Doing the TV Thing

I will be taping a segment for Fox 8 this Friday at Macy's at South Park Mall. We're talking about outerwear and accessories. I'm going out there tonight to pull everything so I'll be prepared for the shoot.

As with every TV and media appearance, the real question is....what will I wear?? As soon as I knew I was doing it, I went into a PANIC! I have no clothes!!!!

Of course this is far from the truth. I have a massive amount of clothes. But what I like to wear doesn't necessarily play well on camera, especially with it being fall. And the camera plays tricks on us - what may look good in person may be atrocious on tv.

At least I have the experience to know this. But it's still time to PANIC for me!!!! And I might need an emergency shopping excursion before the taping.

I'm pretty sure I can handle that. Any excuse to shop :)

(BTW, the segment will be shown on That's Life with Robin Swoboda at 10:00am on Nov. 16th )

Fall Fashion 2007 - Coats

There is a definite sense of foreboding around these parts. I am preparing for the inevitable. A chill goes down my spine as I shudder to think that winter is right around the corner.

Just like squirrels storing nuts for the winter, I am preparing myself – mentally - for dressing for the cold. In Cleveland, the coming winter is our bleak reality. Yuck.

Did you know that what we wear can make trudging through winter a little easier? Seriously! And definitely more fun too!

I’m not a boot fanatic like my friend LisaMarie. She lives for her boots and long skirts at this time of year. For me, boots are a fact of life in winter, but I do not love them passionately. I know what you’re thinking - a type of footwear I’m NOT into? SHOCKING!

Instead, my frivolous and colorful cold weather accessories are usually scarves, gloves and hats. Of course, I lose more gloves than I have to wear, but that’s beside the point. (I realize I need to clip them to my sleeves like a 3-year old.)

While not a trend follower by any means, I’ve been observing coat trends very closely. This year, the selections are especially intriguing. I’ve been undercover at the mall lately. You may have seen me – black hat, big sunglasses, super cute shoes – no, it wasn’t Posh Spice. It was me sneaking around and checking things out!

I’ve been looking for my own new winter coats. I’ve decided to be a little more daring and fun this year.

If you are planning to select some new gear for the coming chilly weather, I encourage you to check out what’s in the stores right now. It’s a really good time to buy a new coat. (And no one even paid me to say that!)

Here’s what to wear to stay toasty warm for fall and winter 2007:

Puff!
The puffer coat is hot. It’s a sporty style and looks best when worn hip-length or shorter. Long-length versions are available, but you may remind people of the Michelin Man if you wear one. Be aware that these will always make YOU look puffier, so if the goal is to look thinner, buy with caution. They are fun though….and warm.

Hmmm…..I just remembered what this reminds me of! Remember
George’s GORE-TEX® coat on Seinfeld?

Velvet
As long as it’s not purple and you don’t resemble Prince or Willy Wonka or worse, you’re in good shape. There are some gorgeous and very functional velvet coats out there. You can dress up jeans with one, or wear it for an evening out. Velvet is always luxurious. Treat yourself. You deserve it.

Belted Coats
These are everywhere. Great for defining your waistline – they look good on everyone. Those that are fitted on top and flare a bit on the bottom are the most flattering. These can be worn over almost everything. The belted coat is your workhorse.

Fur Collars
(Or faux fur, as I prefer!) Right now, you can’t walk into a store’s coat department without seeing a plethora of coats – short, long and in-between – with fur collars. These run the gamut from really fake-looking to dead ringers for real fur. The trim is usually removable, so if you aren’t feeling furry that day, you can leave it at home.

Black and White Houndstooth
This looks phenomenal on women with high contrast – very dark hair and much lighter skin. For most of us with low contrast, it may be one of the worst patterns we can wear. Simply put, it overpowers us. But its influence this season cannot be ignored. If you can wear this pattern, I recommend pairing it with one vibrantly-colored accessory. You have to balance the strength of the contrast with something equally strong – hot violet gloves, or a vibrant yellow turtleneck or bright fuchsia scarf.

