Cross body bags (or sling and messenger bags as I know them) used to be my favourite type of bag five to eight years ago. I loved this look because it was hip and hands free. But out of the blue, carrying a bag across my body started causing neck, chest and shoulder pain. I stopped cold turkey, passed on most of my sling bags and have hardly sported the look since. But I got all soft at the Macy’s sale last week when I saw something that had my name written all over it. I was prepared to give the look another chance. Enter my next Spring update: a cream cross body bag. Along with my other new off-white bag, this is my favorite of all the Spring updates thus far. I’m a bag lady at heart.

My previous cross body bags were quite large, and even though I keep the contents of my bag to a minimum, a big cross body bag does not work for me anymore. To my surprise, the smaller style works really well. I’ve worn the new micro version several times and no pain. I can hardly feel it’s on my body. I’m thoroughly enjoying the return of this handbag style to my ensembles. Along with wristlets, it’s made a nice change to the large flat totes that I sport daily.

Click here or on the pictures for a larger view of the outfits.

There are many variations on the cross body bag: large and small, plain and printed, casual and dressy or boho and classic – take your pick. This one errs on the dressy side, but even so, the integrity of the look is relaxed and modern. I can match up this particular style with both pants, leggings and frocks because it’s small, whereas large cross body bags seem to lend themselves better to pants, slacks and jeans.

A cross body bag of any size is an especially good idea for commuters on foot, and mums-on-the-go with kids in tow. It’s also a handy option for city travel, day trips and long shopping days. Zappos, Fossil, Nordstrom and Macy’s have great selections of cross body bags at the moment, which you’ll probably nab for a song. Mine was marked down from $129 to $42. Brilliant.

Other Spring 2009 accessory updates:

• Scarf and handbag
• Casual necklace
• Fun floral belt
• Floral pin
• Turquoise scarf

The ratio of solid colours to patterns for the tops, knitwear, jackets, skirts and frocks in your wardrobe depends entirely on your individual style and aesthetic preferences. I see fully functioning wardrobes that are 90% patterned, and I know uber-stylish lasses who stick to solids. There is no generally applicable formula.

As far as clothing goes, I generally have a mix of both with a preference for solids (70% solid and 30% pattern). I’ve found that with a larger selection of solids, I can have fun with accessories like patterned scarves, checked pants, animal print bags and floral pins. I also like to use texture and colour blocking as a way of making my ensembles look interesting. Solids lend themselves better to those looks. Above all, I tire of a pattern more easily then I do of a solid colour, which is why I prefer to see less of it when I open up my closet door.

As much as I love the pure, clean-cut and versatile edge of solids, my wardrobe would feel bland without patterns. I love the surge of excitement that I get when I see one that I adore. And it’s always love at first sight (patterns never seem to grow on me – I either love them or I don’t). My favourite pattern of all time is polka dots in all its variations. There’s just something so fun, fresh, modern, graphic and retro about a spotty vibe. Next would be geometrics and after that abstract florals.

Over to you. What’s your mix of patterns and solids in your wardrobe, and are you happy with that mix? Do you feel you need a change? Do you even like patterns, and if so, which ones are your favourites?

Today’s post is written by our leggy and statuesque Kyle, who lives in Mesa, Arizona. Kyle is a working Mum who has her own ad agency and we’re thrilled to have had her impeccably stylish presence on our forum for over a year. Over to you, Kyle.

It’s time to face the music. I’m not a junior anymore. But, you know what? I learned something this week. It’s OK to step out of your comfort zone and try something different every now and then. In fact, it’s good fun.

Here’s the deal. I was happy to help when Angie asked me to try these Delilah Premium Vanity Jeans from eVanity.com. At 5′ 10″ I am tall, but most of that length is in my legs. So these jeans, with a 37-inch inseam (yes, I said 37!), were right up my alley. The Delilah’s are very different from what I typically wear. These are Junior jeans, and I am three decades past junior. But keeping an open mind, I gave them a try.

First, I have to tell you just how incredibly soft these jeans are, like the best pair you ever had that you wore and wore until you just couldn’t anymore and then some. I’ve never encountered jeans this soft. Very nice. No stiff scratchy denim here. They have the perfect amount of stretch too, making them more comfortable still.

I immediately embraced the uber-light wash. Somehow it felt just right for spring. And I loved the casual, slightly retro vibe. They are well made, with great attention to detail. A note for all of our smart casual/dark wash YLF devotees. These jeans are seriously distressed. They are intentionally threadbare in a couple of spots, but that adds to the charm. I never liked the idea of paying big, big bucks for designer jeans that were ripped up. So the price of these is a big plus at just $42.80. That’s definitely do-able, don’t you think?

As we all know too well, jeans are tricky to fit and not everything works for everyone. These jeans were not a perfect fit for me. I started with a size 29, and those were a little tight in the thighs. The 30s were a little big in the waist, but a couple of quick tucks will take care of that. I initially thought the rise was just a tad too low, but I adjusted to that rather quickly and it became a non-issue.

I can dress up or down for the office, so when I wore these to work, my colleagues were happy to share their thoughts. They all liked the fit and the leggy silhouette. One of the younger girls was not crazy about the wash, but one of the other 40-somethings liked everything about them, especially the wash.

I can understand why the Delilah’s are eVanity’s best-selling jean. Stylish. Comfortable. Flattering. Affordable. It doesn’t get much better than that. I’ll be wearing them again, and they may even make a repeat appearance on YLF as I try different ways of styling them. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks after all.

At time of posting, the Delilah Premium Vanity Jeans were on sale for $29.99!

This question must really be answered separately for work and non-work situations.

Cleavage in the workplace

I think it’s wise to err on the conservative side in a professional setting. So I’m going with a strict rule of no cleavage in the work place. Depending on your line of work, your outfit does not need to be conservative. You can absolutely sport a dramatic and eye-catching style without showing loads of skin. But it’s often hard to cover up all hints of cleavage when you’re well endowed. A busty lass needs to wear a low-ish neckline and even with a camisole it’s not always possible to cover cleavage completely. But as long as there is a respectable camisole under a low top, you’ve tried and that’s acceptable. (If you’re a model, showing cleavage is actually part of your job, so I guess you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do).

Cleavage outside the workplace

This is a hard one and I still don’t have a definitive answer. Cleavage is fabulous, but how much is the right amount before it’s bad taste? Women with smaller busts and athletic, boyish physiques seem to get away with showing more skin in the chest area, whereas curvier woman with larger bust lines tend to look “va-va voom” and unintentionally alluring much faster. Some non-work settings are also more cleavage appropriate than others. I think that the rest of your style plays a role when it comes to sporting any amount of cleavage. If you’re polished, well-put together, effortlessly stylish and super confident, you’ll probably make a good amount of cleavage look classy.

What do you think? Am I a prude when it comes to sporting cleavage in professional settings? What are your rules for revealing cleavage outside the workplace? I hope to hear from people all over the world because I’m pretty sure our views will differ.