influence

Hard work has never been something someone taught me or something I simply picked up from someone else. Maybe it's a by-product of landing my first job at six months old, but I've never believed that there were boundaries or limits to anything I set my mind to. For the first time in my life, I'm in complete control of my destiny. Like everything you put out there for the universe to see, it all comes back to you. I'm finding out that taking my life to the next level is all about discovery. Being aware of the world around you requires you to pay attention to everyone and everything. But in order to stay grounded, you have to stay true to yourself. Diane von Furstenberg once told me, "You have to be your best friend." I believe that.

ashley olsen

i have a pretty decent fashion magazine collection counting W, Bazaar, Teen Vogue (I own only two Vogue mags, can't get with the haughty pretentiousness) among my faves. many of my books have pages missing and cutouts where a bag, shoe or Nicole Richie used to be as i would make a day out of pulling together lookbooks based on what i would see in the mags, tv, internet, street, my head. a lot of forces are influencing where i want to head stylistically and, on those days i sat in my bedroom with a binder, scissors, a journal and glue stick, i'd snip away eagerly. i just wanted to compile it all. when i learned that mk&a were gearing up to release a book about their influences, i was excited because i count them amongst my influences, so this book would be like meet the parents.

tomorrow, after a three-month delay, the first meeting of Boobies will be held. at this book club meeting, the founders (Bridgee & I) will discuss this opus, looking to gain further insight into what drives the choices these ladies make sartorially. though, based on the opening paragraph of the book's intro, it appears that this work is much more than that. stay tuned.