A forum thread on extreme budget shopping made me think that I should clarify YLF’s focus on mainstream fashion and style.

We have chosen this mainstream approach because it caters to the widest audience. The idea is that you can apply the information, regardless of your budget for clothes, footwear and accessories. We do sometimes talk about maximizing your budget in the Frugal Style category, but there are other bloggers that focus more on this topic. Two examples are the well known Budget Fashionista and the Budget Babe (one of our regulars on YLF), who will help you to stretch $100 further than you imagine.

We never post pictures of designer wear or budget wear because they’re not mainstream. We post pictures that illustrate the point in the best possible way. Pictures from mainstream department stores appear frequently because the details of the clothing are clearly visible, which is helpful to our readers. The intention is not that you purchase your entire wardrobe from Nordstrom!

I believe that having great dress sense and style can be learned and our job at YLF is to help you make informed wardrobe choices. Once I’ve planted the seed, it’s up to you to find the item that suits your pocket. Whether it’s Saks, Ann Taylor, Target, Ebay or Consignment is of little consequence. It’s important that you make savvy wardrobe decisions no matter what your budget or where you shop because that’s how effective and stylish wardrobes are built.

I’ve written several blog entries suggesting the minimum number of items you need in different categories in order to have an efficient wardrobe that covers all the bases. Of course, these suggestions are just a starting point. You may find that your wardrobe functions better with more items in one of these categories. Look at the details in the individual blog entries and adapt the suggestions to your specific situation.

• 1-4 pairs of jeans. The number will differ depending on your lifestyle and your preferences. If you love jeans and wear them daily, you’ll need four pairs. If you seldom wear jeans, limit yourself to one fabulous pair.
• 2 dresses. One for day and one for night.
• 3 coats. This won’t hold true for warm weather locations, but it’s a must if you live in a country that has four seasons.
• 3 handbags. This requirement cuts across all lifestyles and age groups.
• 4 “everyday” bras and 10 “everyday” undies. This excludes sports bras and special occasion underwear.
• 6 pairs of shoes. This excludes slippers, workout sneakers, wellington boots and gardening clogs.

You will also need tops, camisoles, jackets, knitwear, more bottoms and accessories to put together stylish ensembles on a daily basis. It is difficult to specify quantities for these additional items because they depend on lifestyle, dress codes, body types, personal preferences, your local climate and travel requirements. If you are building a wardrobe of the bare essentials, however, the list above is a good place to start.

Your everyday bras will give you comfort and support for a full 12 months if (and it’s a big “if”) you do the following:

• Purchase great quality bras
• Rotate at least four bras so that each of them gets equal rest and wear
• Launder them with love and NEVER use the tumble dryer
• Don’t use them for working out; that’s for sports bras
• Store them neatly to preserve the molded shape of the cups

Purchasing fabulous bras can set you back a pretty penny and it’s therefore worth the effort to make them last. Yet another way to increase the ROI of your wardrobe.

By the way, Nicole started a very informative thread on bras in the forum. Be sure to take a look.

Each season there’s a handful of items that everyone can integrate into their wardrobe to keep their look updated, hip and current. It’s just a question of finding the versions that are right for you. Here’s my top 10 list for this season:

1. Boots, boots, boots kick any outfit up a notch and I can’t stress this point enough. Booties, ankle boots, calf-high and knee-high boots either casual or dressy are statement pieces and absolute winners.
2. Clutches are “the bag of the season” and they don’t need to cost the earth. You’ll get away with a perfectly fine looking $30 clutch for an “of the moment” going out look.
3. Patent shoes or handbag (or both), because the trend has been around for 3 consecutive seasons and there’s no end in sight for Spring. It’s time to indulge in black, a colour or crinkle versions of high shine.
4. Party capsules are essential at this time of year because you don’t want to be caught unprepared for a fancy event. Invest in the right party pieces and you’ll wear them over and over again.
5. Comfy tunics allow us to move around freely and stylishly, so make this season’s voluminous trend work for you. Either over jeans, with leggings and flats, or with hose and knee-high boots.
6. Dark straight leg jeans (or skinnies) go hand in hand with voluminous tops and therefore can not be ignored.
7. Lantern sleeve top or jacket, because this type of volume is easy to wear and interesting to look at.
8. Trenches are timeless and they work in Spring, or as your only Winter coat if your Winters are mild. Think beyond the traditional Burberry style trench because there are countless options to suit all fashion personas.
9. Winter coats add a level of polish and sophistication to any ensemble. Casual or smart, long or short, trendy or classic, a Winter look is not complete if you don’t have the perfect coat (remember the 3 coat complement if you prefer a tight wardrobe).
10. Something bright in either a top, coat, shoe, handbag, scarf, hat or all of the above to celebrate the glorious resurgence of colour.

Spring fashions hit stores in February so there’s still time to work through this list.

Three-quarter-length and bracelet-length sleeves are particularly popular on coats and jackets this season. These sleeve lengths are super for Autumn, but a little chilly for Winter. By adding long opera gloves to the look, you’ll create a dramatic ‘40’s fashion effect and keep your forearms warm. Opera gloves are expensive, and might set you back the same amount that you paid for your coat or jacket. But they can be thrifted for a fraction of the price if you fancy the look and are determined to wear it at a price.

