Footwear from Universal Standard, a Nike subscription service, an interesting Target project, and more style stories that caught our eye in August.

• Shrill star Aidy Bryant is branching out into the world of fashion with a curvy clothing collection called ‘Pauline’.
• Target is reissuing pieces from 20 years of designer collaborations.
• Nordstrom has launched ‘Sustainable Style’, an online shopping destination where you can shop products from brands that have made a commitment to sustainability.
• Universal Standard has added footwear to its inclusive line-up.
• A coalition of 32 of the world’s largest fashion groups and brands has published a manifesto to improve green credentials.
• Ralph Lauren is getting his own fashion documentary on HBO.
• Fashion designer Isabel Toledo, who created Michelle Obama’s outfit for the 2009 presidential inauguration, has passed away at age 59.
• Luxury chain Barneys New York has filed for bankruptcy.
• Nike has launched the ‘Nike Adventure Club’, a subscription service for childrens shoes.
• This Fall, the Westminster Menswear Archive is staging the most extensive exhibition in the UK devoted to menswear.

Fun Fashion Quote

I really like Kelsey Miller’s down-to-earth take on skincare, make-up, and beauty routines:

“I remind myself that beauty stuff is for fun, and none of it is obligatory. I spent so much of my life in a toxic relationship with my physical appearance — my body shape and size, in particular. What I love about doing skincare and makeup is that it never felt motivated by the self-loathing and panic that drove my disordered behavior with food and exercise (which I’m now thankfully recovered from). If anything, beauty rituals affirm my self-acceptance. It’s a habit that puts me face-to-face with myself in the mirror every day, urging me to look on my 35-year-old face, with all its divots and freckles and slowly but surely emerging laugh lines. I don’t feel the need to fix that girl– she’s a real lady, after all. But it feels good to take care of her.”

Flared skirts tend to look really good with short jackets, creating traditionally flattering proportions that lengthen the leg line and define the waist. We’re throwing some, if not all, of that out the window with this outfit formula. Whether you wear conventionally flattering proportions, or outfits that are just flattering enough — it’s all good as long as you adhere to your personal set of figure flattering priorities.

I liked these outfits because they look fresh, and make the trendy longer blazer a lot more versatile. It’s a slam dunk with pants and jeans – AND you can bring in the flared skirt. On to the outfits and choose any colour palette.

1. Structured Elongation

Combine a flared midi skirt – which needn’t be pleated – with a tucked top and throw on a long blazer. The length of the jacket worn with the length of the skirt shortens the leg line, but the tucked top lengthens the leg line back up from the hips to waist by shortening the torso. Heels were not a must, but here they further elongate the leg line. The black boots work well with the black jacket. Leaving the jacket open creates a vertical line down the centre front of the body, which further elongates the outfit.

2. Unstructured Avant-Garde

There is very little structure in this outfit which is an acquired taste. That said, the matchy-matchy colour palette of the components help create the cohesive look. It’s very comfortable, and a vibe that I call “beyond body type”. A fluid shirt is worn over a flared pleated skirt and topped with a fluid long blazer. The pleats of the skirt give the outfit a little vertical integrity. The chunky sporty sandals are the fashion-forward touch, and the dainty crossbody adds a bit of refined glam.

3.  Sporty Mishmash

This combination is very, “throw it all together and hope it works out”. To my eye, it works despite the seemingly randomness of the colour palette and items. The colour repetition of the model’s skin tone and blazer, and white shirt and sneaks are a cohesive touch, which helps the eye rest and regroup. There’s a bit of bookending with the black bits of the shoes and the model’s black hair too. As for the rest, it’s a creative and comfortable combination that certainly maximizes the versatility of your wardrobe items. You’ll need a roomy blazer to layer it all underneath, and I adore the pop of bring turquoise. I dare you to give it a go.

4. Trendy Classic

Lastly, a pretty and polished combination that’s structured, textured, and allows movement. I like this one best, although I’d change the colour palette. It has a yummy late ‘80s and early ‘90s vibe to it which I’m drawn to. Combine a classic striped tee with a bias cut skirt, or another style of flared skirt. Tucking the top lengthens the leg line and shortens the torso, which is an especially effective styling strategy when you wear flats. Top things off with a long blazer that you leave open to maximize vertical integrity. Scrunching the sleeves adds further structure to the look. Add jewellery, watch and eyewear as desired.

The fashion world is starting to focus on the style trends for Fall/Winter 2019, here’s a few that caught my eye:

• From puffy bags to double bags, PopSugar rounds up 8 bag trends for Fall 2019.
• Refinery29 says it’s all about dark floral print dresses this Autumn.
• Printed jeans to ribbon stripe styles, PopSugar predicts these are the 6 denim styles you’ll see everywhere.
• Here are five Fall jewellery trends you can wear effortlessly with basics.
• The Fashion Spot reports that frame bags are back.
• They also spotted slouchy boots as the must-have silhouette for Fall.
• From green footwear to sherpa shearling, PopSugar shows us 7 more Fall 2019 shoe trends.

Fab Links from Our Members

Vildy is interested in how people (herself included) are merchandised to, and finds this concept of glamour quite interesting.

Are we supposed to give up our privacy to make fast fashion more sustainable, Shevia asks.

Always trying has been enjoying browsing Jodie’s Touch of Style blog.

Rachylou had noticed the F21 stores looking sad, and found this article about a potential bankruptcy filing.

Laura (rhubarbgirl) directs us to this article about a collaboration between Macy’s, J.C. Penney and thredUP. Interesting to read too that this start-up was rejected 27 times.

She also wanted to share this article about the idea of the ‘ideal woman’ and “ways we can each reinforce the messages of the market even when we say we’re empowered and making our own choices.”

Jorja loves Brenda Kinsel’s description of how to plan an outfit.

She also asks who will be taking the Second-Hand September pledge.

L’Abeille loved this fascinating read on “vintage adventurer inspired outfits” that incorporates the old-style Banana Republic catalogue, a video on the original Women’s Land Army uniform, a tutorial on going from a Pinterest page of likes to a list of desired garments, and how the blogger then made entire outfits just by shopping her closet.

A midi is a dress or skirt with a midi or tea length. Midi hemlines finish anywhere between the bottom of the kneecap to below the calf muscle. A maxi is a dress or skirt with a maxi or ankle length. Maxi hemlines are longer and finish on the ankle or below the ankle. Both midis and maxis are knee-covering, but only maxis can be ankle covering.

You bat for Team Midi if you prefer wearing midi skirts and dresses, and vice versa. Note that any dress code counts so think dressy and casual midis and maxis. If you can’t decide, or you wear neither, you’re benched for the game.

I bat for Team Midi by about a billion percent because it’s my absolute favourite length. Midi skirts and dresses that cover my knees are the only ones that I wear because I like to cover my legs, but not entirely. Most of my midis allow for ample movement on the bottom half so that I can walk my fast walk, often with Yorkie Sam in tow. To my eye the midi length looks elegant, especially if there is a flared swoosh factor in the skirt. One of my midis is a maxi length at the back, but the high-low hemline brings it back to midi in front so that you can see some leg. It’s lovely in motion.

I don’t wear casual maxis, because I think midi lengths are more flattering. I like seeing part of the lower leg and ankle in a midi, whereas maxis cover that up. That said I would wear a formal maxi gown with a train and some sort of low heel, because extra long lengths are luxurious and dramatic, and dead right in a very fancy setting.

Over to you. Do you bat for Team Midi or Team Maxi? Tell us why, and no batting for both sides. I’m serving honey soy-glazed salmon with butternut and broccoli on the bench, and might throw in some pear crumbler with vanilla ice cream too.