Shiny Metallics!
How fun are these? Matte materials are woven with just a hint of shiny thread to give a subdued sheen or sparkle. These are ideal for the holidays or anytime, really. It jazzes up the same old boring coat styles.

***

Ladies, if you’re in the market for a new coat, this is the right time to buy. Add accessories that make you feel good (TJ Maxx has the best scarves!) and it will be spring before we know it!

(Okay, I’m just trying to make all of us feel better. It’s not even Halloween yet. Did it work??)

Migraine & Mean Monkeys

I was sick in bed with a migraine today. Thankfully, I take it pretty easy on Mondays, so I was able to attempt to sleep it off. I needed to go out for Excedrin Migraine since the Advil Migraine fast-acting liquid caps don't work nearly as well. I am feeling better, except for the light sensitivity. Ugh!

I want to attribute this to the Indians imploding over the weekend. But it's probably really from my dream early this morning about not having enough credits to graduate from college. This has been a recurring theme in dreams ever since I graduated from college many years ago.

***

God (or someone equally powerful) will probably smite me for laughing at this, but sorry, I have monkey problems too. They just haven't killed me yet.

NEW DELHI (Oct. 21) - Wild monkeys attacked a senior government official who then fell from a balcony at his home and died Sunday, media reported.

The funniest part? I don't know if it's the fact that there are "monkey catchers" who use bigger, meaner monkeys to scare away or catch the bad monkeys or that devout Hindus believe monkeys are manifestations of the monkey god Hanuman and feed them bananas and peanuts — encouraging them to frequent public places.

Really, it isn't funny - someone died. But if anyone's death could ever be humorous, this would be it. It's almost like a Monty Python sketch.

BTW, a bunch of people emailed me versions of that article today. I fear that I have been pegged as the patron saint (?) of bad monkeys. Great. Just great. I think I've been asking for it.

***

I've started putting my newsletter articles up here. The previous three posts are some of my favorites recently. I'm still trying to figure out what to write about this month and the deadline for submission (self-imposed - I also edit Kelly's and Wendy's articles) is today. The idea is always - what utter lunacy-masquerading-as-style-advice can I get away with? Monkeys in the Closet was immensely popular, as was Wardrobe Mixology (so-named because I wanted to have a cocktail party).

Okay, staring at the monitor is killing my light-sensitive eyes. Time for more Excedrin Migraine.

I am almost tempted to blame the head pain on the monkeys in my brain.....monkeys are a great scapegoat for anything! Try it sometime!!

A Sip of Style

by Kristen Kaleal

One of the most frequent challenges facing my female clients, as well as one of the most popular questions I am asked, is how to make one's wardrobe more interesting.

For some women, clothes are simply utilitarian and serve a purely functional purpose. These may be the women who have way too many pairs of jeans or call black pants their most valuable fashion asset. Or they may simply be stuck in a style rut - never varying their standard look.

People always know what to expect from them - whether it's a twinset, T-shirt, or even fancy shoes. They may fear that they have become too boring and predictable.

If you're one of those women who routinely plays it safe, but feels uninteresting and knows she is missing out on something, it's time to add some fun to your wardrobe.

And if you're one of those who is routinely fabulous, there is a way to take your fabulosity to the next level.

I get a lot of comments about the way I dress. When women say, "I could never put that kind of an outfit together - how do you know it's all going to work together when you put it on?" My secrets? Start by only buying clothes you love. Dress in what expresses your mood.

And throw them a curve.

Color and pattern not only communicate our feelings to the world, but they can also have an immediate effect on our own mood!

For more of my secrets for wearing patterns, click here.

Here's how to use this little guide:

We have our BASICS - our base garments. The vodka of our wardrobe. The pieces that can be construed as a little boring if we aren't careful.

But if we don't have these pieces, then our wardrobe has no solid foundation and we may end up looking like we have no clue about how to put an outfit together.

Next, add a SHOT. This is if you're a typically uninteresting dresser, or if you feel like you're missing something. Go for a quick shot of something unanticipated. A bright teal blouse. Red pumps. Zebra print bag.

