Peplums seem to waft in and out of fashion every few decades. The last time they were big was in the ’80s, which is when I wore one most recently. I felt ever so grown up in a floor length red peplum gown that I’d worn to a high school dance with low black heels, big hair and copper jewelry. Peplums are back both for Spring and Autumn 2012, and at this stage it’s anyone’s guess as to how fringe or mainstream the trend will be. 

A peplum is a skirted flounce that is attached to the waistline of a dress, shirt, top or jacket. You’ll even find peplums on trousers. Peplums come in all shapes and sizes, some of which are ruffled and frilly, while others look more sculpted and architectural. Some peplums are subtle, while others make a huge statement. 

The right peplum silhouette balances out proportions quite effectively. It can add bulk to the bottom half of an inverted triangle. OR, surprisingly it can camouflage the broader lower half of a pear shaped body type. 

I like peplums on dresses, jackets and tops as long as they look more streamlined and less “frilly and full”. The long sleeved orange dress is a good example of the type of peplum that tickles my fancy. I like them less on skirts, but do not dislike the look either. I am a cautious yay vote for peplums. 

What’s your verdict?  Would you wear an item with peplum detailing?

Last week we drove past an old building covered in glorious graffiti. The business that used to be in the building was closed down, but the building itself has become a “free wall”, a legal canvas for graffiti artists. Since Spring and Summer 2012 is a season of colour and pattern, we decided to make this graffiti wall a backdrop for our photoshoot. And I had just the colourful outfit that could give the graffiti a run for its money. 

After seeing Carlos Miele’s Spring Collection in 2010, I really wanted a pair of dressy red trousers. But it took a while to find the right pair because I didn’t want red jeans or a cropped silhouette. After trying on designer pair after designer pair, I just wasn’t happy with the weight of the fabric, the shade of red, or the length of the inseams. To my surprise, the Columnist at Express fit the bill, and was a great length for low heels, (I like my bootcut inseams just a quarter of an inch above the ground). I’ve worn these red trousers quite a bit, finding them very versatile. 

It’s blindingly bright to pair red trousers with a citron blouse, and it’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. I can’t help but feel energized by the hectic combination just because I love these colours so, so much. I also like wearing the same citron blouse with a tomato red skirt.

I’m tucking blouses into all my trousers these days because I like the boy-ish vibe and how it allows you to showcase a belt. I took extra care matching the belt here because the loud colour blocked effect of the top and bottom creates a strong horizontal line across the body. Although it’s an animal print, the tones create a low colour contrast against the red, which minimizes the horizontal line to my eye. My low contrasting animal print pumps add further vertical integrity. Imagine how different this outfit would look with black belt and footwear. I finished off with gold watch and handbag, and left off the jewelry. 

It’s still too cold to wear this outfit as is so my red wool coat, cream trench coat, or off white leather jacket go over the lot as an extra insulating layer. I am wholeheartedly embracing colour this season – especially against a fabulous wall of graffiti. 

We saw some of the graffiti artists in action during the photo shoot and Greg began talking to them while I shot back into the car to thaw with Yorkie Rosie. Apparently, Ana Dyson, known as “AB” and one of the few female Seattle graffiti artists, passed away recently. A lot of the art on these walls at the moment is paying tribute to her. Sad and beautiful at the same time.

We don’t normally post on Sundays, but I’m just too thrilled about this project to wait until tomorrow. It gives us GREAT pleasure to announce the making of “Ladies of YLF, The Calendar”. It’s been my dream to start my own modeling agency — one that celebrates the diversity of women across body type, age and ethnicity. Of course, finding the resources to follow through on this dream is easier said than done. So we came up with the more manageable stepping stone of a calendar, and I’m so very excited. 

We want our calendar to scream YLF mantras like “style is beyond size”, that “there is no one way to be stylish”, and that “style is an expression of individuality”. We also want to celebrate the human body because it is a miraculous art form. Its fascinating curves, colours and textures combine to create a beautiful whole. Although this won’t be a calendar prerequisite, we will encourage at least partial nudity. By all means celebrate your confidence level and your body. All photography will be tasteful, artistic and in line with YLF’s high quality standards.

We are planning a calendar where there is a different YLF lady for each week in the year, so we will be needing lots of models. In the near future we will be asking those who are interested to submit photos. 

Please do not send us your pictures yet. We will have a more formal launch of the competition later in April. Greg will also be posting some guidelines and suggestions for taking good “glamour” shots, including things like which digital SLRs are best for this sort of photography, and how to use a prime lens to get a nice depth of field effect that blurs the interesting bits.

And just to pique your interest, we have already done the photography and design for one page in the calendar, with a very special lady of YLF as our model. She was happy to pose “au natural”. Love that. 

Take a peak by clicking this link. WARNING: This image may not be suitable for children or your work environment. 

“The key to looking stylish is confidence and older people have had time to develop not only a personal sense of style, but a comfort in who they are.” That’s the firm belief of author and blogger Ari Seth Cohen. He started his street style blog Advanced Style to pay tribute to a large, often overlooked, age group: stylish ladies and gentleman over 60. “To show that beauty, style, and creativity don’t disappear at a certain age”. His views are very much in line with Angie’s philosophy that style is universal. It’s not a dress size, a height measurement, or a certain age. 

This is something I personally feel very strongly about too. In today’s youth-driven world the older generation sometimes runs the risk of being ignored, becoming invisible even. So it’s always a delight to read a different perspective, and to see strong, independent, well-dressed women of all ages featured in the media and on the internet.

Mr. Cohen mixes interviews and videos full of snippets of wisdom with outfit photography. From designer ensembles to thrift store finds, from simple elegance to movie star glamour, from eccentric over punk to avant-garde… his real-life models celebrate individual style with confidence and joie de vivre. 

Now, his first book, also named Advanced Style, combines the best of the blog “with all-new material featuring wardrobes, interviews, stories, and advice from a cadre of his most chic subjects”.

Are you, like the Advanced Style ladies, looking forward to many more years of having fun with fashion? How do you see your own style evolving? Do you feel you are growing more confident and daring in your style choices as you get older?