goldenpig

We had a very special weekend with our middle son--he plays cello in the county youth orchestra. They toured in Europe last summer and played concerts in Budapest, Vienna and Salzburg. There was a special orchestra festival this weekend with five youth orchestras from around the bay playing at Davies Symphony Hall in SF and we were able to go watch him play. It was amazing to hear him play there in such a wonderful venue (DH and I went to a Black and White ball there on our wedding night!), and so special. We made a whole staycation out of it. Our oldest is at college and our youngest was invited to celebrate one of his friend's birthday with him and another friend, and the three boys spent the weekend skiing in Tahoe. So we could spend some special time with just our middle son.

We stayed at a fancy hotel in the city for one night, and had a $300 hotel credit through Amex and it came with free breakfast and $200 in dining credit at the hotel, so it was almost a free stay because the room rate cost less than all the credits we got. And we took him to a special fancy dinner to celebrate his orchestra performance, straight A's and earning Eagle Scout rank last year. Again I had a free $300 credit from my Chase Sapphire so the dinner for all 3 of us ended up being about the same as eating at a "normal" restaurant. It was nice to splurge and treat him, while also getting a deal!

DS1 had not eaten at a fancy restaurant before, his older and younger siblings had both eaten at Michelin star restaurants before. The youngest came with me to Europe to listen to his brother's concerts and someone invited us to join them at a one star restaurant in Budapest that was very reasonable in cost (the tasting menu was about $80 and they even had a non-alcoholic drink pairing which we shared). The oldest I took to French Laundry because someone in a mom doc Facebook group offered two spots on her reservation when another couple cancelled, it was on my birthday so I jumped on it and we had dinner with this other couple! Hubs was supposed to come with me, but he got sick so I took her instead, to celebrate her graduation. The restaurant we took our son to used to have a one star but lost it, but it was still a great restaurant and a special treat for all of us.

The next day after we dropped our son off at rehearsals, we had a few hours to spend together. DH surprised me with a trip to Chanel. I thought we were just going to look around, but I fell in love with one of the purses (he had to know that would happen if we went, right?). At first the SA was showing me a style called "25" and said it was the hot "it" bag and that everyone wanted it and I should jump on it because otherwise they would be snapped up immediately. She had one in a dull grey and one in pink. I liked the pockets for cell phones on the sides, and I though the pink was cute, but with an open top and the lighter color, I wasn't sure it would work for me. Then she showed me another bag called "Shopping bag" in burgundy. I really loved the color and it was tempting! I asked if she had any other bags in burgundy and she said she had one other, it was a classic flap called "11.12". I normally don't go for the classics and like a bit of a twist but the burgundy was so gorgeous. It's also lambskin which is supposed to be more fragile and easier to scratch, so I was worried about that, but since I'm a bit RATE, I think I can live with it getting scratched if it means I'm using it. It was more than the other burgundy bag, but if I'm going to spend that much it felt like having the classic/iconic style would be worth it in the long run. It just felt like fate, with my love of burgundy, and DH being willing to indulge me (I mean, we both earn the same so we're both paying for it, but with big purchases we discuss first). He just asked that in return he can get a fishing boat someday before we retire, LOL. He's really into fishing! So, what do you think, did I make the right decision? It feels like it can be dressed up or down and it's a classic but with a burgundy twist (like the Burberry trench!) that I can wear forever and someday pass down to DD. It immediately fit in with my burgundy wardrobe and I took it to the symphony right after I bought it!

By the way, I have to apologize if it seems like I'm spending a lot on clothes in a short time, but I haven't bought any clothes other than athleisure in about 10 years and I'm trying to be intentional about what I buy for my changing body, and find things on sale! I also mix a lot with my (very) old pieces. I do have a large/stuffed wardrobe because I tend to hang onto things for a long time (I do need to edit, but I'm still planning to keep my old favorites in case I do end up losing some weight). I do return about 80-90% of what I order online, but I also have some anxiety about shopping in person, perhaps that's a topic for another post!

So here's my burgundy wardrobe for the weekend. 
1-2. Lululemon burgundy cashmere hoodie, bought in part with a $75 Saks credit from Amex. It's super soft and perfect for casual MOTG. With the Rag and Bone track pants and my Tokidoki sea punk backpack and Converse. I showed up to the hotel with this outfit and my Cotopaxi Allpa 42 backpack and the doorman said he liked my backpacks!

3-9. AllSaints burgundy sweater dress for our dinner out with DS1. It's super comfy, the dress waist is elastic and the sweater is super soft and warm and it was on sale. With the Burberry burgundy trench, Goyard Artois tote and Halogen knockoff Valentino stud flats. I tried magnetic eyelashes for the first time that I ordered off Amazon. It felt kind of unnatural, like I was Betty Boop, and I could see the lashes at the top of my vision. It also took some getting used to because the lashes kept falling off the applicator thingy onto the floor. But I think if I get used to it and use it for special occasions, it might be a good mascara alternative? I rarely dress up or wear makeup other than lipstick, so IDK what you think? Does it look like too much? 5 is one eye with, one eye without the lashes.

