Hello everyone and welcome. Nice to see so many interesting new names/profiles. Looking forward to getting to know you all better.

Hi everybody! My name is Maria Paola, I'm 40 and I live in Italy. My style journey began about three years ago. Until then, I was just shopping, not styling, sort of trying to fit into somebody else's criteria... I don't know what I was trying to do, but I wasn't enjoying fashion at all Then I started figuring out that there were such things as body shapes, seasonal colours and trends that might work for me or not. I started asking my hubby to take pictures of my outfits and realized many of my go-tos were really blah. Today, I'm still working on it a lot. Due to intervened budget constraints, I shop very sparingly and thoughtfully, but I have never dressed this well before. For most of the time, I'm trying to make the stuff I bought when I had no clue work for my current stylish self and it's quite fun. I've been a fan of Angie's for quite a while now, and I'm happy to jump on the YLF community bandwagon and get to know you all a little better <3

there are many news to share.http://www.app-shops.com/

Oops - I posted an intro to myself titled "New but not ... " as a new conversation. Is there anyway to transfer that entry to this thread?

Hi everyone. I found this site via some surfing around on the topic of wardrobe cleanouts and have been checking in daily since. I'm 54 and I'm a pear. I actually have a pretty good idea of what works on me color/shape-wise, but I have trouble putting it together, especially as I get older. Thickening in the waist with menopause hasn't helped and neither has the
Preponderance of styles I refuse to wear, such as puffed sleves. Long over lean/column of color works well for me in the winter (a big chunk of my winter wardrobe is Eileen Fisher) and I largely live in skirts (a-line, of course) in the summer. Problem is, i'm boring myself to tears and it's also gotten really difficult to find tops short enough to wear with a skirt over the last few years. I'm in the "closet full but nothing to wear" camp, although I'm doing better this winter. I tried everything on and it didn't go in the closet if I couldn't make an outfit with it. Which brings me back to how I got here. Anyway, I find it ironic that I just purged the looser clothes in my closet, in favor of closer fitting garments, just in time for a return to looser fitting clothes returning to style -- which says something about how far behind the curve I am. I guess my style goal is to feel more put together. I doubt I'll be reported to the Fashion Police, but that's only because no one will be awake long enough to make the call.

Hi to everyone. I've been reading Angie's entries (and members' helpful comments) for quite a while, and now I've decided to join what seems to be a terrific and supportive community!
Even though I'm in my fifties, my 'style journey' didn't really begin until four or five years ago, when I finally decided to lose some excess weight and make a real effort to look stylish. It's been an interesting journey as I've tried out various style ideas along the way, trying to find what feels like 'me, only better', stick to a reasonable budget (not always successful with that one!), and not collect too much stuff (still working on that one too).
I have always been impressed with the welcoming and supportive atmosphere here at YouLookFab, and I hope to do my part to continue that tradition!

Hello all,

I am 41 and live in Western Canada. I have always loved clothes and have dressed myself with varying degrees of success over the course of my life. I have been a SAHM for the past 14 years and now work part time doing bookkeeping for a couple of small enterprises.

I believe that I am a pear shape but could be a rectangle with a full bottom so I play with both a bit. I recently gained 12 pounds after starting a weight lifting program at the gym so some of the outfits I used to wear don't really fit anymore or don't work as my body shape has changed. I enjoy reading the posts here so that I can find some new ideas for dressing.

I have a fairly casual llifestyle and don't need a lot of formal wear but I still like to be put together. For a great part of the winter my main goal is not to be cold due to the climate here so that impacts some of my clothing choices.

Glad to be a part of the community!

Hello,
I'm Jenny. I'm 36 years old and live in Washington, DC. I just joined this morning and I can't wait to reach Active Member status so I can post some photos and get some advice.

I've been doing my own version of Project 333 for over a year (I have more than 33 items at the moment, but my wardrobe is very pared down compared to where it used to be). I have put on some weight which has changed what works/what doesn't work for me. But also, I have experimented with some new styles only to come to the conclusion that they don't flatter me. I need to replace some of those articles of clothing that didn't work but I have limited funds. I'm hoping that some help/guidance from the forums will improve my odds of not wasting money on duds.

When I reach active member status I hope to start posting photos and asking for help. The first thing will be to get some feedback on my body shape. I'm looking forward to diving in more deeply here on the forums!

