My sister and me on the first day of 2nd and 5th grade. You're welcome.

You might not be able to tell from this photo, but I was not born with an amazing sense of fashion. I’ve never been into purses or shoes (except the kind you wear with scrunch socks, obviously) and clothing stores usually overwhelm me with all the choices and the price tags. In fact, my husband likes shopping and fashion more than I do! But, I do recognize that clothes can be a fun way to express personality and I’ve noticed that I feel more confident when I’m wearing an outfit that I really like.

I feel that the fashion gods would disapprove but I’ve actually found a lot of help from a book about fashion! Two years ago one of my stylish girl friends told me about a book that she was reading that lists 100 pieces of fashion that every woman should own. The idea of approaching fashion in an organized manner and with a LIST was incredibly appealing to me. I bought my own copy of the book and it’s changed the way I approach clothes shopping and made it less stressful.

As the title implies, The One Hundred lists the 100 pieces of fashion that Nina Garcia ("from the hit show Project Runway" as the cover proclaims) thinks every woman should own, in alphabetical order (you know I love it). The descriptions also explain why a piece is timeless and how you might wear it. A few examples are: aviator sunglasses, ballet flats, converse shoes, diamond studs, jeans, little black dress, perfume, sandals, and underwear (practical!). 

I really like this idea of having a wardrobe of classic pieces that can be used for several seasons and for different occasions. My approach to clothing is now to focus on buying better-quality, classic pieces that should last a few years, even if that means they are initially more expensive. It doesn't have to mean spending more money, though! I also use The One Hundred list to look for classic pieces at bargain prices at thrift stores like Goodwill. Having this list has helped me to feel less overwhelmed at stores because I now focus on looking for more classic pieces as opposed to getting caught up in what’s trendy for the season. 

I feel like such a nerd for admitting that I get fashion advice from a book! But if we could all review that photo above...you can see it's probably for the best.