I’m not a fashion editor, a size 0 Malibu Barbie or a lady who lunches (although I love to eat). I follow fashion like guys follow football and I love the entertainment and fantasy that fashion provides, but in the end I know it’s all smoke and skinny mirrors.

This blog is my outlet to observe fashion and the emotional wake it creates in our lives. Hopefully some of my observations will inspire others to embrace their individual beauty, despite the smoke and skinny mirror mentality, and find the fun in fashion again... and if not then I hope you get a good laugh.

Look on the bright side... Wear color.
The thing that inspires me most when I shop is not a sleeve length, neckline or trendy style — it’s color. I believe any color can be used as a neutral; therefore, I have more colored shoes and bags than black or brown ones.

Color is one of the few things that the fashion industry does right. They spend a lot of time, money and technology to brighten, saturate and intensify our wardrobe options. Even in these uncertain economic times, we can all afford to raise our spirits a little by looking for inspiration in the luxurious excess of pigments.

Lots of people think that coordinating color is a hard thing to conquer at 7:30 in the morning with only one cup of coffee under their brown belt. Personally I find it easier to dress in color when you realize that matching is not necessarily the primary, secondary or tertiary goal. (That was a color joke.)

Pick your pieces with a 3:1 formula. Choose three colors in the same temperature (cool or warm) and pair with a neutral. I like to have the neutral on bottom because I’m hippy, but it also brings the color to face which makes you look healthier and happier (even if you are not) and we all know that perception is 99% reality. For example: red, yellow, and orange look great together with brown, black, gray or navy. Blue, green and purple look great with brown, black, or cool gray.

One of my favorite designers, Isaac Mizrahi, beat me to this color punch in IN Style this month. I’m not bitter because I think he is one of the good guys in the fashion industry who relishes in the individuality of women’s bodies and doesn’t design for the skinny mirror mentality.


Wear black if you’re on attack.
Black is the color of deception. If you are on the defensive — say in a meeting, in a negotiation, or at a funeral — this can work for you. I often use it in those “boys club” meetings because it’s deceptively still and fluid all at the same time. Like when I start to gesture too much like “girl,” it slows me down. If I don’t react fast enough, somehow it speeds up my timing as if for theatrical effect. It’s really a quite genius weapon — much like Spanx® and the Tummy Tank™.

But much like the latter, you can’t be expected to wear them all the time. Its exhausting to be on guard day in and day out. Break away from the concept that black is the only way to get your body back. It’s the emotional armor you need from time to time, but you need to breath to live but I feel black will eventually suck the life out of you.