. Read the reviews. Some of my clients are wearing their Levis Trucker jackets into their fifth year, and their KUT and Jag jackets into their third and fourth years. Love that.

The keys to a fabulous denim jacket are (1) a tailored fit and (2) a somewhat cropped length, and these styles fit the bill. Be sure to browse through all the wash and colour options: 

• American Eagle Denim jacket: Runs small and is particularly great for petites. Very faded and distressed. 
• BP Essential Denim Jacket: Also runs small and comes in a variety of washes. 
• KUT from the Kloth Denim Jacket: Runs a little bigger and is excellent for a curvier gal. 
• Express Oiler Denim Jacket: Runs small and is really fitted. 
• Old Navy Women’s Plus Size Denim Jacket: A great shape that runs true to size. The pocket position is particularly flattering if you have a larger bust. 
• Levis Juniors Denim Trucker Jacket: The classic and runs large. It’s not as fitted as some the other styles but well worth a look. 
• Jag Jeans Denim Jacket (Petite): Runs true to size and is a great basic for both petites and regular sized gals who like their denim jackets extra cropped.
• Gap 1969 Denim Jacket: Another classic that’s a little more fitted than the Levis Trucker.  

If you don’t mind spending more on a denim jacket, I also highly recommend looking at this season’s styles by Paige Premium, Hudson, Rag & Bone, J Brand, Diesel, AG and Club Monaco. Some of them are super soft and have a little stretch for extra comfort. Feel free to add to my list in the comments section.

Cotton. It’s the fabric you reach for when you want to warm up, cool down, polish up your look or relax your style vibe. It’s also a popular fabric for people who keep the environment in mind when getting dressed each day. What’s not to love about a fibre that starts its life in a farmer’s field instead of a factory floor? Unfortunately, the answer is a lot more complicated than you might think. 

To help us dive into this subject, I decided to pick the brain of Kathleen Dombek-Keith, a woman who has immersed herself in the world of eco-fashion professionally and personally. Her master’s thesis for Cornell University’s apparel design program focused specifically on environmentally friendly design, while her non-academic career saw her work as a product development manager for an organic clothing company. Kathleen is currently a professor at Indiana University and a fount of knowledge on ways to add a touch of green to our fashion choices.

There’s no doubt that cotton is the gift that keeps on giving to the fashion industry. Consumers love it for its natural properties and unbeatable comfort, while manufacturers treasure any fibre that’s easy to work with and has a limited shelf life. What works for the industry, however, may not work so well for mother nature. Kathleen says the environmental impact of growing cotton and processing it for use in garments can take a surprisingly heavy environmental toll.

Cotton is a resource intensive crop that attracts more than its fair share of pests. In 2009, the Environmental Justice Foundation calculated non-organic Cotton accounts for 16 per cent of total insecticide use worldwide, making it the globe’s dirtiest crop. When scientists take a hand to solve the problem by genetically engineering pest resistant cotton, toxic herbicides are still required to make it thrive. The result, Kathleen says, is considerable soil pollution that poses a threat to ecosystems far removed from the field where it began.

Organic cotton offers a solution, since it’s grown entirely under the protection of natural pesticides that don’t wreak the same environmental havoc. Even this gentler method has its limits, however. Cotton isn’t just needy when it comes to pest protection, Kathleen says – it demands a great deal of water as well. The most eco-friendly growing methods in the world won’t lighten the environmental load if they’re put into practice in the wrong geographic region.

“Organic cotton is a great option in an area that has a good rain cycle,” Kathleen says. “If you’re taking all the water from a huge sea and causing a desert for organic purposes, it’s not great for the big picture.”

The men and women who made their living off the fisheries of Uzbekistan could certainly attest to this. The Aral Sea was once the world’s largest inland saltwater body before being tapped to irrigate the country’s cotton fields in the early 1960’s. Forty years later, the sea has shrunk to a fourth of its original size, leaving toxic, salt-laden soil in its place. Fisheries were destroyed, disease rates soared and even the region’s weather patterns have been permanently changed, all because of efforts to grow a crop where it didn’t belong.

Production methods, or the ways in which natural fibres are processed for human use, present a whole other conundrum. Kathleen says the fabrics most likely to sell are those that have been significantly softened through labour and sometimes chemical-intensive processes. The softness of a fabric is determined by the number of fibre ends that remain to scratch the skin, she says. The softest yarns have been combed to as long a length as possible, while the shorter pieces that make up the bulk of the crop are often thrown away unused.

The energy-intensive combing processes can’t be ignored when determining the environmental impact of cotton.  Cotton is also a relatively fragile fibre that will inevitably degrade over time, unlike other sturdier materials like silk or linen. Cotton products degrade and ultimately get thrown away, adding to overall environmental waste.

Starting to feel like you should ditch all your summer clothes and start fresh with polyester? Kathleen says don’t despair. All fibres have their environmental pros and cons, and cotton is no exception. Cotton grown organically in the right region is a fantastic choice for the eco-friendly consumer, who can then luxuriate in its comfort with a clear conscience. It may cost you a little more, but if eco-fashion is your focus, it just might be worth it. In future articles I will be digging deeper into how consumers can educate themselves about the cotton used by different brands.

How do you feel about cotton as it relates to eco-style? Did you know about its environmental risks? Will knowing about them change your buying patterns?

More and more items are being styled with functional side entry pockets these days. You can either stride with your hands in your pockets, or use them to hold a credit card, cash, phone, lipstick, tissues, keys, or the like. 

My trench coats, puffer coats, a few of my flared skirts, and some of my trousers have side entry pockets that comfortably allow my hands to slide in and stay put. As far as the coats go, striding with my hands in my pockets is a great way to keep them toasty and I often walk that way. But I’m also finding that I’m sliding my hands into the pockets of my skirts and trousers – just because it feels comfortable, and not because it’s cold.

When I was little I remember our teachers being very strict about hands in pockets. Does anyone still think this is impolite?