I fell victim to one of the most insidious fashion disasters ever: Earth Shoes, circa 1974.

Even though I avoid The Mall at any cost, I would have to choose Nordstrom, if forced to pick one store. Fairly good selection, great customer service, blah, blah, blah. But truthfully, I prefer off-beat stores, clearance racks, and rummage bins. Seriously, I hand-stitched my school bookbag in 5th grade from an old pair of work Levi's that my Dad was finally getting rid of. It was "the coolest bookbag, ever". They definitely don't carry that at Nordstrom.

It would be full of clothes! I have deconstructed so much of my life; so the old wardrobe is long gone, and the new one is only slowly revealing itself. I'm ultra selective about how I fill my limited space, so each piece is special for a long time.

The awesome Pointy Black Boots that my Aunt Jo gave to me. She's my totally cool aunt, 20 years older than me, and she's my best personal shopper. She can just walk by a rack, (usually Ross, TJ Maxx, or Marshalls) spy some great top, and immediately know that it's "Brenda". My good friend, Maria, has gotten into the habit of just asking the question, "Aunt Jo?", whenever she sees me in something unusal and/or fabulous. My husband suggested that as soon as Static Quo gets going, I should just send her a gift card loaded up every couple of months, and see what incredible things show up in the mail.

Vera Wang. Simple, feminine, wearable.

Ellen DeGeneres has a very personal style, which she's developed and perfected, to express her own unique nature while having the public eye scrutinizing her every move. That's a very tricky dance, and thankfully, she's a great dancer! I always admire women who know what they like, and don't give a damn about trends. I grew up with many women, some of whom had style, and some not-so-much; but that didn't diminish their passion for life, or the value of the lessons they taught me. Ultimately, the best gift I got from that was, "Be yourself. No one really cares what you're wearing, as long as you're not a bitch."

Best: Unique Accessories; like a gift package... simple, elegant paper set off by an amazing Bow. Worst: Anything that requires dry-cleaning or ironing. I don't even bother looking at it.

My current favorite jeans are from Banana Republic. My cousin gave them to me, and they fit great. Basic Bootcut is my go-to style, it always works. Shoes: Etienne Aigner, metallic bronze/jute espadrille. Cute and comfortable! Suit: maybe in a previous lifetime...but not today.

What, in our relationship, has lead you to believe that I can answer any question with "one word"?

None. I've been trend-averse since my "Earth Shoes" fiasco in 8th grade. After that, I was determined to look like the natural dork I was, and not like the fashion dork I had tried to be.

A very small wardrobe, but pretty solid pieces. I have a black wool winter coat, good boots, a couple great cocktail dresses, several interesting jackets, and an ecclectic shoe collection of only about 15 pairs. The rest is filled in with tees, jeans, and some good scarves and gloves. Basic and simple; learned from traveling for days on a motorcycle with literally 1.5 cubic feet of "luggage" space. When I have a duffle bag as carry-on for a week long trip via airplane, I can't believe what a huge amount of space I have; and I always overpack!!