Oat Monkey

     I remember standing near the fountain at Lincoln Center on one of my first visits to New York City and thinking, I'm going to sing there.  I'm going to perform at the Metropolitan Opera.
     Well, sometimes fate surprises you and you end up performing next door to the Metropolitan Opera.  As a puppeteer.  Playing a baby horse.  And it can still be pretty amazing.
      One of the directors of War Horse, Tom Morris, helped us to find the small animal's perspective by making sure that we never sentimentalized his motives.  Yes, we had to bond with Albert, the other main character, but at first, let's face it:  Albert was feeding Joey oats. But really, he was only just another monkey.  So we affectionately referred to Seth Numrich, the actor playing Albert, as "Oat Monkey".
     As it turns out, like Joey, I love oats.  I love them in the morning, in the form of granola.  But at $6 a pound or so, plus 8 grams of fat, who's wallet or waistline can afford to eat it every day?  Plus I hate buying boxes of cereal with all the unnecessary packaging.
      Renaissance Girl's answer?  I buy a large round tub of old fashioned oats for around $3 and then pick up a bag of my favorite granola (Trader Joe's sells Granola and the Three Berries which is about $3 a package or there's always bulk at Whole Foods).  Every morning I pour 2/3rds oats to 1/3 granola and then milk or rice milk on top, maybe with a few raw almonds or cashews sprinkled on top and voila!  The perfect bowl of cereal, more for less money and fat!  Oats area  much better source of wheat to get your carbohydrates in the morning and with the added protein in the nuts, you're set until lunchtime.   
      I always find something I have in common with the characters I portray on stage.  Even the four legged kind.

Pictured below:  Me with David Pegram and Stephen James Anthony as Baby Joey in War Horse at Lincoln Center 2011

Thankful for Coats

This Thanksgiving I'm thankful for you, my faithful readers.

AND for my faux leopard swing coat and Ted's charcoal wool dress coat that I bought at last year's Salvation Army Coat Sale, both worn to the recent opening of the play Elling (starring Denis O'Hare and Brandan Fraser) on Broadway at the Soho House! (paired here with a winter white lace mini dress that I found for $15 at H & M and a long gold chain and pendant I bought at a flea market for $8)

AND for our friend Kelly (pictured here) who accompanied us to the opening.

AND for the coat sale that is coming up at 9:30am on Saturday, December 4th at the Salvation Army between 10th and 11th.

It's good to be Ren!

Dulcinea Beauty Tip #3: Fall in Love

In the final scene of Man of La Mancha, Aldonza assumes Don Quixote's name for her, Dulcinea, partly because he is the first man to ever fall in love with her, but also because after his death, she learns that it is up to her to love herself.

In Hilton Head, I got in the best shape of my life partly because of the intense fight choreography, partly because of 4 hour volleyball matches on the beach, but mostly because I fell in love... with running.

The best way to get in shape and then stay in shape is to find a physical activity that you will do every other day not only because you know it's good for you, but that you can't stand to NOT do it, that when you have to skip a day you miss it. And even better, is to fall in love with an activity that is FREE and that you can do anywhere you are, summer or winter.

Every other day, I would run out of the girl's cast housing and down the street, over the white sand dunes sprouting with tall grasses, and out onto the beach. With Dixie Chicks (Taking the Long Way Home) or Melissa Etheridge playing in my iPod, I'd challenge myself to go farther and farther each day, finding the perfect strip of sand that wasn't too hard packed by the receding tide nor too dry and loose to get my footing. Even with inclement weather threatening, the beach was the best setting for inspiring intervals of jogging and full out sprints. I raced dolphins and watched pelicans and ospreys hunt in the waves. A number of times, I even ran barefoot (inspired by an interview on NPR about running shoes being uncessary) and found it even more exhilerating (though my toes ended up with blisters between them from the sand).

Before long, my clothes were looser and I felt stronger and stronger and then my days between runs I found myself missing the beach.

