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Betsy Ames came to the Weehawken Art Studio and spoke to the students about fashion and the environment. Betsy Ames' Philosophy : Iu2019ve loved fashion all my life. Right after college, I was thrilled to work at Glamour Magazine with experts who spotted and put together stories about trends. I stayed in fashion as a personal shopper at THE store of the 80u2019s u2013 Bloomingdaleu2019s. I kept celebrities, wealthy socialites, high-powered executives, and the wives of Wall Street moguls stylish and on-trend. After I married and began a family, I kept up with other stay-at-home moms in my upscale suburb. My closet burst with designer clothing, handbags and shoes. My perspective changed when we decided to move and I saw all I had accumulated. One broker was amazed by the 30 sweaters arranged neatly on shelves by color. At the same time, the media was focusing on decluttering. And I became mindful of fashionu2019s huge negative environmental impact. As I cleaned out my closet, I realized I was trying to define myself from the outside in. Exploring spirituality, I began to apply the concepts of mindfulness and detachment to my wardrobe. Today, I am mindful of trends yet not driven by them. Shopping now is pretty simple, because I know what looks good and makes me feel good. I know Iu2019m not alone in wanting to be stylish yet not a slave to fashion. I started Mindful Style to share my expertise with women and men who want to get off the fashion merry-go-round and make wardrobe choices based on inner values. Iu2019m excited to help you develop your own Mindful Style.