10-17. Reiss burgundy scarf sweater and old Halogen leather skirt, and burgundy trench and Docs. I've already worn this outfit multiple times, it's a workhorse. With the Goyard tote and then my new burgundy Chanel! And my sweet DH!

18-31. A new AllSaints mustard floral blouse and burgundy tulle skirt, bought at the AllSaints sale. It's so puffy with the tulle and the drapey blouse that it definitely makes my waist look bigger (30), but I think it's super comfy with an elastic waist and interesting details that I felt very "me" in it. The only downside to the blouse is it is kind of 'high maintenance". It has two very tiny buttons at the back of the neck that are impossible to button so you have to get someone else to button and unbutton (whyyyy?) and some ribbons at the side that keep coming untied, and it wrinkles just from packing it in the suitcase for an hour, but I still think it's pretty for special occasions. It made me think of Rock's bruises thread with the mustard and burgundy. I'm getting a lot of use out of the gold spiky bracelet, and added a gold dragonfly bracelet because insects always go with a floral theme. I felt very Rogue Romantic Wuthering Heights in this outfit. And my burgundy trench goes with everything! We stopped by H Mart for Korean food on the way home (27) because we don't have a lot of Korean options where we live.

32-33. Burgundy casual. With the Chanel bag for a slightly dressier casual look or one of my Tokidoki backpacks for MOTG. I am trying to replace some of my pieces that I like but no longer fit. I have a black and red plaid shirt, but I found this burgundy plaid shirt at Nordstrom. I bought a pair of Levi burgundy corduroy flares in the size I know fits me from my other old pair of skinny jeans, and it's pretty cheap on Amazon so I bought jeans in white and black and now this burgundy version. Wore it with my old Leith cardigan and Chucks.

34-35. My Tokidoki camping and sea punk backpacks. These two match the best with my burgundy wardrobe. These are actually diaper bags which is how I found them, but they work for MOTG even long after the diaper days. I pretty much use them as my default everyday bag even when I go to work because it holds everything including my laptop. I love these Jujube Tokidoki Be Right Back backpacks because the organization is great, they have pockets in all the right places, you can store your cell phone in the front pocket, and I'm used to it so I know where everything is. No rooting around trying to find stuff in the bottom of a tote. They're machine washable too. I like to collect Tokidoki backpacks that fit with the various themes in my life and match it to my activity, like I have one for camping, sea life (for scuba), Hawaii, Arizona desert, sports, travel/passport, etc. I have a couple in plain solids that could be more dressy (black, olive with rose gold zippers, etc) but I like the fun of the Tokidoki patterns.

36-41. More pics of the gorgeous burgundy Chanel! I love it, it was an unexpected surprise, but it fits right in and I don't think there could be a bag that's more "me"! (Aside from the Tokidoki backpacks, LOL!)

Putting my new La Ligne Breton striped shirt through the paces. I love doing work to MOTG variations with one more polished look and one more casual and fun. This striped shirt feels very French, so I tried to imagine what I would dress like if I lived in Paris. Which means more elegant and understated with darker neutral colors (but still keeping the accessories fun and interesting). And a nod to Rock, who is trying to get past the long-ago comment that wearing navy and black makes you look like a bruise. Embrace Ecchymosis Chic, I say!

The tee is actually a very dark navy with tan stripes, but it looks almost black and tan to me. I did a French secretary look with a black leather "skirt suit", with a slightly pleated and flared Halogen leather skirt and Spiegel leather jacket (anybody remember Spiegel?). I had gotten this jacket for $24 (real leather!), and bought one for each of my sisters, niece, sister in law and mom for Christmas 12 years ago, and we all took a picture together in our leather jackets. Fun! I like how the diagonal drapes of the jacket echo the stripes on the shirt. Kate Spade tortoiseshell glasses necklace (Je Ne Sais Pas, you have to get the necklace! I have one that is red on one side, black on the other, and another one that is tortoiseshell on one side and gold on the other. So useful!), and a cheap/old "Art Deco" style bracelet that kind of looks like stripes too. Stuart Weitzmann leopard ballet flats because French women love leopard print, it's "wild" while still being classy, right? And a Longchamp Le Pliage bronze gold tote with horses. All of these pieces are super old except the shirt. The bag is so old and I've used it so much the finish has worn off in places (9-10). I don't know if it's too shabby to keep using, or whether that counts as RATE (rough around the edges) and minimalist to keep using your most well loved stuff forever. I might be able to get a replacement on eBay, but pretty sure it's going to happen again (the similar horse print ones on eBay also have wear and holes in the corner). I don't like the plain solid bags through. I tried the outfit with my fancier Goyard bag (6-7) since that's also French and also black and tan. It seemed like the RATE-ness of the Le Pliage worked a bit better, but what do you think? I had hung my outfit on the door the night before (8), but the 3M hook fell off in the middle of the night. Guess I'll need to get a real hook.

