when it comes to shopping...

the best advice to take with you...is buy only what you truly love...

having been through my share of closets...what i usually find are racks full of clothes of items that should never have been purchased...

"it was a great deal"

"but look at the designer name"

"i still hope to fit into it"

"i'm sure i will find something to wear with it"

believe me...i've made the same mistakes...and cleaning out my closet is no fun task...but as i have been purging and purging...i can see the items that should have never made there way home to my closet as well...

first things first...it just doesn't matter whose name is on that label...and it surely doesn't matter what the price of the item was...even if it was marked down 10 times...

what matters...

do you love this piece?  does it flatter you...now...does it make you feel confident...powerful...beautiful...thinner...(fill in the blank)...

that's what matters...

when it comes to shopping...buy what you truly love...buy what truly fits you...buy less...buy better...be picky about your selections...in the end...you will have a closet full of endless potential...trust me...

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exchanging bad habits for good habits...

truth be told...we all have a few bad habits...and we know that a habit is formed by doing something over and over...so think about your bad habits...the way to get rid of them...is to replace them with another habit...a good habit...

in my newsletter last month...i used it as a time to reflect on the new year...in with the new...out with the old...but these habits need to be monitored...as it is so easy to slip back into an old routine...so being that february is the month of love...and a great time to focus on YOU...start nourishing a loving attitude towards yourself...YOU deserve it!

here are some examples to get you started...and if you think of some others...please share them in the comments...we can all use some reminding...and encouragement...right?

old habit:  criticizing your body when trying on clothes that don't flatter your body type

new habit:  discovering clothes that naturally flatter your body type

old habit:  buying random pieces and feeling bad because you never wear them

new habit:  shopping with a purpose and a list

old habit:  throwing on the same old thing day after day

new habit:  taking time to create "new" outfits from your wardrobe and use more of what you already own

old habit:  adding new items to an already stuffed closet

new habit:  having a well-edited closet by eliminating clothes before adding new ones

old habit:  trying to dress younger that you are

new habit:  showcasing your personal best assets and looking great at any age

old habit:  running out the door without your makeup on

new habit:  scheduling enough time to put your best face forward

old habit:  being envious of what others are wearing

new habit:  studying well-dressed women and trying new styling techniques

old habit:  putting on clothes that you "sort-of" like

new habit"  enjoying how you feel in clothes and accessories

and last...but certainly not least...

get out of the habit of feeling stuck...

get into the habit of giving me a call to help you get unstuck

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fashion funnies: i have enough...

"i have enough clothes and shoes, i don't need to go shopping", said no woman ever..." =)

enjoy your weekend!

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closet envy: dita von teese...

just when you think you have a lot of shoes...a video comes along that lets you know...well...that you aren't even close...

the lovely cherie over at fabulous girls wear vintage blog shared this a few days ago...i have to admit...i am having a big dose of closet envy...to be more specific...a big dose of shoe envy...even her hat collection got my attention...vintage always gets my attention...but then...so does shelves and shelves of christian louboutins...just sayin...

men's corner: a peak into one man's closet...

walt frazier...announcer for the knick's...definitely has his own style and a wardrobe to prove it...as in the polyester cow-print suit with brown-and-black splotches...

However absurd, it fits in a menagerie of 100 or so suits that hang on five racks and with patterns of tiger stripes and leopard spots; designs of bold plaids and checks; and colors of yellow, red, salmon and orange.

Take a look at this article "walt frazier - always in style" that recently appeared in the new york times - it's a fun read!

photo credit: todd heisler, ny times

the dream closet...

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i don't know who this closet belongs to...but i am having a major closet envy moment...even moreso...since my girlfriend who has lived in the same house for a long long time...and is now moving...and this move...is going to produce a huge closet for her...for that...i am so happy for her...because for years...she literally had a very very tiny closet...

and now...well...she is getting the dream closet that i that she always wanted...she has been happily perusing pictures of closets to help her "create" her own...taking all of which she loves...and creating her very own perfect closet...

she is going to have a place for everything...and the best part...she says...she feels that when everything is in its place...it will be so much easier for her to get dressed in the morning...everything will be in front of her eyes...

but...with or without a closet makeover...we all need to find time to edit...and edit ruthlessly...and this is where you make the decision...if you need to hire a stylist to show you how to use what you have in different ways and to let go of things you still think you might wear one day...do so! it is worth the investment...and i'm not saying that because i am a stylist...but because my clients have told me it was the best money they ever spent...

if you would rather bring one of your girlfriends over (or guy friend) and have a brutally honest truth session...do that...but make sure you trust that friend's taste...and above all...have fun with it...

isn't that what clothes are supposed to be about? having fun while showing off your sense of style?

closet envy: tamara mellon

who doesn't love a jimmy shoe choo? the fabulousness behind the shoe is the lovely tamara mellon...such a beauty...her favorite color is "leopard print" i laughed when she said that...because i've said that...could she be my sister from another mother??

and then i saw her closet...insert opera like aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh...



envy...beyond envy...am i envious of the closet? or the shoes...or both?? hmmm...

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