Who influences your style of dress? My style is influenced by such superstars as Gwen Stefani, Rihanna, Nicole Richie, and Mary Kate Olsen. I love the combination of eclectic, bohemian, and chic. It is just who I am. However, do I typically invest in L.A.M.B. pieces or Dior? Nope. I am a gal who loves sales and adores 2-for-1 specials.

(Written by Elana Pruitt)

Two of the difficult lessons of life are those of letting go and impermanence. Nothing . . . no one lasts forever, and many would welcome their parents and their pets agreeing to accompany them throughout their lives. I walk through a forest of trees and smell the scent of freesia or gardenia, but the smell doesn’t linger.

Fashion weeks around the globe have already become the “it” calendar check-off in the industry. And whether or not you have the opportunity to make it backstage, have a seat at the show, hit after-show parties, and/or look at the pics from the shows in every fashion magazine you can find on the shelf at Borders, this event gives us ideas.

The Hollywood Hills have gone pink and they have never looked better. Men, beware. This month we take you into the hot and trendy new female-dedicated gym, Pink Iron. I invited ISSA certified trainer Angelis Casteran to come along this round for a fresh female fitness perspective on what is a girls only club, no boys allowed (except male fitness writers, of course). Upon entering, you are greeted with an energetic smile and wag of Barbell’s tiny tail, Pink Iron’s little white Maltese mascot. The fresh colors, trendy spa feel, energized staff and intimate personality of it all culminates in a smile on your face and an extra spring in your step just by walking in.

The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2009 tell us that 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 40,170 deaths from breast cancer occur each year. In this issue we focus on breast cancer awareness in our attempt to keep you healthy and living a long, wonderfully productive and fulfilling life.

I’ve recently moved to the desert, Palm Springs, that is. Before I moved but after I found a place, I was looking forward to taking massage therapy classes in September and maybe meeting a few friends along the way. Sadly, things didn’t work out as planned. The funding for the school fell through and I found myself scrambling to make my own ends meet.

How does fashion relate to Breast Cancer Awareness Month? As I was trying to conjure thoughts for this column, I was so stumped. I felt that talking about fashion was trivial compared to a cause that is so big. Breast cancer has devastated so many lives. But then I sat back, took my fingers off the keyboard, rested my chin in my hands, and took a sip of coffee.

Christmas is a time of year when I remember all the things I’ve done wrong and all that has been done wrong to me. Certainly I’ve gotten angry, but often I’ve fallen into sadness over missed connections and missed opportunities. I’ve thought about friends but haven’t called them. The ones with whom I’ve had a falling out, I’ve been tempted on several occasions to pick up the phone, and like a child say, “I love you.”

If I had the means to shop at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Kitson, and Bloomingdale’s for nearly all of my purchases, I’m not going to lie—I probably would. There are such amazing designer collections sold at these stores that I would be honored to wear some of their pieces. But these places are above my means.

I was like a butterfly floating and touching everything and everyone. I couldn’t stop smiling. And now I can’t forget the good things that happened to me even in the midst of some bad things.