The first outfit formula for 2024 is colour-rich. When it’s cold, wet and grey for most of Winter like it is in Seattle, I find it therapeutic, energizing, and calming to wear brights, clashing colours, high-contrast neutrals, high-impact patterns, and Winter whites. Others feel differently, sticking to dark colours, dark neutrals, low-contrast outfits, quiet patterns, and earth tones. Horses for courses, always. Wear what makes you happy, works for the weather and your lifestyle, and panders to your mood of the day.

If you enjoy wearing high-impact colours and patterns in Winter all or some of the time, the colour combinations and components of these outfits might inspire you. Notably, shades of white are used as accents. To my eye, the whites clean up, crisp up, and brighten the palette.

1. Red, Blue, Lilac, and Whites

A pair of relaxed cropped red pants is combined with a white shirt. A lilac sweater is layered over the untucked shirt to showcase white outfit accents. A red, blue and cream coat in a bold geometric pattern tops the lot. Mismatched cream and toffee haute hiking boots complement and complete the outfit. Add a bag that works with the palette.

2. Cinnamon, Whiskey, Orange, Chocolate, and Cream

A burnt orange A-line corduroy skirt is combined with an orange turtleneck. A cream, orange and earthy Fair Isle sweater is layered over the turtleneck. Its semi-tuck is secured with a whiskey belt, which in turn matches a whiskey bag. A cinnamon puffer tops the lot. Tall brown lug-soled boots ground the look. The brown and whiskey in the outfit effectively match the model’s’ hair.

3. Chartreuse, Grey, Cream and Teal

A pair of full-length, flared charcoal grey pinstriped trousers is combined with a grey, white and chartreuse striped sweater. It’s topped with a chartreuse jacket that picks up the same colour in the sweater. Black shoes bookend the model’s hair. A mismatched teal scarf is a dramatic and high-contrast finishing touch. Add a bag that works with the palette.

4. Denim Blue, Pink, Lilac and Bone

A pair of faded blue wide leg, full-length jeans is combined with a white tee. A cool-toned pink jacket tops the tee. A big brushed fringe scarf in a plaid that’s tonal with the pink and lilac of the outfit adds interest to the look. Bone shoes pick up the bone in the patterned scarf, and complement the soft pretty palette. Add jewellery, watch and eyewear as desired.

“Oscars were swept, swimsuit issues set alight, exciting new career phases entered…” The Kit reports that “even in a year saturated with Barbie, Beyoncé and Taylor, women over 50 dominated the cultural landscape with main character energy in 2023.”

From Ayo Edebiri’s workwear dungarees in “The Bear” to Lukas Mattson’s flamboyant Swedish streetwear in “Succession”, The Guardian looks back at the best TV style of 2023.

In a second installment, they also round up film’s biggest fashion moments in 2023. Now I’m curious to know what your favourite were!

Fab Links from Our Members

Ket has been following Georgette of Grown And Curvy Woman (one of our YLF Outfit Bloggers, by the way): “So much fun, glamour, color, and joy!”

Runcarla thought this was fun: Tom and Lorenzo review TV and movie costumes from 2023. She adds: “I want Tom Hank’s trousers (‘hope embodied’ – per the article).”

Suz is loving the ‘Articles of Interest’ podcast, a show about what we wear: “This season has included everything from pointe shoes to prison uniforms! Runcarla might be especially interested in the episode on Hawaiian shirts.”

kkards loves the way Jamie walks through the Pantone colour of the year. She says: “Until I watched this I didn’t realize that they actually had whole color palettes of the year, with basics/classics and fashion colors. I also love the way she illustrates how to wear the colors, and shows examples.”

suntiger directs us to this post on fitting pointe shoes, that could help with regular shoes too.

Nuancedream found this history of the Barbour jacket, which has been gaining popularity in the US more recently, fascinating.

2024 marks my thirty-second year in the rag trade. I remember my first day at work as a children’s wear designer in 1992 like it was yesterday, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Hubs Greg and I recently celebrated twenty-seven years of marriage, and 36 years of friendship. This is our twenty-first year in the US, and eighteenth year of YLF. These things have been constants for long periods of my life, and I’m very grateful for them.

My wish for your style journeys this year is to keep things fun, light-hearted, positive, and a welcome distraction when life is stressful. Don’t take it too seriously! Allow your wardrobe and outfits to give you a therapeutic hug and comforting boost when you’re sad, or out of sorts. Milk the components of fashion and style that give you joy, and don’t sweat the small stuff. Prioritize what is important, and leave the rest. I highly recommend reading these 20 ways you can bring positive energy into your life. I continue to benefit from re-reading them, and you might too.

This year, I wish you an infinite amount of whatever it is that makes fashion and style meaningful to you. Along with laughter, good health, interesting adventures, fun trips, memorable moments, fab friendships, and waking up with peace in your hearts. Speaking of fab friendships, I’m off to see a dear friend next week. It’s been four years and high time that we saw each other in person! To say we’re excited is an understatement. The year will be off to a beautiful start with my beautiful friend.

Greg, Sam, Jo, and I will be spending Christmas and New Year’s at home in Seattle. It’s extra special this year because dear friends from South Africa will be spending it with us! We can’t be more excited about our time together. 

The decorations are up and we’re ready for our guests of honour. They arrive today, which is also our 27th wedding anniversary. Extra celebrations tonight! Sam and Jo have been awfully excited since the day after Thanksgiving when the tree went up. They play, shout, and zoom around the loft, spreading lots of good cheer. They are extremely curious about the presents under the tree, checking in on them multiple times a day. They will be shuffled around and pawed a bit, but still intact on Christmas morning.

We have small and meaningful holiday traditions that this time, we’ll enjoy with our friends. We love spendng time on Whidbey Island before Christmas, soaking up the unique Pacific North West Winter island atmosphere. Back in Seattle, we get dressed up and go to our favourite Japanese restaurant on Christmas Eve, and come back early to watch Christmas movies. We’re hosting a full and festive house on Christmas Day. 

For the rest of the holidays, we’ll be hanging out with our friends, showing them the sites and our local favourites. We’ll go on outdoorsy adventures and lots of walks. We will shop, bake, and cook up a storm. Music from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s will be blaring as we relax, slow down and take our minds of work and the usual stresses.

This is the last post of the year. We at YLF wish you happy holidays, safe travels, peace in your hearts, great style, good eats, fun festivities, memorable moments, alone time if you need it, and lots of laughter. We will be taking a break until the new year. Regular blog posting will resume on January 3.