Today I wore the Breton shirt with toffee wide leg pants and the Converse fleece lined sneakers with black, white and gold.
Like Angie, I was surprised at how I liked the brown tan/toffee color with the shoes, shirt stripes and pants, because brown isn't usually my best color. These J Crew wide leg pants are a few years old but they were languishing in the back of my closet till I pulled them out recently. Too late to return obviously, so I decided to wear them. I had bought the same pants in cream and olive green too. When I first tried the green pair on, DH was not a fan of the pants and said I looked like a "rice farmer" in them. (Yikes, but we're both Asian, so I guess it's not considered racist?). I don't know what rice farmers wear (besides the conical hat), but I like them, they're as comfy as my jeans. He's not used to wide leg pants because I've usually worn skinnies. I think the wide leg is back in though, right? I used to have a pair of floral wide palazzo pants back in the 90's, and I still am on the lookout for a modern version (unfortunately the La Ligne one was not playing nice with my tummy). But, he didn't say anything about the pants today.

I UWP'ed the look up with the same needle necklace, spiky thorn bracelet and studded satchel I wore with my other outfit I posted. I also wore it with a Banana Republic moto jacket, slightly more RATE than the Spiegel jacket.  I also pulled out a new phone case, I had bought it at the same time as my usual rose gold mountain sunset case, but I guess in my heart I knew I had a shadow persona. The black case with skull cherries is very on brand for my Rogue Romantic Wuthering Heights kick, don't you think? During the day the polished fairytale princess reigns supreme and at night the goth punk princess comes out to play. Anyways, a French take on my dual personalities, in my not-usual colors inspired by bruises, what do you think? The second outfit was as comfy as my usual jeans/tee/Cotopaxi fleece, but a step up in style!

By the way, the ecchymosis chic I'm referring to is of the skinned knee variety and NOT traumatic bruises! Having known a domestic violence survivor close to me, I want to be clear I'm not glorifying violence! DV can happen to anyone, so please get help and know you are not alone and have support! 1 (800)799-SAFE (7233)

Two examples of bruises used in fashion shows, but the second one in poor taste.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/li.....uised-knee
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-s.....-accessory

As a newly coined Rogue Romantic, I was so excited when I saw this collaboration that just dropped at Bloomingdales. It's inspired by the Wuthering Heights movie coming out on Valentine's Day starring Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein). My dark gothic romantic heart is vibrating with happiness! I love the Aqua x Wuthering Heights collection, especially the navy gown with red roses, the similar sweetheart top and skirt combo, the sweatshirt that says "Be with me always, in any form, drive me mad", and the T-shirt with kissing skulls in a heart shape that says "Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." The cream sweater has ribbons woven into the sleeve that look like little red hearts. The red and black sweatshirt looks like polka dot, but has roses and skulls if you look at the pattern more closely.

I would love to wear the black sweatshirt with the floral skirt and add my spiky bracelet for "roses and thorns", the heart pendant, black leather moto jacket or red corset trench, Kate Spade heart purse, and moto boots. Also AllSaints has an oxblood heart sweater and heart tote. Cinq a Sept has the floral sweater that Angie suggested for me as well as another ruffled floral dress. The floral sweater would pair nicely with an AllSaints burgundy tulle skirt. Nordstrom had a bunch of heart sweaters too. I ordered some things to try on and can't wait till they arrive! Who's with me on dressing for Valentine's day (or week!) with hearts and roses? I love themed dressing!

I got out of bed late and had 5 minutes to get dressed, so I just grabbed my tried and true favorite UWP pieces because I didn't want to have to sit there staring at my closet and planning an outfit. I really should plan ahead more! So I've planned my outfit for tomorrow and stuck a 3M hook on the back of my door so I can hang my outfit for the next day (sneak peek).

I've worn this Converse One Star asymmetric moto zip shirt over and over and over for the past 14 years. I think I got it at Target? It tends to minimize my belly. The skirt is Halogen and stretchy faux grey and black lace, I also have several other versions of this skirt, some in colors like teal and some in patterns like stripes, but the lace is my favorite. I was able to wear this outfit even when I was pregnant, so it works with my "food baby" too. And my old Ugg fleece lined moto boots with flat heels, they are so comfy to wear and walk in. This is acutally the second pair, I had rebought them years ago on eBay when I wore the first so much the heels wore out. I still have the first pair and may end up getting the old heels re-soled.

I tried to wear all UWP style accessories with studs, spikes, needles like my Michael Kors black studded purse (I have one in silver too), spike/needle Alexis Bittar necklace and Stella and Dot spiky bracelet. And old Hermes Apple watch (it's so old the battery doesn't even last the whole day, but I like the straps--I have a sporty orange rubber and orange leather double tour and black leather double tour straps). I would have liked to have worn a silver spiky bracelet instead of the gold, to match the other metals in my accessories, but I had worn the bracelet so much back in the day the elastic had become so stretched out and it wouldn't stay on my wrist. It's called Stella and Dot Renegade. Welp, I just found it on eBay and ordered another one! I don't know if it's possible to re-string some of my old (costume) jewelry or if that's more expensive than just buying a replacement.

