Acquiring a new wardrobe item happens in so many different ways. Sometimes we need the item for a specific occasion and a lot of planning and forethought is involved. Other times we stumble across an item when we least expect to (I often like those impulsive purchases best). But just for the purposes of discussion I’m going describe the process in 7 simple steps.

1. Scoping out looks and trends and picking the ones that tickle your fancy
2. Planning the shopping list
3. Searching for options
4. Ordering a whole lot of goodies online, or physically purchasing them in brick and mortar stores
5. Experimenting with the options at home
6. Deciding which items to keep
7. Tearing off the tags and putting the new item through its stylish paces

I enjoy all seven steps, but the last one is my favourite. I am wildly excited when a new item makes it into my wardrobe and wearing it as soon as possible is always the goal. I want to wear it NOW. In fact, I have been known to leave a store wearing the item I’ve just purchased. At the very least I want to wear it that night, or the following day. It kills me when I have to wait because it’s an occasion item or the weather isn’t cooperating.

I love, love, love step 1 and it’s the next best part of acquiring  a new wardrobe item. I also really enjoy step 3, searching for new wardrobe items, because I adore browsing through retail stores. However the search side of things can be frustrating when you have a very specific item in mind and can’t find it, or if it’s out of your price range. Experimentation, step 5, is also lots of fun because it pushes my fashion envelope and injects newness into my style.

Over to you. Do you enjoy the process of acquiring a new wardrobe item as much as actually wearing it? Is the excitement over once the search is complete? Do you enjoy the experimentation process best? Or would you gladly dodge the whole search process for a closet full of instantly perfect pieces?

I adore both colours but only recently incorporated bright purple into my wardrobe. I never wore purple as a teen or young adult, thinking it was too cool against my skin tone. But a saturated rich purple worn with another warm bright does work for my complexion, so now I’m all for it.

A warm pink, on the other hand, has always been part of my style – just like red. I cannot remember my closet sans pink and red.

I never really wore pastel pink, but loved bubblegum pink when I was little. I wore shocking pink, neon pink and fuschia to death in the 80’s and absolutely still wear those colours today. In fact, the brighter the pink, the more I like it. Fuchsia has also become a signature YLF colour. Enough said. I am Team Pink.

Over to you. Are you Team Pink or Team Purple? Tell us why. No batting for both Teams, but if you insist on sitting this one out because you can’t possibly decide between your two favourite colours, that’s okay too.

This is what I wore to a casual brunch with close friends and their parents last Saturday in our Seattle neighbourhood of Madrona. The restaurant is only ten minutes away on foot which meant that a short and rather damp walk was in order. You can’t let the cold, wet and miserable weather stop you from doing things, OR wearing nice clothes when you live in Seattle. You just have to bundle up, wear the right footwear, carry an umbrella and get on with it.

I was in a rush that morning so I relied on one of my fast fall back outfits to get me out the door on time. On went my Gap legging jeans with a black ruched sleeve turtle neck and flat Stuart Weitzman over the knee boots (scored at this year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale). I topped off the look with short red military coat (an Armani that I nabbed on deep, deep discount many years ago), yellow scarf and casual L.A.M.B bag. Simple, comfy, practical and warm – perfect for a brisk walk up the hill followed by a casual meal.

Wearing boots over jeans, Ponte pants, leggings or hose is an excellent way to keep your feet and bottoms dry when braving the elements. Wearing bootcuts is not a good idea because the hems and backs get sopping wet. Since I’ve also weatherproofed my boots with spray I was good to go. There is no need to wear a raincoat if you can carry an umbrella. I have lived in Seattle for seven years, commute a lot on foot and do not own a raincoat. But I do own several brightly coloured and patterned umbrellas.

I am often asked to feature more of my casual outfits. Well, this is a typical casual Autumn outfit for cold wet weather! It’s about as casual as I go unless I’m lounging in my sweats at home.

Today’s post is written by fabulous funky Antje, a good friend and long, long time supporter of the YLF community. While catching up last week over tea and cup cakes we started talking about organizing another clothing swap event for Seattle YLF’ers. One thing led to another and we decided to take it global.

Have you ever attended a clothes swap and scored a fabulous item that quickly became a closet favorite? Then this blog post should excite you.

Have you never attended a clothes swap but have sometimes wondered what it would be like and whether you might be missing out? Maybe this blog post will entice you!

Or have you attended a swap in the past but came away disappointed? Then this blog post might nudge you to try again.

I am so excited to announce the first “YouLookFab Global Swap Event”. Several brave YLF members have already stepped forward to host an event in their city, from Seattle WA to Austin TX, and from Norwalk CT to Mesa AZ. Who else wants to put a clothes swap on the map? We’d love to see many more YLF swap events take place all over the world!

But let’s start at the beginning: Why a clothes swap? Here are the top reasons I love a good clothes swap:

1. It’s a great way to refresh your wardrobe. I typically come away with items I never had on my list of things to look for and that I might never have proactively shopped for in a store. I love them exactly for that reason: They are unexpected finds, bonus clothes, “extras”. Since the items are free, I can take a risk and grab something that’s a little less typical for my style and just experiment with a new color, a new cut, etc.
2. It’s a super way to clean out your closet. Angie writes a lot about the importance of “closet editing” and not holding on to clothes that you know (deep down you know you know!) you will not wear again. Many of us are too busy or just feel hassled by the thought of consigning our clothes, and sometimes it seems a shame to just drop them off at Goodwill when you know a fashionable friend would really dig that item. Clothes swaps breathe new life into clothes that are still in great shape but don’t fit you anymore, were bad impulse purchases you instantly regretted but never took back to the store, are just “not you”, or for whatever reason have become closet orphans.
3. It’s truly “green”. The most eco-friendly clothing is recycled clothing. Rather than buying a new sweater, try scoring one at a swap. And I can tell you from experience that it is so rewarding to see someone else trying on an item you brought (because it doesn’t fit, isn’t “you”, etc.), loving it, and walking away with it as their new favorite wardrobe addition.
4. It’s fun! Allowing yourself to socialize for an hour or two with other women who enjoy clothes and fashion is a treat. I have fond memories of past clothes swaps, the giggles in front of the mirror, the compliments as well as the kind but honest advice to steer away from an item, and the delight at meeting women in person whom you previously only knew online. You will likely find that you have lots to talk about and might walk away with a new friend. Bonus!

If you still need convincing, check out the report from the first YLF clothing swap in Seattle, almost two years ago.

This time, in honor of YLF’s global spirit, let’s extend the event and host clothes swaps all over the map! To get this started, we already have plans for swap events during the weekend of January 22, 2011 in four different areas of the US:

• Seattle, Washington (yours truly will host and Angie will be there)
• Austin, Texas (Sarah and Patience are hosting)
• Mesa, Arizona (Kyle is hosting)
• Norwalk, Connecticut (near NYC! April is hosting)

We’re looking for additional hosts! Please let us know if you would like to host a YLF clothes swap in your city (ideally on or around that same weekend) by contacting us on this email address:  swap@youlookfab.com. Don’t worry if you have never hosted or even attended a swap before: We will publish a how-to guide for hosting a clothes swap on the YLF site in November, and I will be available to support hosts with info, resources, and tips as needed.

And for those who are excited about the swaps already being planned in your cities: You will hear more about the planned events soon, including dates and times, location and what to bring. We’re also working on a blog post about “How to get the most out of a clothes swap” for first-timers.

This will be so exciting. Let’s swap clothes in style, all over the map, and make new friends!