You have no control over other people's taste, so focus on staying true to your own.

I'm making the assumption that after Mrs. Obama leaves the White House that she will continue all of her work toward improving education in this nation and childhood health.

My manners also came from when I was in college and began participating in critiques. You have to speak with someone respectfully about their work and be honest and open, without hurting them.

The color, the shape, and the texture--none of it is accidental. Every item we wear has a glorious (or sometimes not so glorious) history, and that history extends back years--centuries, even--before Oscar de la Renta's 2002 collection.

Make it work

I love the history of the sport, I love the culture that surrounds it, and I never dreamed I'd become a fanatic. I'm such a fanatic now that I'm committed to competing.

When it comes to dressing, comfort is overrated. A little discomfort probably means your clothes fit and they're not pajamas.