Fall is almost here, bringing crisper weather and lots of great new trends. Fashionistas everywhere are carefully analyzing the latest looks in dozens of fashion magazines. However, fashion is not my strong suit. (Pun intended.)

What’s spring without fashion? Probably something like summer without at least a few long weekends. The weather is nice but where’s the fun?

If you need ideas of how to edit your wardrobe, so that you too can ’shop’ in your closet and not feel overwhelmed when you open your closet door or drawers, then take a look at these four simple steps.

Fall is here, and with it comes fall fashion. Magazine pages are filled with striking images of women wearing the latest designs. But what’s an average woman to do? What’s the best way to incorporate the latest trends into an existing wardrobe? And how can one accomplish that on a budget?

It has always bothered me that so many of the fashion layouts in the magazines, or that the “must have” items costing hundreds (or even more) of dollars make it either impossible or ridiculous to buy the items that the designers or magazine editors are telling you are essential for you in which to look good or to be in style.

Everyone is talking now about finding ways to make extra money and avoid over spending. But did you know that there is money hiding in your closet and drawers? Allow me the opportunity to provide you with some ideas as to how you, too, can discover the extra cash hidden in your wardrobe, drawers, and even in your shoeboxes.

Earlier this month, a textile mill in Tennessee closed abruptly one day when the owner couldn't make payroll. Hundreds of people were thrown out of work. In Colorado, a friend is waiting to see whether her husband will lose his job of 20 years because his company hit rough times and became vulnerable to a hostile takeover. Here in Delaware, several friends who work at Bank of America have already lost their jobs.

As the summer heat arrives, the temptation to wear less to stay cool is as high as the temperature is rising. Which reminds me of the song, and famous ad campaign titled "Who Wears Short Shorts?" Hopefully no one who is on the job or networking to increase her business, income, or status.

Can changing how you dress REALLY change your life? We see variations of the story often enough in the movies, in everything from My Fair Lady (1964) to The Princess Diaries (2001), but could such a thing REALLY happen to the average woman on the street?

One of the moms at my girls' summer camp ranks among the chicest women I know. With her dark hair pulled into a low ponytail, her Jackie-O sunglasses hiding her eyes, and the sleeveless tops that show off her well-toned arms, she looks like she stepped out of the pages of HARPER'S BAZAAR. Yet at the same time, there's an air of unfussiness about her, as if her appearance is the last thing on her mind.

I know you do not need any reminding about the current financial situation in our country, or how it affects all of us in one way or another. Despite that, it is still extremely important to put your best ‘look’ forward, and it is even more important during these difficult times.

A fashionista is someone who devoutly follows fashion, like the Carrie Bradshaw character in "Sex in the City." Fashionistas often put fashion before comfort or even common sense, often wearing clothes that are inappropriate for the occasion or the weather. I know. I used to be one.

I know it is hard to believe that it is already the end of summer, but as you have most probably noticed, the days are shorter and the nights are, thankfully, cooler. The time has come to put away our Capri’s and sandals, and get our wardrobes ready for the cooler weather of fall and winter.

One of the best ways to stay cool in warm weather is to skip the shorts or cropped pants and reach for a skirt instead. Not only do skirts allow for air circulation, they offer a formality that gets you into all sorts of places where shorts just don't fare well, like upscale restaurants, religious services, and if you're traveling internationally, many cathedrals or museums.

If you need to add to your spring wardrobe this year and want to look current without being trendy, what are your best bets? Classic pieces, of course. Not only will these help you look crisp and pulled together all season, they'll stay in style for several years so you can get your money's worth when buying them.

If you've been putting off adding to your wardrobe this season, now's the time to make plans to hit the stores. With the best selections available early and retailers reporting their best season in years, you might find yourself empty-handed if you wait too much longer. What's more, if you fill out your wardrobe NOW, it'll be one less thing to worry about once the weather grows cold.

Despite several inches of snow on the ground, according to the calendar Spring is only a few days away. You know what that means, it's time to pull out our warm weather wardrobe and head to the stores for a little shopping.

