I love the look of gladiator sandals and I’m envious of the lasses that wear them so effortlessly. But gladiators were not an option for my feet. No matter how hard I tried, I could never find sandals that were comfortable. Straps would cut into my skin and rub blisters after half an hour no matter what. So two years ago I made a decision to stop wearing sandals.

That changed last week when I stumbled across the “Brulee” sandal by British footwear brand Clarks. My sandal prayers were answered. Soft, soft, soft straps, elastic strap inserts, a cushioning and shock absorbing foot bed and roomy toe box. Add the one-inch, utterly adorable little cork wedge heel and mainstream gladiator look and you have a phenomenal sandal.

It’s still too cold to put this sandal through its paces (ideally, they need an 8-hour shopping day test run), but I did wear them around my heated home for three hours, occasionally charging up and down the stairs running after Rosie and Jasmine. They felt really good so I have high hopes that they will make it to the 6 to 8 hour mark. Unbelievable.

This sandal is also available in patent leather that is not nearly as soft as the colour options shown above. Remember that you’ll be able to stretch the toe box if it’s too snug because the leather is buttery. An expensive sandal at $90, but it’s better to have one pair of perfect sandals than three cheaper pairs that don’t go the distance.

Welcome! I’m Angie Cox and I’m a fashion stylist. I co-created youlookfab.com to break down the complex subject of fashion and style into bite size pieces that you can apply every day. We also have an active forum where you can post questions about fashion and style and receive helpful advice from a supportive community.

YLF covers a wide range of topics and after almost three years of activity there are a large set of archives to navigate. Here are some starting points to make that a little easier.

Categories

There are more than 50 categories of blog posts (see the sidebar on the right), but body type, instant style tips, individual style, color and closet organization are some of the more important ones.

Popular Posts

Judging by the comments they generated, here are some of the most popular blog posts:

• Olive oil: a safe solution for dry skin?
• The corduroy debate
• Sex sells with American Apparel
• Brainstorm: improving the world of retail fashion
• Flip flops: yea or nay for everyday
• Your pants to skirt & dress ratio
• How many pairs of jeans do you own?
• Classic Uggs: fashion or gear?
• Harem pants: the rise of the low crotch

Posts on flop proof outfits have also been particularly popular:

• The flop-proof outfit
• The flop-proof outfit for casual Fridays (and beyond)
• Mom on the go: flop-proof outfit #1
• Mom on the go: flop-proof outfit #2
• Mom on the go: flop-proof outfit #3
• Roadtesting Angie’s mom-on-the-go formulas

Join the community…

With gatherings, clothes swap events, and reviews, the YLF community is getting more and more involved over time. You too can join the community:

• Sign up for the forum
• Subscribe to daily updates

Look good, feel fabulous!

This site is for everyone because having a sense of style and looking good is within everyone’s grasp. Style is not an age, budget or dress size. It’s something that can be learnt once you understand what flatters your body and works for your lifestyle. My life is dedicated to helping people to increase their style quotient in effortless and practical ways because looking good makes you feel fabulous. Who doesn’t want to feel fabulous? And when you feel fabulous, you look even better.

Update: the segment is now online at msnbc.com.

I was excited and flattered when Kim Cornett, a producer on NBC’s Today Show, asked me to interview for a segment on their weekend edition. I accepted the invitation and before you know it, Greg and I were booked on a flight back to New York City. The prospect of being nervous and inarticulate on camera had not sunken in yet. I had a TV outfit to worry about! What was more important than that?

Kim advised against wearing black or white on camera. Uh oh. An edgy, black and white eye-catching outfit was precisely what I had in mind. Now what? Enter my media-savvy, documentary producer friend Laurel, who knows what works best on camera. Colours! Laurel came over and we finalized my outfit in twenty minutes. It was easy because there is no shortage of colour in my wardrobe, and because I had already decided on a pencil skirt and tailored jacket. I was at peace with leaving some of my edgier style off camera. It was important that my appearance appealed to a wide audience, and erring on the side of modern-classic for this occasion seemed like a good decision.

I opted for a super sleek charcoal grey pencil skirt, black ruffle collared shirt, retro emerald green trapeze jacket, micro fishnets,  zebra print skinny belt and off-white knee-high go-go boots (I guess I couldn’t resist a bit of edge). Adding my chunky pearl necklace from Hong Kong to complete the outfit was a no-brainer. I felt fabulous and true to my style and self.

I am tense on camera, so once the outfit was sorted it was on to a bit of media training. Greg was a wonderful coach and we role played the interview situation at home to calm my nerves. We had loads of fun and laughed up a storm during practice takes.

This process was extremely helpful. By the time interview day came I felt cool, calm and collected. After several cups of tea and an almond croissant that morning, Greg and I headed off to NBC Studios in Rockefeller Center. While waiting in the lobby we bumped into Jimmy Fallon who was working with Kim on a special to promote his new show (he has taken over Conan O’Brien’s slot as Conan takes over from Jay Leno). So fab.

Everyone at NBC was approachable, professional and organized. The whole experience was low key and ran like clockwork. It was amazing to see the inside of a recording studio. There are many, many, many wires! I took my place on a director’s chair and we started to set up, ensuring that the sound and visual quality was up to scratch.

Kim instantly had me feeling at ease and when one of the crew attached a microphone to my jacket, the experience suddenly felt real. It was just me under the spotlights, shot from the shoulders up, while Kim asked interview questions from behind the camera. I could actually see myself on camera while we were shooting, which was interesting. Greg stood in the recording studio with me, taking loads of pictures. I felt extra supported knowing that he was right there.

The interview took half an hour to shoot, but the actual segment is only a few minutes long. I enjoyed every second of the interview, yakking about a subject that I am passionate about. It was a brilliant experience and I can’t wait to see the edited version. The segment will air tomorrow, Saturday 7 March, on NBC’s Today Show between 8am and 9am.

Note that the weekend edition of the Today Show may be aired at a different time to the weekday edition in your area. In Seattle it starts just after 4am PST, which puts my segment some time after 5am (TiVo time!).

Update: the segment is now online at msnbc.com.

Thank you for having me Kim and NBC.

It’s not about one particular shade of green this Spring season – it’s about all of them. From rich emeralds, citrusy limes and forest greens, to apple, pear, mint, sage, jade, shamrock, pistachio, chartreuse and olive. Saturated, pastel or muted, there’s probably a shade of green for you. But if you’re still not convinced you look good in green, sport it through accessories, handbags or footwear instead of close to your face.

I like greens when they are blindingly bright, super sour (like citron), or in a shade of olive. I like to pair different shades of green with one or a few of the following colours: yellow, turquoise, cobalt, purple, white, cream, charcoal and black. I loved how Laura used emerald green in one of her Mum-on-the-go outfits. It screams Spring in a clean and fresh way.

I do not like green paired with red because it can look Christmas-y. I also tend to stay away from pairing emerald green with navy or ink blue because that feels too nautical. But these particular colour combinations do work and can look fab if you like them.

I have a wardrobe full of timeless citrusy green and olive tops, knitwear and scarves. I have apple and lime green handbags and a brand new emerald snakeskin clutch. I’d love to add an emerald or apple green blouse, dress and skinny belt, and I might add a pair of green shoes too. Fun green items lift my spirits so they’re definitely on my shopping list.

It is nice to see various shades of green alongside the sea of coral and jewel tones in stores. Variety and choice are the spice of life. Clockwise starting at the top left: Apple green hooded trench, chartreuse cropped water resistant trench, shamrock and turquoise muffler scarf, pear piped belt, pear wristlet, emerald cardigan and emerald belt.