I love lists; I love the illusion of order and control that a list gives me.  I make lists all the time; lists are soothing and comforting and calming.  But a list can also be limiting, because it makes us conscious of what is left out.  The whole idea of a To Do list, for example, is to eliminate all the unnecessary things that clutter our day so that we can focus ONLY on the list and GET THINGS DONE.  And while this kind of focus can be helpful, it can also be stressful, because we're aware of all the possibilities we are passing by.

I'm not someone who typically advocates jumping on the trend bandwagon, for several reasons. Not all trends are created equally, for starters, and what works on a bunch of teenage runway models in Milan may very well not work for your everyday-working-girl, mom-on-the-go, real-woman-with-hips life. Or body. Or budget! And we all know that buying into every trend leaves you with a closet full of nothing to wear. But that doesn't mean that indulging, in moderation, in some carefully chosen trends is completely out. The trick is to identify the trends, and THEN identify the trends that will work for YOU. Then take those pieces and mix them in with your current basics for a look that is current and yet still classic.

Next Thursday is Thanksgiving, the official start of the Eat, Drink, and Hope Your Pants Don't Split season, which means it's time to take your party on the road and spend hours noshing in front of someone else's television. Oh, don't pretend that's not what you'll be doing. You know it is. And you won't be alone: AAA estimates that approximately 37.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from their homes next week. The real question, of course, isn't where are we going but what are we PACKING? As little as possible, of course.

I will be a new teacher in Texas next fall, and I am really lost for what to wear! I am only 22 (will be 23 then) and I want to be fashionable, professional (a must) and comfortable. I really like the idea of a "basic" wardrobe" and I've studied all of the lists, but they all seem geared to older more office-y type ladies. My current wardrobe resembles any college senior's: jeans, school skirts, various "I'm going somewhere other than school" items, and tennis shoes. Obviously I am starting from the ground up. Any advice? Maybe a suggested list?

Now that your closet is clean (your closet IS clean, isn't it?), it's time to talk about basic wardrobing pieces. The basics are the building blocks of your wardrobe, essential pieces that you can mix and match with virtually everything else in your closet to create a look that will work every day. The basics are NOT a complete wardrobe by themselves, although you CAN wear them together; instead, think of them as a foundation that you can use to build a look that is distinctly yours. Let's start with the most basic of basics: the white shirt and blue jeans.

Off the top of your head, tell me this: how much of your wardrobe do you REALLY wear, on a regular basis? Half? A third? Or, as our own Chris guessed when I asked about her closet, ten percent? Be honest.