The holidays were six weeks ago and Passover and Easter are still months away. The new clothes you couldn't wait to wear in October have long since lost their luster, and it seems like an eternity before the new season rolls around.

After a dismal holiday season, markdowns and discounts are already underway. If you shop smart these post-holiday sales can be a great opportunity to both upgrade and update your look.

Been clothes shopping lately? I have, and as always, I continue to be annoyed by the lack of standardized sizing in women's clothes. After nearly two hundred years of cranking out ready-to-wear clothing, you'd think this multi-billion-dollar industry would have arrived at a more exacting way to size their merchandise. Unfortunately, they haven't.

Well, it's official: the business suit, pushed to the back of the closet during the dot com era, is now back in a big way.

Well, we're only halfway through summer and I've officially seen enough bad dressers this season to last me well into fall. The saturation point came at the Fourth of July celebration in the park last week when I saw enough dimpled thighs, flabby arms, bulging bellies, and sagging breasts to last me a good long time. And that was just on the men.

What is a "fashion victim"? You've probably heard the term used before on both television and in magazines, but what are critics referring to? And why are these folks called "victims"?

"There ought to be a law against looking that good this early in the morning with three little kids in tow," another mother told me recently at our preschool. "Stop it! You're making the rest of us look bad!"

Cleaning your closet is easy, once you get going If you can't set aside a chunk of time to do this or if the thought of doing it all at one time is so intimidating that it will make you put it off indefinitely, then start in short, concentrated spurts, like by the drawer or by the closet section. Once you get going, it shouldn't take too long.

Business casual: What does it really mean? On a bright spring day several years ago, when the sky was bright blue, the tulips were in full bloom, and I was considering playing hooky as I walked into work, one of my accounting clerks sped by me in a flesh. Or was that flash? I still don't know.

There are several things for which I will always remember my 7th grade teacher, Mrs. H.: 1) She was a math wiz, 2) ...

Have an invitation to a wedding? Before you hit the mall or surf the web to find something to wear, take a little time to determine what's appropriate. It will make your quest that much easier.

As the summer heat arrives, the temptation to wear less to stay cool is as high as the temperature is rising. Which reminds me of the song, and famous ad campaign titled Who Wears Short Shorts? Hopefully no one who is on the job or networking to increase her business, income, or status.

What, exactly, is "appropriate" business attire? That's sort of like asking, "How long is a piece of string?" It's not a "one size fits all" proposition. It depends on your line of work, your corporate culture, and your audience

Clothing capsules are a clever way to extend your wardrobe and do a lot with a little. Once you understand how they work, you'll begin to plan your wardrobe around them and give yourself tons of options--and no longer tempted to waste money on impulse items that don't go with anything else you own.

While the world may be leaning toward more casual attire, there are still a number of fashion faux pas you need to avoid regardless of the occasion or dress code. They include...

Everyone loves to receive a sincere compliment. Comments like "You did a terrific job!" or "You look wonderful" make us feel good inside. And when we feel good about ourselves, it shows in our facial expression and our body language.

Everything old is new again. There's nothing like the pages of a fashion magazine to illustrate that line. As I browsed through the spring issues I felt like I was back in school again.

Several years ago, a woman I know who frequently publishes in her field wrote an article that was particularly well received by her peers. As a result, she received several speaking invitations. Since each of the offers included an honorarium, she was thrilled to have stumbled across what she believed would become a lucrative second income.

March, New York--Deanna Brooks appeared from behind the cheerful pink and yellow plaid curtains of the Bottomless Closet dressing area with a look of wonder on her face. Thirty- seven years old and the single mother of four children, with an 11- and 18 year-old still at home, Brooks is now eager to put her days on public assistance behind her.

Congratulations, you got the job interview. You have your foot in the proverbial door. Now is your chance to impress them with you. Take a tip from the advertising industry: presentation is everything. When you walk in the door and shake the interviewer's hand the first thing you will be judged on is your appearance.