Hi everyone,

I’ve been reading this blog on and off for a few years and love it but haven't participated until now. I guess I've never thought of myself as particularly stylish (far from it). I have a lot of difficulty balancing my always limited clothes budget (I’m a mother who is a mature student so everything else comes first). So I tend to give up and basically wear jeans/tshirts with various sweaters/hoodies. I’ll be returning to the work force very soon and so feel compelled to develop a sort of uniform of working wear in order to be able to cope with a working wardrobe…

Hi folks, long time reader, finally signed in. Just turned 60(!), lifelong clothes horse suffering from post youth confusion about what to wear. I'm fit but not skim, pear of medium height, working in fairly conservative environment but with the heart of a hippie. (Unfortunately, Boho doesn't play well in financial services....). Looking forward to learning to express inner rebel in a responsible manner, and look good while doing so!

Hello. I am 41 years old, a mom of two boys, married. I have a bachelor's degree in nursing and have been a registered nurse for 16 years. I like to read fiction and non-fiction (I recently joined a book club and love it). I live in a beach town in a very warm climate and spend the summer at the beach or kayaking. I recently starting running/jogging and ran a half-marathon last Fall. I run a few times a week with friends.

I have been reading YouLookFab.com for a few years or greater. I am very interested in clothing and fashion but lack direction. I tend to get overwhelmed when shopping. I continually feel like I have nothing to wear. I would like to focus on building a nice wardrobe. Currently, I'm wearing the same few things over and over. In the summer, and all year round really, I tend to buy a lot of "disposable" clothing -- jersey t-shirts that get worn out and washed to death. I tend to wear the pair of jeans over and over, etc.

I would also like to improve my accessorizing skills and become more daring when it comes to accessories.

Basically, I would like to look nicer and feel more fashionable and worry less that I have nothing to wear.

Hi, I've been reading for a while and would like to join the forum and maybe even some day post some photos and get your help with some things.

I am 54 and a legal secretary in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. I've always loved cute clothes and sewed a lot of my own clothes in high school when we lived overseas and had NO access to Western type stores. I wish I had time to do that again. I have sewn some simple shorts and tops over the years.

My mom saw an Oprah show once that she made me watch (hm, she must have thought I wasn't dressing right) about dressing "as cute as you can be," and since then it's been sort of a goal for me to do the best I can with what I've got. I learned my best colors back in the 80's and that has really helped. I love black and white and jewel tones. Love dark green with my eyes.

Recently I've learned more about proportion (from YouLookFab and again, from Oprah - copying her boot cut pants to de-emphasize my pear shape; love that trick). I'm still not sure if I'm short waisted or not so would love to learn more about that. I know I like short jackets but since I got into middle age (with some weight gain; recently lost 20 of it and I think I've about decided that's good enough!) - I've wanted to wear longer sweaters and jackets but they don't usually look good on me. I am 5'5" tall.

Is this scattered or what? I'm trying to type fast on my lunch break.

My retired policeman husband and I hope to really retire in about 3 years and move to our home on Lake Huron in northeastern Michigan. I can't imagine not working at all but hope to do it from our home where I can gaze at the lake....

There my style can be even more casual than the business casual I wear daily now. I'll be looking for some good boots to wear with jeans and also some good snow boots. My snow boots now are old and I probably should replace them, but I have such a hard time getting shoes to fit. I do hate shoe shopping, I should say, and have gotten a kick out of ordering shoes from Nordstroms and Zappos, having them delivered free to my office where I can wear them on carpet for a day or two to really try them out before keeping or returning (also for free).

I'm thrifty, did I mention? And don't enjoy shopping. Oh, I did get a Nordstrom's personal shopper and am LOVING that. She is very good about keeping in touch and remembering what I like and "need".

And I have a tailor and am familiar with having pants taken in at the waist for my pear shape. Good investment. I have him hem them, too.

My favorite thing to wear is probably boot cut pants (I have a wonderful ponte pair I just got from Macy's - Inc. brand) or jeans, hemmed just right, with comfortable ankle boots and a short jacket or knit top. I need help with accessories; I like light-weight scarves, I have a long neck so I can actually wear them! I also like hats and just got a "Downton Abbey" style cloche from a friend who knits. Maybe I'll upload that here!

