The midi coat trend goes hand in hand with the midi skirt and dress trend. They are longer, with lengths at least an inch over the knee. 

I LOVE structured coats that are knee-length or just below the knee. I find them very flattering and versatile. They work extremely well over skirts and dresses, AND over jeans and trousers. The extra warmth, dressier vibe, and drama appeals to me. I’m not fond of coats that are longer than a couple of inches below the knee. Those I often find unflattering because they are overwhelming. 

For most women sleek bodice tailoring is the key to making a midi coat work. There are nice coats that are shaped like inverted triangles (oversized on top and tapering to the hem), but this is not an easy silhouette to wear. Unless you are statuesque, the coat will be wearing you instead of the other way around.

My only complaint about midi coats is that we aren’t seeing enough of them. I’d love them to become mainstream so that there is a larger variety of coat lengths to choose from. But shorter mid-thigh coats reign supreme. While this is a length I love to wear with trousers and jeans, my heart is with the knee-length or midi coat because the extra length makes me feel covered, dressy and dramatic. 

What’s your favourite coat length? Are you feeling midi coats?

The second ever Australian YLF meetup was held on a Spring morning that was cold enough for us Melbournites, and somewhat of a shock to the brave YLF’ers that had ventured down from sunny Queensland. As a result, instead of meeting in the Bourke Street Mall, the early arrivers, Sharon, Deborah, Kirstie (Katiepea), Dawn and Clare made their way straight into the warmth of Zara, to be met shortly after by Kiran (Fruitful), Tamara (Yublocka), Karen (Puffenstuff) and Jodie. 

For some it was an opportunity to meet up with old friends and for others a chance to ‘meet’ our wonderful YLF friends in real life!

We wandered through Zara, browsing each and every rack on display. Although we had arrived before it was too busy, by the time we left there was a long queue for the change rooms. The hype attached to the opening of this new Zara store was still going strong with some shoppers (not the lovely YLF girls of course) displaying quite a frenzied approach to shopping. Deborah and Clare shared a giggle when another shopper literally took a pair of skinny jeans out of Clare’s hands! With the change rooms starting to get busy, Kiran, following through on her philosophy of “never waste time in line that could be spent finding pretties”, discreetly took to trying on outfits in a corner of the store.

We left Zara with varying levels of success. Kirstie and Tam became cardigan twins, purchasing a gorgeous green cardigan. Karen (in her words) went into a fashion coma, picking up anything bright and Summer-y that she could see, the end result of which was her fab new red skinny jeans. Just before leaving, Kirstie tried on an item that had us all in stitches – a bright orange blazer made out of wetsuit material. Possibly appropriate for the day’s weather, but a bit over the top, especially paired with the black sequin dress in the shopfront display.

Next stop was Spencer Street, but by then our tummy’s were calling so we made a pit stop for food (and coffee) and got to know each other a bit better over lunch. We talked about YLF, how uniquely warm and welcoming it is for an online community, and talked about the differences we see in Australian and American tastes and styles. Thus fueled, we hit the shops.

Starting off in a group, we made our way around the circuit of shops and separated into small groups as we spread ourselves out across the shopping centre, but with a plan to all meet up again for coffee mid afternoon. Meeting up again we shared our shopping successes. Karen and Jodie did well in a number of stores, including Rubi Shoes. Deborah scored a great pair of black patent leather flats and by the end of the day managed to take home 4 pairs of shoes in total! Clare found some great sandals at Nine West while Dawn picked up some shorts and tops for her upcoming trip to Singapore. 

After the much needed caffeine stop, we made our way around the shops again, stopping at places we had overlooked on the first circuit. Most people scored a new purchase the second time around. Tam and Kirstie played dress twins again, only this time they both purchased a gorgeous slouchy striped dress from Jacquie E.  They are both now the proud owners of what they insist is the most comfortable dress ever.

Finally it was time to say goodbye – but not before taking the obligatory YLF shoe and handbag shot. Since the day was so cold and nearly everyone was rugged up in scarves, we also took a scarf shot, much to the amusement of many passers by! Kiran’s gorgeous boys then came to whisk her away. Kirstie went to meet her husband and we said goodbye to Sharon, Karen and Jodie.  With some time to spare before their train, Deborah, Dawn, Clare continued on with Tam and popped into Kate Hill where Tam discovered her personal holy grail – a grey leather crossbody bag. Tam had been searching for a bag like this for well over a year with no success; she insists it must have been YLF’s good karma that dropped the perfect bag into her arms. 