And if you're a little more daring, throw in a TWIST of the truly unexpected (maybe even over the top) to the outfit. Something that says "WOW". An item that truly sings. A piece that no one saw coming, but makes people stand up, take notice, and tells them that you know exactly what you're doing, stylishly speaking.

Here are a few examples from my own closet:

1)
BASICS - Gray jacket, black pants (boring!) SHOT - Bright red shirt
TWIST - Gold bag and leopard print shoes.

Cool colors and warm colors can go together beautifully.

---

2)
BASICS - White denim jacket
SHOT - Here, the base garment is the shot - an orange T-shirt and cotton skirt
TWIST - Accessories! Both the necklace and bag had the same colors in them, so I simply pulled out the teal from both and selected patent teal slingbacks.

Casually elegant!

3)
BASICS - Dark wash jeans
SHOT - Lemon yellow twinset
TWIST - Red ballet flats and red polka dot tote

Put this together in 2 minutes one day! Looked like I had actually put thought into it.

---

4)
BASICS - White pants with black pinstripe
SHOT - Black patterned top, gold shoes
TWIST - The straw bag adds another layer to this outfit.

Playing with texture can be fun.

---

Here are 3 rules for adding color and pattern into your own wardrobe!

1. Have a color palette you shop within. When you find pieces like purses, shoes or necklaces that incorporate a lot of the colors you wear, buy them!

2. Buy items together. If you pick up a pair of great looking royal patent slides, pick up a top that matches them as well as a bracelet or necklace, perhaps. It's not the idea that you will wear all of these items at one time - don't be "matchy-matchy" - the idea is that you have the option to wear a couple of them at a time to look put together.

It does an amazing job of curing "I have nothing to wear" syndrome. Trust me on this.

3. Use RESTRAINT. I say this very seriously. There is a fine line between being enjoying color, pattern and accessories and being a fashion victim.

Use the rule of two. Wear a maximum of two patterns. Repeat an accent color only twice. Two colors in your outfit gives you a better basis to add interesting accessories.

Of course, rules are meant to be broken, but having the basic knowledge will take your wardrobe to that next level, help you be more daring, and truly enjoy getting dressed and have fun with your clothes.

Isn't that what it's all about?

CHEERS!

(This was originally published in our newsletter. To request reprint rights, please contact me.)

This was originally published in our July '07 newsletter.
To request reprint rights, please contact me.

CSI: Crimes of Style Investigation

by Kristen Kaleal

Have you ever been in a dressing room trying something on that looked good on the hanger, but when you put it on your body, you literally felt like leaping out of your skin?

Perhaps it was a frilly dress you could see yourself wearing to a wedding, when you normally live in jeans. Or you may try out a classic suit - because everyone is "supposed" to have one, even though you are naturally more of a creative dresser.

Perhaps it felt so wrong on you that your body was literally rejecting it!

Now think about your closet for a second. Is every article of clothing, every accessory, every single item in there a true reflection of YOU - not only does it flatter the way you look - your coloring and body shape - but does it also honor who you are on the inside?

Does it feel right when you put it on, or do you feel like you are wearing someone else's clothes? Are you consistent every day in your style?

Do your casual clothes, your work clothes and your social clothes tell a consistent story? And does that story reflect who you truly are?

Make no mistake about it, learning who you are when it comes to your personal style is EMPOWERING. It turns simply wearing clothes into a true expression of who you are.

Fashion Personality is what separates the style icons - from Jackie O., Princess Di, Audrey Hepburn and even fictional characters Annie Hall and Carrie Bradshaw - from the wannabes.

These are people and characters who understood themselves and found their style and it became a true manifestation of their inner selves. Whether through simplicity or creativity, they know who they are and how to express their inner style on the outside.

I know, for instance, that when I go into a department store, there may be ten clothing items in the entire place that will truly clothe both my body and my spirit. When I'm not wearing what I feel my best in, I don't feel quite as "me."

It is a great benefit (and a time saver) to know myself well enough that I can quickly find what I love and what will be make me feel my most authentic.

