A 'Runway' Success

I'm also into quality as opposed to quantity. I'd rather wear four dresses over and over again than to have ten dresses that aren't made as nicely and don't fit as well. Don't worry that someone's going to say, "Didn't you wear that last week?" Well, yeah, I did actually. What's the big deal?

Shopping isn't a sport for me... but I do buy a lot of shoes.

How many do you own? Is this a Carrie Bradshaw kind of thing?

I know I have at least 40 pairs of really nice shoes. Sometimes I'll stand in front of my shoes and I have so many choices that'll look great with the simple thing that I have on that it can be difficult for me to choose.

This is how Laura Bennett becomes overwhelmed. It's not the five kids; it's in the shoe closet.

(Laughs). Yeah. But editing is really key to making it easy.

My rules are: Go for quality. Edit your choices. Develop your own style and uniform. And look hard at yourself. Know what works on you. If you need to wear an A-line skirt because you're a pear shape, don't buy the pencil skirt. No matter how many pencil skirts you see in Vogue that month, just don't go there.

After all of these children, how are you so thin? I'm not hating on you, understand, but what are you doing to make that happen?

I swear, I think staying busy keeps people thin. Also, I usually start out my morning by running on the track at the YMCA. I run around in circles for 5 or 6 miles every morning and it gives me time to organize my day, put it all in order. I'll go over conversations that I need to have, make lists. It helps me stay thin. And I really feel the endorphin rush from exercise.

Is that your only time to yourself?

I have a half-day to myself for just a couple more weeks because my three-year-old started preschool in September. But when I'm standing in my apartment and I'm the only one here, it's a very bizarre feeling. I've grown to learn how to function in chaos.

What's next for you?

I'm putting together a maternity line, which was a no-brainer. I'd made all these maternity dresses for myself and I thought, "Damn, I've just designed a collection." I'd like to find someone to manufacture and license that. I also want to do a line of daywear for women, a line of simple dresses that'd offer all women an alternative to sweat pants. A black jersey T-shirt dress or a simple gabardine pleated piece.

I want to keep encouraging women to take the time to take care of themselves and spend a few extra minutes on themselves in the mornings and see if it doesn't benefit their families by boosting their own self-esteem and nourishing their own souls.