Whether it’s my clients or members of the YLF forum, I find that most people looking for a style change fall into one of two groups. 

One group is exploring a completely new sense of style. These ladies and gents are looking to overhaul large parts of their wardrobe and make drastic changes to their daily look. I call their process a Style Renewal. The impetus for this type of style change can come from many places, like starting a new job, moving into retirement, dressing for a new body type, reclaiming your fab bod after having children, relocating to a new climate, experiencing a radical shift in fashion persona, or reaching an “age-milestone” like 30, 40 or 50. And sometimes you feel like a drastic style change just because you’re in an adventurous mood. 

The second group is looking to build on their existing style. These ladies and gents already have a style base that they are working from. They are in tune with what works for their body type, lifestyle, age and stylistic preferences. But they are looking to add the next level of fabness by trying “new to them” trends and vibes, or stopping to wear the ones that no longer make them feel fab. I call their process a Style Refresher.

My first engagement with clients like Bei-Jing, Meredith and Karen was to help them through a complete style renewal, but during the years since then we have been doing style refreshers. Their styles have evolved to the extent that we merely refresh the necessary silhouettes each season. 

It can be important to recognize which of these two groups you fall into because a renewal involves a lot more introspection, and a bigger investment of time and money than a refresher. I sometimes see women get bogged down in introspection when they already have the base to work from and really only need to refresh their style. I also see the opposite, where women are trying to do a complete style renewal, but haven’t thought through their goals before they hit their closets or the stores.

Like many things, it is really a continuum that you move along as you go through life. Still, acknowledging whether you are closer to renewal or refresher is useful nonetheless. For many women the big renewal will only happen a few times on their style journey, and most years they will be doing a cost effective and efficient refresher. Some seasons the refresh will be bigger than others. And there are some women that get a kick out of drastically reinventing their style more often.

Are you renewing or refreshing your style at the moment? How often do you completely renew your style.

I like to think that all of us are on a perpetual style journey. This journey has multiple legs, and on each leg, our style undergoes either a significant or subtle change depending on a number of variables. Sometimes we have to adapt our style to a different environment. Sometimes we have to adapt our style to a changing body type or budget. And sometimes we’re just in the mood for a change because we’re bored of our current look. I’m sure this sounds familiar.  

As I mentioned yesterday, the current leg of my style journey started last March when I decided that I wanted to keep my outfits clean, simple, modern and bold. This direction still feels spot on, so I’ll will continue down it’s merry path. 

I’m still on a major trouser, fancy flats, gold and midi kick. I’m also interested in exploring jewelry-free outfits and classic style. Of course, I’m still all over fashion trends and will absolutely sport the ones that tickle my fancy. So many trends are just entirely too fun to bypass completely, especially when you work in the fashion industry. But now more than ever before, I’m appreciating the power of classic wardrobe items. Their strength does shine through.  

Over to you. Where are you on your style journey?

The theme for January is renewal and I plan to write a few posts about the early stages of this process, based on my experience with my clients and with members of the YLF forum. 

A style renewal starts with introspection. After all, without an understanding of your lifestyle and your style goals, you might start your renewal process on the wrong foot. But as obvious and sensible as this seems, it can lead to problems. Sometimes too much introspection and too little action leads to a sort of analysis paralysis.

When you are in this situation, there is one good way to deal with it. Take action! And there are three specific actions I recommend:

1. Get a professional bra fitting: The right bra makes your clothes fit and look better by a billion percent. Lifting the bust line accentuates the waist and creates an attractive silhouette. So whether you are small or large in the bust, it’s extremely important to wear a supportive and comfortable bra in the correct size. Many women wear the wrong bra size, often going too large in the band and too small in the cup. Seek professional assistance and invest in at least two new bras.
2. Assess your hairstyle: Your hair is your crown. It makes or breaks your look, and I can’t stress this point enough. A fabulous new do is sometimes all you need to refresh your style. Sometimes you’re after a drastic change in style and colour. Sometimes you need a minor hairstyle adjustment. Sometimes it’s about growing out your hair, which means cutting and styling it in a manner that will allow it to grow out in the best way. 
3. Assess your eyewear: Specs are your most important accessory if you wear them on a regular basis. No matter how fab your clothes, footwear and hair, wearing dated or unflattering glasses will ruin the look. Here are my thoughts on how to select stylish eyewear if a new pair of specs is on your shopping list. 

