Dear Friend,
I talk a lot about personal style: how to find yours, how to keep it fresh, and how to stay on track when you're shopping. One shopping trick I like to share with my clients is something I call the High/Low Approach. This means pairing high-end items that are worth the investment with lower-end "trends" that make the look The Real You, and fit the season or your mood. How Does the High/Low Approach Work? Here's an example of High/Low in action. Recently I was shopping with a client to find a dress for travel that would also function for work. We found a beautiful dress in the "high" range that really needed a belt to make it fully compliment her great figure. The salesperson brought us six or seven belts that just weren't quite right. We had a lot of items in the dressing room and one of them was a bandeau - a bra-like piece of stretchy fabric (similar to a tube top) that's made for wearing under a deep v-neck that feels too revealing. I wondered if the fabric bandeau could serve as a belt. This would definitely be the "low" solution at about $15. And while suggesting that a bra-like item be worn as a belt might seem odd, I find that thinking outside of the box is often the best way to solve a styling dilemma. Getting Creative with Lower-End Accessories I suggested the bandeau as a belt and as we were laughing about it, she was putting it on. And lo and behold, it worked! This stretchy "belt" was exactly what the dress needed to make it fit perfectly for my client. It was true style using the High/Low Approach. When people ask me how to find a personal style, I don't often think, "Well, pair a dress with a bra-like item and there you have it!" But real style comes from visualizing and being open to lots of possibilities and then - this is important - actually trying them on, because you never know what just might work. Keep Your Eyes (and Your Mind!) Open to Inspiration I smile when I think of my client wearing her beautiful dress and belt. I know that she is successfully living the definition of The Real You. Look through your own closet today with your eyes open to new possibilities, and you may be pleasantly surprised! | 
