The online friend you didn’t know you had

Hello, Fabbers! I registered for YLF back in August of 2016 and have been a daily reader of Angie’s blog and the posts of this outstanding community ever since. But I’ve never submitted a post. Not one. (Does that make me the lurkiest lurker ever?) So today is the day, lest I find myself facing down a paywall tomorrow!

Since I’ve been following everyone’s evolving style and personal journeys for so long, I feel that I know you regulars pretty well, especially those who’ve been here since I joined YLF. Your insights and advice, freely and thoughtfully offered, have provided me a valuable benchmark over the years, and I can’t thank you enough!

I’m a very private person online. (In person, I’m pretty much an open book.) But I suppose it’s only fair to provide a few details about myself. I’m Debbie, I’m 64 years old, and I’ve lived in southwestern Pennsylvania for most of my life. I spent many years working in radio (back when it was a bit more relevant) and then doing freelance voice-over work before transitioning to secondary education. I’ve been a substitute teacher (mostly Spanish and Math departments) for the past 11 1/2 years. I’m a natural blonde with pale skin, so I gravitate to cool colors (favorites are blues - especially navy, greens, fuchsia, black, and white). Much of my wardrobe is smart casual and thrifted, but I’m not averse to buying at retail.

Thanks for reading. I guess I need to make two more posts today to officially become an “active” member!

5 months ago

Star

Veteran

Hi DebD, Nice to 'meet' you!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Welcome, DebD!

Glad you signed up, and look forward to learning more about your style

DebD

Active Member

Star, glad to virtually meet you, too. I always enjoy your posts!

Angie, thank you! Your announcement about making the forum a premium feature gave me the nudge I needed to make my first post. I think I might actually like participating instead of just lurking.

Dee

Hi DebD, great to hear from you, looks like we’re about the same age, and I enjoy a cool colour palette as well.

Hi, Dee, I've been reading your posts for a while and especially love the ones that pose interesting questions as conversation starters. (For example, your topics on aging and wearing new trends, compromising to fit in, etc.)

Suz

Welcome, and it's nice to make your acquaintance virtually! I'm also a blues wearer in my 60s!

Runcarla

Welcome - from another 60+yo!

Suz and Carla, you're both in my "must read" category! Great style, advice, and inspiration. Suz, since you have an affinity for the same colors as I do, I've lemminged a few of your Finds. The Eileen Fisher sandals, for one.

Thanks for making me feel welcome!

Jenn

Welcome Deb! It’s such a joy to see lurkers come out of hiding and join the conversation.

Sal

Welcome Deb! Thanks for the introduction. I think most of us lurked for a while before joining although maybe not that long haha!

Jenni NZ

Hi DebD, another 63 y old here! I think you’ll enjoy participating.

Thank you Jenn and Sal! I'm delighted to see familiar names stopping by with well wishes!

Sal, yes, I also lurked even before joining, but then I joined and kept lurking for nearly eight years! Until today!

Hi Jenni, I always read your posts (and get closet envy when you use your walk-in as a backdrop!). I think you're right about participating; everybody is so kind and supportive here.

Roberta

Hello and welcome! I just turned 65, but we're a real range of ages and body types and locations here. Which is what makes this one of the best online style forms out there!

Kate

Welcome DebD from another 60+ year old.

Jaime

Hi DebD and welcome out of lurkdom. I also found it hard to post at first (all those many years ago).

Roberta, Kate and Jaime, thanks for the greetings!

Roberta, I agree. This is the best style forum online and I love the range of voices that create the opportunity for a wider perspective.

Kate, I think you've been here at least as long as I've been reading YLF!

Jaime, as a fellow thrifter (I "discovered" thrifting about 10 years ago), I'm always excited to see what treasures you've uncovered and how you style them.

Hi, Deb, I’m also a lurky lurker! I think I may have commented on a blog post or two years ago under my actual name, but I have been Cookie (as in Monster) in certain online spaces in the past and got used to it. I’m 58, curly-haired, work in journalism, and abhor pants.

Brooklyn

Welcome DebD! And welcome Cookie! Looks like you have started a delurking trend

Sisi

Hello Deb, nice to meet you! I am a shy person online and post pics very rarely but I'm always happy to see other people's outfits! It seems we have more or less same coloring, same age and same tastes.

Suntiger

Welcome Deb! I lurked for a long time before joining too. We're a nice group

kkards

Welcome! happy to have another southwestern PA fabber.

More welcome comments! They’re like gifts that keep coming!

Cookie, glad you joined me in delurking. I chuckled when you said that you abhor pants. I like pants, because I abhor my knees!

Brooklyn, so happy I can now see all your photos now that I’ve delurked. I’ll have to up my style game if I ever get to visit Australia!

Sisi, I always smile at your technique for staging WIWs, standing on a chair. That looks like something I would do (until I land in a heap on the floor)!

Suntiger, yes, this group has consistently maintained integrity all these years! That’s why I’m here.

kkards, hi neighbor! I’ll be especially interested to read your comments for the local perspective from our corner of the world.

JAileen

Hi Deb, and Cookie, welcome! I’m glad you’re not lurking anymore. I’m older than both of you!

Cardiff girl

Well nice to hear more about you and lam so glad l read all the comments too as the person who abhors pants made me smile ,probably they mean what we call trousers but still it raised a smile on a gloomy ,wet day in the uk.

JAileen, thanks for the welcome. I've enjoyed your posts and comments over the years. And you don't seem older to me. You must be in great shape from all that birding you do!

Hi, Cardiff girl! I just realized the pants comment must have been extra funny to you, since "pants" in the UK are what we call "underwear" or "panties" in the U.S.

<waving pantlessly>
I did think about saying “trousers” but for some reason did not! And I also abhor my knees. I just wear skirts that cover them. I also have some less than lovely blotchy bits on my lower legs but I reason that no one but small dogs is looking that closely there, and they usually like me anyway.

<waves back while wearing pants>
Cookie, I hear you! I'm not thrilled with my legs in general. I have sun-damaged skin going back to my sunscreen-free childhood (and currently sporting a bruised calf from getting whacked with the car door), so pants work best for me. But I have some long, flowy skirts I like to wear, too.

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