I stood in the middle of my closet and turned 360 degrees, surveying my options. Black pants… maybe with a black sweater? Or black blazer? Or black skirt maybe… I could pair that with my black slingbacks, and… well… oh, yes! My black wrap blouse.

Are you feeling my rut, people? Like many women in New York, I’ve been dressing like I’m going to a funeral everyday for years. You know you’re in a fashion rut when your color decisions come down to whether or not your blacks match.

So this – coupled with the frumpy feeling that I had an insane amount of clothes and yet no wardrobe – led me to embark on a style overhaul. I’ve got some folks in my corner, of course, helping me make it happen – including the secret weapon every girl should have – a Gay Work Husband (GWH) who has a great eye and ability to tell it just like it is.

And “how it is” according to GWH is this: “You need more color, a good tailor, a fierce bag, and a goddamn haircut. Your clothes need to tell a story, and your accessories need to make people want to read it.”

So what’s the story I want to tell? The one about a 34-year-old, successful woman who takes her work, but not herself, seriously. My story is about someone who is creative, vibrant, funny and social… someone who takes pride in herself. Someone who carries a laptop for work but might be using it to type the Great American Novel (or a style blog) in her spare time… and someone who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to put herself out there to get it.

My story is about comfort in myself, enjoying my life, and having my priorities straight… about appreciating nice things, but loving a good bargain… acknowledging the trends but knowing what works for me. My story is about a woman who wants to feel beautiful, sophisticated, sexy and stylish – but isn’t a size 10 (or even a 12, usually!) My story is about a woman who has her act together – work-wise and life-wise – and wants it to show in her outward appearance.

My story may sound a lot like the story you want to tell for yourself – or maybe your story is totally different, and you just came upon this when you Googled the term “Gay Work Husband.” Either way, I’m glad you’re here. Tell me what you think of my choices along the way – make some suggestions, talk me out of things, offer some encouragement, give me some advice. Don’t hold back, people! I can take it!