Beverly is the owner of Planet Kids Academy, a preschool for children ages 1 to 5. As we talked, her passion for children was evident, as was her philosophical approach to beauty, life and parenting.

MD:        As an educator, I know you always want to convey professionalism and set an example. How is your style influenced by what you do?

BMc:        I would describe my style as classic but comfortable. The classic look of a starched white shirt with something as simple as a pair of jeans is always appropriate to me. Of course, I always walk around with a fish hook in my mouth.

MD:        A fish hook?

BMc:        That sounds so funny doesn’t it? I was a local model for some time. You are taught to hold your head up as if a fish hook were pulling you. It just sort of stuck with me, and I do that every day as a practice. It keeps my head up and my shoulders back!

MD:        If you say that, then you must have had a slouchy phase.

BMc:        I did at one point. I think we all do. When I  was in high school, I dressed sort of punk, with short hair, piercings and really baggy clothes. What can I say? It was the ’80s. I didn’t really pay attention to what I wore until after my kids were born because I went through another slouchy phase having babies back to back. I think I was trying not to accent my body, but hide it.

Riller and Font dress, $332; crystal bead necklace, $138; long gold beads, $302; gold chain bracelet, $655; all from Izabella’s Villa. Blue oval topaz ring, $435, Champagne Jewelers. Chinese Laundry shoes, $89, Fleurt. Copyright 2012, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:        At what point did you just “get it” about dressing better?

BMc:        I have to say my mother-in-law deserves a lot of the credit. She showed me how to put things together, and she is an inspiration. Also, I saw friends and the way they dressed. I just started paying more attention.

MD:        Has being 6-feet tall ever hindered your style or made it hard to find clothes? I would imagine you have never had to hem a pair of pants!

BMc:        You’re right. And if something does fall a little short, then it looks like a cropped pant, which is fine with me. Actually, I had a harder time finding a man tall enough for me! Luckily, he is 6-foot-4, so I can still wear high heels.

IN Fashion with Beverly McQuaid. Blouse, $194, and shorts, $198, from Izabella’s Villa. Crystal bead necklace, $138; long gold beads, $302; all from Izabella’s Villa. Pearls, $1,150, with Swarovski enhancer, $175, Champagne Jewelers. Jeweled handbag, $129, Three Divas and a Sugar Daddy. BCBG shoes, $89, Shoefflé. Copyright 2012, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:        Beverly, no one can say you don’t look amazing now. I know you work out very hard.

BMc:        I do, and I credit my gym for helping to reshape my body. I do circuit training three times a week, and I try to run 3 to 4 miles at least twice a week. I do love to exercise—it is sort of my time to myself.

MD:        Earlier, we talked about taking time for yourself and how that influences your life.

BMc:        I am firm believer in finding balance. I am always trying to balance my family, my business and myself. I truly believe that comes out of taking care of yourself first. It is almost counterintuitive to think that, but it is so true. I feel I cannot be better at all the things I do if I have not fueled myself and taken care of me.

Outfitting Candice in sparkle, elegance and architectural details, we subjected her to the bright lights of the camera and were amazed by what came through the lens. She is a beauty—a natural, easy, beauty who doesn’t take herself and all the glam too seriously. As a new mom to 5-month-old Hailey, Candice is in amazing shape, and the camera loved her. Need we say more?

Candice Vaughn. Copyright 2011, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:    Candice, this photo shoot was amazing. You were gorgeous. How did you feel doing that shoot?
CV:    It was fun, though I was nervous in the beginning. I don’t really dress like that often, so I was not sure of how it all looked. But, I got more comfortable at the end.

MD:    What were your favorite pieces?
CV:    I love the sparkle dress. It was really something. I felt comfortable in the jeans look though—that is more my personality.

MD:    Do you think you have a strong personal style?
CV:    I think my style is evolving. I can tell I focus on different things since I have been married and have had a baby. I probably dressed a little more close to the body before, but now I am getting more comfortable with myself and wanting things that are a bit more classic.

MD:    Tell me where you grew up. Do you think that has had an influence on your style?
CV:    My father was a Navy man, so I spent half my life in San Diego, and then Tampa. When I was 13, he was transferred to Louisiana and we moved to Mandeville. I think I have always been the kind of girl who is really comfortable in a pair of chino shorts and a nice t-shirt. I like to be comfortable.

