With work from coast to coast and frequent jaunts to Ireland over the past year, lately I’m all about making life easier. So in part this post aims to help you simplify too, because with all the fun that the holiday season brings no one has time to waste.

A client recently wondered why she came down to breakfast wearing an outfit that looked so similar to her daughter-in-law’s. “What’s going on here? Who’s wrong?” she asked. I believe a few things are at play. People are aging better and dress more according to their (often active) lifestyle; more casual work environments lead people to mostly forgo suits; and due to our nearly 24/7 life-online trends spread fast and blend quickly. None of this is exclusively bad, but together, can leave one feeling like they are lost in a sea of sameness. 

These are some of the reasons I believe so deeply in having a wardrobe that is purposely built to truly represent who you really are at this time of your life. Try trends that speak to you, but only buy into those that work for you. Unknown confidence and actual joy will result when time, thought, and investment is spent to figuring and finding what you need to make your heart sing. And doing so will make your life easier. I promise you.

As you may, or may not, know I’m emotionally invested in keeping J.Crew floating.  So as promised, updates!  The bad news is sales have dropped by more than 5% this year and that Jenna Lyons’ replacement as head designer resigned after only a few months at the helm. Jenna did leave some pretty big shoes to fill. The good news though is, a transfer of debt and their new CFO is proving to be a good step towards building the company back up. The crew hasn’t sunk yet! Thank you to my clients who have been filling me in on your great finds there. You make my heart flutter!

Speaking of heart, this year has been a whirlwind for me, especially those who lived through and on the edge of California’s fires and were affected by the hurricanes.  No amount of thanks or appreciation can accurately express how profoundly grateful I am to do this work. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and New Year!