I was talking to an old friend the other day and she was making out her shopping list for a trip to Phoenix. I was helping her come up with a list of "needs and wants" while keeping it in the ballpark of her budget. You need to know that recently, she sent me an email with an attached picture of a jacket that she wanted to know what she should put under it for a top. I said, "what will you wear as pants?" Her reply, "I don't know, but it was on sale, so I bought it."

In a nutshell, here is the problem with that statement: You have a closet full of clothes with nothing to wear because it's all sale stuff! I said to her, "what's so great about having a jacket when you don't have anything to wear with it and no idea of what to do with it?" She laughed (because she has a good sense of humor about herself) and agreed. If I"ve said it once, I"ve said it a hundred times: Buying stuff on sale is only a great deal if you will wear it and you love it. Otherwise, you've thrown good money after bad when you go to making decisions about your wardrobe choices.

In response to her pre shopping wardrobe questions, I sent her a few pictures from magazines and a little note. In it I said, " Think young (because we are), think appropriately (because we need to) and stop buying everything on sale! Just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's a bargain!" In this crazy economy make sure you really fall in love with an item before you take it home and make it yours. Find 3 things you are going to wear with it and then think again. Do you LOVE it? Make smart choices and you'll open up your closet every morning to a closet full of clothes you love.

I got a phone call yesterday from my friend who travelled to Phoenix for a shopping trip. This time she told me that she had "found" a perfect shirt in her closet that worked with the jacket she purchased earlier because it was on sale. Her words, "it is perfect and I wore the outfit today and got several compliments."

Well, of course this is great. But the first question out of my mouth was, "why are you "finding" things in your closet?" And where were they that they needed to be "found." She laughed and agreed and this is when I told her she had too much stuff.

It's not like she didn't know this before. When I visited her a few years ago and we were cleaning out her closet, her husband would periodically walk into the room and say, "what about the boxes under the bed?", "what about the stuff in the kids' closet?" It was hilarious. I joked that she was holding out on me and that could have been partly true, but more than that, I think she didn't know all that she had.

And that comes from having too much stuff and not ever getting rid of anything. I am serious when I tell you that in her reach was her letterman's jacket from the late 70's, early 80's. This is not a joke! It's not like she was going to wear it but it was there, hanging in a closet. Of course we remedied that problem but not before a try on and another good laugh.

My advice is this: Know what you have and love it enough to want to find it and wear it on a regular basis. I'm so glad she found a look for her great buy! I"m also really glad that I"m the one with the blog. Who knows what stories she would tell about me if she had the chance!

Last weekend my girlfriend threw herself a birthday party for turning 50. It was a blast! We spent time together figuring out the right dress, shoes and accessories and it was a total success. She looked fabulous, had fun and had a perfect special night.

Earlier in the week, I asked her what she was doing with her makeup. She said, "I guess I"ll just do it myself". Now, most of us are living pretty ordinary lives with no on sight make up artist or stylist in the wings. Every once in a while it's fun to step out of the box and get a little pampering from a pro whether it be hair, fashion stylist or yes, a make up artist. When those occasions arise for me, I know who to call: Michael Bride.

I met Michael a few years ago when I was working in Collectors at Nordstrom downtown. He caught my eye at the Armani counter because he was friendly and kind. Imagine that! I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't tell you how many people (including myself in the past) that are downright intimidated by the cosmetic counter. I mean, really, how hard is it to look fabulous when you are 23 with no wrinkles? Not that hard. As we get older, we need someone who will work with us and understand our skin, our look and the idea behind what it means to "not look old". Michael gets it. And he gets it with a great attitude, a sense of humor and the ability to listen and THEN act. At one point when working on my friend, he said, "I LOVE MY JOB!" And isn't that what we want from a professional? Someone who loves what they do and who puts their whole self into the experience.

Michael is pretty busy these days with his work as a premier make up artist in Seattle specializing in weddings and special events. But don't let that fool you. He is available for in home consultations which was what I did for my friend the night of her party. He showed up at her home with his kit and got to work creating the look she wanted for her party and sharing stories and tips on achieving the best look. He can also dissect your make up drawer and tell you what to keep and what to throw. That by itself can be a freeing experience!

If you are looking for a wonderful and pampering experience where you feel like you could walk the red carpet, Michael's your guy. I can't wait for another special event when I can call him again!

I'm just back from Las Vegas which was really fun and relaxing as well. We took a mid week trip and the weather was beautiful and the friends we went with were great company.

I did learn an important and painful lesson on the way home. As you know, I have this thing about looking pulled together on an airplane. I do not understand the people who look like they just woke up and came to the airport in their jammies or the people who are wearing track suits. Anything less than clean, pressed and pulled together at the airport is not okay with me. I think we act better when we are better dressed and we all know that the airport is a place where behavior can go down hill fast.

