if i could be...

...a personal shopper, I would. In a heart beat. I enjoy hunting down the perfect piece to put together a great ensemble. Pulling items from different stores and price points, well, it's a thrill. My muse for the past several years has been my sister, Mickey. She is the definition of a "mannequin buyer." If she sees an outfit on a mannequin that she likes, she will go from one end of a store to the other looking for each piece of that outfit. On top of that she is most likely only going to wear each piece with that specific outfit. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying this is bad in any way. HELLO! It's the visual merchandiser's J-O-B to get you to buy what they put on the mannequin. Believe me, I know. I've been a visual merchandiser and it's a fun job.

Again, don't get me wrong: Mickey has FAB taste and a great sense of style. This is why it is so much fun for me to dress her and mix up her typical look. I like to get her to step outside her box and try something a little different, something she hadn't thought of.

So anyone can walk into a store and buy what's on the mannequin, but don't you know that top would look great with skinny black jeans, ankle boots with a tall heel, a statement cocktail ring and a sassy clutch? Or that skirt on the mannequin can be worn high on the waist with a blouse tucked in, several delicate long necklaces, a cropped tuxedo blazer, diamond-print tights and sexy, black pumps.

Now we have one outfit turned into three. Pieces are versatile and can be worn in so many different ways. There is a huge creative impulse for me to pull pieces from someone's closet, mix-and-match their pieces and show them a whole new wardrobe. Going through my sister's closet(s) is like putting a kid in a candy store. It is so much fun.