I enjoy being a girl!

Most of the country is still experiencing cold weather, even here in Florida we have had our unusually cool days and as much as I enjoy "winter" clothes, I am certainly ready for a change. With all the menswear inspired clothing that has come down the runway in the last couple of seasons, I am really excited for spring to arrive.

I am counting down the days to when I break out the ruffles, bows and a healthy mix of bright and pastel colors. Nothing makes me feel better than a cute skirt or a fun frock. It is fun to show off a little leg and shoulder and this spring there are many options.

If free and flowy is your style, look for dresses inspired by Roberto Cavalli or the Lanvin Spring 2008 collection. Those of us who enjoy wearing ethnic prints will enjoy Oscar de la Renta's take on it this season. He has offered up some very fun and flirty choices. Finally, nothing says spring more than floral prints and polka dots.

Don't let the winter blues get you down, think ahead of all the feminine expression that you have ahead of you this spring. Start putting together your spring wish list and be sure to mix in a few dresses for good measure. It's a wonderful privilege to be a woman.........INDULGE!!

Dressing outside of the box

Unless you are lucky enough to be self-employed, chances are that what you wear to work everyday is dictated by an office dress code. The rest of us may not not only have a dress code, but one that is quite strict requiring some sort of suiting for the majority of the week. While yes, we are required to adhere to the guidelines that have been established, but there is no excuse for losing yourself and becoming a corporate clone.

The Meriam-Webster dictionary defines style as a distinctive manner of expression. Although some of us need a little more help than others, style is personal and unique to every individual. It is important to learn to add a heaping dose of YOU to your work wardrobe.

Color is a wonderful way to personalize something like a boring suit. You can inject the color almost anywhere. For those of us who are very feminine and girly, a touch of pink in the form of a fabulous shirt peeking through can go a long way in brightening the day. If you are a bit more adventurous it may take a bolder color like yellow or orange or a sultry jewel tone to satisfy your color craving. Another fun way to play with color is to incorporate it in the main portion of your suit rather than just an accent.

If the romantic in you is fighting to be uncovered, you should be more than comfortable letting that side of you be seen. You can start in a more subtle way by maintaining a traditional color like black or navy while choosing a flouncy pleat to add movement and counteract the rigidity of your environment. If Ruffles are your thing then I say why not go all the way. As long as all other lines in your ensemble are clean, then the ruffles strategically placed will bring attention to your face and isn't that important in the office anyway?

Prints and bold graphics are another excellent way to bring your personality to center stage. Taller and plus size ladies really get a chance to shine with prints since there are numerous prints that can compliment their stature and not overpower them. A graphic print even dressed down to a business casual can be a tool cleverly used to hide flaws but keep the fun factor alive by distracting the eye.

If all else fails, nothing safely (read: super dress code friendly) helps to throw a little self expression into the mix like accessories. Just remember that items like belts and bags should be selected in proportion to your frame. Accessories are entirely another beast....don't worry we will talk about them in depth later. Right now you don't have time, you have some shopping to do....well WE have some shopping to do, meet ya at the mall!

Learning to let it go

Okay everyone, we have officially gotten through the first month of 2008. For those of you that made resolutions to make strides to graduate to a higher level of fashionista (we all secretly do), some of you are finding that you have already fallen off of the wagon. Why you ask? More times than not, the culprit dwells in your home and is in your face every morning, and you probably also have a strong emotional connection to it. The culprit is your existing wardrobe!

How are you supposed to move into your rightful place in the world of fashion if the contents of your sub par closet continue to tempt you everyday? The only way to progress towards your style goals is to rid yourself of the following items that I like to call your “deadweight clothes”:

Clothes that no longer fit
. It is insanity to waste precious closet real estate on items that have no function at all. Some of us are dealing with clothes that are now too small, others have lost weight and the existing clothes are too big. Either way, the key to remember is that we have to learn to dress the body that we have right now. Stock piling clothes that used to fit us long ago or clothes that we are praying will fit us in the future, just isn’t an effective way to build a fabulous wardrobe.

Clothes that are very worn and have seen better days
. It is definitely time for you to let those jeans go that you have been wearing every weekend to run errands. Trust me, there are pairs out there that will fit you like a glove and you can start a healthy rotation. Don’t let the fear of the unknown scare you into thinking that you have to choose between comfort and style.

Clothes that you have not worn in over six months
. Lets be honest…are you ever really going to wear those items? When my clients tell me that they have not worn certain clothes in an extended period of time, the article is immediately extracted from the closet for further questioning. If your clothes are not worn because you could not figure out how to incorporate them into an outfit, I can work with that. If the reason the garment has not been worn is because you really don’t like it (probably an impulse buy) then it is expelled from your closet. We should LOVE all our clothes.

Now that you are armed with the basic knowledge that you need to de-clutter your closet and start fresh (again) for the new year, go get ‘em! If the task proves too daunting…then give me a ring, lol.