Angie and I often talk about how lucky we are that the YouLookFab community developed the way it did. So many smart, fun, compassionate people in one place all talking about something that we are passionate about too: fashion and style. There is seemingly no end to the interesting questions, great new outfit ideas and fun topics.

We’ve also noticed that the interest doesn’t end with the outfits. Angie’s occasional posts that dig into the mechanics of the fashion industry, its role in society and its impact on the environment always generate a lot of enthusiastic and thoughtful discussion. This totally makes sense: if you’re interested in fashion and style, then you’re probably also interested in the context of fashion and style. You aren’t satisfied just accepting the lack of small sizes, or the abundance of summer dresses in mid-Winter, or the sudden hike in prices. You want to know why things are the way they are, and discuss this with other people who, like you, see fashion as more than just a pretty ensemble.

So we’re going to experiment with the idea of writing more about the context of fashion on YLF. We don’t plan to post less of Angie’s advice and analysis, but we would like to post more about the broader context of Angie’s articles.

Since this is a little more like journalism than Angie’s current writing, we reached out to a journalist to help us get it off the ground — our very own Michelle McQuigge, a long time YLF forum member. While Angie continues to post as before, Michelle and I will be looking for opportunities to start conversations around the business, culture, technology and environmental impact of fashion. Obviously, as an 18 year veteran of the fashion industry, Angie is sure to be our most important “source”.

We’re not quite sure where this will end up, but we’re starting things off with today’s article by Michelle — some fascinating background on imminent apparel price hikes and their likely consequences for consumers. We hope you enjoy it!