https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 08 Apr 2026 22:54:40 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341674 Sun, 15 Oct 2023 14:34:07 +0000 Angie 2341674@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My heart is with the greens!&nbsp;</p> <p>That said, the browns would be an easier outfit remix and integration into your style :)&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341613 Sun, 15 Oct 2023 00:48:51 +0000 SarahD8 2341613@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Love this very targeted, incisive analysis. It strikes me that the oxblood mary janes and brown bag might represent "your version of" a complement -- matchy-adjacent, but not matchy-matchy. Just enough "off" to feel right to you.</p> <p>Great that you have been getting into clothing swapping/trading! I have not had great luck with that approach. It's nice to know my items are going to a home where they're wanted -- but inevitably it seems the thing the other person has isn't quite what I want or need (it's like, close enough for me to take home...but the pieces never end up quite panning out).&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341571 Sat, 14 Oct 2023 16:02:01 +0000 Greyscale 2341571@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Either green or brown would be great for the bag. I have it in black and I love it. Soft leather, interesting structure, and it looks great. And it’s surprisingly spacious, room for my sunglasses and face spf, etc. One thing is that the leather is starting to fade around the edges after just a few months. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341513 Sat, 14 Oct 2023 00:05:16 +0000 Suz 2341513@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You're an excellent and exacting shopper and always consider your real needs.&nbsp; I am impressed!&nbsp;</p> <p>I am not a fan of black bags, either. But I am a fan of a nylon bag, and for many of the same reasons you express. It is super handy for travel or for on the bike/ casual outings. Yet it does not have the structure of a leather bag. My solution has been to have both. I use my nylon bags all the time for travel and in summer. But often switch to leather in the fall. The nylon are definitely more casual and also not as indestructible as one might hope, but then in my case they get super hard wear. (Mine are 3 otherwise identical backpacks, all of which are getting a bit old and tired but which fill their purpose so well I haven't found adequate replacements.)&nbsp;</p> <p>I love the vibrant green but I think I would go for one piece in that colour vs. two.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341492 Fri, 13 Oct 2023 19:54:22 +0000 Jonesy 2341492@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I love the idea of those mary janes in the oxblood color--kind of unexpected and chic. I also love those COS bags and think the dark brown leather one would be a great addition, and work well with everything else you have. Shoe shopping in Montreal sounds very fun! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341459 Fri, 13 Oct 2023 17:02:44 +0000 UmmLila (Lisa) 2341459@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I like those lighter green pieces and I could see them popping nicely with your autumnal colors. I hit a COS store in Lisbon a couple weeks ago and came away with a tiny quilted black bag that feels like I’m carrying a squishy toy with me. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341454 Fri, 13 Oct 2023 16:00:08 +0000 Cardiff girl 2341454@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Good read and you strike me as someone who DOESNT buy for a &nbsp;fantasy lifestyle but for what you actually do day to day and youhave a solid sense of your own style therefore you have a coherent,working wardrobe .l am taking notes! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341447 Fri, 13 Oct 2023 15:17:58 +0000 Jules 2341447@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Nice to see you looking at Maguire! I'm happy with my Neivas so far, although a little "sharp" around the ankle they are ok with socks and I may add some moleskin. I didn't realize that COS bag came in lime so taking a look at that. Hope to hear how your Montreal shopping goes! </p> <p>And yes, as much as I love that colour of green, I think it can be a bit much in a complement if you wear mainly neutrals. Or, you make it work but it's a passing moment as you say. Angie pulls off colour so beautifully though.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341415 Fri, 13 Oct 2023 12:16:15 +0000 lyn67 2341415@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Love&nbsp; and agree about your practical choice of the brown Mary Jane's (great shoes!) and leather bag(trendy)! The green shoes look lovely but needs more supporting items in a wardrobe, a statement shoe is great-but would really make a statement-and is you have to be prepared for that. I generally find&nbsp; a statement bag has more milleage (like Roberta's)---so you can still consider... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341372 Thu, 12 Oct 2023 18:36:32 +0000 Sal 2341372@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great reading - and good insights re your needs. I lean to the brown bag for you - I think it’s great with black and most of the colours in your palette. The green is fun though.</p> <p>I have done some swaps with neighbours - quite spontaneously. In both cases the pieces have become easy workhorses. I haven’t done any pure thrift shopping this year for clothes - only online through TradeMe. My routine has changed and I don’t get the easy opportunities I used to. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341369 Thu, 12 Oct 2023 16:03:16 +0000 Roberta 2341369@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for posting this - I read it twice and will probably read it a third time! We have a few things in common. I generally stop shopping in September, because most of my buying is done in the beginning of the year. In the fall, I break out all the stuff I had put away and enjoy rediscovering it over the next few months. </p> <p>I also am not very interested in a black handbag. I wear a lot of black, that's not it, they just seem kind of somber to me. The dark brown Cos bag seems like a perfect choice for that reason! Secondly, I also fell for that acid green hue this year, and bought a DKNY bag in lime green. I got a lot of wear out of it, and I think it might be interesting in the winter over dark colors. