Develop a Style that Satisfies Your Needs

There is little point in creating a style for an imaginary persona, climate, environment, or lifestyle. Identify your needs accurately and honestly. Build an effective wardrobe that satisfies those needs. One that you can easily maintain. 

Style is Practical

What’s practical and easy for one person might not work for another. Pinpoint your personal, practical priorities. Make sure that your clothing, footwear and accessories are comfortable, attractive to you, and don’t fight with your day.

Sometimes practicality is a trade-off with fashion or aesthetics, but you don’t need to be purely practical all the time. Find the balance that works for you. The most stylish outfits are the ones that serve your needs, whatever those happen to be.

Seventeen Today!

YLF turns seventeen today. I can scarcely believe it. Thank you for the tremendous support. You are what makes YLF a special social community by graciously sharing your wisdom in blog comments and forum posts. Your thoughtful, compassionate, amusing and insightful contributions enrich this community and allow me to grow as a person. A special shout-out to Fabbers who have supported YLF since year one. I am humbled by your loyalty.

A big thank you to Inge, who has been part of the YLF team for twelve years, and a Fabber for fifteen. Inge is one of the sweetest and most thoughtful people I know. She is an absolute pleasure to work with and a very dear friend. We chat many times a day, every day. It’s been years since we saw each other in person, and I miss her!

Thanks also to hubs Greg for his ongoing behind-the-scenes work. There would be no YLF without Greg, and I’m forever grateful.

Last but not least, a snuggly and playful thank you to Yorkies Sam and Jo. They are always close by, literally nestled on either side of me on the couch as I type away on my laptop. Their incredible, unconditional companionship is soothing, comforting, and should not be underestimated. Our first Yorkies Jasmine and Rosie, who were with us when we started YLF and fulfilled the same therapeutic role, are always in our hearts.

Team Shirt or Team T-Shirt

You are on Team T-shirt if you prefer wearing tees to button-through shirts, and vice versa. Note that any type of knitted T-shirt counts. Solid, patterned, graphic, slogan, long-sleeved, short-sleeved, cap-sleeved, fitted, fluid, so take your pick. When it comes to shirts, I mean the button-up variety with collars but in any silhouette, fit, pattern, length, colour, fabric, or pattern. 

I have three T-shirts that I don’t wear that often. But sometimes the slogan tee is dead right as a layering top under a jacket or with a pants suit. Sometimes the stripes are dead right with white jeans or my long denim shorts at the beach with the doggies.

Here are my T-shirts.

I bat for Team Shirt and wear them on a warm Spring day and all Summer long. Shirts are my “T-shirts” and a slam dunk for my body type. They always fit and are easy to incorporate into my style. My long neck likes the collar.

I wear them in straight, fluid, and oversized fits, and tucked or semi-tucked into bottoms unless they are cropped. All are boxy and breezy, and none fitted. I love their crisp woven fabric, the collar for popping, and sleeves for scrunching. I feel polished in a shirt, wear them as casual wear, and enjoy their coverage from the sun.

Here are my shirts.

Over to you. Do you bat for Team T-shirt or Team Shirt? Tell us why. Today you can bat for both teams if that’s what you want.

Roundups

Simpler Items

This week's list of top picks list is about basic pieces.

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Assorted Items

Items for Summer, both in and out of air conditioning.

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Casual Summer Vibes

This week's top picks are good for a casual Summer vibe.

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Summery Earth Tones

These items are for those who like to wear casual earth tones in warm and hot weather.

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Hints of Spring

Some tried-and-tested winning items to refresh your style for Spring.

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Dressier Items

An assortment of dressier top picks might be just what the doctor ordered.

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Trend: Boxy Cropped Shirts

Collared button-through shirts that are shorter than regular length are coming through. The trend was fringe, but has gained momentum and is now mainstream. Which makes me suspect it’s selling quite well at retail. 

The cropped lengths of these shirts vary from midriff-baring to grazing the hip bone. Hem shapes are curved, straight, staggered, or asymmetrical. Fits range from fluid to oversized. They are boxy, short, and have short or long shirt sleeves. Most are solid, but patterns are available too. Fabrics are cotton, cotton-blends, viscose, rayon, or linen. Some are super crisp, and others are soft and drapey.

They are a breezy Summer top that can be worn buttoned all the way through to the collar. Worn with a couple of buttons unbuttoned. Or open like a jacket over a tee, tank, or super short cropped top. Here are some examples.

COS
Cropped Poplin Shirt
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Top Pick
3
Shopbop
ASKK NY Denim Shirt
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Top Pick
3
H&M
Cotton Crop Shirt
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Top Pick
1

When shopping with clients for this silhouette, I’ve found that getting the right length and hem shape is key. Longer cropped lengths that cover the midriff are great for pants, jeans, and shorts (if you don’t want to showcase skin). Slightly shorter cropped lengths work well with skirts. Curved hems can visually shorten the length of the shirt, which can be unfavourable. A straight hem can work better than expected.

The short-sleeved versions in drapey soft fabrics with V-necklines can work particularly well on a curvier figure. In fact, the crisper boxy cropped silhouette with long sleeves has worked well on a curvy figure with a large bust when the length is just right. The shirts do not cling or gape at the bust because of the roomy fit, which can be a welcome change. The shorter length offsets the “tent effect”. You have to be okay with the more voluminous side view though, so be sure to look at that before you commit to the silhouette.

Collared shirts are a no-brainer for my own style. They always work, so I wear them. I wear fluid and oversized, regular length, collared button-through shirts like T-shirts in the Summer. They are cotton or linen and very comfortable. I tuck or semi-tuck them for a bit of structure. I enjoy their dressy and crisp relaxed integrity. As a shirt gal, I love this trend, and was an early adopter of the longer cropped lengths.

I got my first boxy cropped shirt three years ago, and have steadily added more. Two are straight with curved hems. One a little shorter and boxier with a gently curved hem. The most recent purchase has a high-low hemline and is super boxy and wide. Their silhouette became wider as I added to my capsule. I love how their cropped length makes them look good untucked. That shorter length adds a subtle yet meaningful bit of structure to my eye. My versions are not midriff-baring. I am completely covered, and don’t show skin. I often wear a camisole underneath too.

Here are my boxy cropped shirts.

Over to you. What do you think of boxy cropped shirts, and would you wear them?

Fashion News Roundup: March 2023

H&M expands its resale platform, a new Chanel exhibition, and other fashion-related news that caught our attention this month.

Fashion Quote

I found this article about Nicky Marchbank, who had to rethink her entire life after being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in 2019, thought-provoking and inspiring. It also contains a lovely reminder to not underestimate the power of a great pair of pyjamas:

“The days where I can’t get up and dress – unfortunately they happen far too frequently in my life, at least once a week – if somebody rings the doorbell, then at least I know I don’t look a complete state because I’ve got my smart pyjamas on, so I don’t feel as crappy.”