Candice enjoys the picture-perfect fall day near the aluminum Spirit Gates by artist John T. Scott. Kensie pants, $144; Samuel Dong jacket, $159, and blouse, $99; all from Columbia Street Mercantile. Kenneth Cole Reaction Know Entry shoes, $79, Shoefflé. Earrings, $75, and ring, $90; both from DeLuca’s Expressions in Gold. Copyright 2011, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:    How has being a mom changed the way you dress or changed what you wear?
CV:    I definitely dress in clothes that can move with me. I need to be able to pick her up and bend over to pick up toys several times a day, so I don’t want to feel constricted in my clothes. I still like to look very put together, but I have a real need for fit and comfort right now.

MD:    What about trends? Do you follow the current trends or do you find them hard to navigate?
CV:    I don’t branch out much. I like the trends, but I am a very frugal shopper. If I buy something, I really need to know I am going to get a lot out of it. I tend to use the trends as just a guide for accessories, but like I said, I really am interested in keeping it simple so I can get the most use out of an outfit.

MD:    You said to me that as a banker you want to look professional and put together. Do you wear things at work that you don’t wear otherwise?
CV:    I wear a lot of pants to work, but when I am going out anywhere, I really am a dress girl. I like my legs and I feel best in a skirt.

MD:    Well, we all commented on your legs during the shoot. Fabulous! What do you do to stay in shape?
CV:    Actually, I do less now than I did before the baby because I have less time. But, I was very careful when I was pregnant and ate very well. I play tennis now and do what I can when I have time. I think it is genetic.

Candice takes in the extensive African collection on NOMA’s third floor. Boyod sparkle dress, $295, The Mix. Alexis Bittar earrings, $225, and cuff, $395; Jimmy Choo shoes, $785; all from Saks Fifth Avenue. Copyright 2011, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:    I love the story of how you met Hunt, your husband. Tell me a little more about that.
CV:    When [my family] moved to Mandeville, Hunt and I went to the same high school, and we were very good friends. We were friends all the way through LSU, and I even dated his roommate. After college, he told me about a position in Resource Bank, where he worked, and I applied. After working there a while, we started dating. Soon after that, we were married. But, it is so great. We have known each other so long, and we were very good friends first.

MD:    What do you think he will say about the pictures when he sees the magazine?
CV:    I showed him some that you sent me. I thought he would just laugh. He said I was a sexy mommy.

MD:    Much has changed in your life since you finished college. How satisfied are you with your current style?
CV:    I feel really comfortable in my own skin now. I always try to look put together. I don’t really plan my outfits or spend a lot of time thinking about my wardrobe, but I think it is so important to always look your best. I try to do that everyday.

She is a beautiful, uber-organized, incredibly polished woman with a subtle grace about her. Being an attorney and married to chef John Besh would be a busy life on its own, but tackling the schedule of her entire family requires something more than just organization. It requires laser-precise details. She not only wrangles her brood of four growing boys (Brendan, 15; Jack, 10; Luke, 8; Andrew, 7), but often slips into an alternate, more glamorous life as wife of a busy popular chef. If you add to that the fact that Jenifer is never underdressed, or even remotely near that, then you are left with the same word I came up with—WOW!

MD:    Well, my first question is the one that everyone looking at these pictures will want to ask. You are the mom of four boys. Just how do you look so good?

JB:    I have to say, I do like my exercise. I enjoy running and spinning. But honestly, I have always been really thin, and since my pregnancies I have sort of filled out, if you will. So, really, this is me just filled out a bit.

Wool pencil skirt, $530; poplin blouse, $480; and tweed cardigan, $580; all Brunello Cucinelli from Saks Fifth Avenue. Pave shrug earrings, $5,600, and black Tahitian pearls, $5,045; De Boscq Jewelry. Ebel Beluga diamond bezel watch, $5,250; Boudreaux’s Fine Jewelers. Copyright 2011, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:    Okay, back to the gym for me! But seriously, you dress your body very well. I have never seen you in ill-fitting clothes or in something that did not suit you.

JB:    I am a firm believer in fit. I cannot say enough about taking the time to find the perfect fit for your body. I have come to realize that you have try on many different things, even if it is 30 pairs of jeans, to get the right look.

MD:    I completely agree with that. What did it take for you to “get” that concept?

JB:    After my first child, I was just wearing whatever was comfortable and easy, because I was a new mom. But, after I got back into shape, I started to want to do more and look better. I really put the effort into looking my best and what flattered my figure.

MD:    Everyone has a style personality. What is yours?

JB:    I prefer a very classic look with a twist. I like to add just enough edge to my look to take it from boring to chic.

MB:    Do you remember describing an outfit to me once as “sexy secretary.” Is that what you mean?

JB:    I do remember that.

MD: Thank you, by the way. I use that phrase all the time.

JB:    That’s funny! But, you get what I mean. A little classic, with a little something that pops. That is what I go for.