That's what the concept of fashion personality is all about. Once you wear the colors and contrast levels that harmonize with your unique coloring and after you learn to respect your body - the good, the not-so-good and the stuff you cannot change without a major investment in cosmetic surgery, the next logical step is to understand how to buy what expresses you.

Think about it this way - rebellious teenagers do this naturally. "I'm gonna wear what I want, and if you don't like it, tough!"

So why is it that as we get older, we become more afraid to be unique? We are all individuals, so why not celebrate those differences in the way we dress? You may say, "Well, I am a professional and need to dress in a certain way."

Naturally, maintain the respect you have for your job, but is there anyone telling you that you cannot wear a colorful and funky top under your conservative suit? If it feels right (and is inoffensive), who says you can't go for it?

There are six main fashion personalities. You are most likely a combination of at least two. The more I understood this concept and the more I started to evolve and understand myself, the more I found myself making things up as I went along!

Remember, your fashion life is an adventure. Celebrate it as such! Nothing is right or wrong if it feels good and expresses your personality and mood!

Here are a few examples of the six fashion personalities:

Alluring - Love to wear body-conscious shapes, low necklines, sexy shoes, etc.

Classic - Tailored lines, conservative and professional polish

Dramatic - Likes bold clothing, like to draw attention

Romantic - Soft and feminine, they love how fabrics feel!

Natural - Minimal in approach, tend like functionality and tend to gravitate toward texture

Artistic - Anything goes, mix and match - value creative expression

How do you determine your own personality? Well, you probably know yourself pretty well already! But ask yourself these questions:

1. How would you describe your current fashion style?

2. Who is your style icon?

3. If you could have only two things in fashion, what would they be?

4. How would someone describe you in terms of your clothes?

5. What would you never be caught wearing?

6. If you had unlimited store credit, where would you shop?

7. What do you wish you could wear, but can't?

And then rank yourself on a scale of 1-6, with 1 being the most like you:

Alluring _____

Classic _____

Dramatic _____

Romantic _____

Natural _____

Artistic _____

This was originally published in our Aug.'07 newsletter.
To request reprint rights, please contact me.

Monkeys in the Closet

by Kristen Kaleal

I have decided that I no longer want to hear about women with
“too many clothes and nothing to wear.” It’s so clichéd!

I have been in closet after closet over the years. I can bear witness that all women – whether you consider yourself a clotheshorse or not – have far too many clothes. The more clothes we have, naturally, the more difficult it becomes to sort through the jungle of shoes on the floor, clothes packed too tightly together on the rod, falling sweaters, and the tangled morass of belts and scarves.

It doesn’t matter whether your closet is 3’x2’ or as big as a bedroom. We all seem to fill our closets until they burst. And I bet all of us have clothes with the hangtags still on them. It’s just a matter of how many we have – one item or thirty.

When my closet gets out of hand, I blame the monkeys. I mean, it can’t be ME, buying too many clothes, making a mess when looking for the skirt I bought last spring or my boots from a couple of seasons ago. Can it? Of course not! I always leave things perfectly neat, but the monkeys that live in my closet come out when I’m not looking and leave chaos in their wake.

I’ve never actually seen these monkeys, mind you. But I know they’re there. I mean the clothes strewn about and shoes all over the place surely can’t be MY FAULT. Right?

Most of us have monkeys in our closet, whether we realize it or not. Between our loads of stuff, our organizing materials and organization skills, something is usually amiss on our closet. I have never seen anyone’s closet that is one hundred percent effectively organized and monkeyproofed to the max.

Closet monkeys are most attracted to disorganization, overbuying and clutter. If we can somehow stay organized and not have as much stuff filling our space, the monkeys won’t have as much to mess up, will they?

To keep our closet monkeys at bay, we need to:

Remove Space Wasters
If you don’t have a room devoted to dressing or a large closet (and how many of us realistically do?), it’s vital to have as little as possible in your closet. Items you have not been worn in six months to a year should have a different home, whether you have a different closet in your house to use, a temporary (fold-up) storage closet in your basement or attic, or you are able to store some stuff elsewhere. Evening dresses, cocktail dresses and various other coats are definite space wasters. Find them a new home, where you can access them when needed, but keep them out of your way.

