STYLE JOURNAL RECAP – FEBRUARY

02.28.21

It’s already been a full month of posting daily looks on the Style Journal! I’ve been enjoying it so much and thought it would be fun to share a quick recap. There are already 32 style prompts published and 18 different style categories to sort all the outfits by and I’m really excited about how this section of the site has been developing and performing.

Huge thanks to everyone who has visited the journal and sent me a note to express that they’re enjoying these daily updates, I can’t tell you how happy that makes me!

This recap post will be covering:

  • A few of my favourite looks
  • The themes I’ve noticed
  • The items readers are loving

ALSO, if you’ve got a minute, I’d love to get your feedback on a couple of things so please weigh in at the end of the post!


A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE LOOKS

There weren’t any outfits that I wouldn’t want to wear again, but these ones felt particularly enjoyable and true to my personal style these days, which is leaning more and more minimal.

LOOK 1 | LOOK 2 | LOOK 3 | LOOK 4 | LOOK 5 | LOOK 6


THEMES I’VE NOTICED & STYLING TRICKS ANYONE CAN TRY OUT


Woman wearing black blazer, white fitted t-shirt, grey joggers, white flats & a gold pendant necklace.

THE THREE COLOUR PALETTE

I love this trick for creating looks that feel sophisticated. I also think that by keeping your palette minimal, you can combine different styles more easily.

SHOP THIS LOOK


SOFT TONES IN WARM LAYERS

I love black and rich browns but when I’m craving spring, light colours like flax, taupe and ivory are what I reach for to add some lightness to my looks.

SHOP THIS LOOK


REPEATING BASES

Winter always takes a toll on my styling motivation and I’m embracing it. I’ve been repeating outfits and swapping a couple of items to create an entirely new look.

SHOP ALL THESE LOOKS ON THE STYLE JOURNAL


LIGHT DENIM

Another way I let spring style filter into my winter wardrobe is through light wash and off white denim. When paired with blacks, camels, greys and other wintery tones, light denim adds a bit of easy-going freshness to balance the severity of winter dressing.

SHOP THIS LOOK

Woman wearing a relaxed alpaca knit sweater in camel, tucked into black jeans with gold jewelry and a tortoise barrette.

COMFORT WITH A PINCH OF POLISH

Small touches make all the difference when you want to elevate a work from home outfit. Just a front tuck here, a pushed up sleeve there or a single accessory can change the whole vibe.

SHOP THIS LOOK


READERS ARE LOVING

These are the 10 most shopped items from the Style Journal this month. As luck would have it, they’d make for a really great 10 pieces capsule! I always find it so interesting to see what readers are gravitating towards and it helps me make sure my style content is resonating with you.





AND FINALLY,

A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU!

I’ve had lots of great feedback from folks about the Style Journal and I want to make sure the space is serving those who enjoy it as best it can. Here are a couple of questions I have for you as I plan my next batch of looks for March.

1 | Are you interested in seeing more loungewear style inspiration or more casual but put together outfits?

2 | Are you ready for some spring style ideas or are you looking for ways to keep yourself inspired for the last month of winter?

3 | Would you be interested in receiving a daily notification about the Style Journal?

I’ve been looking into a simple SMS service that would allow me to send a link via text to style journal prompts each morning. Then you do have to come to the blog for a style prompt, it gets delivered right to you! Of course, you could unsubscribe anytime.

4 | Any other thoughts or feedback you’d care to share?

I’m all ears and so appreciate you taking the time to let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see from the Style Journal!


THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING. I HOPE THIS RECAP HELPS YOU IDENTIFY THEMES IN YOUR OWN STYLE OR INSPIRES SOME NEW IDEAS!

Leave me a comment here!

