We watched the Oscars last night with good friends Meredith and Nik. We squealed with excitement as the dresses and hairstyles we loved made their way down the red carpet, and when our favourite nominees won their awards. So fun.

Frocks in both matte and shiny pearly whites, mermaid silhouettes, and diamond chokers were the main themes of the evening. There were strapless gowns aplenty, but also quite a few sleeved gowns, which made for a nice change. 

Here’s a rundown of my fashion and style thoughts for the night.

Top Five Dresses

Octavia Spencer‘s sequined pearly white gown by Tasashi Shoji was flawless and draped with perfection. Her classic chignon and earrings were just right. She looked absolutely exquisite. 

Gwyneth Paltrow‘s custom made white Tom Ford off the shoulder column dress with 1940’s shoulder pads was my favourite of the night. It had a floor length matching cape which was AMAZING. I loved that she wore no jewelry other than a cuff and cocktail ring. I didn’t like Gyneth’s hair, but the dress stole the show.

Rooney Mara‘s white revealing flowing Givenchy gown, dainty stature and pale skin looked beautifully soft against the severity of her black hair, heavy brows, red lips and straight fringe. I loved the juxtaposition. 

Emma Stone‘s high neckline was wonderful to see at the Oscars. Emma’s Giambattista Valli’s fuchsia halter neck gown with oversized statement neck tie was divine. So romantic and girly.

Sandra Bullock‘s  two-toned Marchesa dress with hip and shoulder embellishment was elegant and regal. I have never liked ponytails with formal gowns, but Sandra’s high ponytail was fabulous. 

Runners Up

Penelope Cruz‘s silver grey off the shoulder gown by Armani Prive was very pretty, but I didn’t care for the diamond choker.

Glenn Close‘s dark green Zac Posen strapless dress with matching tuxedo jacket was spunky.

Kristin Wiig wore a soft nude strapless gown by J. Mendel and looked smashing.

Best Hair

Tina Fey‘s huge high bun was spectacular! 

Best Dudes

Christopher Plummer in ink blue velvet could not be beat, and his win was my best for the night. 

Jonah Hill was fabulous in his tonal black shirt and tux. 

Tom Hanks was dashing in his tux with white piped pocket. 

Martin Scorcese looked arty in his black on black tux and geek chic specs. 

Jean Dujardin was most charming of the night. 

Uggie (the Terrier from the movie The Artist) was perfectly turned out in his black bow tie. 

If you didn’t catch the show last night, you can catch up on what the celebs wore online. I’d love to hear your favourites too. 

You’ll dazzle your lunch date with your spirit, eyes, smile and heart no matter what. But how about a bit of extra shine for daytime? Levi’s® asked me to build two outfits around jeans from their new Curve ID line, and today I’m going to do one that brings some sparkle to a lunchtime ensemble.

Some people struggle to get their head around the concept of “daytime sparkle” because sparkly things scream formal and evening wear. Well, that’s true. But fashion concepts do evolve and the concept of daytime sparkle has been trending for quite a while. If you like shiny things like I do, then it’s fun to add a little sparkle when meeting someone for lunch. The concept may even work in some professional settings. 

The key to keeping the vibe “daytime appropriate” is twofold:

1. Keep the sparkle subtle and in a colour other than a bright or black. Bright and black sparkle scream evening wear even more loudly than sparkle itself. 
2. Dress down the sparkle.

Pairing faded jeans with a sparkly topper is an easy way to interpret the trend. Wearing a distressed item with dressy shine is also an interesting outfit juxtaposition. Here are the components of the formula:

Faded jeans + subtle sparkly topper + dressy footwear and bag

Start with Faded Jeans

Choose any style of faded jeans, from wide leg to skinnies. I’ve chosen the Modern Supreme Curve Skinny Boot Cut Jeans because it’s a versatile basic that looks great with heels. I haven’t seen the fit of these jeans in person, but the customer reviews are promising.

Add a Sparkly Topper 

A metallic cardigan is a comfortable option, and just that much dressier than a regular cardigan. Layer it over a simple neutral like this off-white sleeveless blouse.

If you prefer the structure of a jacket, a Spring tweed with lurex thread provides the right amount of subtle sparkle for a daytime ensemble. I’ve chosen a collarless cropped style, but any jacket silhouette in a lurex-tweed will work. Add a basic neutral under layer like a good quality tee to further dress down the sparkle. 

Layering a sequin-rich tank over an untucked basic white button down shirt is a third option. The untucked button down, especially if you scrunch the sleeves, will further dress down the sparkle of the tank.

Finish off with Dressy Footwear and Bag

Neutral clothing allows you to go in any colour direction with the footwear and handbag. I’ve chosen both bright and neutral options depending on your mood. A delicate pastel like blush pink is a soft and romantic variation, and works particularly well with the grey and white topper options.

