My inspiration

As I was sitting on the train on my way to work in New York City yesterday morning, I had a revelation: I'm going to start a fashion blog. I've always had a great passion for the fashion industry - fashion photography; clothes; design; styling; color; and journalism. I think my love of fashion was greatly influenced by my late grandmother. It didn't matter where she was going, she was always dressed fabulously from her shimmery green eye shadow down to her Stuart Weitzman shoes.

Starting with my grandmother, I was born into a family of very independent women, none of whom are followers. Whether it be rallying at an important political event (like Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech), going out to lunch with a client, or taking a trip to Loehmann's with my mother and myself, my grandmother was always dressed well. There are two things I have learned from that: you never know who you will run into, and when you look good, you feel good. There is nothing that can put a damper on your day like sitting around the house in sweats and a ratty old t-shirt, so always be fabulous.

Like my grandmother, and the woman I aspire to be, Anna Wintour, I pay attention to fashion trends, but know it is more important to be the trend-setter. Following trends may lead to cute outfits, but it is also important to take into consideration your body type and your own style. I know fashion magazines and TV shows such as What Not to Wear discuss dressing for your body type, but they lump all women into very few categories. It is important to know your best features and learn what styles will enhance them. Likewise, it is important to know your curves (or lack thereof) to learn to shop for an appropriate fit. Women come in different shapes and sizes and rather than categorizing yourself, break your body into sections and play up your best features and learn how to hide the things you're more insecure about.

Personally, I never fit into any of the body type categories. I've got curves for miles, but I'm also an athlete. I've always had trouble with my proportions because I have a long torso and short legs, but I also have a larger bust, small waist, large hips, and what us women would call "thunder thighs." I'm certainly not the model size 0/2 and that's important to take into consideration when shopping for your body type. Not everything that looks good on a size 0/2 will look good on someone who wears an 8/10. In my next post I will go into detail about what styles and fits will play up your best features.