Fun New Proportions with a Pleated Skirt

I stumbled across this outfit and thought, WOW, that’s fabulous and very creative. A little Sporty Luxe, a lot of irregular juxtaposition, some subtle pattern mixing, just enough structure, and some glam for good measure. 

Eloquii Chevron Print Midi Skirt

Pleated sunray skirts are hard to wear at the best of times. They can make us feel wider than we might like, draw unwanted attention to the midsection, and are a whole lot of skirt. Intuitively, we want to add structure to this silhouette of skirt by combining it with a short body-con top that showcases the waistline and the narrowest part of the body. This outfit throws all the conventional wisdom out the window, and I like that.

The dressy pleated skirt has been combined with a very fluid casual hoodie (and contrast drawstring, of all things!). The welt covers the waist and hips thereby camouflaging midsection extra bits. A blazer is layered over the top for structure and dressiness, which is not an uncommon styling technique. But the trendy long length of the blazer is a daring and fresh combination. Arty, creative and interesting.

The length of the skirt is dead right. Elegantly longer, but sufficiently short to expose some leg, thereby adding structure to the outfit. The tailored, dressy, pointy toe mid-calf booties elongate the outfit and leg line. But look at those cheeky high-contrast toe boxes that chop the foot in half. I think the pointy toe box offsets that effect, and the caramel pop of colour complements the earth-toned top part of the outfit. The grey of the boots complemenst the grey in the pattern of the skirt, helping to pull the look together.

Remixing earth tones and cool tones is another interesting component, as is the subtle pattern mix. The model’s make-up and hoop earrings are the polished cherry on top. I think this outfit is sublime. Jarring and unexpected in many ways, yet it works wonderfully well in our fashion era. What do you think?

Thoughtful Gesture Helps You Find Unique Gifts

Guest Post
Our lovely Inge started her own gift scouting business a year ago. Consider leveraging her considerable sleuthing skills to find special gifts for special people as we approach the gift-giving holiday season.

I’ve always had a knack for finding things, and it’s absolutely what I love doing most. It’s also been an unofficial yet key component throughout my professional career. As a translator and editor there wasn’t a day that went by without my having to research new topics and dig up information to get the job done. And here on YLF I thoroughly enjoy helping our forum members find clothing and accessories that they have a hard time tracking down on their own. 

Starting my own business that would put my sleuthing skills front and centre, had been a dream of mine for years. So that’s why I launched Thoughtful Gesture in November 2017.

What Thoughtful Gesture Does

Thoughtful Gesture

I help individuals and business owners find unique and truly thoughtful gifts. Because getting an amazing present can make us smile from ear to ear. In the same way that giving a fantastic gift feels especially rewarding.

It turns out though that finding the present that does both can be a bit of a struggle for many of us. Most of my clients fall in one of two categories:

  • They don’t have the time to  go searching for the “perfect present” in crowded brick-and-mortar stores or sifting through tons of options online.
  • They feel they aren’t creative enough to find a gift that will wow.

However, one thing they all have in common is that they want to choose thoughtful gifts because they want their family, friends, and business clients to feel loved and appreciated. Being able to give them something that shows “I get you”, does exactly that.

How My Service Works

  • You tell me your budget and fill out a questionnaire to provide more info about the people you are buying gifts for.
  • I go over your info carefully and hand-pick 3 gift options for each person on your list. All the suggestions will be fully personalized.
  • I never use algorithms, nor I am affiliated with any particular store or brand, so I’m entirely free to pick only those items that suit your recipient to a T.
  • Within 5 business days you receive the 3 gift suggestions for your people. The only thing you need to do is decide which of the suggestions you like best and order their spot-on gifts online. It’s that simple.

If you’re struggling to come up with fun, original gift ideas for the holidays, then I’m here to help with my Holiday Hero packages. No going to the mall, no comparing reviews on Amazon, no wasting money on things your family and friends won’t like.

Finally, I’m running a give-away on Instagram this week in which you can win one Holiday Hero package to find gifts for 3 different recipients. Good luck with all your holiday shopping!

Thoughtful Gesture

Top Picks: Nordstrom Black Friday Sale

In America it’s tradition to begin holiday shopping around Thanksgiving, especially online where you can shop in the comfort of your home and avoid the crowds. The items here caught my eye when I was browsing Nordstrom’s Black Friday sale. Some of the items have been winners on clients, and others have followed me home.

They cover a range of items and price points. Be sure to browse the colour and size options. Check out the designer top picks too.

Go to the collection page to see pictures of the items alongside my descriptions.

Roundups

Simpler Items

This week's list of top picks list is about basic pieces.

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Assorted Items

Items for Summer, both in and out of air conditioning.

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Casual Summer Vibes

This week's top picks are good for a casual Summer vibe.

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Summery Earth Tones

These items are for those who like to wear casual earth tones in warm and hot weather.