These are all super old pieces I bought in my early YLF days, but I've worn them over and over again. I actually just found this exact top on Poshmark for $30 in a size L instead of M, so I bought that to have a spare and to see if having a little looser fit is better. I like this top better than a Helmut Lang asymmetric zip top I had bought as an "upgrade", because I prefer the cowl and zip placement and the thinner fabric and the way it drapes. It just feels right. The other one is okay-ish but makes me feel fatter somehow. Anyone else obsessed with finding replacements of your old worn out or too tight items, instead of (or in addition to) shopping for new and fresh pieces? I'm chasing my old me--hope I'm not living in the past and that my old favorite looks aren't too dated!

When I first started out at YLF, my style moniker was "demure bombshell" with a shadow persona of "urban warrior princess" (see the Kate Spade trench two ways): 
http://goldenpig.lookfab.com/p.....e-personas

And here's a fun look back at my first two years at YLF with my style evolution including maternity style! 
https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....revolution

So now that I'm back, maybe it's time to re-evaluate the style moniker! I still feel like I have multiple personas, so it's hard for me to decide on a single moniker. There's the ladylike luxe princess who loves polished classics like Burberry trenches and Chanel bags (15-18, think Princess Kate). There's the kawaii fairytale princess with tulle skirts and antlers who loves anything whimsical and cutesy, and likes to carry Tokidoki backpacks and polar bear and ice cream truck bags (19, 23, 24, think Kate Spade). And then there's the edgy urban warrior princess who loves black, leather skirts, moto jackets and studded bags (20, think rocker Kate Moss or Cate Blanchett). And there's retro beach princess who loves to wear tropical and mod 60's prints and carry orange slice bags (25-27, think B-52's Kate Pierson). And there's sporty princess mom on the go in casual striped shirts, jeans and sneakers (21-22. think sporty Princess Kate). 

Of course, no matter which persona, matchy matchy is a must, matching details and themed outfits make me super happy. Can these all fit into one cohesive style? What should I select as my style moniker and adjectives? I still like Urban Warrior Princess, but I don't think that tells the whole story. I like the terms Ladylike/luxe, Playful/Whimsical, Edgy/Steampunk and Matchy Matchy/Hypermatchy.

I'll demonstrate my multiple personas with one of my favorite pieces, the red corset trench, to create some signature looks to help you figure out my style. After joining YLF, one of my first purchases and favorite pieces was a red corset trench from Anthropologie (Elevenses brand). https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....pard-heels

Seems like it went with everything from mom on the go outfits to date night to work sophisticate: https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....workschool

The first outfit (1-5) is "What's Black and White and Red All Over?--A Newspaper Reporter!" with my new La Ligne striped sweater representing lined notebook paper, Kate Spade glasses necklace, and my beloved Kate Spade typewriter bag. Leather skirt and Ugg moto boots and Hermes red studded bracelet to make it a bit more UWP/RATE. And the cat because she matches me in black and white and because she's so cute!

The second outfit (6-9) is from my shadow persona and is titled "Silence of the Lambs: Forensic Entomology" From Google: "The study of death and insects is called Forensic Entomology, a specialized field that applies insect biology to legal investigations, primarily to estimate the time since death (post-mortem interval or PMI) by analyzing insect life stages on decomposing bodies, but also to determine if a body was moved or if wounds occurred before death. Forensic entomologists focus on insects like flies and beetles, whose predictable colonization and development on remains provide crucial evidence for criminal and civil cases." I love insects on my clothing (bees, beetles, butterflies). Here I have a Vince textured shell and pleated black skirt representing asphalt, the red trench representing spilled blood, Alexander McQueen studded skull "brass knuckle" clutch and Hermes studded cuff representing murder weapons, and the Alexander McQueen scarf with beetles and moths crawling over the dead body/skull. And lace up Victorian steampunk heeled booties with the laces echoing the laces on the corset trench, representing the rope tying up the victim. Even the goth horror princess loves a (morbid) theme! Which outfit do you prefer?

Bonus WIW from today, Staud cinnamon sweater, rust orange is one of my favorite autumn colors to wear, and I really like diagonal lines and asymmetric hems. The rust and navy honeycomb Tory Burch skirt is an oldie but goodie fave skirt, paired with my cherry red Docs and matching rust 70's boho Tory Burch satchel. No jewelry this time because I wasn't sure if wearing a long pendant necklace with a long sweater is passé? Pretty skirts with stompy boots is a favorite outfit formula of mine.

The red corset trench is a size 4 which I bought pre #3 and doesn't button up anymore, but I recently found it for sale on eBay and bought a couple sizes up. I also found a DVF lace pencil skirt in navy that I had worn a lot with my burgundy pieces (like 18) and bought the size up on eBay. And a Banana Republic Trina Turk 2012 orange and yellow 60's floral blouse that I used to have and either outgrew or fell apart and I ended up donating, but still miss, because I still have the exact matching BR Trina Turk bracelet. I know it seems silly to seek out 14-15 year old pieces that may be way out of date now (my current fashion-o-meter is quite rusty!) but they were my favorites and it's nice to be able to get them for my current size, so I hope they work out!

