Thank you, Brooklyn!

Darks are pretty natural in the winter - I think it has to do something with the light quality. I haven't tried that cargo pant styling in reality yet - it could be that I don't like it on myself either. At this point it is only an idea. You look wonderful in your cargos and don't think you have anything to be sensitive about, but perhaps try low contrast colors for jacket and pants and see if you like that better? Or you could go completely the other way with other recent formula Angie posted, of wide pants and short/cropped jackets.

Suz, the sweet spot for me on a straight hemmed skirt is about 10 to 15 cm about my ankle. That allows me to show the whole shaft of my combat boot, but doesn’t leave much of a gap between skirt and top of boot. It is also just before my leg starts to widen out a lot at my calf so is still flattering if I wear sandals. I guess it’s tea length (but I call it midaxi). I don’t find that length a trip hazard at all. The black and sand tie dye skirt I’m wearing here is longer. Closer to my ankle. I have thought about having it shortened and I might eventually. I think it might be an issue on stairs. I find myself hitching it up when I use them. So I think you might want to go for that slightly shorter midaxi length. Or midi of course! I just like the length and coverage of a midaxi, especially in Summer as it means I don’t have to wear sunblock on my legs.

I do feel my style leans more Bohemian in the summer than the winter. So I might go more “modern” in winter. But I’m planning to stay “moody” all year

Tanya, thanks, I will try that. I have a black wool VB jacket, similar to the camel one, which I could wear when the weather gets cooler. I’m also somewhat hopeful of getting cargo/parachute style pants for winter without the thigh pockets. Or with the pockets lower down the leg. I think that will make a difference for me.

Nikki, I think your style leans Bohemian too. But I must say I love “Atomic Blonde”.

Zaeobi, thanks for the links. Not available here. Which could mean it’s come and gone, it’s still coming, or it’s never coming. You never know with Zara! I love the print but it looks like polyester? I have to be careful with that as I can only wear polyester on my upper body for about 3 months of the year. The skirt would be a possibility. I’ll keep an eye out.

Suntiger

Bijou, I think you have it all worked out. Your WFH style is more glam/elevated than mine. I think you are a lot like Angie in that regard. But I think your style has become more interesting and fashion forward since you left office work. It’s like you are free to really express yourself now.

Slimcat, snap! I think Allsaints might be my favourite brand. They really know how to do moody prints. I wish I had duplicated that Amare skirt, it’s starting to develop some pulled threads because I’ve worn it so much.

Did you see this top? I have it and love it. Might not be your colours? I could see it on Janet and Tanya too.

Gorgeous top - love it! Haven't seen that top recently - but there is always something fab in All Saints collection. My preference is for sleeveless graphic tank tops ( or very thin lightweight tees ) that work well under open shirt or jacket since I wish to wear them at work and after - limited success so far ( especially in navy/blue or dark green colors ). Hope for more choices this upcoming spring .

Thank you, Brooklyn -- that is super useful info. I will do a similar measurement on myself. I think because I am short, it is difficult to get that length. What is midi on a taller woman is, well, in between midi and maxi on me (and sometimes at widest point of calf) and what is midaxi on others is trailing on the ground, on me. But that doesn't mean I can't solve this problem. I can certainly get things shortened as long as there is no border print at the bottom.

Oooh wish that Allsaints top was in my colorway! Would buy it for DW mom but she already has enough tops to clothe a small army.

It is lovely to “see” you again! I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your sweet pup and know the struggle to re-engage. The last year or so have been incredibly hard.

I love the direction you are going with moody modern ! The palette is stunning (you should seriously have a YouTube channel for dye tips!!) and I like your definition of modern not necessarily being trendy, but more futuristic.

I have the same taupe Zara cargo pants as you and love the way you have styled them!

It's hard to even put into words how valuable this post was for me

You always look lovely, your photos are the proof of your process which you share so graciously!

Thank you again for your tribute post to Brooklyn, I never tire of descriptions of loving dog owners who put their love into action.

I am so sorry to hear about Brooklyn's death. She was an amazing presence. I just read your tribute to her and it was so beautiful! I hope your grief has eased a bit over these past few months, and you can find some joy again.

Your style is so cohesive, gorgeous, visually striking, and genuine to you--it's a treat to see your WIWs! Of course, all of your trademark skirt outfits look fab, but I love the addition of the utility pants into your rotation--they look so versatile and well-integrated already, like they were made for you.

Brooklyn, as always it is great to see you. I am so sorry for the loss of your pup and for the other difficulties you allude to. I hope 2023 is better.

I continue to be so impressed by your thoughtful approach to your wardrobe and your ability to follow through. I really appreciate it when you take the time to write out a post like this -- I learn so much!