Back in New York, 80 degree days are in the past, but I've held to my regimen and pretend that the New York sidewalks are the packed down sand of the beach. On cold or rainy days, I walk stairs, taking the elevator down and repeating the climb until I've climbed at least as high as the Empire State Building.

And it's wonderful to be back to my first true love: my husband.

What have you fallen in love with?

Fall Bitch and Swap

Have you thrown your Bitch and Swap yet? What did you get?

The Dulcinea Project

It's no secret. I've been away.

And I haven't been blogging.

And I'm sorry.

But sometimes a Renaissance Girl has to take some Me-time, some away time, and get some perspective.

And this time, I got it while playing the filthy, lowest of the low woman-for-sale Aldonza in Man of La Mancha (pictured at right).

I realized that for the past 6 months, though I find pleasure in the creativity and imagination it takes to live well on an artist's budget, I have grown weary of making ends meet, of making just enough to squeak by. And I admit this, knowing that a lot of you are feeling the same way. And it's okay. It's the recession, baby.

But I regret that I stopped writing...

In the next few posts, I will write some beauty tips I discovered and utilized while making my transformation, onstage and off, from cheap jack- of- all trades Aldonza to beautiful superstar Dulcinea, including a dramatic body image change. It took diving into one of the most difficult roles I've ever performed to find myself and to know I've been here all along; I just needed to figure out where to dig and what to shed.

And it still didn't cost a cent, just a gamble.

Maybe I'll call it, The Dulcinea Project.

Three Coat Sales!

No, I haven't posted in a while, but yes, I want you to know about the upcoming Salvation Army Coat Sales!

• Saturday, November 6th 9:30am to 5pm
• Saturday, December 4th 9:30am to 5pm
• Saturday, January 8th 9:30am to 5pm

Check back to my first Coat Sale posting for my tips to navigating these hectic and hilarious events.

And I promise to post again soon!

The OTHER Shakespeare in the Park

Shakespeare in the Park, brought to you by the Public Theater, went back to a wonderful and often unattainable conquest: Rep. Most of the actors perform in both Winters Tale and A Merchant's Tale. Ted and I saw both shows at the Delacorte Theater this summer: Beautiful, ethereal, clever, starstudded...

...and sanitary.

Call me crazy, but I like my Shakespeare (and most theater, for that matter) more hands on, more about human contact and imperfection. So when I went to see New York Classical Theater's production of Much Ado About Nothing (starring my longtime friend and onstage husband, Company, Fred Rose) Saturday night, I was, at long last, sated.

And yes, I am blogging about both because they are free to the public (with a suggested donation, of course) and they are at the top of my list of New York summer adventures, but I have to admit, when I heard that I'd have to sit on the pavement to see Much Ado and then get up and move around to various locations all around Battery Park with a hundred other various strangers, I anticipated the grumpiness that only a long time New Yorker who avoids events like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting and Macy's Thanksgiving Parade trully knows.

But at least until the word gets out, there is no standing in line starting at 6am for a New York Classical Theater Shakespeare play. Once you know where to meet for the initial scene, you just jump in with the crowd and don't get too comfortable. Which I found to be, unexpectedly, the beauty of this concept.

I joined Benedick, Beatrice, Hero and their friends in Castle Clinton, along with 150 other people of all ages, shapes, colors, and species (Duffy the dog was mezmerized by the fight scenes). Each theatergoer was respectful and eager to find out what happened at the next location (kids ended up in a race), all of which served as a great background for the 1940's seafaring concept.

When the sun went behind the horizon (Battery Park sunsets over Jersey City and the statue of liberty are pretty spectacular) the same assistants that ushered the crowd to the next location held flashlights as spotlights. Occasionally, ambient noise competed with the dialogue, but the actor's vocal work was impressive and the audience seemed to hang on every word of the abbreviated script. The acting and directing was strong and the story prevailed. And I never had a chance to sit and tune out. We were all a part of the experience.

As of next week, Much Ado moves to Central Park at 103rd Street, the exact location is listed on the website. Bring comfortable shoes, shorts/pants that you don't mind getting dirty, something to sit on that you can easily carry from place to place, and friends.