MD:    What are you most comfortable in?

JB:    I really am a dress girl. I love my skirts and my dresses. Again, it goes back to what fits my shape. I know that I look best in a skirt and that is what I live in. I do have jeans though, and I wear them often, but I make sure that the fit is right for me.

MD:    How has your style changed?

JB:    I don’t know that it has changed, per se. But I have gotten better at choosing my looks. I did wear more of a uniform when I was practicing law, because I always wanted to be appropriate for my clients and to be taken seriously. Now, I dress with a little more emphasis on the fun—but always fit, fit, fit.

Vince black ponte knit riding pants, $235; Saks Fifth Avenue. Silk cami, $59, and Due per Due jacket, $144; The Villa. Black tote, $64; Suzanne’s Gift Boutique. Pave diamond cross, $11,432; diamond ring, $8,000; and tennis bracelet, $8,000; all De Boscq Jewelry. Double white gold hoops with two Tahitian pearls, $2,375; Boudreaux’s Fine Jewelers. Indigo boots, $129; Shoefflé. Copyright 2011, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:    What about your fashion regrets? What would you do over if you could?

JB:    I regret wearing those large, flowing maternity dresses. When I was pregnant it was not cool to show off your body. I would have liked to have had today’s [pregnant] look back then. And, I regret not taking the time to find the right things for me, which I cannot emphasize enough.

MD:    You said to me that you feel as though you have two fashion lives. What do you mean by that?

JB:    Well, I have the life of a mom, which requires one set of clothes and effort. Then, I have the other—what I call glamorous—side of my life, where I travel with John and we are whisked away to high-end places. I need another wardrobe for that. Thinking of both parts of my life and making pieces work for both requires a lot of organizing on my part.

MD:    There is no way you can live the life you do without being organized. How do you make it all come together?

JB:    I plan everything. You cannot find me in the grocery store and tell me something and have me remember it. I live by the calendar. All of our schedules are written down and in front of me. I focus on one day at a time, and I plan for each day. If I have more than two things in a day, I know I can call my parents, or John’s parents, or my sisters. They say it takes a village, and I believe that.

MD: Are you organized in the kitchen as well, or do you get help from John with that?

JB:    What John does for me is really set me up for the week; he does big things all at once. So, if he cooks several chickens, or cooks steaks, then I know I have that protein for however many days during the week. I prep my vegetables and have my meals pretty much planned for the week.

MD:    Describe your life in a few words.

JB:    Busy mom of four boys.

MD:    You seem to handle the pressure very well. Is your life overwhelming at times?

JB:    My life is a blessing. When things aggravate me, I try and let that go, because I have my family around me, and I always remember that. In the end, that is what matters, and I just try to take it all in stride.

After graduating from the University of Texas (Austin), Peter joined the Air Force and served for four years, rising to the rank of captain. He began his banking career in Texas, traveling across the Lone Star state in various banking positions before settling on Midland, Texas, as his home. As the president of a bank in Midland, he made friends with his neighbors, George and Laura Bush, a friendship that continues today. A bank-consulting job moved him to Atlanta. In 1993, he relocated to Covington. After losing his wife of 32 years, Peter found love again with Maureen (Moe) Clary; they have been married for 10 years. This year, he celebrates 40 years in banking.

Peter personifies style, grace and the quiet cool that came with his Texas roots. I thought he was the perfect model for our boating adventure. As we joked and enjoyed the afternoon, I could not help but detect a lovely Texas drawl, which bubbles to the surface ever so gently when he speaks. Listen carefully; you might just hear that little lilt in his words.

MD:    Peter, you are always so well dressed. How would you characterize your style?
PL:    I grew up, for the most part, in Highland Park (Dallas), Texas. Highland Park was a conservative and preppy place, so I think I just absorbed that and never really lost it.

Daniel Cremieux blue shorts, $55; polo shirt, $49.50; red and white shirt, $45. All from Dillards, North Shore Square. Champagne man’s rubber-and-steel watch, $435. Champagne Jewelers. Gucci suede driving shoe, $390. Saks Fifth Avenue. Copyright 2011, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:    And of course, your Air Force training simply reinforced that.
PL:    True. My Air Force years probably made me more of a “uniform” man. Moe said when she married me I had fourteen identical white shirts in my closet. I like structure.

MD:    I understand that your mother also had an appreciation for fashion. You shared the story of moving her here, when you told her that the men wore jackets to dinner at the assisted living center.
PL:    Yes. I told her she would love it and that she would be pleased to know the men were required to wear jackets to dinner. Although she was disappointed to hear they did not have to wear ties!

