Although the Holidays have yet to arrive, the POISEfashion staff has been inspired to make a few early New Year's resolutions. We have resolved to hold ourselves to higher standards, hoping to gain national recognition, elite status among our peers, and a stronger,more devoted fan-base.

By analyzing our strengths and weaknesses, we were able to make the necessary changes and improvements in order to immediately begin moving toward our long-term goals. We started by creating a more professional, selective application process, which includes personal interviews, portfolio evaluations, and a staff discussion. Next, we tightened our terms of staff membership, making it evident to all staffers that POISE isn’t just a magazine, it’s a way of life, and in order to properly portray and represent POISEfashion’s objectives, the two must go hand-in-hand. And, although this internal house-cleaning procedure caused our staff to down-size by almost half, those who remained brought with them a sense of tenacity, loyalty, and competitive drive, as well as a greater understanding and appreciation for superb-quality content.

So what do these interior enhancements have to do with you, the POISEfashion reader? Simply stated: a better staff means a better magazine, and a better magazine means happier, more satisfied readers. Our first (and what I consider to be the most exciting) aim at pleasing our readers is our new dual-navigation option. Unlike our previous issues, readers now have the ability to surf POISE two different ways.

The first, more familiar way is to read POISEfashion as you would any webpage; by clicking and choosing destinations found on the navigation bars. The second, newer way to navigate is to read POISEfashion like you would read an actual magazine. The small “turn page” thumbnail found at the bottom right-hand corner of each page flips the pages in the order that you would find them in a print version of POISE. We are in the process of turning this option into a printable PDF version for future issues, so keep your eyes open for Spring 2007.

After experimenting with both, and choosing your ideal manner of navigation, you may begin to check out our new and improved (and might I add fabulous) content. We’ve now incorporated a full Who’s Who in POISEfashion, as well as answers to any questions you may have About Us, so make sure to feed your POISE-curious hunger.

We’re also putting an emphasis on sensational, sophisticated material, so prepare yourself for superior advice (At-Home Fitness), meatier stories (Winter Depression), and more glamorous spreads (Bold-Faced Beauty). But don’t worry, there’s still plenty of light-hearted reads to go around, illustrated throughout Casual Dating, a continuing piece about one of our own throwing herself into the college-dating realm. These are just a small sampling of the many upgrades you’ll find in this issue, and the issues to come. As always, please let us know what you love, hate, and simply cannot live without.

On behalf of the entire POISEfashion staff, may your aspirations for the New Year be as inspiring and captivating as ours. Happy Holidays. We hope to see you in the spring.

Alexandra Huddleston, President & Editor-in-Chief