I was recently lucky enough to be a participant in an important panel discussion sponsored by Girls, Inc. Along with Dana Buchman, designer; Shelly Lazarus, Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide; Cindi Leive, Editor-in-Chief of Glamour; and Dr. Jennifer Wider, a women’s health expert, author, and radio host, I addressed all-too common issues facing young women today.

From the stress to be perfect to the gender stereotypes we still face in school and in the workplace, nothing was off-limits, and the discussion was fast and furious! It made me realize how fortunate I am to be in a space where I can affect change, and I am excited to hear what you have to think about the solutions we offered! Click here to watch the footage and then comment below to make your voice heard!

Girls Inc. and Jess Weiner share a common goal: to help all girls realize their potential and their ability to do anything they set their minds to. However, intense pressure and persistent gender stereotypes can keep them from their goals, and Jess participated in an event that addressed these very issues and gave practical solutions to the challenges that girls face.

On October 13^th, Jess was part of an amazing panel of women–which included Dana Buchman, designer; Shelly Lazarus, Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide; Cindi Leive, Editor-in-Chief of Glamour; and Dr. Jennifer Wider, a women’s health expert, author, and radio host–all gathered together to discuss one thing: how to help the next generation of leaders manage their stress to become strong, smart and bold. Click here to watch Jess in action in this important video for everyone who believes in creating an equitable society and then join the conversation yourself and let us know what you think!!!

Are you passionate about writing? Do you have an important real-life story to tell? Do you love to journal, blog, or write poetry? Do you dream of being a published author? If your answer is “yes,” to any of these questions, head over to http://www.louderthanwordsbooks.com/submit-your-story/ and submit your story today.””

As a native European, Andrea grew up with an unrealistic image of what a woman should look like. When she started to hit puberty and her body developed in a way that wasn’t like the models – curves, acne and what she considered an awkward smile, she started to hate who she was. For three long years, she suffered with severe body image issues and depression until eventually, by the age of sixteen, her obsession turned into anorexia and ultimately bulimia.

However, almost ten years after her initial decent into self-hate, she was able to overcome her struggles and won the fight against her eating disorder. She learned to accept and love herself for who she really was – a beautiful woman inside and out - with a whole life to enjoy. She now spends her time on her passions – supporting others on their path to recovery. To help with that, in October 2006, she published a book called, You Are Not Alone: The Book of Companionship for Women Struggling with Eating Disorders. With another book in development, an increasing number of speaking engagements and a popular recovery focused Internet newsletter called the You Are Not Alone Support Letter, Andrea truly is showing eating disorder sufferers everywhere that recovery IS possible.

For more information about Andrea, her book, the Support Letter or to get in touch with her, please go to www.youarenotalonebook.com.

Author. Speaker. Songwriter.
Mentor. Survivor.

For Shannon, relationships replace eating disorders. Period, the end.

When Shannon first developed anorexia and bulimia, little was known about recognizing and treating eating disorders. She struggled for seven years in silence and secrecy against an illness she could not name. But she refused to stop fighting. When she was nineteen she met her mentor. Together, they joined forces against the eating disorder. Slowly but surely, the loving, supportive bond she formed with her mentor began to edge out her dependence on her “relationship” with her eating disorder. She began to take her life back.

Today, Shannon has been in strong recovery for over a decade. In 2004, she founded Key to Life: unlocking the door to hope, an outreach and advocacy organization that offers programs, workshops, concerts, products, and services to facilitate recovery from eating and related disorders. Through Key to Life, she began sharing what she had learned about eating disorders recovery through speaking and performing her original songs at school campuses and in treatment centers. She also began serving as a mentor to others who were struggling to recover from their eating disorders.

It soon became clear to Shannon that the need for eating disorders mentors far exceeded what her time could accommodate. As she answered her mentees’ questions and responded to their emails, she began taking notes, noticing common themes and writing down everything she could remember about how she healed. Those notes became her first book, Beating Ana: How to Outsmart Your Eating Disorder and Take Your Life Back (Health Communications, Inc.)

With the release of Beating Ana, Shannon & Key to Life launched a worldwide mission to share the power of mentoring with others. In 2008, Shannon partnered with three other dedicated volunteers to found MentorCONNECT, the first global mentoring community to connect those in strong recovery from eating disorders with those who are seeking recovery support.

To learn more about Shannon, her speaking and songwriting, Beating Ana, Key to Life, and MentorCONNECT, visit her at www.key-to-life.com.

FREE “Beating Ana” Book Giveaway!
In honor of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week this February, Shannon is giving away five FREE copies of her new book, Beating Ana: How to Outsmart Your Eating Disorder and Take Your Life Back, to the first five readers who send an email to PaolaF@hcibooks.com. Be sure to put “Beating Ana” in the subject line of your email!”

