bornfashionable may sound pretentious but I chose this for two reasons. First, anyone who had ever known my parents would know that I was born to very stylish parents. My Mother was quite beautiful . . . someone once mistook her for Ingrid Bergman's little sister. Some daughters learn how to cook, garden, sew or acquire other domestic skills from their moms. My Mother was not gifted at any of these endeavors but she had a great eye for clothing and was always highly stylish. I loved traveling to NYC with her and visiting a jewel box of a shop on Madison and 65th. It was Mariko--smaller than a shoe box and Mariko and her mother made clothes. My Mother had beautiful clothes made there; mostly black, very tailored pieces with flashes of hot pink or green. Mariko was the most sophisticated woman I could ever imagine; simply dressed with beautiful paste jewels in rich colors. I loved that my Mother knew of this store and enjoyed the process of fitting and selections of fabric.

My Dad also loved "dressing" and I always ran upstairs after breakfast to help him. He only wore white, french-cuffed shirts from Sulka. I loved to select the cufflinks and ties that he would wear each day and just"visiting" with him before we went our separate ways: I to school and he to work. The art of dressing, I acquired from my Dad.

The second reason I chose this title for my blog is that I believe all people are born fashionable. They are born with their best colors, features, build and "soul" for them. Far too many lose their way, trying to look like someone else, buying into a plastic look or not taking the time to care for themselves. Too many women rush out having jumped out of a shower, running a comb through their hair in ill-fitted clothing. It is no service to them or to those who admire and love them. Dressing is an art. It is not about money, trends or looking like someone other than yourself; it is about self-respect for each persons' individual beauty. Time is short. We should make ourselves little gems every day.