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Hints of Spring

Some tried-and-tested winning items to refresh your style for Spring.

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Dressier Items

An assortment of dressier top picks might be just what the doctor ordered.

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15 Things I’m Thankful For

I love the Thanksgiving tradition of reflecting on what you’re thankful for. Here are fifteen things that come to mind for me this year. Eight are in fashion and style, and the other seven are in my personal life. 

In Fashion & Style

  1. FINALLY this year, many more retailers in the US provided extended sizes across assorted collections. More models wear a size larger than a US0 to 4. Nordstrom made a point of displaying regular sizes and plus sizes in the same in-store department. May these significant changes pave the way for a more diverse fashion world.
  2. YLF has a strong Southern hemisphere contingent who stick with the Northern hemisphere seasonal content on this site. That takes commitment, patience, and I’m impressed. Thank you Australian, New Zealand and South African Fabbers for your support and loyalty. You are an amazing bunch.
  3. Thank you Naturalizer for making fashionably fab shoes in an assortment of widths and colours that go the distance.
  4. Thank you Boden, COS, Pendleton, G-Star, Club Monaco, Universal Standard, Furla, Pendleton, Aquatalia, Ecco, Paul Green, Helene Berman, Zella, Hispanitas, Reiss, Karen Millen, 3.1 Philip Lim, and Converse for providing consistently good quality.
  5. Thank you Spring & Summer 2018 collections for the best dress and skirt season that I can remember.
  6. I’m grateful for the very large assortment of jeans silhouettes for those who wear jeans regularly.
  7. Thank you for bringing back earth tones because we were starved of them. It has taken ten years for brown to make a comeback! My word. It’s about time.
  8. I wear footwear with heels between one to one and a half inches 99.9% of the time. I’m grateful that flats and very low heels are on-trend and modern, and that there is no need to wear a higher heel for any occasion these days.

In My Personal Life

  1. Six months ago, we committed to a loft in Salt Lake City, UT, which is where Greg works part of the time. Having a second home where Greg, Yorkie Sam and I can have more family time has been a game changer. We are thoroughly enjoying our life in both cities. It’s fun to make new friends and to make a new city our home. 
  2. Our dual city lifestyle would not work if Sam didn’t travel by air as well as he does. He’s an experienced frequent flier and as good as gold. I can’t be more grateful for our precious little doggie, who is a constant source of joy, support, love, and entertainment.
  3. My flexible work schedule allows me to live in Salt Lake City for part of the month, and visit my sweet Dad in the Netherlands every three to four months. If I didn’t have YLF and a very established clientele in Seattle, things would be harder.
  4. I’m grateful to have spent quality time with Greg’s parents in South Africa this year. I love them dearly, and hope to see them more frequently.
  5. Although visiting my Dad frequently has its sad moments, being able to see Inge every time I visit is a gift. Inge is an absolute sweetheart, and I am grateful for her friendship.
  6. I come alive in hot weather and love dressing for Summer. So I’m grateful that between spending a fortnight in Italy, having better than usual Seattle weather, and spending half my time in Salt Lake City, I had a very hot and long Summer this year. Woohooo. My favourite weather.
  7. Most importantly, I am grateful for my hubs Greg, and all that he is and does. He continues to devote time and expertise to YLF despite his busy work schedule. My most fun and happy times are with Greg, and I’m thankful to have him as my best friend and partner.

We at YouLookFab wish you and your families a happy, safe and peaceful Thanksgiving weekend.

Sam

Team Necklace or Team Scarf

It’s YLF tradition to head into the long Thanksgiving weekend with a stylish poll. You are on Team Scarf if you prefer wearing scarves to necklaces and vice versa. This race ended in a tie five years ago, and I expect the same results today. 

I LOVE my short white chunky pearl necklaces. I wear one of two real pearl strands almost every day. They are signature to my style, Modern Retro, work with most outfits, and complete my look. They effectively fill in the gap when necklines are a touch too wide, and provide a dressy polish and glam integrity to casual outfits. They also bookend my large assortment of white footwear.

I LOVE scarves, and my long neck wants to wear them. I wear scarves frequently because they provide excellent insulation in Spring, Autumn and Winter, (a must when you commute on foot in the elements a lot of the time.) I sometimes wear them in a dry Summer to keep the sun off my neck. I love how scarves add punch, pattern, texture and interest to an outfit. They are a marvelous colour vehicle and a way to create a complement that pulls together an outfit. I also have four “twinsets” where the scarves exactly match the blouses, dress and pullover. I enjoy that look, and want more of it. Here is my current collection of scarves:

The scarves that exactly match tops and a dress to create a twinset effect:

I can’t choose between necklaces and scarves. It’s Thanksgiving tomorrow, so for once you’re allowed to bat for both sides. I bat for both Team Necklace AND Team Scarf. Over to you.