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Building a closet you love begins with knowing what you own. To do that, you must be able to see all your garments. If your closet is crammed with too many items, including things that no longer fit, pieces you don’t like, or one-off’s — all those pesky online orders...

You may have already cleared your closet on your own. Perhaps you're left with literally nothing to wear. Just a pair of trusty jeans, a couple sweat shirts and some tired yoga pants! Or, you have a few garments left in there you think you could wear, however you’re...

One thing I learned in more than twenty years of corporate financial sales, is upping your wardrobe and style game is a power move. When I began paying more attention to color, style, softer fabrics and textures and ditched my boring black suits, my career and income...

How are you showing up in the world everyday? Do you feel as sparkling and confident or just a tad off the mark? I’ll admit, I sometimes slink around in my Spanx leggings all morning. We all have 'cheat days.' Mostly though, when I go out, especially to an event, I’ll...

The first thing I consider whenever I’m invited to an event or presentation is, hmm, what will I wear. I immediately picture my closet and which pieces I would most enjoy wearing that would also be appropriate for the outing. What to wear has always been a very big...

A lot of people equate fashion and style to stepping out looking like the cover of vogue, or some runway model every day. And, they immediately opt out. “It’s not for me. I’m not into fashion! I’ll just be a plain Jane.” Look, there are many levels of “fashion.” My...

The other night, I was speaking with a woman who said, "When you walk into a room I think, 'she is fabulous!' But, I don’t think that’s possible for me.” She shook her head, her face sad, "I’m just trying to be something I’m not.” Wait! No no no! Her words made me...

I hate everything in my closet! I have nothing to wear! All this stuff is old and tired. I have too much clothing and I can’t stop buying, yet I have nothing to wear. I hate the way this looks on me. Why does the stuff I buy never work out once I get it home.  ...

When I lived in downtown Chicago, each fall I put together a capsule wardrobe for the coming winter months. One year, I had purchased a fairly sizable collection of footwear. Doing an inventory at home, I could see I’d overdone it. So, I wistfully boxed up a beautiful...

When I was in corporate, I once hired a speech coach named Patricia Fripp. Originally from the UK, Fripp started her impressive business behind a stylist’s chair as a hair dresser. (Link below). She created a formidable brand on the back of her considerable talents...

Recently, I was watching one of Oprah’s daily inspirational videos that was so powerful and profound, I had to replay it several times. In the video, Oprah quoted Maya Angelou who said, “the question, Oprah, is, are you a real woman, or just an aging female. Who do...

I’m so excited! Next week, I'll be speaking to an amazing group of women in Kansas City called The Hive Women KC.  The mission of the Hive Women KC is, social with a purpose. These are women in the ‘middle stage’ of life, who have successfully raised families, had...

What do you tell yourself when you look in the mirror each day as you get ready to face the world? Is it kind? Are you generous with yourself? Perhaps you only notice the ‘flaws.’ The parts you’d prefer weren’t there. Or, those you think need to be camouflaged.  ...

I know what you’re thinking. This is what my closet will look like if she comes over, or zooms into it! Or — No way! I don’t want anyone seeing my stuff! What if she thinks I’m a hoarder or judges my fourteen pair of black pants? Or — Wait! she might think my clothes...

Meet my client Leslie. I know, her hubs is handsome. See how proud he looks? They make a great looking couple. For the moment though, all eyes on Leslie! Check out her style. Sleek, chic, modern and — most importantly, comfortable. You might never guess Leslie’s a...

Sometimes you go into a store and see all these outlandish fashions, and you think, how in the world would I ever wear that? Or, who in the heck are they designing these outfits for, anyway. Not me. The thing is, that is a retailer’s job. I know, because I worked in...

You know how you get all excited at the end of the year and go online to take advantage of those whopping post holiday sales? 50% off plus another 20%, plus free shipping…. you know the drill. Finally, you can afford to indulge yourself and snag some great deals....

Are you going nuts every time you walk into your closet? You know there’s stuff in there, but nothing to wear! Every woman’s lament. Especially this time of year.  TBH, the closet doldrums usually happen for me when I’ve gotten… well, I’ll just go ahead and say it —...

Don’t you just love this photo? A client I worked with this week discovered these fun, exciting pieces in her very own closet! There they were, looking forlorn and lonely! It took another pair of eyes to bring them back to life. Mine! Once I spied those delicious...

Let’s focus on you today. You and your style vision. Do you have a style strategy, or is it getting dressed all about coverage for you, throwing on some clothing  and running out the door! Or, are you someone who's on the constant prowl for a fresh, sharper look or...

