Time to introduce myself! I am a 44-yo SAHM with three kids ages 6 to 8 years. DH, kids and I live in the suburban wilds of New England.

My sense of style has of course evolved over time. In my 20s I lived in Brazil for several years and it was eye-opening to go from the 80s US college scene of oversized tops, Guess acid-washed jeans, and just big and baggy everything (my beloved harem pants!) to the form-fitting and more formal/dressy styles women and girls sported there. It took me time to absorb the culture of the styles there and be comfortable wearing some of them myself. But what seems foreign at first can grow on you. It was easier for me to absorb the language and culture in other ways though – that fashion stuff was harder for me!

Once my oldest was born, I left my office job to become a SAHM, and style took a backseat to the rigors of mommyhood. Nursing and pregnancies changed my body. Once I could fit back in my old pants and jeans, it turned out they were out of style or just didn’t flatter any more. I do feel like a seismic change happened while I was “out of the loop.” It seemed like suddenly my cute jeans were mommy jeans, and all my nice, classic clothes were looking so dated. I’m sure it wasn’t quite that fast but it felt like it!

I found Angie and Greg’s wonderful site I guess as a form of therapy. My father passed away this winter, and as part of coping with that loss, I started looking for websites and books on personal style. I had already been trying to update my wardrobe and figure out what worked for my changing body, but more than that, I wanted to figure out how to dress better and dress more smartly, because when I do that I stand up taller and feel better about myself. It was a way to make sure I didn’t wallow too much while grieving. (My other coping mechanisms were baking Bundt cakes [we’re talking 3 cakes a week for a while; my family was in heaven!] and planning family trips. Think cozy, homey, and drawing the family together.)

I lurked for about 4 months before joining, and only just started posting a few days ago. I started out reading Angie’s great blog posts, and it probably was a couple of months before I ventured into the forum and started reading there. I love how this forum has members from all over, and from all sorts of backgrounds. The diversity combined with incredible support is beyond fabulous. The tips and info Angie gives are so incredibly helpful. And, of course, I feel like I “know” Angie and many of the forum regulars through your singular style of dressing and your written voices.

I am some kind of pear and hourglass combo, and will eventually try to get a pic up for feedback on that. I can look at others and figure out their shapes and modifiers, but have a deuce of a time figuring out my own.

Anyway, this is a book of an introduction, but just wanted to say hello! I'll put a briefer blurb in the pinned post of members.

Edited to add: forgot to mention, my name is Anne!