Scarves can look dowdy and uniform-like. The trick is to add a bit of edge to your look when sporting a scarf, and the knot is one way to do this. I often tie my scarf using a knot that I arrived at after ages of fiddling in front of the mirror one day. I call it the “Angie Knot”, but if it has a real name please let me know – I’m sure I’m not the first to use it.

I generally stay away from skinny oblong scarves and neckerchiefs because the shapes don’t offer enough volume and texture. My favourite scarf dimensions are 40 by 66 inches for a pashmina sized scarf, 23 by 60 inches for a large oblong scarf, and 34 by 34 inches for a large square scarf. Anything longer than 60 inches is usually too long unless you’re very tall. On the other hand, if you’re petite, you’re after a shorter scarf between 40 and 50 inches long. These are a little harder to find and you might need to hem the length.

Follow these steps to tie the Angie Knot:

1. Roll a large square scarf into a long worm, or scrunch up a rectangular scarf so that it resembles a worm. Place the scarf around the neck so that the side that does all the work hangs longer than the other side. You can also skew the scarf so that the hems are uneven. This will give you this waterfall effect. Fold right over left and pull that same right end back under the end that’s hanging in front of your body.
2. Take that same right end and loop it through the part of the scarf that’s around your neck and ABOVE the knot.
3. Pull down that right end and use the knot as a pulley to pull the knot vertically so that the knot looks tight, neat and appealing. This is the most important part, so fiddle till you get it right.
4. Lay both ends flat across the body, making sure that the ends are more or less even. Voila!

This style of knot works well with all sorts of fabrications, from wool, satin and rayon, to silk, viscose and cotton. The scarf stays put once it’s tied and is interesting to look at. Wear the scarf “cravat style” for a strict, professional and authoritative look, or wear it loosely on the décolletage for an arty and playful vibe. I sport both looks depending on my mood and the weather. With the warm Spring weather, I’ll be tying my cotton and silk scarf with a loose knot.

For a strict, authoritative look, roll a smaller scarf neatly before tying the knot, tie the knot close to the neck, and tuck the ends under your blouse or button down afterwards.

Charla Krupp’s New York Times best seller, “How Not to Look Old”, is an insightful and informative read (published in 2008). Formerly the beauty editor of Glamour and senior editor of InStyle magazine, Charla shares her expertise on looking 10 years younger, 10 pounds lighter and 10 times better in fast and effective ways. The information is detailed, tangible, easy to absorb, hands-on and unapologetic. Although I don’t agree with all of Charla’s opinions, this aspect of her book really resonated with me.

The chapters on personal style, fashion and wardrobe planning feature sidebars with succinct checklists that are food for thought. The list that intrigued me the most was “forbidden fashion items for every woman past the age of 30 who wants to look effortlessly chic and classy“. In other words, she considers these items “too young” for women over the age of 30.

Here is the list along with my 2 cents on the subject. I have highlighted the areas where I differ from Charla.

• Ankle bracelets: I generally agree, but some ladies wear an ankle bracelet with their national dress. An ankle bracelet looks perfectly appropriate with an Indian Sari, for example.
• Belly necklaces: I see Charla’s point. But you might get away with a belly necklace if you’re in superb shape (or if you’re a belly dancer).
• Body piercing: Agreed.
• Boy shorts: If this refers to underwear then I am guilty as charged, but I imagine that Charla is talking about what I call “hot pants”, or short shorts.If so, I agree.
• Collegiate sweats, T-shirts and caps: I wear adorable collegiate lounging sweats every day. They don’t leave the house and they fit well. Until I find a more grown-up substitute I’m sticking with these. I’m with Charla on the T’s and caps though.
• Colored cowboy boots: I’m not sure about this one. Perhaps the Texans can help me out.
• Crocs: Agreed. My age limit for this item is eight.
• Earmuffs: Looking sweet in earmuffs is achievable when you’re older than 30. I saw this look in NYC earlier this year and wished I also had a pair.
• Ear piercing in multiples: Agreed.
• Flip flops in the city: Agreed. In fact, I’m much stricter here. I say ban flip flops at any age when you’re in the city. It’s beachwear.
• Go-go boots: Guilty as charged. At 38 I love my go-go boots and feel that I pull them off with style. I hope to wear them for a little while longer.
• Leg warmers: Tough one. I have seen these work on older women who wore them over jeans and in boots.
• Micro mini dresses: Agreed.
• Mittens: Agreed.
• Nameplate necklaces: Agreed. But I have a friend in her early 30’s who wears one with style. I think it’s because she doesn’t look a day over 25.
• Newsboy caps: No age limit. I see women in their 50’s sport streamlined versions with style.
• Scrunchies: Agreed. My age limit on these is 14. I can hardly believe that my favourite chain store Club Monaco is selling them right now.
• Super low riding jeans: Agreed.
• Tattoos: This is difficult. If you have a tattoo, you’re stuck with it. Does Charla mean don’t get a tattoo after the age of 30?
• Tie-dye anything: I can see tie-dye tops working after 30 if you have a bohemian edge to your style.
• Tights in neon colours: Agreed.
• Toe-rings: As with ankle bracelets, you can sport these when you’re older if they are part of your national dress.
• Tube tops as stand-alones: Agreed.