Trees Are Cool

Check out this The Lower East Side Ecology Center's website for instructions on how to safely recycle and for a money saving tip that we should all remember:

"The net cooling effect of one young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-sized air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.

How's that for free?

And true. I just returned from the O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut where I was in a 12 day workshop reading of an amazing new musical called "Clear" written by Paul Stovall and the best place to cool off was under one of the amazing huge trees on the grounds. There are photos of famous actors and playwrights and directors (Woody Allen, August Wilson, etc.) under what was known as the Conference Tree. What an amazing creative meeting place! Holy Ground, as our musical director/cast member Brad Simmons said.

Yay trees!

And yay Lower East Side Ecology Center!

All because of a Blog

Donna Lynn Champlin is my newest Ren Girl Hero.

For under $1,000 she recorded and released her debut album, Old Friends.

Mine, with the amazing discounted and free help of dozens of musician friends cost $10,000. In this Broadway World article, Champlin relates her story of how simply blogging about her adventure, she assembled her team and emerged with a record winning album!

Guess what my next project is?

Second Annual Bitch and Swap

It's a small world in this big city.

I was doing a reading of a new musical and met two marvelous new actors who had just come from a hike upstate: first clue that we probably had tons in common... But then I found out that Anna (who has a blog, too!) is also from Missoula Montana! Next (drumroll ladies and gentlemen) I invited her to my Bitch and Swap.... and she couldn't come because she was already having one that week! What?

But we did compare notes afterwards on Facebook. Seems more people are into purging than acquiring and we both had huge piles to bring to Sally's (thank you Renee for filling up your car the next morning!) and varying sizes of donated clothes are inevitable and everyone has more fun if none of that matters.

How was your Bitch and Swap Potluck?

Live-Laughs.com

Last month, I went on a retreat with my sisters Mary Brienza and Kathryn Markey.

Okay, it wasn't really a retreat and I don't really have real sisters. The venue was the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor Long Island and Mary an Kathryn are my stage "sisters" in the Country Western Comedy trio "The Chalks". We were on a quest to finally write the script that has been the result of years of fun on stage and Tom Caruso, our new director, was going to take us there!

In one week, we finished writing, changed, changed again, and then performed memorized our new musical, The Chalks: A Family in Three Chords! It was a huge challenge, but with an audience that barely stopped laughing enough to catch their breaths, well worth the trip!

Back in December, Live-Laughs.com came and filmed our unscripted live show at the Laurie Beechman Theater and you can still watch it (for free!) along with many other New York Comedians. They do a great job of making videos of live shows.

Check us out because seeing a Chalks show isn't going to be a bargain forever!

Travel Zoo.com

No, no animals involved.

My cousin Kim tipped me off to this website last year and yesterday I cashed in!

It takes seconds to go to travelzoo.com and sign up and immediately, you begin receiving update emails about travel discount deals that have just been announced. There are hotels and theater tickets as well as true cheap airline tickets (January round trip to San Diego: $275 including all fees and taxes!).

Who says you can't afford to get away? Go to the Zoo!

Coat Sale Redux

BAD NEWS: You may have missed a great coat sale at the Salvation Army this last Saturday.

But two close friends, hundreds of New Yorkers, and I didn't!

Kevin and Sarah of We Click Photography and Kevin Fox Photography are spending more time in the Great White North and wanted to stock up on winter coats so they met me there early, following all of my advice (Except for bringing their own cart. Difficult on a motorcycle...).

I knew I was only looking for a fur vest (to pair with skinny jeans and a blousy top with long necklaces and high boots) so my pile of coats at checkout paled in comparison to theirs. But how could Sarah resist 2 long embroidered suede jackets, a hooded shearling, a thoroughly hip skin colored short fitted car coat with a long collar, an adorable shearling vest, and two coats for Kevin to replace decade-old favorites? She couldn't. And she didn't!

Some highlights of the morning:

Leenya: Wow! This is a gorgeous coat, but with purple and green embroidery, I don't know if Sarah will go for it.