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341367 Thu, 12 Oct 2023 14:42:17 +0000 Bijou 2341367@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I love your colour choices for the shoes and bag. I have a dark green bag and find that colour is versatile, the light green, whilst pretty is likely to be more difficult to use everyday because it is such a statement. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341365 Thu, 12 Oct 2023 13:26:03 +0000 Dee 2341365@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I really enjoyed reading your analysis, seems you understand your style very well. I too find fitted sweaters more practical for winter, less bulk under coats or jackets. The oxblood Mary Janes look really cute, and coupled with the practical brown swing bag should be nice colour &nbsp;additions.<br />I think the minimalist trend still continues but it maybe slowing down as I think people are craving a little more individuality and colour in their fashion choices. A bit more personal flare feels more fun. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2023-final-quarter-review#post-2341362 Thu, 12 Oct 2023 13:00:42 +0000 LaPed 2341362@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hard to believe we're approaching the end of the year! Lately, I've been taking a look at <a rel="nofollow" href="https://youlookfab.com/finds/collections/?collection=12376">what I've added so far this year</a>&nbsp;(link to Collections) and reflecting on purchase/wear habits and where I'd like to go with my style in the coming year. I am feeling pretty set for clothing and won't add too much more between now and 2024. I've added 20 items so far (6 via trades, 6 secondhand, and 8 purchased new) and will probably add just a few more pieces. I'm enjoying the pattern/colour/silhouette variety I've managed to add recently. I'm finding that trades are a great way to pass on low-use items and add things that are either higher-utility (gear!) or experimental in some way (bold colour, new brand, etc.). It's also a built-in one-in/one-out mechanism, although that's not something I'm strict about otherwise. Some other themes: </p> <p><b>Ease of layering.</b>&nbsp;For me, this translates to: volume on the bottom, tailored on the top. I <i>love</i>&nbsp;loose pants and full skirts that accommodate thermal baselayers. While I also love voluminous layers on top, I know from experience I won't reach for them much once it's cold enough to need a coat or parka. Fitted and tailored sweaters and tops are much more versatile than oversized. A few oversized or fluid fit outer layers for transitional weather are okay, but I have to be careful not to go overboard.</p> <p><b>Focus on fall/winter/spring.</b>&nbsp;This goes hand in hand with layering. I spent most of the summer wearing the same backpacking outfit on repeat (this probably won't change next summer), so my need for hot weather clothes is minimal, I love what I have, and it isn't wearing out! I really don't need any more shorts/tees/tanks/sundresses/sandals. And if I do add tees/tanks, it's better if they're merino because I will use them as year-round layers. My focus should be on transitional pieces and cold-weather pieces, as Sept - May is when most of my work/social life takes place and when I benefit most from having variety.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Bolder colours in small doses. </b>I am still happiest in dark neutrals, but pops of colour are appealing right now, especially sour greens and orange-leaning reds. I love both of these colours paired with black for a sort of Hot Topic/mall punk 90s throwback vibe. I wore a lot of black/acid green combos in middle school! I don't feel the need to go all-in with these but I do like having a few pieces to throw on from time to time. </p> <p>My final purchases for the year (apart from replacing my trail runners and possibly adding some new winter boots) will probably be shoes and a bag. I am not a big shoe/bag shopper and tend to wait until I see something I <i>really</i>&nbsp;love the look of, which doesn't happen all that often! Maguire's fall collection and the COS Swing Bag are really appealing to me right now and seem like they will incorporate seamlessly into my wardrobe. I'll be in Montreal over the weekend and plan to visit Maguire and do some shoe try-ons while I'm there. </p> <p>I was briefly enamoured with the idea of adding a bright green shoe/bag complement (see below), but I think budget-wise that's more than I want to put into a colour that probably might not interest me as much in a couple of years. Plus, I'm not a big matchy-matchy person at heart even though the look appeals to me in theory. I like the simplicity of the COS bag in black, but for some reason bags in black never excite me, even though they should be practical for someone with a black-heavy wardrobe. The nylon version is tempting due to its packability -- a lightweight bag I can tuck inside a backpack or larger bag will always get a lot of use -- but it doesn't have quite the same vibe as the leather version (I think this shape benefits from the added structure of leather), and wouldn't really be moving the style needle, so to speak. Right now I'm leaning towards adding the chunky mary-janes in oxblood and the COS bag in dark brown. They're the sort of rich earthy tones that make my heart sing and seem to work effortlessly with anything I put on.</p> <p>Would love to hear your thoughts! Anyone else gotten into trading/clothes swaps lately? After years of minimalism being the dominant design trend, it feels like we've finally settled into a more playful/eclectic/"anything goes" mood -- are others noticing and enjoying this shift?&nbsp; </p>