Sometimes tackling one of these will be enough to give you some forward momentum and get you out of your introspective rut. And if you manage to get all three sorted out, you’ll be in a great position to think more deeply about what style direction suits your lifestyle, budget, body type, age and fashion persona. 

As far as possible, make sure that these three areas are covered before you move on to clothing, footwear and accessories. Your style journey will be easier with the right bra, and your hairstyle and eyewear in place.

Orange is the colour for Spring and Summer 2012, which is why this bright argyle jumper is the backdrop for this month’s cover. It is also the national colour of the Netherlands, and runs through my Dutch veins. I love orange! But unfortunately it doesn’t love me back in the same way. So I stick to wearing a very dark orange that’s almost more of a red, or a pink-orange like coral. I can also wear a crisp mid-tone peach, but don’t because I’m not in love with that specific hue. 

The current leg of my style journey started in March last year, when I decided that I wanted to keep things clean, simple, modern and bold. This direction still feels completely right and it won’t be changing in the New Year. I strive to strip my outfits down to attractive minimal elements, while still keeping things interesting. 

I am increasingly interested in wearing classic pieces. I think that’s because their design lines are simple and clean. Also, when you buy a simple classic piece in better-end fabrications, it brings out the strength of the design. I still absolutely love to wear trendy items, but they only feel right for my style when they are grounded by crisp classic pieces in the same ensemble. 

This New Year’s Day outfit is a good example because it’s a mixture of classic pieces and fun trends. A tailored crisp white button shirt is about as classic as it gets. To many women button downs are an uncomfortable, staid basic. Well, call me boring, but I love my white non-iron tailored Brooks Brothers shirts, wear them all the time, and find them comfy. They bring a necessary crisp element to my outfits, acting more like an accessory than a statement piece. 

In true preppy fashion I layered my shirt under another classic piece — an argyle jumper. I look dreadful in camel, but when it’s mixed with dark orange it’s more flattering. I seldom button the cuffs of my shirts. Instead I leave them to do their own thing unless I’ve deliberately scrunched them up my arm. 

You’ve seen my trendy, high-waisted, pleated and tapered glen plaid trousers before. I so enjoy wearing them now that I’m a “trouser girl”. They are warm because they are wool and I like how they slouch. I sometimes wear the waistband a few inches below my waistline to make them look even baggier, as I’ve done here. In order to showcase the slouch, I have tucked in my tops. I wear a belt because I don’t like the look of empty belt loops. I move my belt buckle off centre to prevent the end of the belt from flapping in the air. 

I finished off the outfit with some more trendy elements: two toned flat oxfords, an old cracked patent doctors bag, and my favourite black jacket (which, coincidentally, I wore for 2011’s New Year post). The outfit definitely looks more girly, dressy and elongated with heels. But I couldn’t resist the heavenly comfort and unexpected integrity of my flats. I prefer to wear my flat oxfords with bare legs or hose because to my eye they look prettier that way. So I’m wearing a pair of nude hose under my trousers to create the same effect. That way, as my trousers pull up when I sit down, you can see “bare” ankles. 

This is a tomboyish look that is an acquired taste, and I’ll understand if it’s not your cup of tea. Baggy plaid trousers, button down shirt, V-neck jumper, flat oxfords and a plain belt are manly items for sure. And my super short hair, specs, oversized watch and lack of jewelry add to the masculine vibe. Truth is, I feel feminine in this ensemble and I think that’s because no matter what I wear, no one can take away my ladylike persona. You don’t always need to wear dresses, skirts and skinnies that show off your curves to feel attractive and womanly. Sure, I frequently wear form fitting clothing and I love my dresses and skinnies, but I like my androgynous ensembles just as much.

We at YLF wish you a very Happy New Year!