Kevin: You never know. Some people's "loud" are a belly dancer's "blah". (Sarah is a fabulicious belly dancer)

Kooky Mirror Hogging Lady: Oh, you again! Just buy the coat! How much can it be? $25? Just buy it!

Leenya: I know, but do you think it actually works on me? I mean, do I really need a medium length fake leopard swing coat? (answer: yes, I did.)

GOOD NEWS: There's another one Saturday November 7th at 9am!

Get Your Feet Wet

Chad's in town!

So I had an excuse to go shopping!

It was a Sunday, so Salvation Army Stores were all closed, but that didn't stop us. We headed to Chelsea to visit some great thrift and resale shops, both raising money for some amazing charities.

And, I kept thinking, though the prices are slightly higher than at Sally's and the Good Will, they would be great places for those who are intimidated by thrift shopping but want to get their feet wet.

Our first stop was Housing Works at 173 W. 17th St. (note various locations all over the city) and the clothes and shoes are in excellent condition in general but the star here is the furniture. If you're furnishing your first apartment (or want to replace your worn-out Ikea starters with unique stylish pieces), start here! Couches, bureaus, prints, dishes, all in excellent condition and often designer. The money raised from

donations and sales go to help victims of HIV and AIDS.

Our next stop was right across the street at the Angel Street Thrift Shop, also raising money to fight HIV/AIDS as well as substance abuse and mental illness. Their collection of clothing was much more extensive and also organized in a way that would seem much less overwhelming to a thrifting novice. Again, some designer clothes and shoes, all in excellent condition. I found an amazing black Zara dress shirt for Ted for $11.00. In general, prices were similar to Housing Works.

Since we were so close, we headed too 6th Ave. and upstairs to T.J. Maxx and Filene's Basement where I found some wardrobe staples for my hubby and as we made our way back uptown, we happened on two sample sales, one was even Dolce and Gabbana! Prices cut by 85 % sounded amazing, until we couldn't find a price tag for less than $490.00! Some gowns were still priced at $8,900.00, the price of a good used car. We quickly realized that we knew something that the sample sale shoppers didn't know, that true bargain treasure is found only in our resale shops!

As we walked, we talked about the value of reusing and recycling and how it is the future of our economy.

What a day! Quality time with my best friend, saving the world, and shopping, all at the same time!

Free Summer Fun

If you find yourself hanging around New York this summer, never fear! Free events are here... especially along the Hudson River! Music, Dance, and even Movies are happening on the piers along the Westside of Manhattan. Go to www.hudsonriverpark.org for a complete guide to your summer schedule.

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

Going to Boston, D.C., or Philly from NYC? 

Now I'm a Western Girl at heart, but one of the reasons I call the NorthEast my new love (I still love you, Rockies!) is mass transit.  You can do a lot of exploring without a car or a lot of cash.  

Getting from big city to big city is the easiest.  I still haven't heard a convincing reason to spend airline prices on the train (is it really that much cleaner or quieter?) and unless you have to travel more than 500 miles, by the time you get to the airport and through security, flying actually takes up more of your precious time (and dollars).  So what would Leenya do?

Leenya would take the bus, of course!

Most people know about buses that transport passengers every hour on the hour from Chinatown to Chinatown (Fung Wah and Lucky Star to name a few) but when I was working at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA last spring, I had a chance to do some research.  Now the Megabus travels to more cities, but when it comes to reliability, professionalism, and cleanliness, I think the Bolt Bus is the best.  If you buy online, tickets are around $18.50 each way and you're guaranteed a seat.  Frequent travel earns you a free trip as well.   

After online checkout, you are given a street corner on which to wait but don't let that discourage you.  Arrive fifteen minutes ahead of your departure time and you'll join a group of mostly Harvard students and their rolling bags.  The driver of the humongous orange and black bus will call your reservation letters and you'll show what you printed up on your computer or a text that they sent to your cell phone and your photo ID.   Travel time during non-peak traffic hours is approximately 4.5 hours and you have a choice of departure points in New York.  And don't forget your laptop!  Free WiFi and even an electrical outlet await you. 

