Fash-Inspiration Friday!

Just a little Friday fun from a 60's & 70's TV & film sexpot.

Enjoy!

Fash-Inspiration Friday!

This is from Relic Vintage on Haight St. in San Francisco.  Words to live by from a man who dressed A LOT of women...

Fash-Inspiration Friday!

This Herve Leger dress stopped me in my tracks on a recent client shopping trip.  

It makes me so happy.  

It renews my faith in... EVERYTHING - art, humanity, fashion, joy, possibility... LIFE!

Clearing Closets for Success

Shoes that I have purged from my life!

It’s Spring and I am taking the idea of spring cleaning to a new level this year.  I am on a mission to get rid of everything in my home that doesn’t work in my life anymore.  I began by giving a few household items to Goodwill last month (Did you know they accept electronics whether they are working or not?) and then I edited my closet last week.  I do it for clients all the time but I was overdue for a wardrobe purge.  I have a huge walk-in closet so it was quite an undertaking.  But it’s amazing how easy it was to decide what needed to go.  I hardly even tried anything on.  I went by the notion of – Does this still reflect who I am and how I want to be perceived?  Of course, there’s also the simple guideline of things being out of style (although I defy anyone to try to define the style of the 2010s – every current trend is recycled from a previous decade) but I went deeper than this. 

Clothes hold energy and often it is impossible to separate an item from a time in one’s life.  I found a few previously adored, well-worn pieces and thought “I’m not that person anymore – they need to go.”  I’m also going for more simplicity in my life these days, so I got rid of A LOT.  I’d rather have 5 pairs of pants I really love than 25 I feel so-so about.  And I am no longer holding onto things because of “one day/then I…” thinking.  One day if I become an accountant then I might need these Anne Klein suits from 1995.  Never gonna happen.  I’m horrible at math.  It is all about what works right now.

Organizing clothes in piles on a bed helps to see everything at once.

Here’s my process.  I went through my closet and made piles on my bed of stuff I haven’t worn in a long time.  One was for consignment, one for charity, one maybe (not sure if I’m ready to part with it yet) pile and one these-have-seen-better-days pile.  Right now, I feel a fierceness in my approach to expand my brand, so my wardrobe reflects that.  I am wearing a lot of dark colors with sharp lines and zippers and studs.  I call it the “rock & roll” edge.  That was another guideline I used to decide what needed to go.

I have practiced Feng Shui for many years and have had amazing results from it.  The basic principle is that item placement in specific areas of the home brings about specific results - like love, health and abundance.  Another is if you clear out a space, you make room for something new to occupy that space.  My home is on its way to being a haven of ushering in the immediate future.

{For more about Feng Shui, check out this website: http://www.jennahuntconsulting.com.  Jenna Hunt is my Feng Shui & Astrology consultant and she is wise, compassionate and wonderful.}

5 Tips for Clearing out a Closet:

1. DO it when you are ready – emotionally & physically.
2. DO NOT ever get rid of a piece if you are not 100% sure about.  You will be sad and it will haunt you.  Hence, the maybe pile.  You can revisit that pile at the end.
3. DO pay it forward & get paid.  Consignment is a great way to recycle fashions and get a little money in return, especially if they are designer and/or in great condition.
4. DO be realistic and gentle with yourself, especially if your weight fluctuates or if you have a hard time letting go of things.  Take your time and take breaks.
5. DO ask a friend to help but only if they can be objective.  DO NOT let anyone force their style agenda on you.   

Or… hire me for a Closet Consult and I will make it fun and create a new style for you in the process!     

The A List - Back in Business

As you can see, I haven't blogged here on The A List for almost 2 years.  For a long time, I just didn't want to blog.  I didn't get it, I resisted it, I didn't want to be bothered.  But time heals all foolishness and the spring feels like the perfect time to re-design The A List and blog away!  I am excited to share photos & stories about fashion & style and will do it here asap.  Stay tuned!  

Icon or Hype-con?