  1. Nicole B says:

    Hi Lee,
    I also love the style journal!
    For the survey questions:
    1 – definitely more casual but put together outfits (though a few loungewear sprinkled in is nice too 😉 I had never invested in loungewear until I was inspired by your posts and I am sooooooo happy I did).
    2 – I would say I’m definitely ready for some spring inspiration as I’m starting to think about ordering some new pieces and would be good to get some ideas to order things in advance. But that said, I would echo some of the other comments about transitional outfits as I always struggle with that time of year the most
    3 – Personally I wouldn’t be interested in a text message as I check the style journal at whatever time works best during my day and a text wouldn’t add anything for me
    4 – Loving the closet inventory/basics series that others have mentioned, and sounds like that is already coming, so looking forward to it. The one other thing I would love is more links to similar Canadian based options for items – there are so many great pieces you have from awesome US/overseas brands, but often with the exchange/taxes/delivery it makes it out of reach financially. I’ve discovered so many great Canadian brands through you that I hadn’t heard of before!
    Thanks for all you do!

  2. Bonnie says:

    Yes, more loungewear, especially first layers. Also, outfits for Canadian March weather – not quite winter but definitely not spring! (-5 to + 5 with the occasional dip below or above).

  3. Susan Telfer says:

    What is your favourite L’Envers sweater?

  4. Julie says:

    Hello Lee,
    I’ve been a reading your blog for years, and I used to start every saturday with a cup of tea and checking your blog for new posts. It felt like a reward after a long week. Now that you started Style Journal, I start every day with your ideas and I really enjoyed it! Thank you so much for all this inspiration.
    Here are my responses to your questions.
    1 | Are you interested in seeing more loungewear style inspiration or more casual but put together outfits?
    I love to see casual-but-put-together outfits.
    2 | Are you ready for some spring style ideas or are you looking for ways to keep yourself inspired for the last month of winter?
    Both, because I also think I think a way to infuse spring into winter looks would be great.
    3 | Would you be interested in receiving a daily notification about the Style Journal?
    Not personally. I check your blog each morning.
    4 | Any other thoughts or feedback you’d care to share?
    I love all your posts but I was very glad to see a new 10×10 challenge.

  5. megan says:

    i just wanted to weigh in on the loungewear question to say that via the style journal you’ve inspired me to categorize some of my closet into a loungewear capsule and i love it! i don’t work from home but my weekends are spent almost exclusively at home and during the pandemic i’ve sometimes worn my pyjamas all day long because there was no pressing reason to change clothes. i hadn’t considered what a positive effect keeping things comfortable and cozy but still polished could have on my off days, but it’s already made a huge difference.

  6. Renee says:

    Hi Lee! I love this recap post and I’m just here to say how much I’ve been enjoying your Style Journal. It’s such a pleasant experience compared to scrolling through Instagram. I’ve been a dedicated reader of yours for years, and I used to start every work day with a cup of coffee and checking your blog for new posts. Now that you started Style Journal, I start every day with my warm drink and your daily post! It’s the perfect way to ease into my day and jump start some style inspiration.

    Here are my responses to your survey questions!

    1 | Are you interested in seeing more loungewear style inspiration or more casual but put together outfits?

    Casual but put-together. Loungewear is starting to make me sad after so many months in quarantine.

    2 | Are you ready for some spring style ideas or are you looking for ways to keep yourself inspired for the last month of winter?

    Transitional/Spring outfits!

    3 | Would you be interested in receiving a daily notification about the Style Journal?

    Not personally. I check your blog each morning and I subscribe to your email newsletter 🙂

    4 | Any other thoughts or feedback you’d care to share?

    Just that I’m so happy to see you back on the blog every day, doing what you love in the format you love. Hope you and your family are doing well! <3

  7. Lucy says:

    1 | Are you interested in seeing more loungewear style inspiration or more casual but put-together outfits? I’d love to see more casual-but-put-together outfits. I’m trying to avoid wearing my pajamas to work every day, and some inspo would be so helpful!

    2 | Are you ready for some spring style ideas or are you looking for ways to keep yourself inspired for the last month of winter? More spring, please! I know we’re experiencing “false spring” here on the West Coast US, but I’m living for springier weather now.

    3 | Would you be interested in receiving a daily notification about the Style Journal? Absolutely! RSS is actually my preferred subscription method, but SMS would work as well!

    4 | Any other thoughts or feedback you’d care to share?