Overall I think that 30 is too low as a cutoff point, even in some of the areas that I agree. After all, 40 is the new 30! Over to you. What are your thoughts on the items on Charla’s list? Do you think she’s left anything out?

About 3000 members, 794 blog posts, 6 gatherings and one television appearance. Wow. I can scarcely believe it’s been three years since Greg and I launched YLF. And we still haven’t missed a weekday post. That gets tricky, especially when you’re at the airport in a different time zone, desperately trying to get a wireless connection and they’re calling you to board.

Greg and I thoroughly enjoy YLF. I love writing my daily posts and helping out on the forum, while Greg gets a kick out of designing, marketing and maintaining the site. It’s a pursuit that’s close to our hearts and we love working on it together.

If you’re a long time YLF supporter, you know the drill. We like to celebrate the anniversary by reflecting on the activity of our readers and the things we enjoyed the most. Here are the 10 posts that received the most comments over the last year:

• Interviewing with NBC’s Today Show (87 comments)
• Olive oil: a safe solution for dry skin? (83)
• Bottom cleavage makes a comeback (83)
• The corduroy debate (69)
• Sex sells with American Apparel (68)
• Brainstorm: improving the world of retail fashion (67)
• Flip flops: yea or nay for everyday (64)
• Your pants to skirt & dress ratio (58)
• How many pairs of jeans do you own? (57)

I enjoy writing all of my posts, but over the last year I’ve particularly enjoyed writing about the following topics:

• Global style and fashion: We love to travel and share our style experiences with you.
• The psychological aspects of individual style: Looking good has an impact on how we feel and vice versa. In the name of fashion therapy I like to explore those feelings.
• A tried and tested item: I enjoy passing on information on a specific item that’s a winner for us all.
• Upcoming trends: Reporting in this way reminds me of my fashion buying and trend consulting days (I sometimes miss those).
• The best and worst of a season: Again, this reminds me of my buying days. It’s nice to add a retail perspective to the style equation.
• Accessories: This is the first year that we’ve added pictures of my outfits to the site in an effort to demonstrate the power of accessories. It’s such fun to work with my in-house photographer and see Rosie and Jasmine get in on the action.

Visually, we enjoyed the entries with beautiful photographs the most, such as the posts on YLF gatherings, clothing swaps and international experiences like Anne Fontaine, Shell pearls from Hong Kong and the Dr. Martens Revival. But my absolute favourite blog post of all time is this one. The furry little blog star decided all on her own to join the photo shoot. The picture makes my heart melt. I can barely stand it.

A big thank you to all our subscribers, forum members, daily readers and occasional visitors for making the YLF community what it is today. A special thank you to our guest bloggers for adding a classy and entertaining dimension to our site. Your valuable contribution is much appreciated and it would not be the same without you. Keep rocking your style and cheers to another fabulous year!

Shopping is overwhelming at the best of times, but these five strategies can help you to make excellent wardrobe choices:

• Make the final decision at home: If you don’t like something in your own mirror, you probably won’t wear it. Be disciplined about returning items that don’t make the grade.
• Focus on fit, not size: Style is beyond size. Achieve perfect fit instead of fixating on the size tag. Don’t be afraid to have clothing altered if the fit off the rack isn’t perfect.
• Don’t be swayed by low prices: If you compromise your fit and style standards just because something is inexpensive, you’ll end up with a closet orphan – a waste of money at any price.
• Spend money on bras, shoes, handbags, watches and spectacles: These are the items that increase your style quotient no matter what. Purchase the best that you can afford and watch their cost-per-wear whittle down to nothing.
• Find better bargains online where sales are more frequent: Stalk the items that you love, wait for them to go on random one-day sales, punch in a discount coupon code and enjoy your new purchase for much, much less.

On the topic of online bargains, one thing to check out is Boden’s clearance sale. They are marking down last season’s merchandise by up to 70% and this includes some good options for Spring.