This time last year, I wrote about my seven fashion wishes for 2007. For 2008, I have three.

I wish everyone would purge their wardrobes.

Imagine never cleaning out your refrigerator.

Now, apply that principle to your bedroom closet.

Many people wear only a fraction of the clothes they own. They just can't seem to let go of pieces that no longer fit, are outdated, need repair or simply are no longer liked. So these items languish on hangers, in hampers, in drawers, in piles on bedroom chairs.

Purging the wardrobe isn't as difficult as it might seem. The biggest hurdle for some people is psychological, working up the willpower to get rid of things that have little more than an emotional attachment.

There's no shortage of books to help you through the process, but it really isn't all that complicated. If you find the task too overwhelming at one time, split it up over several days. Last fall, I did dresser drawers one evening, the chest drawers the next and closets on the weekend.

Start by removing every item from its place and putting them all out in the open. Then put every piece into one of four piles: pieces you wear and want to keep; items that need repair; articles that are beyond repair and need to be trashed; and things you can't fit or no longer wear that can be given away.

If you haven't worn something in two years, get rid of it. If your "keep" pile is still too large, weed out items you don't absolutely love.

What remains is your new wardrobe. Carefully pack away items that are out of season -- get them cleaned first, if necessary -- and place the rest back in your drawers and closets. Now it's easier to see what you may be lacking and where you need to make wardrobe additions.

It's important to promptly get damaged items fixed and back in circulation. The giveaways will be welcomed with open arms at places such as thrift stores and Dress for Success. Just make sure they're clean and in wearable condition.

I wish people would find their personal style voice.

Take a good, long look in a mirror. See your hair, your face, each feature one at a time. Look yourself in the eye.

Then stand in front of a full-length mirror. Examine yourself out from head to toe. Look at your posture and your proportions.

Who do you see? How do you feel? What do you appreciate? What don't you like?

The answers reveal how you view yourself, and self-perception affects how you dress, how you style your hair, the image you project. People who know who they are and are confident in themselves have an easier time outfitting themselves.

To discover your unique style voice, do some forgetting. Forget about what your mother said about your nose, what other kids said about your complexion. Forget about what they say heavy women shouldn't wear, what short men should avoid.

Looking good isn't being a slave to fashion trends. It's understanding that trends are usually just recycled and re-imagined blasts from the past and that within them -- for those who can discern -- are elements of timelessness.

The most authentic style voices are not created. They emerge from the uniqueness of the individual. Style, like beauty, comes from the inside out.

I wish Pittsburgh would build a fashion mall Downtown.

Imagine arriving in the heart of Downtown and coming upon a modern multi-story building fronted by an immaculately landscaped plaza with seating and a fountain.

Inside, lobby walls are adorned with framed portraits of fashion industry folk from the area who have made it big, from designers, models, makeup artists and stylists to industry execs such as Burt Tansky, president and CEO of The Neiman Marcus Group.

The lobby is large enough to accommodate a runway for daily 20-minute shows at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. weekdays and several times Saturday in winter months. In summer months, the shows would be outdoors on the plaza. The regular schedule of shows is inspired by the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas, which houses more than 250 retail shops and restaurants and stages brief hourly fashion shows.

In Pittsburgh's "House of Style," an atrium would top out at a ceiling with skylights. One floor would house ateliers and possibly residences for local designers. On another, hair and nail salons, cosmetics stores, and spas. On another, a gallery and classrooms for local schools that offer fashion-related courses. On another, a food court with chain and specialty restaurants. Other floors would accommodate various apparel and accessory retailers, from department stores and independents to jewelers, furriers and milliners.

The roof would feature a garden with accommodations for runway shows.

Elsewhere in the building, glass display cases all around would contain mannequins wearing looks from each retailer. Elevator walls would be full-length mirrors, and escalators would move to fashion-related songs such as "Supermodel" and "Vogue."

Of course, this wouldn't be the only fashion destination Downtown. But it would be a centralized fashion component and a tourist attraction par excellence.