It was just about a year ago that I stopped lurking and began participating in the YLF community--participation has given me much to be thankful for!

First and foremost, I'd like to thank Angie for continuing to generate daily content that remains interesting and relevant—I have no idea how you do it! In your position, I would have collapsed long ago!

I'd also like to thank the entire YLF community for bravely posting WIW's, sharing tips and fashion finds, and offering tactful advice. I have no other friends or family with whom I can talk about clothes, so the opportunity to peek into your wardrobes has been both fascinating and instructive.

I came to YLF having spent the ten years since my son's birth gaining and losing 100 lbs, four times. All my life, I'd never felt entitled to make fashion a priority and that, combined with the weight issue, meant that my wardrobe consisted of 3-4 pairs of my husband's old, worn out jeans, some of his old tee shirts, and a bunch of worn-out fleece. It was pretty dire. During the last year or so, I've worked hard to build a functional wardrobe and have been keenly interested in any post in which numbers are discussed. I have literally NEVER known how many outfits, or shirts, or shoes an average woman might have in her closet. Capsules, 30-piece wardrobes, 30 wears, 12 pair of shoes or 50 pairs...it is all new to me.

But there is one thing that has made more of an impression than all the others and it is this--the more closely I observe fashion, the more I realize that the best wardrobe is one that has been lovingly curated for a long time! The items in it reflect accurate soulsearching, knowledgeable selection, and tenacity in the hunt. I've spent the past year accumulating enough clothes to get my wardrobe up and running--just checking the wardrobe boxes. Now, having gotten pieces in place, I want to continue to improve by assessing the beauty and functionality of each piece and by replacing items with the best new pieces that each season has to offer.

That's what I've seen when I've peeked into your closets--wardrobes rich with the best of many seasons! Thank you!