Heels, either ankle booties or pumps, are ideal with bootcuts. Dressy flats are wonderful paired with a tapered leg silhouette. Colour blocked footwear and handbags look fresh for the season.

Do It Yourself

As with all dressing formulas, I sew the seed of the idea. The next step is to substitute the items so that the silhouettes are more to your taste and in line with your style persona. Add necklaces, arm candy, belts, scarves brooches and earrings as desired. For example, I’d stick to my specs, wrist watch and wedding ring and leave it at that, just as I did when I matched my faded jeans with sparkly toppers, neutral bag and neutral footwear.

Did you know that you should examine pearls on a white background to judge their colour, or that a “matinee” strand is often between 20″ and 24″ long? In the updated fifth edition of the Pearl Buying Guide gemologist Renée Newman combines many fun facts with practical information and guidelines for what to consider when investing in new or vintage pearls.  

Lizzie Garrett Mettler has been exploring tomboy style on her popular blog for almost two years now. Her motto is that “a tomboy is identified by clothing, but what makes her wholly so is an inherent sense of confidence, rebelliousness, and adventure”. Her first book, Tomboy Style, is a visual history of eighty years of tomboy style and its many famous and lesser-known icons.

Seeing this week’s books right next to each other got me thinking about tomboy style jewellery. Do you associate this fashion persona with a certain type of jewellery? I never have, really. It’s true that leather cuffs and colourful rope bracelets pop up often on tomboy inspiration boards. But you see just as many dainty gold chains, oversized watches, stacks of silver bangles, statement rings, piles of pearls and everything in between. I’ve always felt that each piece of jewellery can be used to create very different moods and vibes, it’s all in the execution and what feels right to you.

Do you think that tomboy style implies having a trademark type of jewellery?

A couple months ago, I enjoyed a lovely Saturday morning cruising the stores in downtown Seattle with “my fashion friends”  – at least that’s what I call the diverse  group of women that get together for YLF meet-ups every few months. Even though there is a rotating mix of women who come to these events (and always at least a couple of new faces) and even though I don’t even see the “regulars” more than twice a year, I feel a connection that goes beyond a mere shared interest in fashion and that truly feels like friendship.

I’ve talked to a couple of other “YLF oldies” (nothing to do with age – just referring to women who’ve followed Angie’s blog and who have participated in real-world events for a couple years or more), and it seems like I’m not alone with this sentiment. When I asked Amy, a regular Forum contributor, what she expected from her very first YLF brunch & shop, she said “I expected to have a nice time hanging out with friends and that’s what it truly is.”

This is powerful! From having done some professional research into online groups I knew that a key factor strengthening a virtual (online) community is a cross-over into the real (offline) world. Meeting some of the people hidden behind creative screen names or avatars at real-world events tied to the virtual community (for example, a meet-up of cycling enthusiasts who share biking stores online, or an in-person poker tournament for online Texas Hold’em fans) strengthens the attachment to and engagement with the virtual community.

It has been truly eye-opening and rewarding to experience this effect in person: I was part of the very first YLF get-together, an afternoon gathering at a Seattle tea house in 2008, and it was marvelous to see how quickly we all started chatting and bonding. And my hunch is that the report and the photos we posted on the blog later contributed to the sense of community that makes YLF a very special place on the web. Even readers and contributors who do not participate in real-life events can relate more to Angie and fellow YLF members when they see pictures and read about meet-ups and shopping adventures. The offline connections of a few thus help to “make it real” even for those online.

I continue to be amazed and awed by the strength of the ties YLF members have formed, and the trust they share. From activities like “Secret Santa” where women send a little fashion gift to a randomly selected YLF member, to making a detour during a trip to meet new fashion friends in other cities, there is a degree of involvement and care that I’ve rarely seen or heard about, especially given that YLF is not a small niche site but has a huge readership all over the world. 

And it’s not all about fashion and style, either. YLF members rally and support each other during life events, including career changes, caring for elderly parents, and even grieving for a spouse – all without ever having met each other in person. Kari, a YLF veteran and regular contributor to the Discussion Forum, expressed it very well: “I’ve made a bunch of connections with women who are becoming friends. I’ve been through some ups and downs, and seeing how women responded to me and others on the forum has given me a sense of strong connection. These are not just random people who give me feedback. This is my online family. I feel we are a very intimate group even if we don’t spend a lot of time together in person.”

This level of connection can’t be manufactured; it grows organically and thrives on TLC. Angie has created a very special place where women inspire and encourage each other, and everyone who comments and posts and shares their perspective in a constructive way helps YLF to transcend a fashion and style blog and forum to become a true community.