  8. Susan Telfer says:

    By the way, I am interested to see you call the Eileen Fisher elastic waist wool pants joggers. I have them in black and have been wearing them all winter (often with wool tights underneath) but I thought they were too baggy tapered ankle pants. I like how you roll the hems and tuck in your shirt, not trying to hide the elastic waist!

  9. ann says:

    Hi Lee, I am loving the Style Journal! I don’t use social media, so I enjoy and appreciate the daily inspiration on your blog. I also really appreciate the repeating pieces and minimal/neutral aesthetic. (I *loved* what Jessica Harumi said in your interview feature about how neutrals are calming, because I feel the same way, and more so than ever this last year. Thank you for that feature, btw!) To your questions: 1) The casual-but-put-together looks are helpful for me, since my WFH mode is Zoom-friendly on the top half and comfy pants on the bottom half. 2) I’m personally in spring aesthetic mode and gravitating toward lighter colors, even when I still need layers. 3) I generally don’t opt in to notifications, but I’m already in the habit of going to your blog in the mornings when I’m reading newspapers and blogs. 🙂

  10. Linda says:

    Hi Lee, like all the previous commenters I absolutely love the Style Journal. I make a habit to check it every day. I would also like to see more spring-appropriate and casual but styled looks. There is reason to feel optimistic about going outside more frequently in the coming months, so your posts would come in handy for sure. I was so glad to see another 10×10 feature! Thank you for all the hard work and have a lovely Sunday.

  11. Susan Telfer says:

    I Lee,
    I love your blog and and have reading it a lot lately especially. I am in BC and teaching full time full classes with the windows open for safety. I am looking to you for inspiration on choosing warm and timeless pieces because it is not cheap adding lots of wool and cashmere to your wardrobe and I don’t want to make too many mistakes.
    I am interested in more warm clothes! I think we have about another month of cold weather in most places in Canada. Do you wear base layers, and which kinds? Because I work in a professional space, I need more put together looks. I don’t know if I have time for daily contact.
    One other thing I would be interested in is overall wardrobe priorities. I found The Curated through you and added some basics, and also Bare Knitwear. These places, as well as Eileen Fisher, seem to be priorities, but you highlight other American and European companies I have never heard of. Where should my wish list start? For spring, should I have a cashmere cardigan or a cotton cardigan? Also, if you have any old discount codes still valid maybe you could list them?
    Thank you,
    Susan

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks so much for these suggestions and your thoughtful feedback Susan! I’ve got lots to get working on and a post on “where to start?” has been on my mind for ages. I have a base layers highlight on my IG all about base layers. It was a sponsored post from 2019 but I still wear all those pieces and styles are still available. I’ll make sure I plan a blog post to cover the topic. I’m drafting a discounts page that will *ideally* be live by the next newsletter. Hope you’re having a great Sunday out west! xo

  12. Caitlin says:

    I love the style journal! It’s so nice to intentionally come here to search out inspiration, instead of just happenstance on Instagram. I loved the wool joggers and blazer look so much I jumped on the chance to buy the joggers on sale.
    1/ Although we’ll all be WFH for a longer while yet, I am beginning to feel sloppy in my sweats. I think I want to see more “real clothes” inspiration again, but still comfortable enough to wear at home. I’ve been missing my jewelry and jeans and accessories, and so on. I think that’s why I liked the outfit I mentioned above – the joggers are sweat-style but more put together, and the blazer can be either added or subtracted depending on how dressed up you want to go.
    2/ Although I cannot wait for spring, it’s gonna be messy here for a while yet, so what I’d really love are more transitional outfits. For e.g., the linen duster over the sweater was a revelation for me – I wouldn’t have thought of mixing those two texture before.
    3/ I personally do not prefer text notifications, but I know they are helpful for some people. I’ve got your site bookmarked and drop by regularly.
    4/ No other feedback, just that I like the direction you’re moving in, with more emphasis on the blog and newsletter and so on – feels more thoughtful than scrolling by on social media.