I think my fave designer is Alexander McQueen but I only have the clutch and scarf, as the clothing is quite expensive. I also like AllSaints, but I also like Kate Spade and Tokidoki. And Burberry, Chanel and Hermes. And Tory Burch and Tommy Bahama and Johnny Was. And La Ligne, Rag and Bone, and Marine Layer. And Target, especially the designer collabs! Is that way too eclectic for one style?

I asked ChatGPT to help me narrow down my style adjectives and moniker and OMG, it was a SUCH a hoot to see what it came up with. Cabana Punk, Feminine Fury, Refined Mischief, The Gilded Punk, Polished Provocateur, Urban Enchantress, Armored Ingenue, Steel Magnolia 2.0, Genteel Anarchy, Midnight Whimsy, Battle-Ready Ballerina, Feralfemme, WhimWar, Roseblade, Gritique, Fairytale Streetfighter, Urban Valkyrie, Dystopian Debutante. I am laughing so hard I am crying! Even if I don't use these as my style monikers, I now have a perfect list to create my punk rock band! 

It did come up with "The Romantic Rebel: Pretty silhouettes, tough accents, playful wit--like you could attend a tea party but might also commandeer the motorcycle on the way home" (PSA: don't drive motorcycles though...they're called donorcycles for a reason!). Or "Rogue Romantic: I dress like the heroine who slipped out the palace window--not to rebel, but to have her own adventure." I thought those were both pretty apt summaries!

PS One last funny bit--I was reading everyone's replies to Angie's blog post about their style monikers, and Angie bestowing style monikers is giving Queen Clarice from Princess Diaries when she knights the cable car operator and police officer into the Genovian Order of the Rose. You can't help but be awed by the grace and wisdom of (fashion) royalty! I can't wait to see what she has to say about mine! :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OnUMAWtgK4

Originally I was going to title this post "Ah, Freak Out (Les Tieks, C'est Chic)" but I think it works better as a story. (Yes I am a total geek, but it's fun to make puns!) Part of the reason I got back into fashion just now was because of Tieks, so settle in and let me tell you a little fairytale story.

Once upon a time, there was a little Princess Goldenpig who belonged to the land of You Look Fab....she was crowned Her Matchy Matchiness the Urban Warrior Princess. However, she mysteriously disappeared years ago and it seemed like it was all a dream. This is the tale of how she magically found her way back.

...harp music, turns page...
It looks like I had first posted about Tieks on YLF exactly 10 years ago, because I was coveting a pair of "oil slick" ballet flats that Tieks created as a special edition, called Arabian Nights. You could customize how colorful they were (A-E, with E being the most color variation). Somehow I didn't end up buying them because they were expensive and I was on a shopping freeze at the time, but over the years I wished I had gotten them when they were available. I seem to remember Alaskagirl was all over the oil slick look and had a pair of Stuart Weitzmann oil slick booties that I also wish I had bought. In 2019, they released a pair called Drago, inspired by the Game of Thrones dragons, with dark grey dragon scales. This time I did jump on them, and for a while these were my only pair, but they went with a lot of my wardrobe.

For the last 6-7 (haha) years I've mostly been wearing scrubs and sneakers, no need for ballet flats. But somehow a Facebook ad got me, they had made a limited edition Pink Ribbon ballet flat, pink with a little bow like a ballet shoe, with proceeds to benefit breast cancer research. It was so cute (I always wished I had been able to take ballet lessons when I was younger but never got to). It said the style was sold out, but you could get on the waitlist to get a pair. I got on the waitlist and managed to get one.

Then, they sold an advent calendar for the first time, which includes a special never before released pair, plus access to purchase prior limited edition pairs from "The Vault", and an opportunity to help create a new custom pair. Very clever marketing, but it totally sucked me in! I bought the calendar and joined the Tieks Facebook group so I could get hints about the calendar. Well, it's like YLF, but only for these Tieks shoes! The people there are super nice too. But I couldn't believe how matchy matchy these folks were! It was like I woke up in Oz in Matchy Matchy land! These people have so many pairs, sometimes up to 100 pairs (!) and each outfit they painstakingly match with the perfect color Tieks. I was like OMG this is amazing! It's so fun to look at their WIW posts! 

Over the holidays Tieks came out with cashmere slippers, so I bought a pink pair to match my pink ribbon ballet flats (they are so comfy, but beware they are cashmere and suede and cannot be washed, so I'm not sure I would recommend the slippers). And I started stalking Poshmark, eBay, etc. for the E colored Arabian Nights that had gotten away and some of the other discontinued limited editions. I found a pair! They are awesome and best of all, they match my car which I had wrapped in an iridescent bluish/pinkish/purple sparkly wrap.

I also found a pair called Tahitian Pearl which reminded me of the trip we took to Rangiroa for our 25th anniversary. Another shimmery pink one called Love Potion which was a Valentine's day release. And I ended up with one called Starstruck, which is a sparkly blue pair, from someone in another Facebook group who gave it to me for cheap. So now I have six pairs plus the slippers. And at least one more on the way, maybe more, based on what they release from the vault. They are fairly comfy (I think sneakers still are more comfy, but I don't mind these flats, much better than wearing heels).