Seasonally Rotate
Who wants to look at flowery summer dresses when you’re trudging through winter? While some may find it reminds them of sun and fun, it makes me depressed! Even worse, it takes up space you need to fill with your winter garb!

Learning how to effectively rotate you clothes from season to season is a skill itself. It has taken me many years to figure this one out, and it will have its own column this spring.

The weather throws us its own curves – after a week in the low 60’s, it was suddenly 89 degrees here, and I needed both my fall clothes and my summer ones. I keep some of my summer clothes in a wicker laundry basket until October 1^st and then I pack them away (out of sight) till May. What do YOU recommend?

Give away or throw away
We need to find ways to alleviate the overflow. This means what we don’t need, don’t wear, don’t like, and doesn’t fit. It also encompasses items that bring back bad memories, what our moms bought us but we’re too nice to say we don’t like, and other pieces with negative emotional attachment.

Give these to a charity – the Salvation Army or Goodwill take most items. If it’s something that can be worn by a professional woman, call your local Dress for Success affiliate. (Career Gear for men.)

Buy with Caution
Become really selective about what you choose to buy. Whatever comes into your closet should already match at least three pieces you already own (and preferably NOT just your black pants).

(I cannot state this enough. Make sure you love, love, love, love something before allowing it into your closet! Clothes that hang and are never worn just add to the monkey problems.)

Think Outfits
Set aside some space in your closet that is separate from your other hanging items and create outfits. I recommend having all crystal hangers in the closet – it makes everything look more uniform.

Warning: If you have really bad closet monkeys like mine, you may find that they throw hangers all over the floor. Beware! Crystal hangers are easily breakable!

The suit hanger is the best for creating outfits. Hang your pants or skirt, top, jacket, etc on there. A large storage bag for shoes and accessories can be hung over the top. And voilà! Instant outfit. Do this for outfits you need often, so you’re never caught thinking you have nothing to wear again. Trust me, you have lots of stuff!

***

Friends, it doesn’t take much to defeat our closet monkeys - and we don’t even need a tranquilizer gun! All it takes is advance planning, a system for organizing and storage, and the resolve to make good clothes buying decisions. I guarantee this will make your closet less of a jungle and more of a, well, closet.

This was originally published in our Sept. '07 newsletter.
To request reprint rights, please contact me.

Fun on Friday

Went out last night with fellow image consultant Erica Torres-Dudziak. We started out at D'vine and then went to the Best of Cleveland party at the Map Room. I toasted Kel's birthday with a glass of sangria at D'vine and then a Washington Apple. The latter is my drink of choice in the fall. It just feels like fall to me. I didn't drink enough margaritas this summer, and now it's time for the fall drink already.

I haven't been partying like I should be. This is not good. (I have vowed to make up for it this summer. I have promised myself.)

Saw Kelly Wiggins, who works for Cleveland Magazine, who was throwing the happy hour Map Room event.

Dee didn't show. What's up with that?

Anyway, Erica ate, I drank. It was a good night :)

ALCS :(

Terrible game last night. Groan. Win it already, Tribe!

And happy birthday to Kel in NYC. Love ya, girl!

I'm in LOVE....

....is something I never, ever say.

Except about 30 Rock. I am in love with 30 Rock.

Love, love, love, love, love.

I would write poems about it - if I actually could write poems.

I wait every week for Thursday. I wake up every Thursday morning excited, and I wait all day until THAT time - 8:30pm ET.

Tina, Tracy, Alec, et al. are the only thing taking me away from watching the Tribe right now.

I don't know why it's perpetually so low in the ratings. It's up against Ugly Betty and Survivor, but there have to be more people out there like me - who like their comedy shows more highbrow. I love satire and absurdity, and 30 Rock definitely delivers.

And it won the Best Comedy Emmy!!! That should count for something!!!!!

So watch 30 Rock, people. Every episode is better than the last.

