Put the 10 in 2010

You made the weight loss resolution every year for the past decade. It's time for new goals. The kind that you actually have a chance of accomplishing and might even enjoy working toward. We're talking resolutions that deal with your two favorite subjects: fashion and beauty.

We talked to two industry experts, who were more than happy to dish on the areas most women need to start prioritizing in order to organize and polish their looks. So, toss aside the calorie counter and take a look at your new list of things to resolve in 2010.

FASHION RESOLUTIONS

Patricia Barba, owner of the Patty's Closet boutiques in Henderson and Las Vegas, took a good hard look at herself and her customers to make her list. Here's what she'd like to see change in the upcoming year.

1. Organize Your Closet. This goal serves more than one function. First, order. Deciding what to wear should be a pleasant process. Don't rob yourself of that with a closet worthy of natural disaster relief efforts. As Barba points out, it also can save you money. "Most of us women re-buy many items that tend to look the same and most of the time it's because we don't have our closets organized and are clueless as to what's in them," she says.

2. Adopt a New Trend. It's easy to fall into a rut. But don't make getting out of one any harder than it has to be. When you see a trend you like, pick it up, run with it and don't look back. It's the only way to get your fashion mojo back. No one wants to be the chick stuck in a time warp. "You have no idea how many times I hear the phrase 'I love it, but I can't pull it off,' " says Barba. "Of course you can. Be brave!"

3. Downsize Your Purse. If you can't comfortably walk through a crowded room with your bag on your shoulder then it's time to evaluate exactly why you need a fork lift to carry it. Bigger isn't always better, ladies. Plus, hauling something that large around all day takes its toll on your posture. Why? "The bigger the bag, the more junk you carry," says Barba. "One that only carries your essentials prevents humps on your back and Pepto from ending up in your purse."

4. Embrace High Heels. So what if you can't afford a new dress or even a new tube of lipstick. Surely you've got a pair of sexy pumps in the closet. Give the ballet flats a well-needed break this year so your heels can bring back that sexy strut you once had. According to Barba, heels are the "main ingredient" to feeling feminine and boosting the self-esteem. The instant slimming effect they lend certainly doesn't hurt matters, either.

5. Buy Charitable Fashion. Once the whole green movement got going, fashion brands everywhere decided kindness was cool. Just take a close look at the tags the next time you're window shopping. You'll notice a few brands contribute a portion of sales to charity, be it cancer awareness, artistic efforts or underdeveloped countries. "Fashion is a genius way to help," says Barba. "We love it, so why not get something chic and help a good cause at the same time?"

BEAUTY RESOLUTIONS

When the budget tightens, your beauty regimen is the first to take a hit. James Fiala, salon director for Canyon Ranch SpaClub at The Venetian and at The Palazzo, wants women to try "keeping up on keeping up."

1. Commit to Good Skin Care. Neglected skin affects you in more ways than just breakouts, dullness and accelerated aging (but isn't that motivation enough?). If you wake up in the morning and large pores and highly visible lines greet you, your confidence plummets. From there it just gets worse. "You need good skin to have good makeup," says Fiala, who recommends Sicily's All Day All Year moisturizer as a starting point. A couple weeks with quality skin care will make a world of difference.

2. Invest in Quality Makeup. "Walgreens and the drugstores won't give you the results you want," Fiala says. But don't use a price tag to judge a line's value. Packaging and marketing can be highly deceiving. Instead, take advantage of the plethora of testers on department store cosmetic counters and find out firsthand. Pay attention to the way it feels on your skin, how long it lasts and the range of colors offered. Fiala gives Yves Saint Laurent high marks in all three categories.

3. Use Customized Hair Products. All those labels actually mean something. Whether your hair is color-treated, fine, curly or dry, there's a shampoo and conditioner designed especially for it. "Hair companies spend so much money on research and development," Fiala says. "It actually does work." If you're thinking your wallet can't cut it, think again. Most of the luxury brand shampoos and conditioners are higher concentrated which means a penny-sized amount goes much further than that of the grocery store brand.

4. Don't Put Off Color. Find another beauty treatment to slash, but if you like covering the gray or just can't live without those highlights, you must commit to the upkeep. A week beyond your regular touch-up is the maximum you should stretch it. "I know times are tough, but cut back on Starbucks for a while. Something!" Fiala says. Otherwise you wind up sporting two-toned hair and announcing to the world you're late on your color appointment.

5. Be Good to Your Hands. You shake people's hands with them. You talk with them. You serve your family's food with them. Don't betray your hands by not properly caring for them. This isn't a plea for women to book biweekly manicures, either. It's simply a request to "moisturize, keep your cuticles clean and touch-up polish" regularly. Chapped hands, hangnails and chipped Lincoln Park After Dark just isn't cute.