Anyway, on the way back from Vegas, I decided to wear open toed shoes since it was 95 degrees and I figured it would be 9 months before my sandals saw the light of day in Seattle again. I just couldn't get my mind around wearing boots (which I just purchased on my trip) or a "sensible shoe" (which honestly I didn't even bring).

Well, you know where this story is going I'm sure. At the airport my left foot got run over by a rolling bag which pulled my left toe out to the side. I looked down and thought, "hmm, that's not where my toe should be." And I was right. Long story short, I tore ligaments in my baby toe and I want to say, that hurts! I was limping my way to the gate when an airport employee helped me with a wheelchair and then I proceeded to get on the plane with my toe swelling up. Everyone was helpful and kind but I was in a lot of pain.

After a trip to the ER and telling my embarrassing story more than once, I thought I'd tell you. Generally, in my book, I go for the fun look and THEN look at how it will function in my life. This is one place that I will never make that mistake again.

As a rule (and I can't stress this enough) wear closed toed shoes to the airport. Your feet will thank you and you won't end up in a walking post-op shoe for 4-6 weeks. Now that's what I call fashionable.

This year I have a Winter Plan. It has nothing to do with clothes but everything to do with keeping a strong, positive, mental attitude during the winter.

I spend a lot of time telling clients, "when you look good, you feel good" and this is very true. The problem is, you can only "fake" so much. What I mean is that we can try and try to look our best and it CAN make us feel better. But, the bottom line is, sometimes it is not possible to pull yourself out of a glum state and we all need a little bit of help when that happens.

Enter, my "Winter Plan". I just told my friend today that I am "taking on the weather this winter" and like I said, it has little to do with clothing and much to do about strategic planning around taking care of my mental state.

My Winter Plan includes: serious outdoor exercise rain or shine ( a great bootcamp I love is wholenewyoufitness), a visit to my doctor if needed, quiet meditative time every morning, keeping a gratitude notebook, having a lightbox (see alaskanorthernlights) and finally setting my schedule and keeping to it. I find that the busier I get, the more I let my own time go. Eventually, I have nothing left to give anyone and I wonder why I feel on the edge.

My proactive state this year (because yes, I know it's beautiful out right now) has everything to do with my experience last winter which was less than positive. It took a huge amount of effort and energy to feel like I wanted to be up and around and I am determined to have a different experience this year. Of course I'm not a doctor and I won't pretend to give medical advice. I would, however, encourage anyone who suffers from general depression and or SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) to come up with a plan this year. Get to your doctor, do some research, talk to friends. There is nothing shameful about admitting you need help.

It always feels lonely when we get down. This year, I'm determined to do/be different and that change can only start with me. Yes, I"ll still be telling clients and friends that when they look good, they feel better. But we all know it's more than that.

Since summer really is over it's time for me to get back in the swing of being a regular blogger. There's something about summer that just makes me get sleepy when I think of sitting down to write. Plus, I've been really busy this summer so it has made it extra hard to be motivated during my down time.

I'm not a big online shopper but I'm trying to stay more tuned into that level of shopping because I know it appeals to many people who don't love to go out and shop or simply don't have the time. I"m one of those people who really likes to touch what I"m about to buy and there is also that little bit about instant gratification.

On my online travels this last week I ran into Lands End. Now, I"m not a big Lands End shopper because I never think that their stuff is very fun or fashion forward. This time, I may be surprised. One thing L.E. is known for is their very versatile and inexpensive totes. I've had several of different sizes over the last 10 years, but this year they are making them in bright patent colors. You can order a swatch of the fabric to look before buying to see if the color/quality is really what you want. I'm ordering a swatch of the orange patent tote to check it out and I"ll keep you posted on whether it's worth the $79.50 asking price.

Fall is here and I'm not ready to succumb to the darkness of the season that will soon be upon us. The orange tote might just be what I"m looking for!

Even though this summer isn't anything like last summer so far ( with lots of hot days) I'm still having a writer's block. I guess it's just that time of year and when I complained to someone the other day (about my block) they said, "well, it's quality over quantity that really counts" and I guess I"m taking that to heart.

As I sat down tonight I got to thinking about fall and how close it is. I've had such a problem over the years adjusting to the weather here that it is usually about this time of year that I get a little melancholy over summer being "almost over".

This year, I vow to be different. I promised myself that I am not going to complain when the rain starts, that I am going to accept the weather and move on instead of complaining everyday about something I have no control over. I'm going to get out the great coats and scarves and boots and just go for it and try to turn over a new leaf.