Funniest line this season:

From the season premiere "Seinfeld Vision"

Jerry Seinfeld: How about I buy NBC and turn it into the biggest Lane Bryant in Midtown!
Jack Donaghy: (laughs) Right. Like you've got four million dollars just lying around-

Death by Workout

I wish I was one of those people for whom working out is a pleasure. I have never experienced the "high" some people say they get from a good workout. I have also never left the gym feeling invigorated, more alive, or more motivated than I did before I arrived.

When I leave the gym, I want to go home and curl up an die. To reinforce the death by workout theme, I also get really cold about a half hour after I work out. So cold, in fact, that I have to cover myself with a heavy blanket. Even in the summer.

I take three spinning classes a week, and I just added weight training to the mix, so I'm not in terrible shape and I'm relatively healthy. I like spinning a lot, and I'm working on enjoying weightlifting. So I see no reason to constantly feel yucky right after the gym.

I have to start quizzing these people who claim to feel great after a workout.

Are they crazy....or am I?

My streak continues.....

I was at the Browns game Sunday with my buddy Dan Hanson, and you know what? They won again - pretty convincingly. Of course this pushes the Dolphins to 0-6, but the Browns are at a fairly decent .500.

When I'm in attendance, they win.

Definitely not a coincidence!

I'm enjoying watching the ALCS right now (and I NEVER watch baseball!), but there's nothing like a Browns game. Watching the Browns makes me nostalgic for my childhood (Bernie!) like nothing else.

Whether the team is terrible or so-so (the idea of them being good is beyond the scope of my imagination right now), watching the Browns never fails to make me remember why Cleveland is a good place to be.

Fortunately, I was conscious of dangerous flying elbows this time around, although I considered wearing a hard hat. Or maybe an orange helmet would have been more appropriate.

I do love orange....

Perez sez....

KK is, like millions of others around the country, addicted to celeb-watching blogger Perez Hilton. (Thanks a lot for getting me hooked, Kel! Grrrr!!!)

I was reading an interview with the "Queen of All Media" from the current issue of Rolling Stone, and Perez's motto sounded good, so I'm gonna steal it.

Most people who know me know I just want to have fun. If it's not fun, it's not worth doing.

Here's what Perez said:

Just have fun.
And if it's not fun, make it fun.
Follow the fun, create the fun, be all about having fun.

I totally love that!!!

It will be so fun to have fun again after this book is finished!!!

ClevelandWomen.com Future Leaders

Two Fridays ago, I had the opportunity to return to my alma mater, John Carroll for the inaugural ClevelandWomen.com Future Leaders event.

Here's what it said on the event recap:

Kristen Kaleal, image and style expert for ClevelandWomen.com gave a presentation entitled "Learning to Shine."

Kristen gave fashion and style tips culled from her speaking engagements across the country. Her "Before and After" images and Fall fashion trends drew comment and debate from the excited crowd.

ClevelandWomen.Com and Kristen will be announcing a makeover opportunity for members of the 2007 Future Leaders Class so stay tuned.

(We've been talking about doing ClevelandWomen.com makeovers, so we'll see if that happens.)

Here's a pic of me and Marybeth Mack from Hillcrest Hospital.

Burgundy and my favorite color!

I have a tendency to stock up on corduroy jackets in the Fall. I pretty much have a rainbow of them in my closet. This year, I found a great chocolate brown one and its twin in burgundy.

I was over at my grandparents' watching Game 1 of the ALCS (Go Tribe!) with them and my mom. I had the burgundy jacket in the car, so I brought it in to show them.

My gram asked what I was planning to wear it with and my mom piped in and said I could wear it with navy, black, beige, etc.

Know what I said?

"I'm thinking orange."

My mom said (barely hiding her disgust), "That wouldn't be my first choice."

And I was like, "Trust me."

So I will be wearing it Friday with a fine-gauge salmon short-sleeve sweater. I'm going to D'Vine for cocktails with Erica and then to a Best of Cleveland party at the Map Room with Dee and Kelly W.

I think it will look pretty good....

When it Rains, it Pours

I would have had an exciting week without all the stuff happening in my own backyard.