Linen solid pant, Toscano, $148. White shirt, Giorgio Armani, $235. Blue linen jacket, Hugo Boss, $595. Bi-color Safari belt, Prada, $190. Suede penny loafer, Bally, $450. All from Saks Fifth Avenue. Copyright 2011, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:    That says a lot about how you were raised.
PL:    Oh, yes! The 50s was a very buttoned-up era. She felt most comfortable in that environment, and I guess I still do.

MD:    How did you take the casual-Friday trend? Isn’t that a little odd for banking?
PL:    I didn’t know what to do with it. I didn’t embrace it right away. Eventually, I came to love just wearing a jacket with no tie on Fridays. I miss it now since I changed jobs and have no casual Fridays.

MD:    You were so comfortable on our photo shoot! Did you know that we were calling you Covington’s own Ralph Lauren? You were great, and you looked like you owned the boat.
PL:    Well, that was a little out of my element; I was nervous at first. But by the end of the day, I thought it really was a lot of fun—I loved the boat. The clothes made me feel like I owned it!

MD:    Peter, you are our first male IN Fashion subject. We’re going to do something different. I’ll throw some sentences at you, and I want you to finish with the first thing that comes to mind.
PL:    (laughing) OK.

MD:    My favorite thing to wear is…
PL:    A jogging suit.

MD:    If I were going to breakfast on a lazy Sunday, I would wear…
PL:    Shorts and shirt, if it were warm.

MD:    The one outfit I could never see myself wearing is…
PL:    A leisure suit. I never owned one.

MD:    I would never leave home without wearing…
PL:    My watch, my wedding band and my UT class ring.

MD:    If I could go to work dressed any way I please, I would…
PL:    Wear exactly what I already wear every day—a tie and coat.

MD:    Living in Louisiana has changed my style because…
PL:    I have come to love seersucker suits.

MD:    What do you see when you see people dressed today, as opposed to the buttoned-up style of your youth?
PL:     I think it is a more casual life now, but there is room for a little lax in the structure. I like to feel comfortable now.

Daniel Cremieux white cargo shorts, $59.50; straw fedora, $30. Perry Ellis linen shirt, $45. All from Dillards, North Shore Square. Seiko leather-strap watch, $75. Champagne Jewelers. Gucci suede driving shoe, $390. Saks Fifth Avenue. Copyright 2011, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:    Well, Peter, I have to say that because you looked so distinguished at our shoot, every time I see you I am going to call you Covington’s Ralph Lauren. Thank you for being our first male model!
PL:    You are kind. Thank you for choosing me. I don’t see that, but I will answer if you call me Ralph!

My mother came to America from the small island of Skopelos, Greece, when she was just 9 years old. Her father had died of pneumonia when he was very young, leaving my grandmother with three girls under the age of 5. After they spent several years alone in Greece, a relative helped to bring the family to America to create a better life for themselves. My grandmother poured herself into raising well-rounded daughters. Weekends were spent cooking, gardening and learning to sew so that the girls would have an arsenal of knowledge at their fingertips as wives and mothers.

Martha Goodson. Copyright 2011, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

As a result, my mother and her sisters are incredibly creative, and each in her own way continues my grandmother’s lessons every day. I have incredible memories of my mother, always busy in the house and always beautiful.

To say that I never remember my mother underdressed, or dressed inappropriately, is an understatement. She has always been the most put-together, gorgeous and beautifully coifed woman I know. I’m biased, maybe, but I never saw a hair out of place, a lipstick smudge or an unpressed blouse. Never have I caught her rumpled or tousled or untidy. NEVER. She was quite simply perfect—and a perfect style role model.

Of course, it is sometimes difficult living up to all that perfection. How did she hold her style together so well with two kids, a busy husband and an entire household to run? I wanted to know, because honestly, I have never really asked. So I sat down with my style-icon mother to ask her just that.

MD:    I always remember you so perfectly put together.

MG:    When I was young, my mother instilled in us that we should always be presentable, as it was a direct reflection of the pride you had in yourself. I wanted to project to others that I had pride in myself, and I did so by focusing on every element of what I wore.

MD:    So it was not necessarily about fashion back then—it was about being presentable?

MG:    Correct. I never knew what my day was going to bring or where I would be. I could go from the grocery store to getting gasoline for the car and then out to dinner. I never wanted to be seen as unpresentable, so I prepared for anything each day.

MD:    But I would say that when I was growing up you were more than just presentable. You set such a high bar for me. Did you do that consciously, or did you just fall in love with clothes?

Martha and Maria.