They have hinted that the upcoming calendar shoe will have rosy iridescence and is inspired by fairy dust, so I can't wait to see this Fairy Dust shoe! It's like all of my pairs are sparkly Cinderella slippers!

I posted a few WIWs myself in the Tieks group, but then I was like, well hmm, I miss YLF! I should go check out what they are doing at YLF! So that's how I ended up back here posting WIW's! And one of my New Year's resolutions was to start wearing real outfits. So here we are! Here are some outfits with each of my pairs (so far!).

1-5. Pink Ribbon. WIW to the holiday party, complete with antlers, pink cashmere, white tulle skirt, and snowflake necklace. And my Chanel purse. I call it the Ms. Tumnus look.
6-10. Soft Pink cashmere slipper. By the way, all the boxes come with a special flower or other special edition topper (5, 10).
11-13. Drago. My old Target snakeskin skirt, Target asymmetric zip top, and studded black Michael Kors bag. All oldies but goodies.
14-23. Arabian Nights. My fashion scrubs (Fabled) and matching car. Also fall floral dress with burgundy Burberry trench and bag which I wore to brunch before DD left for college.
24-35. Love Potion. WIW to a friend's birthday party. Leith cardigan, Johnny Was butterfly dress with matching Kate Spade butterfly necklace, MZ Wallace bag and old stretchy belt. Do you like the dress belted or unbelted? I think I'll try the waist surrendering look next time. My cat was very interested in my cashmere slippers...
36-45. Tahitian Pearl. WIW to shop at La Ligne. Johnny Was top (the dress and top were stuff I got from Saks with the Amex credit several years ago but didn't find until recently when I was trying to organize my closet and dug them out). I love wearing stuff with the boho tropical vacation vibe. Tahitian pearl necklace to match the Tahitian Pearl shoes. Dug out my old Dooney & Bourke mustard yellow bag, but turns out the shoes and outfit also matched my Trader Joe's shopping bag and the La Ligne shopping bag too. I love the matchiness!
46-50. Starstruck. Favorite Daughter Fair Isle sweater (I bought DD a T shirt that says "Favorite Daughter"...I can do that because she's my only daughter, so I can joke that she's my Least Favorite Daughter too, haha). I paired the Fair Isle sweater with the snowflake necklace, shoes that remind me of Northern Lights, and my old Kate Spade Polar Bear bag, complete with fuzzy tail and fish zipper pull. (KS even made a clear clutch that looked like a polar bear on an ice cube). Between the first and last outfits, I felt like an Arctic Snow Princess! 

...turns page, harp music....
“Meanwhile,” said Mr. Tumnus, “it is winter in Narnia, and has been for ever so long, and we shall both catch cold if we stand here talking in the snow. Daughter of Eve from the far land of Spare Oom where eternal summer reigns around the bright city of War Drobe, how would it be if you came and have tea with me?”

After a long and arduous journey, Princess Goldenpig made it back to YLF-land and was welcomed again with open arms. And there she lived happily ever after.
---The End---

Thank you guys for helping me with my La Ligne K/R's! (https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....-sizingfit) I haven't totally decided on what I'm keeping yet, some of it I had to order online because they didn't have it at the store, and I have 14 days to return once I get them. But I'll post more once I get the items! It's the third day in the past week I've gone in to try items and the SA's were like, "Well hello again, did you just discover this brand?" Haha! I wanted to slink away. I need to wear a disguise next time!

I did go back again to get the Lean Lines sweater because the large was only available in store and sold out online. Yes the sleeves are long, but the fit is roomier and you all and Angie recommended the large over the medium. The SA said the sleeves are intentionally long on their sweaters. I have to admit it does feel very cozy, kind of like having mittens on, and the sweater is so soft! And yet not too thick either. I can tell this is going to be a favorite. Between the soft cashmere sweater and the elastic waist sweatpants jeans, I feel like I’m walking around in my pajamas. It’s like a warm hug!

Now I have a new MOTG formula! Striped La Ligne shirt or sweater, striped Rag and Bone track pants, sneakers and striped bag. This version is a little more luxe than the navy and white stripe version I posted (https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....w-fam-pics) because it's a cashmere sweater, and black pants feels slightly dressier and the bag is higher end. DH told me to get the Goyard as a 20th anniversary gift. I bought it when we went to Paris with the family in 2019 (we toured Notre Dame but then the day after we got back, sadly it went up in flames! So glad it's been rebuilt.) The bag has chevron stripes instead of straight ones, and the gold accent is echoed in the gold accent on my trusty old black, white and gold Converse hi tops. French classics, with my matchy matchy twist. 

I've always aspired to be one of those effortlessly chic French women with a minimalist capsule wardrobe of essential classic pieces, but who are we kidding, I think I would be bored quickly with a capsule. I like matchy matchy and whimsical and theme dressing too much to have a small wardrobe! I hang onto everything forever just in case it's the exact right piece for my costume (I mean, outfit). My fun loving maximalist tendencies are having a hard time being constrained!