It is so good to see you. I hope you find comfort in the new year and am glad you feel ready to engage again.
Your descriptions and outfits! are amazing. I think you have found your summer style. So many great skirts and combinations and I also love your new cargos. I will have to look a few more times to appreciate them all properly!

Thanks everyone. Especially for the commiserations about Brooklyn. Not everyone understands the level of grief involved, unfortunately. But I am much better than I was a few months ago.

Firecracker, that’s right. The necklace is a bracelet that I wear as a necklace. V necks are not my best look, so it helps to fill in the gap. It adds some nice texture too. And yes, that’s one of my DIY tie dye tees.

NM, that’s great! The Zara pants are the most lightweight of the pairs I bought, which gets a big tick from me. Unfortunately I have found they do need ironing after washing. Oh well, nothing is perfect.

Phoebe and SarahD8, extra thank you! That really makes me feel good about posting.

Slimcat, got it. I will share what I find, as I think we have similar tastes/requirements.

Suz, I have had a number of maxi skirts shortened. It’s a good option to keep up your sleeve.

Suntiger, the top has teal butterflies and it’s 100% cotton. I couldn’t resist it!

Jonesy and Jaime, I am very excited about the cargo pants. I am looking forward to working on some more evening juxtaposition type outfits like the last one.

Big hugs and happy Lunar New Year! Time for new beginnings, let’s hope. Glad to hear you are still enjoying walks even without a 4 legged buddy.

Your dye jobs are gorgeous. You inspired me to try it a few times but it makes such a mess, I got discouraged! I ended up staining/ruining other things around the house unintentionally, in the process of transporting the pots of dye to the drain etc. Whoops!

Thanks Jessikams. Oh no about the dyeing! I do mine in the washing machine. It keeps the mess contained. But it does limit what you can do. I would love to try dip dyeing/ombre but haven’t been game to try. I would have to do it in a tub and fear I would end up creating a mess too. I hope it was fixable.

Yes, unfortunately all of the Zara blur prints are in polyester - hence why I didn't buy the top version (that & a bodysuit sounds like a disaster just waiting to happen on my pear shaped body, lol!)

But the dress & skirt versions are both fairly lightweight mesh, & opaque - especially with the attached bodice & skirt linings. It's likely they've sold out now though, since that's how fast fashion goes But it looks like blur & marble prints will be trending in 2023!

Gosh it is helpful to read about the process you undertook to create such a cohesive and personalized wardrobe.
Honestly, I feel like your clarity of mind, and self-discipline with sticking to your personal style goals/themes is quite inspiring :).
I hope at some point you find a great dress. They can be difficult I agree, often the fit is off, because our bottom and top halves tend to be different sizes!
I’m not sure if you are familiar with an Australian brand called Boom Shankar? Sometimes they have some nice bohemian dresses (and skirts!) that might be to your taste, much nicer irl than they look in the stock photos. Many of their colour palettes won’t be moody enough, but it might be worth the occasional look in case something comes up.
I wish you the very best as you recover from your difficult time.
Oh, and yep, white is very bossy! SO bossy!

Your outfits are a visual feast, I love seeing all the colours and textures while you retain a definite signature style. Those cargo pants are a great look.

Welcome back.l am very sorry that you lost your dog,that’s tough.
You are looking your usual gorgeous self,such a creative dresser.l can’t remember ever seeing you in trousers before!but they suit you well.
l hope that 2023 is a better and happier year.

Thanks Jussie, I will check it out.

Thanks CG. Prior to buying the cargo pants I had only 3 pairs of pants in my wardrobe. So it’s not a surprise that you don’t associate them with me. The pants I had were all winter weight (wool or velvet). These ones will work for warmer weather. Interestingly, my husband really loves the very oversized “anti fit” pair. So I guess I will try to wear them more often.

Thanks Sally.

Zaeobi, if you are still following, you might keep an eye on the brand “Weekday” (on ASOS). They sometimes have blur prints in cotton. I have a couple already and have another one on order. Topshop does blurry prints too, but theirs are usually poly.

Thanks for the tip! I've had my eye on these blurry sunset cotton jeans from Weekday for a while (as a soft spring update), but I talked myself out of them because, like you said, white can be tricky to get right!
https://www.asos.com/weekday/w...../201515603

I am sorry that you have been having a tough time. Re-engaging takes courage and energy, doesn't it?
What spoke to me most in your post was how you described your "modern, moody bohemian" theme and then looking again at the outfit photos to see how cohesively they illustrated your concepts. As someone who struggles with both clothing vision and discipline, I found this post very informative.