All hell broke loose Wednesday in Cleveland. The first sign was the black smoke billowing from behind the trees. What the--? Then I heard a train had exploded. This happened about 3 miles from home, so that was of immediate concern for me

I turned on the TV to see what was up. Ethanol was burning and they were trying to keep a tank filled with propane from exploding. Scary stuff. So close to home....

And then I saw the school shooting on the national news.

Cleveland rarely makes the national news, but twice on the same day? I hate to say that it was kind of exciting in a weird sort of way.

I don't want to speculate on the state of local schools or the shooter's personal demons that drove him to this act. I don't know enough of the facts to make any bold proclamations.

But -

Know what I'm thankful for?

That the kid was obviously a poor shot and only he ended up dead. This could have been SO much worse.

I certainly hope administrators will listen to students when they tell them another student is a threat. We always hear that there are warning signs before someone commits an act like this. Why wasn't the principal listening? I heard she said she was "too busy."

And how much would it realistically cost to have metal detectors that actually work and are used regularly?

Will this change anythng? I certainly hope so, but I don't have much faith. But I do know this - the national news is not where we want to be.

Let's prevent this from happening again.

Future Leaders

I am delighted to be speaking for the ClevelandWomen.com Future Leaders Inaugural Event happening tomorrow at my alma mater, John Carroll. This seminar is for over a hundred area high school girls who have been selected as having leadership potential. Schools represented will be urban, suburban, public and private.

Those who know me know I believe very strongly in young women having access to good female role models. We all know there are some absolutely terrible ones out there.

Scheduled to speak at the event are Kim Wheeler from Channel 3 (she actually interviewed me awhile ago), Cathy Horton (formerly Panzica), Lyndsey Walker - managing editor of Inside Business, and my dear friend and former high school cheerleading buddy (!!) DeLiska "Dee" McGhee from AmTrust Bank.

(Stephanie Tubbs Jones was supposed to be on the agenda, but apparently has to be in D.C. for a vote tomorrow.)

Since everyone else's topics will be leadership and career guidance sort of stuff, my program, "Learning to Shine" will provide a lighthearted look at dressing apppropriately to get ahead in life and beginning to build a personal style that isn't based on "labels" and what everyone else is wearing.

Helping to guide the future female leaders of Cleveland and the world...what an awesome opportunity!

Ann Coulter, You Look Like Crap

First off, this is NOT a political commentary. I am too turned off by politicians and pundits to care anymore.

But when I turned on the TV this morning, I saw something really, really scary that I had completely forgotten about. I guess Halloween is early this year.

Ann Coulter is one of the most clueless people I have ever seen. And I am not even talking about her political views. The way she looks completely turns me off (and I suspect many, many, many others) even before she opens her mouth.

Case in point:

Overly long hair on a woman of a certain age, who also happens to have a long, skinny face is a recipe for disaster. And it is far worse when she is whipping it back and forth every minute or so, in what I assume to be a nervous tick.

Horrible.

And if one has insanely long and skinny appendages – like a praying mantis – why would you make yourself look many times worse by showing them off? Coulter is known for wearing sleeveless black tops and dresses. Today, thankfully, she had on some kind of oatmeal-colored long sleeve top with a short, short, ridiculously short black skirt, which you could see every time the camera pulled back for a wide shot. This made me wonder - was she going for the Britney getting out of a car look??

Adding to the craziness, she was also wearing knee-high black dominatrix boots.

This is someone who is already made fun of by the media and the viewing audience for her extreme views. But she adds fuel to the fire by looking like a trainwreck. Not only can what you say and what you write be criticized, Ann, but your appearance, which YOU CAN CONTROL, is also widely condemned.

If you were as smart as you think you are, you would see that this is a seious problem and take steps to fix it. You may be one of those types who thinks that fashion is frivolous and unnecessary to get your serious message across. But you would be mistaken.

Two words:
IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT

This means that you have the power to control what others think of you by strategically planning your image.

I might even be fair and open my ears to hear what you have to say, but I refuse to do so because the way you look repels me so strongly.