MG:    I did want to set a good example for you, but along the way I learned more about how to dress, rather than just how to look “appropriate.” I really paid attention to what worked for me and my body, and tried to buy only things that made me look better and set off my shape. I was really just “accentuating the positive.”

MD:    You are such a perfectionist; I can only imagine how driven you were to always make your look better each season. Is that a fair statement?

MG:    I was excited to buy something new each season, but I was never really driven by trends. I remember in the ’70s when the wooden platform sandal was so popular. I don’t think I bought shoes for two years, because I could not picture myself in those shoes. The chunky heel was half the shoe, and I hated them. They were not “me,” and I was depressed about that until the trend passed.

MD:    Well, my favorite image has always been of you wearing a Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress, a look I am still in love with today. When I bought my first one several years ago, my first thought was “Martha, 1975.” That was your signature look for a long time.

MG:    Oh, yes! Every time I found a different wrap dress, I bought it. I thought it was the perfect complement to my figure, and it was comfortable, which many clothes were not back then. You have to remember, that was before Lycra. The wrap dress could be dressed up or down, it could be casual, it was sexy and it was always appropriate on top of that.

MD:    It’s funny how fashion really does come back around. When you would wrap your hair in a silk scarf, almost like a turban, I always thought it was so fashionable. I recently saw a magazine picture of a major movie star wearing one and I thought of you.

MG:    If my hair was not presentable, I would just wrap a scarf around my head. It was colorful and chic at the same time. And I still looked neat.

Jones New York white pants, $79; Sunset Road orange sequined top, $49; Chaus royal blue trench, $129. Dillards. Smokey quartz-and-glass bead necklace and earrings, $144. DeLuca’s Expressions in Gold. Copyright 2011, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:    It is inspiring to me that you always knew what worked for you and never really deviated from that. We have not even discussed your love of red lipstick. When did your obsession with red lips come about?

MG:    I saw that red complemented my face. I got a lot of compliments on it, so I kept it as part of the repertoire. I think I will always wear some version of red lips; it just makes me feel so put together.

MD:    I am going to reveal your age because you look so great! You are turning 70 this year, and I still never see you with a hair out of place. You make 70 look amazing. It is incredible that you have only two gray hairs, and that your hair is your natural color.

MG:    My mother was barely gray when she passed away at 96, so it runs in the family. Thank you for thinking I still look great. I look in the mirror and can see that I am growing old, but it is okay. I am still at it.

MD:    Mom, I hope you know what a great role model you have been and how proud I have always been of having such a put-together mom. I love that you continue to challenge yourself to look your best.

MG:    Thank you, dear. If you think I look good today, then I am still proud to be setting an example for you. I like that.

MD:    What is the one piece that makes you feel the most confident when you wear it?

AL:    This may sound odd, but I absolutely love my collection of knee-high boots. There is something about putting them on that just makes me feel instantly put together, confident and dressed.

MD:    Tell me about your style ten years ago, when you were a newly minted physician with young babies at home.

AL:    I basically lived in my work clothes—my scrubs and my clogs. I wore what was easy and acceptable. I am a physician, so I thought wearing scrubs seemed appropriate as a uniform of sorts.

Dr. Ann Lobello. Copyright 2011, Abby Sands Miller, abbyphoto.net.

MD:    How has your style changed in the past ten years, and how has it evolved from scrubs? What is important to you now, in terms of style?

AL:    I have come to appreciate that when someone looks more put together, they are perceived more seriously. More adult, I should say. More professional. I think we have become very casual as a society about getting dressed in the morning. I wanted to wear what was easy and functional.

MD:    And now?

AL:    Now, I dress up. I take myself more seriously. I spend time on my wardrobe. I think about what I should wear, sometimes planning my outfit while I shower in the morning. The act of getting dressed each morning gives me more confidence throughout the day.

MD:    Going from scrubs to dressed is a big leap. What steps did you have to take to develop your wardrobe?

AL:    I started from scratch. I had a good friend who took me shopping and helped me put together the basics, and I began building from there. In the past three years, I have gathered a collection of versatile and key pieces that allow me to dress for any occasion in a moment’s notice.

MD:    What do your girls and Vincent think of the way you look now?

AL:    They hold me to a higher standard. Since they know I can put myself together, they give me the once-over before I head out the door. The girls comment on everything I wear now, as adolescent girls do, but I like to feel noticed by my family.

MD:    So, for the rest of our readers who want to pony up their style, what do you think are the key pieces for a pulled-together look without really thinking about it?

AL:    I think a crisp white shirt, a classic pencil skirt and a pair of sling-back heels would have to be my fail-safe outfit. You can never go wrong with the basics, and just that simple outfit always leaves me feeling dressed appropriately.