Why I Hate "What Not to Wear": 4 Steps on Breaking the Rules and Unleashing Your Inner Fashionista

I've been into fashion since I was six years old. I dressed in lacy dresses and heels for school and absolutely refused to wear jeans. (When I went all out for flag football in a peach mini skirt and was tackled by a boy in the mud, I was one angry 10 year old girl!). I really hated "What Not to Wear" when it came out. Sorry, Stacy, but I think it stifles creativity and fun when everyone dresses the same way, a la Macy's black pants and colorful dress shirts. It's a recipe for creating cookie-cutter style that COMPLETELY UNDERMINES TRUE BEAUTY AND CREATIVITY.

Fashion is about EXPRESSING WHO YOU ARE. By doing this, we communicate our identity, creativity, and we use fashion to feel confident and free. Here's my breakdown on how to unleash your inner fashionista.

1. Look through fashion magazines (such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Nylon) and find things that appeal to your sense of BEAUTY. Don't worry about what colors and styles look good on you. My friend once reflected to me a few years ago that I seemed arrogant when I told her in high school that "all colors look good on me." Actually, I meant and still do mean it! But it applies to everyone. Find the colors that you love and they will look good on you! Explore, express, and have fun!

2. Look through fashion designers and find a favorite to "reference" in your style. Mine is Oscar de la Renta. Beauty, romance, and drama are his forte.

3. Find a store or two in your local mall that has clothes that fit your style. Try things on. Have fun. Don't hold yourself back. Take pictures of what you look like with a smart phone or ask the salesperson or your friend to do it for you while you're in the dressing room. You'll see which outfits look best on you and you can go back to buy them later. Or, my favorite -- you can find similar look-alikes online or at discount stores like Ross and Marshalls. My go-to store is Marciano.

4. Be bold! Wear things that are out of the box. If you like it and you feel comfortable and confident in it, you will look amazing. More important, it will be YOUR LOOK, YOUR STYLE. I take fashion risks constantly. I found this expensive nude silk dress at an LA boutique. It was discounted dramatically to $20 because it was a size large. (Who wears a large in LA?) At 5'1'' I wear a size extra small, but I put it on, let the pretty strap hang down, and belted it. Every time I wear it people are amazed. I do things like this all the time that are technically "against the rules." Break the rules! Unleash your inner fashionista!