Why wear flattering clothing? Why bother with accessories, a nice hairdo, make-up and clear skin? As long as you are clean, your body is covered and your clothes are comfortable, why should you expend any effort at all to look appealing. It’s an interesting question.

I guess you wouldn’t be reading this blog if you weren’t interested in fashion, personal style and your physical appearance. Your reasons for being interested in this subject matter might be different from mine though. Here are the things that drive my interest:

• Style is aesthetic. This might sound shallow, but I’m a very visual person. I get a kick out of being surrounded by beautiful design. From the interior of our house to the wrapping of packages and the car that I drive. The collars on our dogs are important and so is the tissue holder in my handbag. I even make the food on our dinner plates look pretty. So the way I present myself to the world is a natural extension of my aesthetic appreciation for everything. I guess it’s just the way I’m wired.
• Dressing is an art form. A part of being a visual person is seeing the art in everything (I almost studied art instead of psychology). I like looking at the way other people are dressed because dressing is an art form. People are walking works of art. It’s fascinating to look at and appreciate all types of style.
• Fashion is fun. I LOVE clothes, footwear and accessories. I thoroughly enjoy looking at them in stores and trying them on. And I love to shop, both for myself and for other people.
• When I look good, I feel good. The way I look on the outside effects the way I feel on the inside. When I’m happy with my outfit and look attractive, I feel that I can take on the day. Obviously, my outer appearance is not the only thing that gets me through a day, but it helps knowing that I’m at least well turned out – in my eyes anyway.
• I like to look good for other people. I actually do care what other people think and even though I am not always affected by what they say, I’d like the world to perceive me as a well put together individual.
• I enjoy compliments. Who doesn’t?
• It’s my bread and butter. I have to practice what I preach! It doesn’t make sense for a fashion stylist to be disinterested in the way they present themselves. Also, I’ve been immersed in the international fashion scene for 17 years and it’s part of who I am. I eat, sleep, drink and breath this stuff.

Do these reasons resonate with you? Why do you want to look fab? A penny for your thoughts.

Our forum is full of ladies successfully traveling through their own personal style journey. The forum members generously inspire and help each other and I’m always impressed with the motivation and end results.

One such forum member is Renata, who lives in Saskatchewan, Canada. Renata is a full time hair stylist, wife and Mum, who came to the forum four months ago feeling drab, frumpy and very uninspired with her daily look. But she got her fashion and style ducks in a row chop-chop and was soon proudly sporting her own creative ensembles and inspiring others by posting them in the forum.

Renata entered a recent forum challenge called The YLF Uniform Project. Participants had to take an LBD (in Renata’s case, a little brown dress) and come up with three different looks for it: “hanging out”, “office style”, and “date night.

Her outfits blew me away. So much so that I seized the opportunity to interview Renata and ask her a few questions about her style journey.

Angie: How did you find YLF?

Renata: I was looking for ideas as to what to wear to my niece’s wedding in August. I stumbled across YLF and have been an active member ever since.

Angie: How would you describe your old sense of style and why were you inspired to change it?

Renata: When I hit my mid forties, I fell into a what I call “the middle-aged invisible women slump”.

I found my old sense of style boring. Working 5-6 days a week, comfort became my first priority, and with it came style that wasn’t standing out. I was wearing plain t-shirts and jeans almost every day. I suppose my inspiration to change was when I learned that I could put together a practical outfit that looked good, without compromising style.

Angie: How did you get started?

Renata: I started out by reading plenty of books and magazines, along with blogs and forums. I did my best to learn which colors and items complement my body, and which don’t.

Angie: What have you learned? How did YLF help you along the way?

Renata: I learned that questioning myself (e.g. Is this outdated? Am I too old? Does this age me? Does this look just plain wrong?) is a very good thing, and if I can’t answer those questions I know I can turn to YLF forum members for help. It’s like having a cheerleading team! Support is there, you just have to ask for it. My first success with YLF was when I read Angie’s blog on how to pick a perfect pair of specs. I couldn’t have done it myself. When I wear them I feel instantly fab!

Angie: Where do you like to shop?

Renata: Honestly, with the limited budget that I have I can say that my favourite place to shop is Winners (Canada’s version of TJ Max). I really enjoy their selection of handbags.

Second hand stores are also great. The lure of cheap prices and one of a kind items is enough for me to brave musty smells and crowded stores. Lately I have been searching for skirts, dresses and jackets. I also love local boutiques.

Angie: You rocked the last YLF forum challenge, which was to showcase the versatility of a LBD (in your case a little brown dress) by wearing it across three different lifestyles. You came up with six fabulous outfits and I’m impressed. What inspired the outfits?

Renata: Oh, that was so much fun! Shortly after forum member Laura posted about mom on the go formula #3, I was on the lookout for a casual dress. I lucked out and found three in one week.

The inspiration for my “hanging out” outfits was Angie’s Mom on the go formula #3. I love that one, it’s so easy to follow! For office wear, I just made it little dressier by adding appropriate jackets and footwear. And date night, I guess that one was all about the right accessories, which I was missing, so I had to go shopping. But without accessories those outfits wouldn’t be fab that is for sure! I would have never guessed that my own creations would send Angie “into ORBIT” but I’m so glad they did. She is a good teacher and I’m a good student! LOL.