OK – I have been holding my tongue about this for a while now, but I can keep quiet no longer . Michelle Obama is NOT a fashion icon! There is a huge difference between being into fashion, like a hobby and being a fashion icon. Diane von Furstenberg is an icon because she solved a major problem for women with her invention of the wrap dress and remains a leader in the industry 40 years later. Gwen Stefani is an icon because she has a distinctive style that doesn’t pander to what’s new and hot and oh, by the way she founded a major fashion label as well.

Mrs. Obama and Jill Biden were on The View yesterday - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/18/michelle-obama-the- view_n_850629.html - and I hated what Michelle was wearing. A light beige v-neck, long sleeved sweater with a white satin pleated skirt complete with large turquoise (yes I said TURQUOISE!) earrings that were pulling her earlobes down drastically. White and off-white together is one of my personal fashion no-no’s. Also – her bare legs were crossed and one was gleaming so much (lotion? oil?) that it was distracting. What message was this outfit trying to convey?

And why is Mrs. Obama considered a fashion icon anyway? She has gotten it wrong so many times. The black and red Narciso Rodriguez dress from election night was completely inappropriate on her body and for the occasion and she seemed totally uncomfortable in the white gown from the inaugural ball. I appreciate that she supports low price point fashion companies like J. Crew and up-and-coming designers like Jason Wu but does this make her an icon? It really irks me that the first lady and Dr. Biden were talking about military families on the show and the story is on the Style section of the Huffington Post. Wouldn’t it be more fitting in the Politics section?

Talk about confusing the messenger and the message…

Oprah & Iyanla Reunion - Too Little Too Late?

Oprah is cleaning house in her final season – and I cannot get enough. I was up until 3am last night watching this Wednesday’s show on my DVR, captivated. In 1998 and 1999, Oprah showcased Iyanla Vanzant, an extraordinary relationship coach who cut through all of people’s BS and called it as she saw it. Iyanla was a breath of fresh air and became a huge hit and a hot commodity. http://www.innervisionsworldwide.com/

There had been talk with Harpo Productions about giving Iyanla her own show in the future. Then, Barbara Walters approached her about doing a show. Here’s where it all went wrong: Iyanla had a meeting with Oprah and her executive producer which resulted in some misconceptions. Oprah thought Iyanla was giving them an ultimatum and Iyanla did not realize just how much Oprah valued her. As a result, Harpo dropped Iyanla and she and Oprah did not talk for 11 years. Talk about an “aha!” moment!

Well, this week they got it all aired out – on national TV – and all is forgiven. http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Iyanla-Vanzant-Returns-to-The-Oprah-Show
How amazing though that one conversation changed the course of an amazing person’s career. Dr. Phil, Suze Orman, Dr.Oz and Rachael Ray all have long running shows produced by Harpo and Iyanla Vanzant is far from a household name.

Success is an ethereal mistress. Some people struggle their entire lives for it and it comes effortlessly to others. What is really unbelievable to me is ho it can be totally fleeting. One moment everyone wants you and the next no one does… I watched Iyanla on Oprah and the way she re-languaged our thoughts and feelings had a lasting effect on me. I still quote her until this day. “Don’t say your broke. Say you’re temporarily out of cash.” She was so confident in her delivery as a coach, it was startling to hear that she was totally oblivious about how to handle herself in a business negotiation.

Image really is everything because I didn’t think this woman had an insecure bone in her body. And this is a great example that what people do is not who they are. Iyanla let her past abuse and negative self-worth dictate the course of her future. And she remained frightened to call Oprah for 11 years. First impressions are indelible but so are last experiences, if you let them be. One credo that I live by is to always be “complete” in relationships. Say all that you need to say and don’t take anything for granted with communication. Life is so fragile and I don’t want to have regrets.

What I’m curious about now is what’s next for Oprah and Iyanla. Will Oprah offer Iyanla a show on the new OWN network? Or has Iyanla moved past wanting one? I was on the edge of my seat for the whole hour – and then I saw the coming attractions for Part 2 with Iyanla – this Wednesday… I can’t wait…