Style Support

I spent the morning hanging around the house thinking about what I wanted to write about today. The fashion industry is so enormous, so widespread and ever-changing, it can often feel overwhelming and I sometimes struggle with choosing a relevant subject that's simultaneously broad in its appeal and focused in its scope. While musing over the many topics to discuss today my phone rang and it was Beth- my oldest and closest friend. After over an hour of chatting I had my topic: personal style support and its importance in my (and your) life.

I can't begin to impress upon you the importance of having girlfriends in your life. At the risk of sounding like a sentimental sap, I'd like to share with you the many reasons why Beth (and Melanie and Amy and all my close girlfriends) are so important to me. I can't imagine where I would be today without them! Where personal style is concerned, I can read fashion magazines and watch runway shows until I'm blue in the face, but even if Karl Lagerfeld himself was dressing me, I'd still want at least one of my girlfriends there. Style advice from magazines, blogs, articles, etc. are all well and good, but they are far from personalized. If anything, they're geared towards the masses.

Think about the occassions for which you really dress and they will (hopefully) be events in your life that you share with those close to you- weddings, anniversaries, holidays, etc. Your girlfriends are the people in your life who know you better than anyone else, who want nothing but the best for you in life, and who support you in the decisions you make- work, school, boyfriends, and of course fashion and style. Like life support for your wardrobe, your girlfriends keep you going. Maybe it's an encouraging smile or a knowing look that gives you the confidence to try a bold outfit. Or the furrowed brow and frown only a real friend can give you that says, "It is BECAUSE we are so close that I can be honest and tell you not to wear that. Ever." And who better to celebrate with you when you find Dior in your size at 85% off?

Beth lives a few hundred miles away in Boston, but that one phone conversation this afternoon left me completely energized and inspired and as close to her as ever. I hope for each and every one of you out there that you have your own "Beth" in your life, someone who inspires, encourages and supports and who feels the same way about you.