It started early for me, this love for style! Probably when I got my first Barbie. Or, playing paper dolls. I'd sit there for hours, constantly changing the outfits on my dolls, completely absorbed. Ever since, I’ve been someone who is very keyed into style. In sixth...

When I was in corporate, I had a comfortable, healthy budget for clothes and shopping. I lived two blocks off Michigan Avenue and spent many Saturday afternoons trolling the Miracle Mile. My closet was full of designer names and expensive shoes. I say this not to...

It happened again. There I was, running through Whole Foods when I noticed a woman in fresh fruit smiling at me! I dashed into the Women's and when I emerged, there she was, waiting for me outside the restroom. "I love what you're wearing," she said, "you could go...

 The more I talk to women, the more I learn how distressed many of you are by simply getting yourselves out the door every morning. I hear words like struggle, confused, overwhelmed. Many of you have unquestioningly absorbed and signed off on the myth, I don’t know...

It’s the holidays. I see you. There you are, standing in your closet or the Macy’s at the mall, clutching a pair of black pants and a black sweater, or top. Or dress. Back to black. It’s where we land to be sure. To hide stuff. To get out the door when we’re in a...

You know how sometimes you go into a store filled with tons of racks, tables heaping with folded sweaters, jeans, shoes, purses, accessories…. and you head to that one odd rack that looks like the returns from the fitting rooms? The stuff doesn’t look like it goes...

This is what I call, ‘shopping your closet.’ You might think you need to run out and start loading up the cart or ordering stuff online. Wait.  Listen. No one loves a shop-a-thon more than me! However, you’ll probably be surprised how many outfits we can create with a...

What is that anyway? Cull. How does it apply to your closet. Let’s consult Webster. Cull. Select from a wide quantity. Obtain from a variety of sources. First off, I know you have more than one closet. There’s the hall coat closet. The excess stuff or rotating season...

You may remember last week, we were talking about my 3 C’s of wardrobe curation. Cut - the garment is cut to optimize your shape. Color - it’s a color that flatters you, goes with what you already have. Current - the item is fashionable, not necessarily trendy. It...

So, how do you do it? How do you build yourself a sporty, stylish, modern and versatile wardrobe. If just reading that sentence makes you sigh, pass out, or immediately recline onto your sofa with a cold compress on your forehead, this post is for you! Seriously,...

Style isn’t shallow. Actually, it’s quite deep. To have style means to take a risk. A risk to show yourself, to be seen. Sure, you could wear the expected. Some black pants, a pedestrian top, maybe a standard necklace. Or, You could up your game. Some of your people...

Over the holiday weekend, I fired up Amazon Prime and watched Amy Schumer in the movie, I Feel Pretty. If you haven’t seen it, spoiler alert — here’s the synopsis: It begins with Amy, showing up like Miss Everyone, kind of sloppy, dying to be glamorous, but fully...

The other day, I was in my closet playing around. This animal print skirt called out to me, so I put it on. But I wasn’t sure what to wear with. You might be surprised to know I do not have a ton of stuff in my closet. When you keep your closet edited, each piece...

Animal print skirt look number 2. Here’s a secret about this skirt. It began life as a dress! And, it was fabulous. However, it was one of those dresses you wear once and the second time, everybody goes, oh, it’s that dress again. Plus, it’s a whole lot of animal...

Animal print skirt look number 3. When I saw this tan, cotton knit sleeveless turtleneck at a boutique in Kansas City this fall, I thought, meh, been there, done that. I pulled it off the rack anyway and noticed the side detail. How the front hemline is higher than...

For those of you who braved your way though my soupy, sad sack posts last week, you know I was noodling around in a mood muckier than a gnarly blanket of soggy, Southern California marine layer. Yech. It was dreary. No, loves, I was dreary. Then, you know how they...

Will you just look at this butter soft, delicious double scoop of a leather bomber jacket! I found it last week at Twice the Style, my favorite upscale resale shop here in OC. Sadly, the sporty little vintage Barney’s New York number was way too snug for moi. I...

As a girl, my two favorite pastimes were hanging with my Barbies and swinging. Exactly in that order. My grandfather was a union pipe fitter and built a nearly two-story, solid as steel swing-set in our backyard. The thing was cemented so deep into the ground you...

Yesterday, I grabbed some morning coffee at the Starbucks near my new home in California to change things up from my usual Panera. As I waited, a man came right up to me and said, “were you a model?” He thumped his chest, “I was a Hollywood talent agent for many...

