We try to make thoughtful and discerning decisions about new wardrobe items before committing to them. We make sure they are comfortable, a good fit, in line with our figure flattering priorities, in line with our style goals, a great colour, an affordable price, and a relatively easy integration into our styles.  When the boxes are ticked, we pull the trigger, rip off the tags, make the items ours, and enjoy our new wardrobe additions.

Unfortunately, new wardrobe items don’t always turn out to be as fab as we thought they would be. They become what YLF forum member unfrumped calls “delayed disasters”. Avoiding them entirely is a tall order.

My delayed wardrobe disasters are footwear. No matter how hard I try to make sure that a new pair of shoes will go the distance — carefully and thoroughly testing them at home for a couple of days — they can malfunction after I’ve committed to them. Two pairs of shoes that I bought this year were delayed disasters. A pair of pumps and a pair of slides. It’s very, very annoying, and a waste of money.

I debuted the citron pair of pumps with a pair of knee-highs in the late Spring while working with a client in her home for four hours. I even drove in them, which I don’t often do. They felt fine and sufficiently comfortable. So I wore them out to dinner early in the Summer without socks. It was a twenty minute walk to the restaurant, and my feet hurt terribly everywhere after fifteen minutes. We had to call Uber on the way back because I couldn’t walk home. Disastrous.

The pool slides were bought for my refreshed beach and pool capsule. They were comfy when I committed to them at home, but a disaster on the street when I put them through their paces. Their shaped footbed — much like the footbed of Birkenstocks — feels like rocks under my feet causing arch pain and burning on the soles of my my feet. They greatly aggravated my metatarsalgia. Luckily, I found out before we went to Greece for vacation, and did not pack them.

At this point, I can’t return the shoes because they’ve been worn outside. I also find it hard to pass them on so soon after buying them. Autumn is in full swing in Seattle, so I won’t be wearing them for at least six months. They’ll hibernate at home for now, and I’ll reassess next year. Blast. I just never really know how well shoes will work out until I wear them outside for a while. I wish it was different.

On a happier note, I’ll be sharing a few unexpected wardrobe winners tomorrow. Feel free to share your delayed wardrobe disasters in the comments section below.

This year’s biggest resale trends, a new fashion documentary, a surprising TikTok trend, and more fashion news that caught our eye in September.

• H&M is the latest fashion retailer in the UK to start charging for online purchase returns.
• The company is also relaunching its Color Cosmetics collection.
• From Loewe to Asos, The Guardian reports that blanket-size scarves are flying off the shelves.
• Sarah Burton, Creative Director at Alexander McQueen who shot to international fame for creating the Princess of Wales’s wedding dress, is leaving the fashion house after two decades.
• On TikTok, the “Everything Shower” — a weekly head-to-toe routine, typically lasting two to four hours, featuring hair masks, exfoliating scrubs, shaving oils and moisturising balms — is trending.
• Chioma Nnadi is replacing Edward Enninful as head of British Vogue, becoming the first Black female head of the fashion magazine.
• Legendary make-up artist François Nars is the subject of a new documentary, Unknown Beauty.
• According to Refinery29, top-handle bags will be everywhere this Fall.
• Loud luxury, Y2K, and Chanel bags are among the biggest resale trends this year.

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that the cardigan is named after the Earl of Cardigan?

“The accepted lore and history of the name ‘cardigan’ is that it comes from the Earl of Cardigan, James Thomas Brudenell, during the Crimean War where his Light Brigade was dressed in a close-fitting, knitted jacket. Lord Cardigan was reportedly given a hero’s welcome upon his return to England after the Charge of the Light Brigade, and some say this moment of fame put his signature waistcoat or jacket style on the map.”

Aside from the cosy weather, fun layers, and earthy colour palettes, my clients generally like dressing in the Autumn because of the abundance of textures. Many of them also like to pattern mix in both subtle and bold ways. To kick off Fall, here are texture-rich outfit ideas that might tickle your fancy. Choose any colour palette.