  Just know that if you want to travel late night, you'll have to check out the Chinatown bus that offers more travel times per day and is easier to just walk up with $20 dollars cash and buy a ticket.  Talk about flexibility...

Now I actually called a bus my home when I toured the continent as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.  I remember stumbling out of a different hotel at 6:00 am every morning and falling back to sleep on my familiar velour seat until we'd reached a diner somewhere in South Carolina or Saskatchewan.  I think there's still something about the winding of the wheels that lulls me to sleep.   

Now you have no excuse.  Adventure awaits!  Hop on the bus!

(Don't have money to hire a filmmaker for your first videos of your band?  What Would Leenya Do?  Leenya would make her own using iMovie on her Mac!  Enjoy the latest tour bus entertainment on the web:  The Chalk Talk Express Bus Cam)  

New Year's Eve

My cousin Molly and her husband, Richard,  met Ted and I at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine to hear my brother, Vale, sing at the New Year's Eve Concert for Peace.  I was so proud of Molly when I heard that despite the frigid cold, she still tried to take mass transportation that night. Richard said that she kept saying, "Come on, what would Leenya do?"

Unfortunately, I must confess, the answer to that question was easily answered with "She'd take a cab." 

  When it was this cold and as we came out of the building, we watched a bus just pulling away from the stop and we were running late and I was wearing high heels, a cab was our unfortunately non-green, non-bargain transportation choice.  

But what a concert!  As always, I was terribly proud of my brother as he sang "Maria" from "West Side Story" with a 40 piece orchestra and was preceded by Judy Collins.  The whole night opened up with Fanfare for the Common Man, it's opening trumpet fanfare and tympani hits transcended the walls of the largest cathedral in the country.  It was a call to us all for peace.  

Normally, Leenya would try to utilize the many mass transportation available to her. But she did wear a stylish but very warm coat that she bought previously from a Salvation Army Coat Sale!  May we all strive for greener living and a peaceful existence in 2009! 

Advice to a Young Actor-Musician

Dear Leenya,

My name is Andrew and after seeing a performance of Company last spring on PBS I immediately fell in love with it. After I saw Company I wanted to know more, so I looked it up on the internet and happened to stumble upon your website which then led me to your blog. The reason I'm telling you all this is because I have many questions as to how you've managed to become successful as both a musician and an actress. I myself am a trumpet player and I also enjoy acting, though was unaware that I could find a common ground. Please reply with any advice that you feel would help guide me in the right direction to having a career as enjoyable as yours.

Humbly yours, Andrew

Dear Andrew,

I'm so glad you loved Company!  It was one of the most rewarding artistic experiences of my life and am so glad that PBS aired it for all who missed it on Broadway! (I'm pictured here with Raul Esparza as Jenny experimenting with pot for the first time.  Check out excerpts on Youtube)

I'll offer some advice I often give that pertains to this blog.  Aspiring performers are told that persistence is the answer to success, but they are very rarely taught HOW to persist, how to stick it out during the dry spells that all artists who are trying to make a living at their art inevitably go through. 

There are so many paths to "success" in this business, not just doing-it-for-the-love-of-it amateurs (a noble and rewarding motivation, by the way!) or Madonna super-stardom.  For those of us who fall somewhere in between, ways to pay the bills vary.  

The key is to first find a "day job" or "survival job" that is flexible and doesn't suck the soul out of you (Mine have ranged anywhere from Sunday School Guitar Lady to Department Store Christmas Tree Decorator and Celtic Rock Fiddle Player) and then when you do finally book that fabulous Broadway gig (the actor-musician concept WILL be explored again, either by John Doyle or other daring directors.  I did tell Stephen Sondheim that he should write a musical with us crazy quadruple threats in mind.  Wouldn't that be cool?!), you must put half of your shiny new paycheck in the bank and continue to live cheaply (definitely a challenge in the most expensive city in the world!) so that when that wonderful show closes or you can't bear performing that show for one more day (It happens!  Sad...) you can live off those savings.  