Celebrity & Personal stylist/Author/creator-designer-Rigged Tee Shirt Couture/Tee parties

Barbra Horowitz is not only a celebrity/personal stylist and designer she now adds newly minted author of Closet Control, Producer, and on air personality as the West Coast correspondent for British Vogue online. Barbra is continuously showcasing her fashion expertise and organic wisdom in a growing number of mediums and venues.

Barbra comes by her innate and clever sense of style not as a learned skill but as a way of life. Her father built a business selling high-end menswear at discounted pricing, and her mother is an out-of-the-box, over-the-top talented jewelry designer. Growing up under the precise fit of men’s clothing and the free form expression of jewelry design, this allowed Barbra to hone her clients image into one of perfect proportions while creating a casual elegance that is never on the nose.

As soon as Barbra was old enough to get a part-time job at her favorite boutique, Contempo Casuals, there was no stopping the retailers that would employ Barbra. From Ann Taylor, MGA (now Guess) to eight years on and off with Nordsrtrom. Once Barbra had the art of selling clothing, she switched gears into cosmetics to study the complete makeover. Running counters for cosmetic giants such as: Borghese, Lancome and prescriptives.

After ten years in retail, Barbra leveraged her ability to transform her customers head to toe and reset her sights from selling products to selling people – fashion models to be exact. As a model agent, Barbra effortlessly knew how to develop the young talent that was put before her and managed their photo shoots, from what they would wear to how their hair and makeup was styled. After eight years in San Francisco, she relocated to Los Angeles where her final post was working for the world renowned John Casablancas’ Elite agency in Beverly Hills. Barbra had the opportunity to handle top models-turned-actresses Charlize Theron, Shannon Elizabeth and Bijou Phillips, booking them for catalogue, high fashion editorial and top advertising campaigns with Bebe, Charles David and Guess.

In 2000, Barbra’s entrepreneurial passion spurred her next career move. After years of selling for others, it was time for Barbra to sell herself. She cut a vintage oversized men’s t-shirt down to a sexy top for clubbing, but stopped short of finishing it because she didn’t know how to sew. Wendy Schechter, the costume designer for the 2001 Britney Spears movie Crossroads, showed her how to lace the sides with excess material, and her line of Rigged Tee Shirt Couture was born. With her unique passion and spirit and an “I-don’t-know-how-to-sew/fashion-on-a-dime” mentality, Barbra was off and running to Goodwill to create her arsenal. Ms. Spears was Barbra’s very first customer, and she went on to dress Cameron Diaz, Heather Graham and Sarah Silverman, just to name a few.

While carried at celebrity favorite LA boutiques, such as Fred Segal and Madison, Barbra quickly realized that these one-of-a-kind creations could not be manufactured and created the Rigged Tee Party, where she would custom-cut her tops for party guests before their eyes. Barbra’s clientele included famed interior designer Kelly Wearstler, Keisha and Forrest Whittaker and producer Jennifer Klein. Bat mitzvahs and corporate clients Air Jordan/Nike, Guess/Marciano, Forever 21, Miss Sixty, Skyy Vodka and Vanity Fair soon followed.

In 2004 Barbra finally became a professional stylist working with such celebs, comedian Chelsea Handler, Friday Night Light’s star Matt Czuchry,
Eureka’s Ed Quinn, High School Musical’s Jessica Tuck, The two meanie mom’s on the Adventures of Old Christine TricIa O’Kelley and Alex Horner.

Barbra’s true passion which inspired Closet Control published by Sterling Press is playing the role of “the people’s stylist” Spreading the word that working with a stylist is not just for the red carpet or the rich and famous anymore. Barbra has been invited in to the homes of real people teaching her eco-selfish and eco-nomical approach to buying the clothes that you like and making them work for your life. Barbra is frequently flown around the country to work with clients and has just introduced her Virtual Styling Services. I am very excited says Barbra,
My virtual styling services will allow men and women to work with me from all over the world. With a webcam and laptop the possibilities are endless.

Time to go in the closet…and take a tough-love look at what’s inside!

Wardrobe consultant to the stars, fashion journalist, and style guru Barbra Horowitz is on call for a little clothes therapy. With expert guidance and extremely practical how-tos, Horowitz shows how simple it is to send your fashion-happiness quotient into the stratosphere. She describes her unique fashion philosophy, and introduces her core concept of “eco-selfishness:” working with what you already have to get what you really want by revamping, recycling, and reselling. Throughout, there are easy instructions for restyling clothes along with sidebars packed with streamlining tips and case studies of real-life wardrobe renovations. Plus: the book includes a full-length DVD of a real-life closet therapy sessions with Comedian Chelsea Handler, Styx Frontman Tommy Shaw and lifestyle expert and author Jessica Weiner and much much more.

Barbra lives in Los Angeles with her two pugs Buddha and Sabina and is in the works on her second book.

To learn more about Barbra please visit www.barbrahorowitz.com.

and to learn more about Closet Control please check out amazon.com.