I'd like to get back in to wearing dresses, even at work. Not sure I want to invest in a big selection (see above re moving to a more casually dressed community) but I do see so many cute ones I'd like to try. I used to wear them all the time to work - a lot of skirts and jackets, even, and I'm sure I could get used to them again. Now my "uniform" is mostly black/navy pants and contrasting knit tops, sometimes with cardigans or jackets. It's easy and always looks fine. I'd just like some variety, esp in the summer.

Which reminds me I have TWO Halogen pencil skirts which I LOVE - and "need" to wear!!!! I saw them recommended on TWO blogs and so I got them when they went on sale at Nordstroms. They look good on me - I love pencil skirts and these are something like ponte which covers all the bumps! I just need to figure out the hosiery, shoes and tops to go with.

Hello all, I'm Osayi (from Lagos, Nigeria), and I've been following this blog for a while... I've learned so much. I'm transitioning from being a student to being a professional, deciding which rules I want to follow, and which I want to break, and learning to love the me I've always been

Hi I'm Min. 55 yo and live in the Pacific Northwest. I enjoy playing with fashion while being true to who I am, not who I'm told I should be.

Hi! I'm Laura; I'm 36, and live in Pittsburgh, PA, US. I'm a fairly serious, if very slow, runner -- did my first half-marathon last fall -- and a serious gardener as well.

My personal style is somewhat androgynous, though I do wear skirts and dresses on occasion. My style would be more androgynous if my body would allow it -- I look hourglassy (very busty, with a tiny waist & large bum & thighs) but my shoulders are fairly narrow, so I'm more like a pear with breasts tacked on the front. I'm both plump (size 14/16 US) and quite muscular, with short legs and a long torso. All of this makes for some frustrating fit issues, as you might imagine. I pretty much live in The Limited Exact Stretch trousers, usually with Converse or oxfords, and fairly fitted knit tops (except when running or gardening). If I could find more button-downs that worked with my body I'd wear more of those than I do, since I really would prefer less-feminine top options.

I wear a 32JJ bra, so I have lots of opinions on large-cup bras. I have even more opinions on large-cup sports bras.

Hello.

New member here. 27 yo graduate student that lives in jeans and cotton tops. Trying to be slightly more formal, as I'll be moving into a more professional situation within the year.

Looking forward to meeting all of you!

Hello,

New member but long time fan of YLF. I'm a 37 yo, work as a lawyer, and am married with a young daughter. I love fashion but have a limited budget these days. I'm trying for a more minimal and streamlined look, but I do like the occasional bit of funky jewellery. I also love color!

Looking forward to being active on the forum.

Just lurking

Hello, my name is Masha! I just joined because I think I will enjoy this community and meet many new people who are just as passionate about fashion as I am. I hope to meet and greet many of you soon! Thanks!

hi everyone m meranshi n i m completely new here...but after reading all your post i thought of posting about myself...i guess m younger then most of u cz m 21 n m a student...i don't have mch better sense regardig fashion bt i have high intrest in designing clothes...i hope you all will guide me for proper dressing and designing.

Hello everyone,

I have been lurking on YLF for a while. I also feel like I am somewhat young for the site (24), but the content has definitely been helpful and inspiring for me. I think that I keep being drawn back to the unusual amount of positivity found on this site, since it seems to focus on using fashion as a way of expressing one's individual personality rather than only focusing on a narrow range of age/body types/current trends. For the past few years I have found myself feeling curious about fashion, since I work in an art/design-related field, yet I also don't experiment with it as much as I would like to since I am also somewhat shy.

Hello, everyone! I'm Amanda, and I live in Central IL. I have been receiving Youlookfab email newsletters for quite some time in addition to being a fan on Facebook, and I look forward to participating more.

Hi everyone, I joined because I have been trying to figure out how to transition my style from a younger style to one more appropriate for someone my age (27), which, while still young, is kind of time to retire the things that my teenage sister might wear. So I hope discussions here can help to bring about some clarity and some positive wardrobe changes!

Hi there, I'm Jen. I'm a former teacher/curriculum specialist that "stays home" with 2 young boys ages 2 and 4. I'm active in our parent participation preschool, frequently go to boot camp and yoga classes, and love to read and garden. I'm about to turn 41 and started my fashion journey after pregnancy left me with nothing to wear. I found YLF about a month ago while researching body types and kept coming back daily because of the positivity, intelligence, and care that go into posts and comments. I'm 5'8" and an inverted triangle with apple tendencies when I put on weight. I'm comfortable in classics but am trying to find ways to express my creativity and individuality through my sartorial choices. I'm excited to become an active member and be able to ask for advice.