When I saw MsMary's post about "Everything comes back around" it was so apropos, because I still have all the stuff from before my fashion hibernation, so maybe it's back in style now? And I was so tickled that I have some of the exact same pieces that she was wearing, like the bee blouse and the Burberry tote. My matchy matchy also extends to love of twinning, so here's my copycat of MsMary's two outfits and poses! And because I can't resist a theme, it's Bees and Honeycomb. The bee blouse is EmersonMade and both Mary and I rocked the pussy bow bee blouse back in the day. (Are pussy bow blouses "out" now, or can I still wear them?) The honeycomb blazer is actually from MsMary herself, I got it at a YLF swap I attended in SoCal over 10 years ago! So fun!
https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....und-part-2

If you know me, you know how much I love matchy matchy. When I have a handbag that matches my outfit perfectly, it makes me so so happy! This is why I cannot have a small capsule wardrobe and I have a hard time letting go of purses! I love having the theme/detail repeated throughout the outfit. Here I have a navy and white striped long sleeve La Ligne T-shirt, navy and white MZ Wallace bag with lobster charm, and navy stripe wide leg track pants which are new from Rag and Bone. I wore my Rag and Bone "bird poo" pajama jeans back in the early YLF days (https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....jama-jeans), so it's nice that they still make sweatpant jeans! And navy and white stripe Onizuka Tiger Mexico 66 slip on sneakers. Total comfort for mom on the go weekends, and I love being hypermatchy! It's my favorite MOTG shirt because it's casual but is slightly dressier than a plain T. I'm thinking of getting the similar La Ligne navy and white sweater (https://lalignenyc.com/product.....ords%3Ax%3)

I also like matchy matchy throwbacks to similar outfits then and now. I couldn't find a WIW of me with this exact shirt and bag, but here's another one of me with white and navy MOTG stripes with my favorite color orange thrown in with the handbag and koi fish loafers. https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....laying-koi And little boys! How funny that all of my WIW's back then had the baby toys in the background and kids underfoot. Nostalgia is bittersweet, I miss those babies!

Also, I love matchy matchy family outfits--I bought so many matching Tea Collection clothes for the kids (but that era of matching family outfits is sadly over, sigh). Throwback family Santa pic from my YLF days in 2013 with my beetle print blouse and kids all in matching Tea. We've been getting kid & family Santa pics every year, and this year the kids didn't want to do it but I made them, because I couldn't bear to have that tradition be over forever, but they were too embarrassed to let me post the pics anywhere!

In 2014 we did a family photo shoot at Baker Beach, the kids all wore Tea again and I wore a Michael Kors water print dress. I still wear that dress whenever we do family beach photos. It's stretchy and the draping is forgiving for apple shapes and it doesn't wrinkle, so it's great for travel. And it matches with the beach theme. I usually wear it with a seahorse necklace, but this time I wore a manta ray necklace with a Tahitian pearl that I got when DH and I celebrated our 25th anniversary last year by going to Rangiroa to dive with dolphins. I made DH get some couple photos with me there. I wore a Tommy Bahama dress that I also have worn for years, and I wore a traditional floral headdress.

I had planned to take family Christmas photos in 2024 at the same Baker Beach with the view of the Golden Gate Bridge (exactly 10 years later! I loved the matchiness of that), but the photographer got sick, then we got sick, and then it was raining, so the shoot got postponed three times. By the time we ended up doing it, it was in June 2025, so we ended up getting some photos of DD in her graduation gown as well. I still wore the same water dress from 10 years ago, and even made DS1 do the same flying pose!

Here's our Christmas card (with personal details redacted) so you can see just how much they've grown! DS1 is now taller than DH, and DS2 has just started his growth spurt. I can't believe how much time has flown since I first joined YLF, when DS1 was just a baby! They are 18, 15 and 12 now. DD was here for winter break, but just went back to college and I miss her already!

Hello again! Team Burgundy checking in! It's funny, I was just thinking about posting again on YLF about my new burgundy trench, and lo and behold there's a post about burgundy! It's been so long since I've been here that I'm not sure if anyone still remembers me (other than the people I kept in touch with on Facebook)! I first joined in 2011, 14.5 years ago, after I had my second child. My uniform at the time was fleece jacket, mom jeans, diaper bag and Merrell Mocs. The YLF community helped me develop my fashion sense and I had so much fun creating a whole new wardrobe. I even loved dressing up throughout my third pregnancy.

I was pretty active until about 8 years ago, but things just got busy with work and the three kids, we started investing in real estate so I couldn't keep spending a bunch of money on clothes, and then COVID hit and because I was working at the hospital during the pandemic, I started wearing scrubs all the time because they were washable (we used to come home and jump straight into the shower in the early days). Then it just became easier to wear scrubs during the day and pajamas when I got home and fleece jacket and jeans on the weekends. I was right back to where I started pre-YLF! I stopped wearing all my heels because I wanted my feet to be comfy, so I only wore sneakers and flats. Somehow over the years I gained 25 lb and a few pant sizes, blame it on aging/perimenopause maybe, but I also haven't been that diligent about diet and exercise. Although we have been pretty active with the kids, scuba diving (they're all certified and my oldest is a divemaster), and camping with the scouts (we went canoeing in the Boundary Waters this past summer). So fashion took a back seat for a long time. Can you believe my oldest just started college?