The truth is, there is no "making it".  It's one in a million actor who escapes having to auditioning for that next job (eventually with the help of an agent or manager, which makes open calls unnecessary, thank God!) and you will always have times of unemployment, especially if you don't want to take work out of town or do shows that don't interest you artistically.  

But that's the downside.  The upside is that if you prioritize and find ways to live with a small overhead, you get to spend most of the hours of your day doing what you love.  

You're right.  I am having an enjoyable career!  Have a blast and embrace this crazy thing that you've chosen to do.  It's an adventure that not everyone has the guts to do.  And keep logging in to What Would Leenya Do for more tips on living stylishly and inexpensively at the same time.

Packing?

Holiday travel:  Is it bringing out the Grinch in you?  I used to love to fly, but shoe removal and liquid restriction (not to mention escalating airfares) are enough to make one wonder if taking the bus would have been a better option after all.  And with baggage allowances dwindling monthly,  advanced preparation is a must.

I used to be an overpacker.  I'd show up at Grandma's local airport with a suitcase that even two people couldn't lift and on top of that, I'd still have a carry-on and a heavy coat.  Half the clothing and shoes that I stuffed into my bigger-than-God suitcase went unworn.  My reasoning was, I didn't know what I'd feel like wearing once I reached my destination.  Better to be prepared.  Well, I'll tell you:  There is nothing like two months of carrying a 60 pound sea bag all over Europe (Ah, the post college graduation Eurail Pass!) to make even a hearty Renaissance Girl mend her ways.

These days, being prepared means having one carry-on bag that you don't have to worry about losing during flight delays and unexpected travel changes.  It means you won't take up too much room where you're staying and that you will actually be able to locate things when you want to wear them!  And let's not underestimate the joys of being able to go directly to security without checking a bag.  Note:  Pack your carry-on WITHOUT unzipping the optional expanding zipper.  Save that for shopping that might accidentally (yeah, right!) take place during your travels.  

But how to START packing?  

a) SCHEDULE, DESTINATION WEATHER FORECAST 

I make at least a mental list of what I'll be doing during my stay and what wardrobe requirements there will be.

b) CHOOSE EVENT OUTFIT

I start selecting clothes from my closet by deciding on the nicest outfit first (seeing a performance, going out to dinner with family, etc.).

c) SHOES

I choose 2 pairs of shoes (okay, with my athletic shoes for working out, three), one of them completing the event outfit, the other, perhaps, a boot that is comfortable and stylish and that I can wear on the plane (leaving room for clothes in my carry-on).  Don't forget, make sure they're easy to remove for security...

d) LAYOUT FAVORITES ON THE BED

I always choose too much at first, knowing I'll be putting at least half of it back in the closet.

e) UNDERWEAR

Keep it all neutral so it will work with anything you pack.  Don't forget hose or tights for skirts, socks for athletic shoes and boots.

f) PACK JAMMIES AND WORKOUT CLOTHES

g) COLOR SCHEME

Hey!  I mention this in my advice to On the Verge in the Lady Godiva post!  Well, it works for packing, too.  If the boots you chose are brown, then that would be a fabulous neutral to match a belt to.  Then why not choose more natural and Earth tones?  If they're black, find a black belt and choose brighter colors.   

h) ELIMINATE

Depending on the length of your stay, you'll only need one pair of jeans (I know, that's a tough one), one skirt, 2 long sleeved tops, 1 sweater, one jacket, maybe one pair of slacks, and a couple camis and a t-shirt.  Separates are better than one-piece items (dresses) because everything you brought can be mixed and matched (Yay, color scheme!) to create different outfits.

i) JEWELRIES AND ACCESSORIES (TIES FOR GUYS)

Just bring the earrings, watch, and necklace that you wear all the time.  Much less hassle, maybe plus something for the nice outfit...  A Pashmena scarf can be worn a couple of different ways.

j) TOILETRIES 

Remember the liquids thing, as it applies to carry-ons.  You can always buy stuff there.

k) PERSONAL ITEM 

Keep it simple.  It's winter, you'll have a coat.  (Does the coat match your color scheme?)  And reading material for when your flight is inevitably delayed.  

l) FORGET SOMETHING?