Last week I went to this big deal, fall fashion show at a suburban Kansas City boutique called Clothology:135. (Link below). Actually, the show wasn’t held at the store. No way could the shop accommodate the 200+ women, all amped up to buy new stuff. So, it was...

I know. I feel you. It can be hard to bust into a girl group. At the gym, in the carpool line, within a philanthropy. A new neighborhood. Even amongst 12-step groups. I get it. I’ve moved a lot. I’ve had to find my tribe over and over again. It’s not easy.   Last...

Pearls. Sigh. The light, the luster. The divine loveliness of them. In Mexico, there’s this one market vendor who displays every day at the resort where I stay. Marcos. The man has the best selection of pearls on the planet. I always overindulge. Marcos gets me every...

Not many people know this, but once upon a time, I took stand-up comedy lessons from Beth Lapides, who is a comedian in Los Angeles. She also appeared in an episode of the infamous Sex and the City series. The truth is, comedy is a lot harder than it looks. You have...

Dear closet, Oh how I love thee. Your excellent layout. Your spacious shelving. Your glossy, wood floor that looks warm, welcoming and chic with my ancient oriental rug. The lighting that flickers on the moment I pull open your doors and glance at my collection....

Wherever I go, I’m on the lookout for photo opportunities. Yes, I’m one of those annoying LA types who snatches out my phone at the slightest interesting tableau. Often, I commandeer someone to take my own photo.   On this particular day, I was traveling to my...

Here’s the thing. Sometimes you just wanna be a dork. Dears, you know I usually only post FaceTuned to perfection photos, but scrolling through camera roll today, I said, eh, why not. This geek of an image was snapped last November as I rolled across the Midwest in a...

If you stopped by here last week, you know I was talking about the girls. Ladies. Girlfriends. Your posse. Your girl gaggle is sooooooo important. Beautiful ladies, we simply cannot go it alone. We need our girls.   When I moved back to my hometown, I had a...

Last week, I was cruising around one of my favorite, leafy, opulent neighborhoods in Kansas City called Mission Hills. One of those Hallmark-type postcard-perfect neighborhoods with brick mansions and stately manner homes, similar to those you see in Beverly Hills. No...

This is my friend, Lesley. I met her last summer at a Green Compass Global party here in my hometown. She sat down next to me as the presentation started, and we learned we share the same name! We also attended the same college and lived in neighboring sorority...

“A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.”  Coco Chanel. I feel that. Ever gotten a haircut that put the pizazz back into your step and reinstalled your sexy? I did, last week. Finally. For months, I’d been nursing along a hair grow-out that really...

Hiya, girls! You know how sometimes you have that most glorious, sexy feeling when you’re actually not all dolled up. Me too. One day while I was in Mexico, a thunderstorm rained down on late afternoon beach time and like everyone else, I scampered inside. The resort...

Loves! Hola! This week, I’m in the land of luscious, Latin indulgence, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Ahhhhhhhh! I’ve waited all year for this trip. Actually nothing here is new, it’s my sixth visit to this resort and I know just about every nook and cranny. Except,...

.A few nights ago, I was having dinner with three other women. As things sometimes do, we got to talking about men. The good, the bad, the sexy! I mentioned someone we knew who’d been hitting on me. One women put down her fork, looked up in surprise and said, “wait,...

For a lot of us, these saucy little mannequins are what we've been told sexy looks like. Tarted up, raunchy. To be kept inside, behind closed doors, only. For special occasions.   Then, there’s the whole labyrinth of the patriarchal rule system.  Wear pantsuits...

Yesterday, I’ll admit, I wasn’t feeling amazing. You feel me? Sometimes, we just don’t. I wanted to. I seriously wanted to.    So, I did what I do when I can’t budge from the sludge. My reliable favorite, I dug into my closet. I’ve been feeling like it’s needed a...

If you follow my Facebook or LinkedIn, (links below) you know I’ve been writing a book called, Corporate Girl Takes a Girl, one woman’s reclamation on a stripper pole and how you can apply pole wisdom to your professional life. Guess what? It’s done! Or, the initial...

Girls! Loves. I’ve been in California over a week. GAWD how I love this place! The palm trees, how their fronds clatter against each other in the wind. The pure energy of boom, boom hip-hop bouncing from the open car window next to you at a stop light as you glance at...

When my sister and I were little, we had this white plastic horse. I’m not sure where we got it. Maybe a garage sale. We’d try to play Barbies with it, placing the dolls on its slick, shiny back. The horse wasn’t having it. The dolls slid right off and plunked onto...

