Footwear designer Taryn Rose loved beautiful shoes. Formally trained as an Orthopedic surgeon, she  opened her first footwear boutique 8 years ago. After constantly seeing women with serious foot problems caused predominantly by fashion footwear, Dr. Rose took it upon herself to design an exquisite collection of shoes that were actually good for your feet. The brand promises proper fit, flexibility, breathability, cushioning, wearability and timeless styling. Each shoe is hand crafted by skilled artisans in Italy (which partly explains why a pair costs between $300 and $500).

What these shoes promise sounds too good to be true. Are they worth the price? I am willing to go to great lengths to keep my fussy feet happy, but I’d love to hear your opinion on this orthopedic choice. I don’t own a pair, but I’m thinking about it – after all, beauty and pain should not go hand in hand.

Taryn Rose shoes are available at department stores and Zappos.com.

The Spring trench coat is a different animal to the trusty Autumn trench you might already have hanging in your wardrobe. While the classic long-sleeved, double or single breasted beige creature is forever fashionable, you might want to have a  bit of fun with the new styles that are in store at the moment. This cheeky version of the original is cropped in length, shorter in sleeve and definitely not beige! Tailored and belted in keeping with the true spirit of a trench, this perky update is bound to kickstart any Spring wardrobe.

If you feel that you’d rather stick to a classic trench for Spring, then you’ll still be in style. Sophisticated and elegant options are available from Ann Taylor and Banana Republic at the moment. But if you fancy freshening up that classic look – go short, flirty and bold instead. Your new mini rendition is the perfect complement to trouser jeans, slim-legged pants, flouncy skirts and walk shorts. A high ROI is guaranteed.

Cropped trenches from J. Crew, Macy’s, Anthropologie, Arden B. and Bebe.

Esprit is a German chain store and a brand known for it’s uncomplicated, sporty European style and clean-cut, crisp looking merchandise. Their fit is roomier than fellow European retailers and quality usually superior. They offer casual and smart casual clothing / accessories for men and women at affordable prices.

Esprit was a great brand to own in the ‘80’s and early 90’s, but battled a bit when giants like H&M and Zara took over most of the European contemporary fashion scene. Suddenly their look seemed expensive and basic (sound familiar?). In a world where people want more for their fashion dollar, Esprit was forced to make changes. They realized that “basic was less desirable” and are back on the map. Their casual wear is once again a strength for both the funky urbanite and modern classic.

Esprit is available all over Europe, Asia, Australia and Canada. You’ll find stand alone stores in New York City, but elsewhere in the United States Nordstrom is your only option. I’ve recently added Esprit items back into my wardrobe and thoroughly recommend them. Perhaps the Gap could look to Esprit for inspiration?

Esprit are doing a great job of educating customers on their websites. These styles show how effortlessly their items can be layered and co-ordinated. Try creating similar casual combinations with the clothes you already have in your wardrobe.

With Spring only a month away, it’s time to prune those closets again before you add the sparkle of the new season. Re-evaluate each piece and be ruthless. Don’t forget about your sock, underwear, work-out and accessory drawers. You should love everything in your closet.

What can you do with the clothing and accessories that you don’t love?

• Take them to a consignment store. This is an option if your items are in pristine condition. You won’t get much for most items, but it’ll buy you and a friend a cup of tea.
• Sell them on E-bay. You need to be Internet-savvy and prepared to ship your goods to their new owner, but if your items are branded you might recoup a reasonable fraction of the original price.
• Have a clothing swap party with your friends. If that sounds like too much effort, give your friends a gift that you know they’ll love more than you did.
• Donate them to a charity or non-profit. Options include The Salvation Army, Good Will and Dress for Success. You’ll be able to claim a tax deduction and feel doubly good knowing that someone else who literally had nothing to wear will have a new outfit.

Get cracking with your closet-clean out. The sooner you pass those items along, the sooner you’ll get to replace them with goodies that update your look and make you feel fab.