The beauty of three-quarter-sleeve outerwear items is that they’ll take you all the way into Spring if they’re not made of heavy Winter fabrications. They’re also perfect for mild Winter temperatures, with or without opera gloves. So if you’re on the fence about purchasing a three-quarter-sleeved coat or jacket, remember that you can extend it’s life into Winter and Spring. Savvy choices about the additions to your wardrobe will help you to get the biggest bang for your fashion buck.

Macy’s started their huge coat sale yesterday. All coats are 30% to 40% off, and if you happen to have a 20% Macy’s coupon in your hot little hands, you’ll enjoy that discount on top of the original reduction. The coats that you’ll find online do not do the actual store range justice. There is a vast assortment in a variety of styles and sizes. Colours are typically neutral, red or checked (hound’s-tooth and tweed), so don’t bother if you have an eye-catching orange or purple winter woolen coat on your shopping list. And remember: beware the black coat if you are challenged by lint and pet hair. Nothing is more hard-wearing and camouflaging of stains and dirt than salt-and-pepper tweeds and patterned fabric.

All the coats are in one section at Macy’s during the sale, so ask a sales assistant for directions and head straight there.

Closets that I review often have a few items of unflattering and shapeless pieces of knitwear lurking in amongst the cherries. While some boxy knitwear pieces are beyond redemption, others can be transformed with the addition of a waist-cinching belt. Even for the small minority of people that can make boxy knitwear work for them, the belt creates a different look with the same piece of knitwear, effectively increasing its ROI.

This quick and inexpensive style tip is not going to work with chunky knits, which fail to look streamlined no matter what you do to them. I have also found that the look doesn’t work with every body and seems to be more effective as you get closer to the hourglass shape (for fuller figures too). But nothing ventured nothing gained, so give it a try if you have the items or are prepared to invest in a belt. Freshening up a boring piece of knitwear in this way can work wonders for your style and your pocket.

Eileen Fisher is well known for her expensive and impeccably made boxy knitwear. Most of us need a belt like the one on the left to make it flattering.

Bridging pieces allow you to refresh your wardrobe and increase the ROI of items you already own (because they “bridge” a gap in your closet). One effective bridging piece is a knitted top in a neutral or fashion colour. Renew your look fashionably and cost effectively by mixing a new knitted top with an existing jacket and pair of business casual slacks (or jeans).

Banana Republic took me by surprise last week. They have the best selection of bridging knitted tops at the moment. The choice of neckline (high or low), fabric composition (wool or cotton-rich), colour (basic or bright), style (classic or funky), length (short and long) and price point (affordable or cashmere) is impressive. There is something for everyone. Their fine knit gauges make these knitted tops doubly versatile because they suit both casual and business casual environments.

Get to Banana Republic soon if bridging pieces are on your shopping list. The stock is new and seems to be moving quickly.

A selection of assorted knitted tops from Banana Republic. Perfect for work and for weekends, dressed up or down.

Choosing the correct transitional accessories for your ensemble as your wardrobe moves from Summer to Autumn is a quick and inexpensive route to go. Some ideas:

• Scarf: This was the most popular bridging item that I saw people wearing when we lived in France. I was amazed at how the scarf (worn in the same manner as in the picture below) was the first “clothing item” that you’d see adorning outfits as temperatures started to cool. While I would gravitate towards a cardigan or jacket, in Paris it’s all about wearing the scarf before you wear the cardigan or jacket. Add a beautiful bulky scarf to a fairly plain ensemble and look like a Parisian.
• Hat: Headgear is particularly popular in Europe and is often worn together with a scarf before the addition of a jacket. Sporting a scarf along with the hat is not a necessity – hats can make quite a statement on their own.
• Closed shoes: Storing your sandals and adding closed shoes to your outfits (like the new Oxford) is an easy change. However, adding hose to peep-toe shoes is also a trendy look and good for Autumn.
• Hose: Whether it’s hose or leggings, add them to existing skirts and dresses and change the mood of your outfit. Ribbed, patterned, coloured, opaque or sheer, they’ll all work depending on the level of drama that you want to create. It’s very fashionable to add black opaque tights and heels to a Summery dress at the moment.
• Handbag: Switch back to your “cold weather” bag if you chose to keep your handbag selection to a complement of 3. Structured bags are a good choice for Autumn because they denote a level of seriousness that somehow works with the turning of the season. Away with whimsical wicker and onto solemn fun.

I can’t stress enough how “accessories” make the outfit. They remain one of the most effective ways to accomplish a stylish appearance.

Scarfs and hats are ideal ways of adding the Autumn touch to an existing outfit.

I giggle every time I hear the word “vest”. Where I come from a vest is an undergarment, and the thing I’m talking about in this post is called a “waistcoat”. (Of course, this isn’t quite as funny as the time in France when I told my hairdresser that I loved her pants, only to discover after much hilarity in the salon that thanks to my broken French, I had complimented her underwear.)

Waistcoats, or vests, traditionally make up the third piece in a mens three-piece suit and are once again all the rage for women this season. This androgynous trend was rampant in the ‘80’s, popular last year, and is even bigger right now. Waistcoats are absolutely perfect over a white shirt, matched with wide-leg pinstripe slacks and Oxford shoes. But funk things up little and wear a waistcoat over all sorts of Summer blouses, collared shirts and knitted tops. They’ll even work over the odd Summer dress. Think laterally with your outfits and add an eclectic edge to your Summer look with a Winter waistcoat.

Tailored waistcoats or vests with crisp white shirts make for a sassy business casual look. Short sleeved shirts and blouses will work just as well.