We’ll be slowing things down this week as I recap our year of fashion and style. First up are my favourite YLF moments, of which there are of course too many to count. But five stick out most in my mind.
The New Look YLF
YLF started the next leg of its style journey with a completely refreshed design. I love the typeface, blue header and picture-rich visual integrity. The new design’s modern, simple and friendly aesthetic makes me smile each time I use it, which is about a million times a day.
We made another big change later in the year, removing banner ads for logged in members. And members who would like to support the ongoing maintenance and development of YLF can become patrons. We haven’t reached the point where the support from patrons compensates completely for lost ad revenue, but it does feel very good to offer an ad free option.
Three International YLF Gatherings
Greg and I did a lot of international travel this year, and were welcomed with open arms by YLF’ers across the globe. The international nature of YLF is one of my favourite things about it, because our diverse backgrounds, cultures and personas are uniquely, unconditionally, and effortlessly united through fashion and style. That’s a gift that enriches my life more than I ever imagined.
We met members of the YLF community in Hong Kong, Amsterdam and London this year. The Amsterdam gathering was small, but very powerful. Liz, Inge and I marched up and down those cobbled streets like there was no tomorrow. We soaked up the style, bought treasures along the way, ate to our heart’s content, laughed up a storm, and yakked till the cows came home. It was SO much fun.
The London gathering was special in many ways. Inge and Liz travelled from Amsterdam and Antwerp to have a ball all over again. Other fabbers travelled from within the UK, Paris and Tel Aviv. With us coming through from Seattle it was indeed a global effort. We walked till our feet gave in, ate till our tummies burst, laughed till our cheekbones hurt, and enjoyed each other’s banter for hours and hours. The warmth, wit and wisdom of the women made it a brilliant day.
Sharing My Travel Capsule
Although I am an experienced packer, this was the first time that I shared exactly what I packed and wore on one of our trips. We documented my outfits on the go for an entire month as we visited family and friends in the Netherlands and England. The trip spanned a range of temperatures, activities and locations, which kept things interesting. The photo shoots in all sorts of new places kept photographer Greg happy and motivated. The capsule, the reasoning behind what I packed, and the way I remixed the outfits was well received by our readers, making it a worthwhile effort.
The Forum Fashion Era Challenge
I challenged our forum members to create outfits that were inspired by their favourite fashion eras. So over the course of three weeks, many of our forum members did just that. They pulled out vintage pieces, wore wigs, did their hair, adjusted their make-up, and played dress up with the best of them. It was sublime, and I didn’t want the challenge to end. Our members covered most fashion eras and did it with panache. It was hard to pick a favourite but I’m going with the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s renditions because they are closest to my heart. And I’m demanding an encore for 2016.
Our Photo Shoot With Sam
Our eight month old Yorkie Sam is a natural in front of the camera. His photo shoot at home showcasing his holiday ensembles brought out his sweet disposition, playful persona and mischievous streak. It was an absolute joy prepping and styling our pint size pup with big personality. Sam is as adorable as it gets.
To cap things off, YLF recently passed 170,000 likes on Facebook, which is a lovely way to end the year.
What were your favorite YLF moments of 2015?