It was a wonderful day and plans are afoot for the next one. Each of the ladies was not only gorgeous and stylish, but also friendly and interested in other people. They were also curious about the world, have a well-developed sense of aesthetic, and are good communicators.  As Sharon shared after the meet, she suspects this is why YLF meet ups are so successful. In the end, the shopping is just an excuse to spend time with some really great people.

Lisa, who thinks of pumpkins and Halloween in October, was impressed with the creativity of this spooky nail art. 

Suz was much delighted with forum member Rae’s style interview on Inside Out Style because she shows wisdom beyond her years and has clever moneysaving ideas.

Crazyone liked Britain’s ban on “sexy advertising” near schools. 

Inge recently found Show Studio and is intrigued by the concept of filming one famous person in the fashion industry, zooming in on details of their clothing and face while they speak freely about their passion. All in black and white! 

SuzyCue, who loves hats, is thrilled that Target will release 14 hats by South African milliner Albertus Swanepoel on October 30.

Kyle found this interesting article on why the late Steve Jobs started wearing his black turtle neck uniform. 

Laurinda found a great introduction to the mathematics behind neckline flattery by Sewingplum. 

Anna likes these very interesting necklaces from Eaburns. 

Goldenpig recommends edgy Audi’s post on adding pizazz to corporate wear. 

Vildy recommends these six videos from Style Like U that show the reactions when two women with completely different styles and personalities switch clothing for a day.

Rosee enjoyed this fun peak into people’s closets and styles.

When Nordstrom asked me to build an outfit using footwear from their Designer Ugg Collection, words like cozy, casual, comfortable and textured immediately came to mind. Autumn and Winter dressing allows us to layer several interesting textures in one outfit, which creates an attractive effect. 

The outfit is on the dressier side of casual and incorporates classic, retro and modern elements — a great mix of vibes in my book. There are five textures at play. Six if you include the suede bootie instead of the leather ankle boots. Faux fur, wool, denim, silk, leather and suede can live in ensemble harmony.

First, you’ll need a great pair of casual bottoms like Gaps’ real straight jeans. Bootcut jeans and knitted Ponte pants will also work. For a more maximal look, you could even throw in a pair of glen plaid trousers. 

I like oversized sweaters and they are huge this season. Max Studio’s Oversized Pullover Sweater, while roomy in the body, tapers back at the hem thereby adding structure to the silhouette. If you like to surrender your waistline, wear the sweater as it is. For a more tailored look, add a waist defining belt. 

The scarf is optional, but is a great way to inject textural interest and colour into the ensemble. I chose an Emilio Pucci Printed silk and wool-blend scarf because it’s chic and classic — a nice juxtaposition against the trendier elements of the outfit. But the scarf world is your oyster, so choose a colour, pattern and texture that’s YOU.

Boots ground the outfit, and your choices are abundant. For gals on the go who prefer flatter footwear, UGG’s ‘Austin’ Ankle Boot is comfortable, cozy and robust. It slips on and off with ease and the ombre effect is divine. I love light coloured footwear so I chose taupe to pick up the colour of the outerwear, but it’s also available in black. 

If you prefer to wear heels, try the UGG’s ‘Brienne’ Boot. Personally, I found them a little heavy, but also comfortable and very soft (my feet loved that part). The blue suede has my heart, but click through all the colour options. Remember to use weatherproofing spray if you’re worried about how they will hold up in wet weather. 

It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but plush faux fur is both retro and on-trend. Oversized outerwear that’s big on top, but tapers back in at the waist or hem is also trending (an ideal coverup for dolman sleeved tops). Vince Camuto’s Faux Fur Jacket is well cut and super cozy. It has voluminous sleeves, but their shorter length prevents that “drowning” feeling. The mushroom coloured fur dances in the light. 

Last but not least, distressed leather adds even more texture to the outfit. Bags like Hobo International’s “Shelby” satchel have an appealing vintage look about them. I threw in brown because I like the way it creates a contrast with the light outwear. 

This outfit shows high contrasting colours on top of the rich textures. I bat for Team High Colour Contrast, so personally, it’s right up my style alley. But if that’s not your thing, you can create an equally compelling outfit with lower colour contrasts.