    • Lee the Bee says:

      So happy you’re loving the Style Journal Caitlin. Hope you love those joggers too! This feedback is amazing and I totally hear you on sweats, that seems to be the general feeling on them these days. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. Really appreciate your note about the direction Style Bee is moving, that affirms some of the scary decisions I’ve been making to shift my business. I hope you’re having a great Sunday! xo

    • JJ says:

      I basically just wanted to echo everything that Caitlin said! I’m one of those people who never really got into loungewear this whole time so I would love to see more ‘pulled together but comfy’ outfits (as you do so well Lee!) and would really appreciate that last push to keep up the motivation to get through winter.
      I’m blown away by the care put into all these new directions – my only feedback would be that I do miss your closet category! It was pretty cool to have one location to see all the items in totality and I would sometimes mentally earmark an item to get later and this would make it easy to find. (If it’s been relocated and i’m just missing it, please let me know!)

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks so much for sharing your feedback JJ! I’m on it 🙂 The Shop My Closet section is getting a revamp and will be back! Sorry for pulling it out of the blue but it was really cumbersome for hosting and time consuming to maintain. I’m really excited about the new version and hoping to have it up and running sometime in March. xo

  13. Anna says:

    I’m loving the journal, I’ve given up social media so it’s nice to have a little daily thing to look at, that’s quite self contained.

    To answer your questions:
    Either spring or winter styling ideas would be welcome, here in the UK the weather is changeable at this time of year.
    Not super bothered about loungewear, I feel like after a year of mostly being stuck at home I’ve had enough of that. I’d rather see things I can picture myself going out to see friends in as soon as I am allowed!
    I don’t feel like I need a daily prompt.

    Other feedback – I’m really enjoying it, honestly! I really like how often you reuse items. I have an unhealthy tendency to shop as a form of entertainment, and it’s really good to be reminded that I can use what I already have and still make it fun and different. Thanks for all the hard work!

    • Lee the Bee says:

      This is all so helpful Anna! Thank you for taking time out of your day to share these notes. So pleased you’re enjoying the Style Journal and seeing potential in pieces you already have, that’s exactly what I hoped for when creating this section of the blog. I know that shopping tendency all too well 😛 Hope you’re doing well across the pond! xo

  14. Lindsey R says:

    Hi Lee, I am so enjoying your daily style series – thank you for your creativity and work! In response to your questions – I would love to see put together casual outfits (not lounge wear). I try really hard to get dressed most days to attempt to differentiate blocks of my day when I never leave the house. I could use some style motivation to keep this going 🙂 I personally would not like a daily reminder – I see it in your Instagram stories, and catch up with this newsletter. I think a way to infuse spring into winter looks (i.e. warm clothes!) would be awesome. Thanks again!

    • Lee the Bee says:

      This is so helpful Lindsey! Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback on my questions. I’m so happy to help keep you motivated to get dressed and I use my outfits to punctuate my day too 🙂 Glad you’re seeing my stories updates and hear you on warm but spring ready ideas! Have a great Sunday. xo

  15. K says:

    Hi,
    I really love your series. I would be interested in a bit of spring style ideas (especially comfortable spring/summer shoes). I would also love a closet inventory / another basics series about how to build a good foundation for a closet – I just seen to miss all the basics to build great outfits.

    Regards

    K

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks so much for sharing this feedback K! I’m with you on comfy spring footwear. So glad you mentioned a closet inventory because I’ve got a new section in the works for exactly that. A basics directory has been on my list so I’ll be sure to get moving on that for spring. Have a great Sunday! xo

  16. Monica says:

    Hi Lee,
    I love the style journal posts. This is a nice forum to show off longer posts and the photos are lovely as well.
    In response to your above questions, I would prefer to see some more casual but put together outfits, for a bit of a change. Although the occasional insertion of a loungewear update would be nice as well.
    I’m ready for spring outfits but as I live in St. Thomas Ontario, I’m not sure the weather is going to cooperate to allow spring to happen just yet.
    And regarding a daily prompt, I find I have so many things to look at in my in box already, that I would be less interested in that. I’m still working from home and have lots on my plate.
    I wish you well with whatever you choose to do and thank you for taking the time to put together thoughtful, slow fashion ideas for those of us looking for inspiration.
    Monica

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks so much for taking the time to share this feedback Monica, I really appreciate it! Hope you’re having a great weekend and have some time to relax today. xo