Angie: How will you continue to evolve your style?

Renata: I have to stay motivated and continue to tweak and perfect my own style. I intend to visit YLF for my inspiration and information. I call YLF my fashion medication!

Angie: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Renata: I’m so glad that YLF came into my life. It’s highly addictive but in a good way! LOL.

Angie: I’m wow-ed. Thank you for your time, Renata. It has been a pleasure observing your journey, which I see is taking more of an arty and eclectic turn each time you post. You look radiant and happy. Well done.

Unless we have company I wear comfy slippers at home most of the time. The soles of my feet get sore and cold if I go barefoot on our hard wooden floors for any length of time. Plus I’m prone to stubbing my toes. So as soon as I’m inside, I take off my shoes and pop on my slippers.

Soft, boiled wool mule slippers with plenty of structure and a sturdy sole are my preferred style of home footwear. I don’t like fluffy slippers with soft bottoms because they slide around as you walk, plus my feet feel like they’re suffocating in all that fluff. I prefer the warmth and coziness of a slipper as opposed to a proper house shoe like a Birkenstock.

But each to their own. I have plenty of friends and family who prefer to wear a proper house shoe instead of soft slippers. And others that don’t change shoes at all when they arrive home.

What’s your footwear style when you’re at home? Do you like to wear slippers? Or do you prefer house shoes, or going barefoot? Perhaps you wear flip flops, or keep on the shoes that you wore during the day. Let’s hear about your footwear style at home.

The Haflingers on the left have been my number one choice of slipper for years. But I’m road testing the Daniel Greens in the middle because they’re a little cheaper and the colour was impossible to resist. The Birkenstocks on the right are the kind of house shoe a lot of my Euro family and friends wear at home. They’re not for me, but they might be for you.

Almost there! Today we tackle the 8th of my 10 casual outfit formulas for Mums and gals on the go (refresh your memories with formulas #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 #6 and #7). This formula is all about pairing boots with short length pants like walk shorts and clamdiggers. This look is a little more daring and creative, but entirely sweet and arty when the components of the ensemble work in harmony:

Clamdiggers + long sleeved T + scarf + tall boots

I first saw clamdiggers (or shorts) and tall boots worn by funky lasses of all ages in Hong Kong (the photos below were taken in December of 2006). I was immediately inspired and have been sporting the look ever since. I don’t know why, but wearing this formula makes me feel mischievous. Sort of like a naughty schoolgirl. Crazy.

I wear this formula at the start of Autumn when I break out my boots, and at the start of a chilly Spring when I’m still wearing boots. The outfit combination isn’t warm enough for a Seattle Winter, but it’s perfect for mild Winter days. The added advantages are that short length pants double duty in cooler weather, and that tall boots are easier to slip on because it eliminates tucking fuss.

Here are the components in more detail:

• Clamdiggers: You’ll need slim cut denim clamdiggers or winter weight walk shorts, preferably in a tweed , heavy weight twill, denim or wool. The length of the pants should hit somewhere between the top and the bottom of the knee cap. Roll the pants up a little if they’re longer. Showing skin between the top of the boots and the bottom of the shorts is fine and just a different type of look. Go with your aesthetic preference.
• Long-sleeved T: Any top that works with a scarf is good. A solid layering T is a great backdrop for a patterned scarf, but you don’t need to stick to basic T styling either. Banded tunic styles, empire cuts and wrap styles are more interesting alternatives. Button down shirts and crew, turtle and V-neck knitwear will also work. You can even switch the solid and pattern mix around by wearing a patterned top and solid scarf. Think boyfriend blazer, trench coat, cropped coat, biker/plaid/military jacket, or one of the new look, longer length cardigans for the next layer.
• Scarf: Versatile wrap-style scarves are my top pick because they look great both indoors and outdoors. Silky scarves are just as fab, but not as casual. Neckerchieves are harder to wear but look good on long necks. For an instantly flattering look, tie scarves vertically with a loop knot, muffler style, or with the Angie knot.
• Tall boots: Choose knee-high and mid-calf boots that are either flat, wedged or low heeled. Mid-calf boots tend to look better with shorter walk shorts because it balances out proportions. The world is your oyster when it comes to the aesthetic of the boots. From riding boots and slouch styles, to biker boots, cowboy looks and 20 eyelet Doc Martens. Take your pick.

And the accessories:

• Hose: I prefer this look sans hose because it’s cleaner and more sophisticated that way. But hose is not a no-no here so feel free to experiment.
• Handbag: A flat tote or cross body bag will do the trick.
• Other accessories: Your specs and watch are the most important accessories on your body so attend to those first if you wear them. Consider a necklace if you’d prefer it to a scarf, and bangles make a nice change too. Small earrings are a finishing touch but not a necessity.

And now some examples. The first is a neutral modern-classic interpretation, while the second is more trendy and urban. Remember that this is a formula, so you can substitute the items in the visuals for those that that are more to your taste. Note that you can click on the pictures to find details about individual items in Polyvore, but take the specific items I chose with a grain of salt. I selected them purely based on what was easily available and what made the right visual impact.

Neutral Modern Classic:

Trendy & Urban:

So Mums and gals on the go, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this formula. Too daring? Think you’ll give it a bash? You aren’t allowed to say no until you’ve tried it out!