I encourage you do do the same whether it be about the weather or any other topic. For example, I'm often in people's closets hearing about "the old days". This could include when they were thinner, less gray, in better shape, etc. You get the picture. The truth is, life is happening right now and there is no way that any amount of wishing changes any of that. We are all getting older every minute and there is no way back. It's time to embrace your life, your self and your situation and just go for it.

For me, that's accepting the weather. I know that sounds crazy, but it is so true. I'm going to stop looking at weather reports in other parts of the country and wishing my life away. It's a baby step, I know, but it is a step.

If we all take on one thing that we want to accept, just think how much space there is in your head for something that really matters...

I've been super busy with my business which is fine with me because until this week (in my opinion) the weather has been nearly unbearable. I love the warm sun and so I've been waiting and waiting for a day above 75. Looks like this weekend might just be the time!

In the meantime, as I said, my work has kept me very busy. One nice "surprise" on my shopping travels has been my "discovery" of Bellevue Square. Obviously, I'm joking here but the truth is, I"ve never been an Eastside shopper. I've lived in Seattle for long enough that I've gotten use to the downtown stores, energy and scene. However, branching out it what it's all about and I have been fortunate enough to work with some great people on the eastside who really wanted to shop at Bellevue Square. So, with the idea of being flexible and a bit of trepidation, I set out for Bellevue.

What I found was pleasantly surprising. First, I can shop there all day and NEVER pay for parking! In my line of business, this is a pretty big deal as I am always paying when I shop downtown and I'm constantly complaining about it. Second, everything is right there! I know this sounds silly, but the truth is, it's nice to shop in a mall when it's pouring rain outside and cold, which it is much of the year here. I'm not carrying a coat around all day long... I could actually wear spring fashions and not freeze to death or be in a downpour. Finally, I have found great selections and very helpful sales people everywhere I went.

Let's face it, it's not always easy to get out of your comfort zone. I like my routine and generally don't like to mix it up much. However, I'm glad I did and if you haven't been to Bellevue Square lately, you should go. Maybe you'll make a new discovery too!

I was shopping with a client the other day and we branched way out with some of our shopping choices. We went to Talbot's. Now most of you know that I am not a Talbot's shopper. I generally find the clothes too "matchy" and old looking. Honestly, I think I've even turned up my nose when my sister mentioned Talbot's.

But, life is for learning and even if it's just about opening your mind to new possibilities like shopping at Talbot's I think it's worth a mention. My client needed some looks that were fresh but that fit well. She wants to dress appropriately and yet also look youthful and up to date. Many people tell me that is the hardest part of getting dressed these days as an over 45 year old woman. And I do agree.

Anyway, to Talbot's we went and in a fascinating twist, we found some things that worked for her perfectly. The key is to step out of the "look" that they provide and instead go the unexpected route. For example, don't wear the whole outfit that has been provided for you. Instead, walk around the store and pick up something that is just a bit different. And for the perfect look, bring in items from other stores to compliment the skirt or jacket you have found. We found the fit on jackets and skirts to be great but the pants continue to be too high waisted. But this is the beauty of shopping… you don't have to buy what "they" are selling. You only have to really choose what looks good on you in the right combination and you have your own style.

I know there are people out there that will think I'm crazy… that Talbot's isn't hip enough. But you might take a look next time you are out. Think outside the box. You never know what you might find.

I ran into an old friend today downtown. We had a brief conversation about kids, etc and then she mentioned that she had thought of me the other day. She had spent some money on herself and she was trying to feel okay about it. She was telling me the story and I said, "well good for you for spending on yourself!" She laughed, I laughed and we both went our separate ways.

It got me to thinking about the importance of taking care of ourselves as women. This doesn't always translate into spending money and for the record, I am absolutely against hiding purchases from a partner or spouse or running up credit cards to pay for stuff. What I am for is thinking of yourself as a valuable human being who deserves to treat yourself as well as you treat other people.

Most moms and women I know are very giving. Extremely hard working and rarely do much for themselves. I think we can all learn from being just a little bit selfish and giving back to ourselves a little bit more. My husband always says, "when mama's happy, everybody's happy."

Now, I know some people are going to say this is all about shopping. And it's not. What it is about is knowing yourself enough and respecting yourself enough to take care of yourself, first. When we care about ourselves, it's easier to care about others. It goes along with my theory, when you look good, you feel good.

This can be as simple as just taking a little longer shower or using some great lotion that feels special. It can be more complex if we realize that we've gotten into rut of only doing for others and we are long overdue to do for ourselves. Sometimes you just have to take a look in the mirror to know if that's the case.

Anyway, this is just something that I wanted to share today. It's spring after all. Maybe it's time to turn over a new leaf.