Hi, my name is Helen and I live in Sydney Australia.
Originally from Czechoslovakia, always loved clothes and beautiful things. Learned to sew very young and was a prolific creator of my own unique clothes - occasionally made some for others.
Stopped unfortunately when I went back to studies for 6 years and it is so hard to start again! I love YLF - for so many reasons. Lurking for a few years, now I reduced paid work to 3 days a week I will have more time to participate, yay!
I am in my 3rd career - teaching online, which keeps my brain active and my bank account healthy.
My body shape - always hourglass, not always happy about it, in 60's I really wanted to look look like Twiggy. Learned to sew out of necessity - it was hard to find clothes that would fit me.
My style - evolving over the years, however, mostly end up with Classy and Elegant labels from those who see me frequently. But not conservative (horror) and hard as much as I try, can't be a Capsule wardrobe disciple!
I also made some jewellery, just some simple design, want to learn more complex ones and silver pieces to complete the "look".

I appreciate the openness of the forum - thank you.

I'm in my early 50s, and have been "at home" for the past 24 years. My style has always leaned toward preppy (not pink and green Lily, navy and leather and barn jackets and Bean boots). I'm 5'2" and an overweight hourglass. I used to wear heels which balanced things out but since having some back issues I don't get any higher than Merrell clogs or low summer wedges. I have clothes that I buy because they fit my previous professional style ...and then the clothes I actually wear (boot cut jeans, navy vneck sweaters, fleece). I came across youlookfab a couple nights ago when I was trying to figure out what to wear to a charity dinner this coming week, and this site has more information that's relevant to me than anything I've ever seen before! I'm starting with a haircut this week, and a shopping trip today. Angie might have convinced me to give skinnies a try... at least in the dressing room, to start.

Hi everyone! My name is Lara and I live in SE PA (near Philly). I am 57 years old and love to dress casually. I am not really sure what shape I am (somewhere between pear and hourglass). I am 5'7 and wear a size 8 to 10 and sometimes, but rarely a 12 (depending on the label). When I put on weight it goes to my hips, while the rest of me stays the same mostly. I have narrow shoulders and long slim arms and legs (thighs could be a bit more toned though) and have a defined waist. I am happy to say that I am not flabby, but am trying to lose the 10 pounds I lost a few years ago and regained last year (ugh!).

I have a 20 year old daughter who is currently in college and have been married almost 25 years. I became a SAHM at age 37 when my daughter was born, though I did work part time while she was in elementary/middle school. I love to do crafty creative things, crocheting in particular, and am teaching myself to sew and create mosaics.

I have been trying to keep up to date with makeup and fashion, getting a great new easy to care hairstyle and a great makeover and love my new look. I used to dress professionally when I worked fulltime, pre- daughter, but found myself in a fashion slump wearing whatever was hanging in my closet. I finally caved in and got rid of all the old clothes and am trying to figure out what works for me and makes me look and feel good - no dowdy looks for me. Oh, and I love love to wear jeans!!

Welcome lovely ladies. YLF is a wonderful place to share your interest in fashion and everyone is very supportive and helpful - no trolls here.

My name is Laura. I'm 39 and live in NJ. In three months I am moving to Dubai. This will require a total change in how I dress. I am 5'1" and my body shape is between hourglass and rectangle. I have compact shoulders and a large (34DD) bust. I'm trying to figure out how I will switch from mini skirts to midi skirts and not look dowdy. It's an adventure!

My name is Charla, I'm 35 and live in OK. I'm 5'4" and after a series of health issues I'm a 10/12 and feeling frumpy. I have thick thighs no matter my weight and wide feet with a high arch so shoes are a challenge - especially the closed toe requirement at work. I'm not good good putting outfits together and I struggle with accessories.

I've spent the last 10 years as an overworked mom of 2 boys and I'm finally making some time for me. I'm here for ideas, inspiration, and the fashion education I didn't get growing up.

My office is business casual which means I throw on a pair of Loft pants, a cami or shell, a cardi, and maybe grab a Lia Sophia necklace on the way out the door. I need out of that rut! I've been weeding out my closet and hope to rebuild it with a decent wardrobe that I can maximize as I get this weight off.