Recently I joined a Facebook group where they post WIWs in their Tieks ballet flats and it reawakened my love of matchy matchy (they love to match their shoe color to their outfits). I started wanting to make more of an effort to dress up, and pulled out some of my old outfits, but they don't all quite fit (see #1, my Kate Spade trench doesn't close anymore and the H&M plaid skirt doesn't zip up all the way). Being an apple is so annoying! My clothes fit everywhere but the waist and then people ask you if you are pregnant, womp womp. That was my last post before I signed off YLF, complaining that people kept asking if I was pregnant. Yet I'm even heavier than I was back then, ugh!

Anyways, I still like my old style for the most part, but I wanted to get some clothes that fit better. I just don't have the money or time to buy a completely new wardrobe. For a long time I've wanted to get a Burberry trench (although I was just searching the archives, and one of my first few YLF posts was "What's all the fuss about Burberry trenches?" and I said "I'd never pay $3000 for a coat!"...ok yep that didn't age well, haha). Another time I posted that if I ever were to get a Burberry trench, it would be a burgundy satin, not a soul sucking beige. Well that was prescient. I found this "mahogany red" trench on the Burberry website and was completely obsessed. It was perfect. I had to have it, even at full price. I bought two sizes, US 10 and 12, because they were the last two available on the website (besides size 0). My Kate Spade trench was a 6 and too tight, so I figured since I had grown a couple of sizes, that either 10 or 12 would fit. Well they were both too loose, even though supposedly Burberry runs small! But no US 8 available in the entire USA! I found a US 8/UK 10 on the UK Burberry website, but they would not ship to the US and the US Burberry customer service refused to help me. So I ended up buying it on the UK site and having a third party shipper send it to me, paying for shipping and extra tariffs. It ended up being my Christmas present, even though DH thinks I'm nuts for spending that much on a coat. I think it's worth it!

It's not really a keep or return (too late, tags are off!) but I am curious to know what you think of it on me? I hope the fit looks ok. It is maybe a little bit wide looking, but I think a size down would be too restrictive (anyways there aren't any smaller sizes available). I also think the color suits me more as a Deep Autumn (somehow I knew I was a Deep Autumn before because I posted about it on YLF, but I forgot about it). I recently did an AI color analysis using pic #2 and it said I was a Deep Autumn, which is good because my favorite colors are pumpkin, rust, teal, mustard, burgundy, eggplant, navy, etc. This mahogany red/burgundy color matches so much of my wardrobe.

I have a ton of burgundy stuff. Not all of it still fits perfectly, but the skirts fit if I leave it a little bit unzipped at the top (this was my trick to extending my wardrobe when I was pregnant, I managed to wear a lot of my regular stuff for quite a while during pregnancy). I do need to go through my wardrobe and sort stuff (I still have most of my stuff from the YLF days 10-14 years ago!) and pack some of it away. But I don't want to completely get rid of everything just yet, because I'm starting to work on my health again this year and I may be able to lose some weight and fit into my favorites. For now, I've refreshed my jeans wardrobe (Rag and Bone sweatpant jeans are still a thing, hallelujah!) and bought a new burgundy plaid skirt similar to my previous one in a larger size. I may go back and find some of my favorite pieces on Poshmark/eBay in a larger size too. I've been shopping Nordstrom, Amazon, Saks etc. and clothes shopping is not easy. My size is all over the place, I've had to buy and return so much (I brought two big bags back to Nordstrom today)! I'm anywhere from a small to a large!

One of my 2026 goals is to start wearing more "real" outfits from my closet. I've dug out my closet and am starting to wear some things I bought in the larger size but never got around to wearing (like the dress in #4/5). And I found my Burberry purse, and it's also Mahogany! And I found Burberry ballet flats with burgundy stripes on DSW. I'm in matchy matchy heaven (if you don't know me, that's like one of my signature style rules)! And I bought some cherry red platform Doc Martens to edge up my feminine outfits, I like the contrast of urban warrior princess. But I also like cutesy Kawaii like Tokidoki Jujube diaper bags (which I still use even though we are long past the diaper days).

Anyways here are some of my burgundy outfits, most of this stuff is old but I threw these on so I could see what still fits--doing a burgundy post was motivation for me to start the closet edit process. They are not fully styled with jewelry and everything, but which of these outfits work (or don't work)? Can stuff I bought 10 years ago still be in style? Is UWP and RATE Kate Spade still in? I seem to remember someone else had a teal Burberry trench--was it Janet? I missed you Angie and YLF, I know I've been a fashion zombie, but it's nice to be back from the dead!
Natalie (goldenpig)