1. Playful Dandy

The multiple fabrics in this outfit amplify its high textural integrity. The palette is brown with a dash of blue. A pair of wide cropped corduroy pants is combined with a checked flannel shirt. It’s topped with a tweed jacket in a false plain. Boots, belt and necktie in brown leather add further textural interest, and a finishing touch. A felt hat adds a dramatic touch. The pendant necklace on a leather chord adds some shine. Maximally harmonious.

2. Western

A soft cotton patterned fit-and-flare midi dress is combined with a long over-the-knee patterned woolly sweater coat. The gentle flow of the dress creates an interesting contrast with the straight cut of the topper. Cowboy boots with complex embroideries, and the shearling trim on the sweater coat add further textural interest. A leather belt and its metal hardware and layered beaded necklaces complete the look.

3. Geometric Slouch

The earthy quiet geometric pattern of the bottoms works well with the earthy loud chevron pattern of the sweater. The pullover is very slouchy, and semi-tucked to showcase some waistline, which adds structure to the outfit. Patent taupe boots match the palette and add a dramatic touch. Textural interest comes through by combining smooth, ribbed, and shiny fabrics.

4. Romantic Hard Edge

And last, an almost all-black look with a sprinkling of magenta is another way to wear autumnal texture. A black lace skirt is combined with a cosy and soft woolly turtleneck. Feel free to make this component neutral if that’s more to your taste. It’s topped with a black patent leather jacket that’s shiny and dramatic. Studded black loafers add further textural interest and a little more shine. Ribbed black ankle socks are a trendy finishing touch. Works wonderfully well. Add jewellery, watch and bag as desired.

Who else enjoys to create textural interest in their Autumn outfits?

Recently, The Guardian published several articles diving deeper into the complexity of sizing clothes and how people are struggling to find the right fit. In “Why Women’s Clothing Sizes Don’t Measure Up“, they discuss how brands match their product sizes to their target market, which means that a size 12 at store one fits differently to the same size in a different store.

“One size fits nobody: markers of high-quality clothing are getting harder to find“, was also an interesting read. From poorly finished seams to an over-reliance on elastane, cost-cutting in the manufacturing process is leading to less comfortable, less durable clothing.

In “The challenge of finding size-inclusive jeans“, four size-diverse fashion industry workers share what they look for in a pair of jeans — and where they’ve found the right fit.

Fab Links from Our Members

Runcarla found this discussion of the role the fantasy self plays in style and fashion quite moving: “I think the takeaway was not that the fantasy self takes away from one’s style, but needs to be acknowledged, understood, and honoured — but in balance with real life.”

Margaret Howell’s high-quality classic workwear is bit of an inspiration for Olive Green, and she directs us to this article about the art and craft of making clothes with lasting appeal.

As a lover of all things Bloomsbury, Suz enjoyed this discussion of the way the group is influencing style — yet again.

More on the subject of Bloomsbury and design: “the Bloomsbury Group’s casually ornamental style is inspiring designers today.“

She also liked “Has the Era of Peacocking Come to an End?“

Suz also likes how in this article on dress codes in the US Senate, the author insists that clothes send messages, and also pays heed to the fact that for women and non-binary people, these decisions are always more complicated.

LaPed really enjoyed this interview between one of her favorite poets, Ocean Vuong, and up-and-coming designer Peter Do. She found their reflections on cultural identity (both are Vietnamese-American) and how it informs their relationship to clothing and consumer goods in general thought-provoking. (Note: the photos feature some nudity, so perhaps NSFW.)

Zaeobi found it interesting to see what AI (in this case, MidJourney) ‘thinks’ of each US state’s fashion trends and standout features.

Angie doesn’t take much notice of what fashion editors are wearing, but she enjoyed this article! It puts into practice the dramatic or more subtle juxtaposition of casual and dressy wardrobe items, which defines our current fashion era. Slouch with tailoring, sporty items with formal ones, and a whole lot of creative remixing so that we wear wardrobe items for longer and in new ways. A sustainable style solution! 

Finding a perfect fitting bra can be an exercise in frustration. Nuancedream was surprised to learn that the best ones are made in Poland.

Although Jaime loves street style, she finds a lot of it over the top or too many pictures to digest. So she especially appreciated this article.