In the fast-moving world of fashion there is always something new to report. This week we covered the following stories on YLF: 

• On Friday, January 13, Neiman Marcus announced that the company was hacked and that some customers’ credit and debit card information may have been stolen. 
• Former model and beauty entrepreneur Linda Rodin (65) stars in The Row’s new Pre-Fall 2014 lookbook.

More style news from around the world this week:

• To celebrate their craftmanship, Etro sends tailors and seamstresses down the runway alongside models (pic 15-19).
• H&M brings out crisp black & white, eye-catching yellow and blue prints for their new active line, inspired by the 2014 Olympics.
• The CFDA announces the next group of designers for its Fashion Incubator programme. Here are the ten new names to watch.
• The rumours were true. Lena Dunham stars on the February cover of American Vogue — sporting fun red & white polka dots.
• What do you think of the new, print-rich, Peter Pilotto for Target collection? Fashionista has the full lookbook.
• Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s director Matthew Miele is shooting a documentary about Tiffany & Co., to be released in Spring 2015.
• Chris Roberts’ new Kate Moss biography was released in time for her 40th birthday on Thursday. Happy birthday, Kate. 
• The fashion in American Hustle was Killer Sublime. Yesterday the movie received several Academy Award nominations, one of them for Best Costume Design. 

Did any other fashion-related news stories catch your attention? 

This ensemble is about combining lilac with shades of grey and finishing off the look with black accents. Lilac and grey are cool tones that work well together, and look fresh for Winter and Spring. 

If you like purple, but pastels are not for you, choose a mid-tone purple for a richer touch. Or go with a warmer shade of orchid which is more of a pink version of lilac. I’ve shown an assortment of lighter purples here, and there are many more. I’ve also shown an assortment of greys so take your pick. 

Combine these colours for both dressy and casual combinations. Here are the components:

Bottoms: You’re after trousers and skirts in any shade of grey. Think false plains, tweeds, pinstripes, jacquards, sparkly lurex, and very tonal patterns alongside solid colours. Grey jeans are another good option. 

Tops: Choose any style of light purple top that works with the silhouette of the bottoms. From knitted tops and shirts, to blouses, T-shirts and knitwear. Leave the top untucked, semi-tucked, or fully tucked at your discretion. 

Footwear: Black footwear is an easy addition, but not the only option. Sci-fi silver, pewter, grey or zebra patterned shoes work well too, as will textured black footwear. Think booties, tall boots, pumps, loafers, oxfords, or ballet flats.  

Topper: Grey or black toppers are a slam-dunk. A black moto is a great option over a lilac top worn with grey trousers. A grey blazer is fabulous over grey jeans. Mixed media toppers are fun, as are black and grey pinstripes and tonal colour blocked black and grey jackets. Black or grey outerwear like wool coats, trench coats, sweater coats, denim jackets and puffers are other options. 

Accessories: Wear a black or zebra patterned belt if you’re semi or fully tucking the top. Finish off the outfit with a black handbag, although sci-fi silver and deep purple bags work well with the palette too. Silver hardware is lovely here because it keeps the shades cool toned. Add jewellery, eyewear and a scarf as desired.

Feel free to wear a grey dress with a lilac topper. Or turn the formula upside down and wear lilac bottoms with a grey top. Mix in the pattern if that floats your boat. Mix all sorts of wardrobe items together within the grey, lilac and black colour palette.

Fab Links from Our Members

La Belle Demimondaine thought it was interesting to see this blogger’s 2013 purchases summed up visually. This way it’s easier to see the consistency of her style, plus it will probably make one far more aware of what they have purchased. La Belle is now considering doing something similar for herself this year.

Garance Doré did a blog post on why men don’t always have it easy. “Poor guys!”, says Deb.

As a follow-up to last week’s poll about women’s dress in Muslim countries, Isabel loved this article in The Daily Beast about young Muslim women taking on fashion.

Angie reports that Catherine over at Not Dressed As Lamb has asked several fashion bloggers why it’s great being a 40+ blogger. Our Angie was included in the roundup too!

CocoLion loved Stella Ishii’s stories about Rei Kawabuko and Martin Margiela, and thinks the website overall is a must-read for denim fans. 

Annagybe likes how Queen Michelle of Kingdom of Style approaches the dreaded mutton dressed as lamb question.

Laurinda had to smile about the Onion’s satirical take on the Golden Globes ceremony, reporting that all celebrities wore identical grey full-body unisex jumpsuits in an attempt to shift the focus again towards the craft of acting and filmmaking.

Vildy has been thinking about accessories and likes the 10 point accessory system explained in this blog post, because it identifies focal points of interest in our outfits.

E is loving the travel-themed lookbook, interesting layering and silhouettes, and vintage sensibility of Ivey Abitz’ latest collection.

The fashion world holds youth in high regard. Models are usually in their teens or early twenties. Most fashion bloggers are in their twenties and thirties. Older celebrities are “smoothed out” by Photoshop to look younger in magazines. And the media onslaught of information on “how to look younger” is absolutely relentless. 

Somewhere along the line our society made the implicit assumption that after we reach a certain age we should suddenly adopt the goal of looking younger than we are. Most of us become aware that we are past this point when we start to see physical signs of aging. For a while, we hope that we’ll defy the aging thing because we’re special, but it catches up with everyone. Good genes and a careful skin regimen can only go so far.

Aging will always be a tough issue. After all, it is a reminder of our mortality. But the combination of a society that fears the aging process and a trillion dollar industry that reinforces these fears makes it a lot tougher than it needs to be.

I’m 43 and the visible signs of aging are well and truly here. I have hectic laughter lines, crow’s feet, drooping jowls, a spindly neck, a sagging bust line, countless spider veins, and feet that have become fussier with each passing year. Our bodies all show signs of older age in different ways, and this is how my body shows my age. It is what it is. 

I cannot turn back the clock, so I can’t reverse the signs of aging without “having work done”. For some things I might take that route — for example, last year I had a procedure to remove some of the spider veins on my legs — but for the most part I will try hard to embrace these “undesirable” physical changes. I will think of the aging process as a rite of passage. I’ve made it this far, and this is the next chapter of my life.

All of us will strike a different balance. When it comes to holding on to one’s youth, I don’t for one moment judge the decisions other people make about which battles they choose to fight and which ones they simply surrender. Accepting these physical changes is much easier said than done. It’s a shock to see them in the mirror, especially when your mind and spirit feel stronger than ever. And when society seems intent on penalizing you for aging.

I dress women of all ages, sizes, and body types for a living, so I am privileged to have a very realistic vantage point on the aging process. It inspires me enormously when I see my clients and YLF forum members having fun with fashion and looking fabulous at every age beyond mine. But more than that, I am constantly humbled by their wisdom, and by the inner beauty that is the product of their rich experiences. And even as I am critical of my own signs of aging, I find myself marveling at their outer beauty.

Getting your head around the fact that “wrinkles are fine” requires lots of cognitive discipline, some soul searching, and a certain amount of denial. But it all gets a lot easier if you focus less on superficial signs of aging and more on what is truly important. Yes, some of our outer beauty changes, but our inner beauty benefits from our experiences.

There is beauty at every age. The sooner you embrace the next phase of your own beauty, the easier it will be to stop fighting the aging process and start celebrating the miraculous journey that is your life.