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In 2006, I will be starting a new business venture. I dabble in web writing now, and I have a couple of websites. I have decided that I need a bit more human interaction, and 2006 is dedicated to laying the foundation for a brick and mortar business. One of the most exciting parts of this new venture for me is that I will need - yes, NEED - to purchase a new wardrobe.

I have been working from home for about 18 months, and I had a baby last January. That means that I have many clothes that do not fit or that I no longer find appealing. It is surprising what I used to wear that now feels so uncomfortable if I am picking up after a baby all day.

So, one of my first tasks in 2006 will be to purchase new clothes. I must admit that although I have a general aversion to shopping, particularly in malls, I am looking forward to it. Even a year into motherhood, I have learned that few moms spend time on themselves. We fall into the trap of thinking that what the kids need is more important or should take priority over what we need. Well, that is not my attitude anymore!

I am going to treat myself to a new wardrobe, not only because I need it for my business venture but because I need it for myself. Working from home can mean spending the day lounging around in pajamas. Some people love that feeling. I do not. I have discovered that I get less done when I am not dressed and ready for my day. Plus, it can get really depressing wearing pajama pants everyday. You start to question what you are doing and why you are not joining the rest of the world and getting dressed every morning.

I am hoping that the new business wardrobe will get rid of those problems. I will feel ready to tackle the day when I get up and get dressed instead of feeling like I should still be in bed or considering putting on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt at noon.

My new wardrobe will consist of business suits. After 25 years of suffering through wearing skirts and dresses to church, interviews, and other functions, I have decided to put my foot down. (Of course, since I am purchasing this wardrobe instead of my parents, it will be much easier to do.) I absolutely hate dresses, but I love the sharp look of women in business suits. Dresses and skirts signify a sort of conservatism that is not me, but business suits mean seriousness and ambition.

In my preliminary research, and to fuel my excitement, I have been checking out the business suits that are available to women. I have found that many of the styles are flattering to different sizes and shapes of women, and I am ready to get started! The suits do not look severe and stuffy. Instead they look like women who know what they want, where they are headed in life, and how to have fun at the end of the day. That is my goal for my new wardrobe.

In my mind, it seems silly to work myself up over new clothing. I have never been worried about clothes, even in the teen years when that was supposed to be the center of my existence. In college, I wore pajama pants or loose-fitting jeans to class and did not get dressed much on the weekends. Graduate school means khakis since I was teaching students. Life as a reporter was black skirts and pants with little to attract attention to myself so that I would be seen as a serious reporter instead of a flirt who could be buttered up for a good angle on a story.

None of those looks were me. Well, maybe they were at the time, but now they are not. Clothing does signify something about what we think of ourselves and how others see us. I fought that sentiment for years but have decided that it is not worth fighting anymore. Plus, the pointed-toe shoes that are popular right now are cute!

By Julia Mercer