Actually, I'm wondering that for myself about this post, but seriously, that should probably be

your next question.

When the flight finally takes off, I remember how I actually do love to fly.  It's a miracle, if you think about it, being that far above the clouds and seeing the world from a wider perspective.  See how small all of our problems are in this big universe?  

Where are you going this Holiday Season?  Have a great time!

Lady Godiva

Dear Leenya,

 

I just visited your blog and understand that you offer advice.  Here is my problem:

 

I don't enjoy shopping, am not a thrift store person, and cannot sew.  All of my clothes are old and falling apart.  I used to have a personal shopper (a gay male friend you and I share in common) but we have not lived together for 13 years.  What should I do?

 

- Woman on the Verge of Being Lady Godiva

Dear On the Verge,

Wow.  Starting from scratch.  I love a good challenge!  Buckle your seat belts...  

First of all, let's look on the bright side.  This is an opportunity for a fresh start!  It sounds like you have nothing to stubbornly hold onto or cherish for sentimental reasons and therefore, making an entire change is going to be easy!  Now, since you're writing to me and not Martha Stewart or Sarah Palin's former personal shoppers, I'm also assuming that your funds are limited.  Some might look at these challenges as daunting, even paralyzing, but I see them as a chance to relocate your creativity and imagination bones.   Break free!  But not in a Lady Godiva kind of way.  Save that for the summer season.

I hear you about about losing your Fairy God Roommate.  There is nothing like shopping with your bestest gay friend (Hi Chad, I miss you!) but don't despair!  Once you are able to commit a bit of time to your personal makeover, you'll get into the spirit.  Think of it as a gift to yourself and you deserve it!  It sounds like you've been denying yourself for far too long.

Start with  PILIBST.

Is her spellcheck on the fritz, you ask?

Why, no!  In fact, it stands for:

1. PURGE

2. INVENTORY

3. LIST     

4. INSPIRATION

5. BUDGET

5. SHOP

6. TAILOR

PILIBST.  It's kind of fun to say!

1.  PURGE  First, take all of your clothes out of your closet and making a giant mountain in the middle of your room.  This could get messy but that's okay.  Separate any less-than-flattering and ill-fitting clothes in a DONATE pile  (large saved shopping bags come in handy at this point).  Actually try things on.  There should be clothes flying around the room at this point.  Good rules of thumb here are:  If you haven't worn it in a year, there's a reason for that.  I know, your ex-boyfriend bought it for you or it might fit when you lose five pounds, but consider that after you drop it off at the Salvation Army tomorrow, someone else could be enjoying it or using it to keep warm.  Keep thinking, "new start" (and PILIBST)  and zap zing ta-da!  You have room in your closet for your new wardrobe!  That alone should help psych you out for shopping!

2.  INVENTORY   Look at the pile that is left including shoes and accessories (Sounds like yours is going to be small indeed, On the Verge).  

3.  LIST  Actually grab a notepad and pen and start writing down what is missing from your KEEP pile.  Record your present sizes.  This will minimize the time you waste shopping and will help focus your search.  Here's a list of wardrobe basics that should go on the list if you don't see them (workout clothes are necessary but are not part of this post):

Cute Jeans:  Medium rise, either boot cut, straight leg, wide leg or skinny, dark washes are most flattering

Pants Suit that you can split up and wear as separates

Black or Solid Color Turtleneck  and Cardigan Sweaters (wrap sweaters are a flattering alternative) and Separates

Tank Tops and Camisoles that are long enough to cover the hips

Button-up White Shirt, at least one, tailored and fitted in the waist, ruffles, anyone?

Modern Print Dresses and Skirts, knee length is best

Tall Leather Boots, black or brown

Pointy Toe Pumps, high or kitten heel

Ballet Flats, metallics or animal prints are fun...

