Stacy London

A lot of people have said that I'm super-snarky and mean. But honesty is the only way to get people to change. It's very important to be constructively critical - give people alternatives and you're giving them a new way to see themselves.

The key to personal style is understanding your individual beauty enough to know which looks will work for you and which probably won't.

Clothes allow you to see yourself in a different light. They can transform you instantly and have a very real, visceral impact. Clothes become symbolic of who we are.

I own about 300 pairs of shoes. When I start to go over 300, I have mini-sales from my closet and give the money to charity. It's my way of recycling; I feel like I can give back to the universe.

Style is the instrument you can pick back up when you want to regain some of the confidence you've lost.

Texture is something we forget - it makes outfits look very expensive. You can do a monochromatic outfit, if you're afraid of things that are more colorful and printed, and still create interest.

I think style is very different from fashion. Fashion was what I went after when I was feeling incredibly insecure and monstrous on the inside.

Self-esteem doesn't come simply from dressing well, but they are both something we can control. It's a missed opportunity when women say they don't have the money, figure, etc., because style is such a way to help cultivate the way women feel about themselves.

You don't need money to look fabulous. There are so many awesome new designers, so many designers doing collections for mass retailers.

A lot of women don't realize that even a small heel helps you throw your shoulders back and keep your chest up; it really does make a difference in the way you present yourself. It changes your posture and makes you look more confident.

Style applies to a lifestyle. It's not about being told this is trendy, you must do it. Now people have more access than ever before.

Being able to choose the skin I live in was the draw of fashion.