[It's Time to Try Defying Gravity]

Tip of the Day: Fashion is a state of mind, not a set of rules.

The moment my foot hit the grass, I lost an inch off my height. Cursing my stillettos, I pulled them out of the mud and tip-toed my way to the gazebo. Notebook in hand, I lifted my face to the sky in anticipation...head tilted, awaiting inspiration on the meaning of life to shine down upon me. After thirty seconds, my eyes wandered from the swaying branches to my shoe. As I surveyed the tortise shell heel for signs of damage, I realized the irony of the situation.

Fashion versus nature.

Fashion has become the aesthetic by which we cover our bodies to represent our personality to society. Society itself represents a sophistication which separates man from beast.

Coming from 17 years of wearing uniforms daily, I was ecstatic to finally engage in this world of fashion. To me, fashion was an exciting new prospect, like playing dress-up. While the rest of society takes it much more seriously as a statement and reflection of your views on society. I recognize that and also utilize it to creatively express my many points of view.

There's an interesting phenomenon-a set of social laws which govern the upper echelons of our society, pulling together such a sphere of inward looking individuals with its enticing gravity. Rules which dictate scheduled helpings of life-graduate by 22, engaged by 25, married by 26 with a solid job for which you aimed for freshman year of college, interned with junior year and have been faithfully chained to ever since.

Fashion, too, has its rules...no white after labor day, match your belt to your shoes, wear black to a funeral but never to any other daytime function unless you're in New York...The laws categorize individuals into their appropriate function in society and measure their level of sophistication. Fashion then becomes a function of society and like the laws, restrictive and unnatural. Its heels and corsets bind, mold and shape women into a standard of beauty fabricated by this same society. So don't go by rules, but like other aspects of your life it requires a blend of logic, creativity and keeping an open mind to the advice of others.

::My Advice for fool-proof fashion::

1) Don't wear like colors together (ie. dark purple and purple, navy blue and black) if you must...use contrast (ie. lavender and dark purple)

2) Unless it's an intentional suit, don't wear like materials together, especially if they are of different shades or washes. (denim jacket and denim pants...khaki and khaki...corduroy on corduroy)

3) Skinny girls:: Knobby knees are not attractive (especially in short skirts, know your strength)

4) "Healthy" girls:: Too tight is never good. (If I can count your rolls...you need to hide them better. Similarly, if I can count your muscles, wow. I definitely admire you but know that spandex is not a material people find attractive for situations outside of the gym.)

5) Too many primary colors together=too much. (You're hurting my eyes! Mix some pastels, darks or neutrals up in that business.)

6) Seasons:: Pastels in winter are fine as long as it's not head to toe. All black in the spring/summer is a little too chain smoking NYC unless it's nighttime and you're going out for a swanky night of drinks...in that case, the little black dress and clutch=timeless.

7) Nobody needs to see your underwear. (ie. thongs or coin slots creeping up from low riders, and VPL-visible panty lines)

8) Too much of anything is bad (ruffles, beading, mesh, netting, sequins, studs...refer to rule 2)

9) Height: Be aware of how this impacts certain types of clothing you wear. Shorties-be aware anything that grazes your knee or mid-calf, this includes capris, skirts, coats, etc. To our lengthy friends-avoid shortening your midriff unless you're intentionally going for a lanky giraffe type look, also be aware of how a very mini a mini skirt looks on you.

10) All the rules of fashion can be broken if you play to your strengths, apply the appropriate creativity or experience a shameful period on the fad timeline.

However...my byline and motto is of course...fashion is art. And like nature, creativity and art cannot be contained or governed by rules. We see a current movement into pairing bohemian with studded leather, vans sneakers with suits, and sporting outlandish t-shirts with the formality of tuxedo vests or pants.

Breezing by those laws, disheveling the neat and tidy categories in our wake, true artists who refuse to accept gravity's governance also refuse the acceptance and comfort of "selling out" by following trends. Instead, they create trends and from this group come our Coco Chanels, Valentinos, Ferragamos and Christian Lacroixs, etc. Their blinding boldness in the face of adversity bypass the law-bound to pioneer new style and this endeavor certainly is not easy.

My contribution...utilize fashion as a function of nature, not just society. To help others recognize the true artistry and capacity for self expression within fashion not only to look good, but to reach a new level of self awareness and ultimately feel confident inside and out.

And as Elphaba says..."Today I think I'll try defying gravity."