Big Belt that can be cinched tight or loosened to fall across the hips, black or brown

Dress Slacks in a neutral color, should fall from the hip, not tight in the leg

And while we're at it, let's talk color.  What's your favorite?  What seems to be predominant in the KEEP pile?  Find the average and begin a scheme.  Since we are building you a starting wardrobe, it would be great to have items that could all mix and match with each other (and not in an 80's way, if you know what I mean...).  Is Black your Neutral?  Nowadays, you can make anything into a neutral (color is the new black) but that is a bit of an advanced technique.  Brown and Black are wonderful places to start.  Then, do you prefer muted Earth tones, like cranberry, sage, and purple, or are you more of a pastel girl?  Your natural coloring is a good gage, but if you're brunette and love Navy, don't let rules limit you completely.  You'll add a splash of red for pop in the accessories.  

4.  INSPIRATION  Though I try to get my current events and interesting reading from almost anything else, I pick up a fashion magazine every once in a while.  Vogue can be intimidating and hard to translate into every day fashions, but Elle and Cosmopolitan always have some good "What's New This Season" articles.   Fold over the page of what you like.  It's a good place to get ideas of how to put together things you already have in a new way as well.  Also, I do love a good makeover show and one of the most helpful, I think, is What Not To Wear on TLC (8pm Friday nights with reruns at noon weekdays). The hosts, Stacey and Clinton, are hilarious, but if you watch how they take into account each unique fashion victim's style issues, it's all about packaging, about presenting your best self to the world in a way that is accessible to every size and shape.

5.  BUDGET  If you have two hundred dollars to commit to updating your wardrobe, that's a good starting point, believe it or not.  Just know that the boots, suit, and jeans will take up the most of this amount.  I brought my Mom shopping and after just two hours and two hundred dollars, we had started a good collection of staples for her.  It was a Mom Makeover!

6. SHOPPING  Yes, you can.  And you can learn to love it!  From now on, there is a treasure out there (your new wardrobe) and you are going to find it.  And I won't make you start at Thrift Stores.  Thrift Shopping takes technique and practice and you will work up to it, I promise.  But in the meantime,  Overstock is going to be your friend.  

Now some people recommend Outlet Malls but I find them a bit of a trap and not much more "bargain" than a sale at Macy's (which is nothing to shake a stick at but I find department stores exhausting).  Going to Old Navy and H & M for basics is great,  but then head to Daffy's, TJ Maxx, Century 21, Marshalls, Filene's Basement, and Strawberry and if you're feeling daring, Conway.  DSW Shoe Warehouse is good for discounted shoes  and for jeans, you should try Blues or OMG on 8th Ave. in the 30's.  Oh, that we could shell out the hundreds of dollars it would take to own Sevens and Lucky's, but you won't need those jeans 'cause you can find up-to-date Levi's in the aforementioned stores.  

I hate to say it, but try things on. In the dressing room in front of a mirror.  Ask fellow shoppers and sales people what they think.  It's frustrating and time consuming, but it will save you time in the long run, and if you you can't return, money as well.  If you wear low maintenance clothing, changing won't feel so tedious.

Look for easy care.  I love silk and cashmere, but if you have to dry clean it every time you wear it it can become expensive.  

HOLIDAY TIP:  Didn't find the perfect belt or turtleneck?  Why not add them to your Christmas List when your Mom or Aunt calls to ask what you need?  

7.  TAILOR  You are not the only one who can't sew.  And even if you can sew, sometimes it's better to outsource alterations to the professionals (like shoe repair it can be worth it).  Hems and bringing the waist in are easy and inexpensive operations and can make the difference between clothing you'll wear and those that become a permanent fixture on a hanger in the back of your closet.

And that brings us to the end of PILIBST.

WHEW!  I feel like Superman after he made the world spin backwards on its axis to save Lois Lane's life!  But, On the Verge, you are going to feel and look like a million bucks  in your new wardrobe  and no one has to know that it cost significantly less than that!  I mean, Lady Godiva is so "last millennium".  Have fun and let me know how it goes...