Today, I wore a St. John Knit dress to Walmart! After yet another morning of sliding into Lululemon’s to dart over to Panera for coffee, my body said, “Sorry, we simply can’t take another day of those tired, two-year-old yoga pants. Wear something else. It’s not that...

Sunday, I went to a local art fair on a glorious, sun-kissed spring day. Birds chirped, flowers bloomed. Laughter and snippets of cheerful conversation drifted upon the sweet, clear Midwestern air.   I floated around the festival wearing a brand new, flouncy,...

From a very early age, all I wanted was to be pretty. I’d skip over the cracked and buckled sidewalks in our middle-class neighborhood of 1920’s bungalows, past the alley that ran behind the widow ladies houses with the metal trash cans and chain link fences, praying...

I’m tired. I haven’t had a massage since sometime last summer. And even then, it was one of those Thai places in a strip mall where you kinda feel beat up after you leave. My last therapeutic massage with hot stones, reiki and real spa music was in Mexico last March....

Friday morning, I drive out to an older suburb of Kansas City, nursing the last dregs of my Panera dark roast, half-calf, pull up to a modest blue ranch and park. My grandmother lived only about a half-mile from this cute little house with the cheerful Easter wreath...

Hi, I’m Leslie! Some of you have been around awhile. And, I love you so much. Thank you for reading me! Others of you are new friends. So I’m taking a moment to introduce myself, just in case you think I’m some girl who likes to shop, go to spin class and pole dance....

I couldn’t help it. I bought this top Saturday. I’d been watching it in the shop window all week. Every time I thought about going in to try it on, my rational brain tsk-tsked. You don’t need that! What about our budget!! Sometimes you just have to step out… Of the...

Sometimes, when your feminine is on fumes, like mine has been lately, you just have to go looking for a whiff of it from some other goddess. Every morning, I go to Panera for coffee, or just about every day, and I’m welcomed by an army of smiling faces. You might not...

I’ve been trying to write this post as a LinkedIn article for weeks. It always comes out so ‘corporate.’ Even the tagline sounds like marketing jargon or refined corporate-speak — Pleasure is the New Power! What I mean to say is, how can we turn up our fun meter by...

I’m lucky. I was blessed with pretty decent skin. Thanks, mom!  One thing I've always done. Remove my makeup at night. Always. Also, over the years, I’ve used a regimen of fairly pricey skincare stuff. I credit it with getting me this far. That and a touch of the Tox,...

When I lived in Cali, CBD was everywhere. At Mother’s supermarket, Whole Foods, the gas station. I thought it was marijuana. Oh yeah, that’s something about pot, right?  I’d heard CBD had healing properties, but that’s as much as I knew.   You too, may have noticed...

Friday night, I was sitting around a gal pal’s kitchen with some other ladies. As convo’s between a bunch of women often do, talk turned to hair.  As in - what kinda stuff do you use in your hair, how often do you wash, etc.  For women, care and maintenance of our...

Can your style influence your paycheck? Is it possible to be promoted based upon your image? And, if so, isn't that somehow wrong? Loves. We live in a visual world! People make assessments and size each other up in nanoseconds now, thanks to social media. It's a fact...

My grandmother, Jeannette Cole lived to 96. In the sixties, when I was a little girl., she’d get down there on the floor and exercise while watching Jack LaLanne on TV. LaLanne was a muscled nutrition and exercise guru, decades before Arnold came along.   Jeannette...

I grew up in Missouri. The ‘Show-Me’ state.  Although, we weren't allowed to show much of ourselves as girls. In my twenties, about the sexiest thing I ever wore was a pair of black wool walking shorts with tights in winter. Mostly, women wore baggy pants or jeans...

Diva gets a bad rap. Images of a histrionic Maria Carrey in glam sparkles or Barbara Streisand flouncing about on stage come to mind. Or maybe, Tim Curry vamping in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I had a diva moment once.  It happened a few years ago, during a...

 All of you who’ve schlepped around the Upper Midwest in winter for a sales territory or any other reason — you know.  You know what it’s like to never leave home without gloves, a scarf, an umbrella, probably boots, often a turtleneck and the lumpy layer of a dark...

Every Thursday when I was a kid, my sister and I were hauled along with our mother to the beauty parlor. She had a ‘standing.’ That’s what regular, weekly appointments were called in the 1960’s. A standing.  Inside Ralph Delmonico’s buzzy shop, tucked into a tacky...