Our Story

About Kathleen Gildred

I have spent most of my adult life doing whatever I thought would make the most significant difference in creating a better world. For over twenty-five years, whenever I was in between projects, I would ask myself, “What is the most important thing in the world that needs to be done that no one else is doing?”

I began my work of helping to create a better world in the 1970’s, with my metaphysical bookstore next to the Inn of the Seventh Ray in Topanga Canyon, Southern California. Through the years, I worked out of the United Nations coordinating the What’s Working in the World program of the First Earth Run, and created the first Personal Action Guide for the UN Environment Programme, which was translated into seven languages and sold several hundred thousand copies. I worked for the U.S. Department of Defense helping to connect them with the environmental community for their Defense and Environment Initiative, and created a plan for sustainability for Maui, HI.

My work on the environment culminated with my organization, the Southern California Council on Environment and Development (SCCED), demonstrating that sustainable policies can work for the environment and the economy. We put on close to fifty conferences and forums, and had task forces in transportation, water, waste, and open space. SCCED educated the public and city government personnel, and we were told that we put on the best educational events to help city governments improve on their programs.

In January of 2001, having had a change of fortune due to the stock market, I decided to re-invent myself. I made a long list of everything I might enjoy doing, and then arranged the list by what I thought I would enjoy the most.

Beautiful women’s clothing topped the list. I had always loved colorful, comfortable, feminine clothing. Having grown up in Beverly Hills with a very well dressed mother and grandmothers (one of whom was a buyer of better sportswear for department stores, and was told that no one had an eye for quality like she had), getting into the clothing business was a natural. I found some cut velvet coats that I loved, and sold them one weekend at a friend’s home. It went so well that I got more pieces and sold them at my home every weekend for the next few months, then started taking them on the road, starting with the Health and Harmony Music and Arts Festival in Northern California.

For a year and a half, I was the Executive Director of SCCED during the week, and worked the GoddessWear collection on weekends. Finally, it seemed that SCCED had put on all the conferences and forums that our steering committee felt were needed at that time, so I shifted to doing GoddessWear full time.

I have loved every part of my GoddessWear business ~ traveling to beautiful places, taking the clothes to great events, meeting wonderful people everywhere, and helping women find adornments that make them look and feel really special.

My partner William described me as “An undercover sorceress who transforms women into Goddesses!” Now, as always, it’s a pleasure to empower you, my friends and customers, with clothing that makes you feel special and brings out the Goddess in you!

About Gorgeous GoddessWear

For 20 years, I sold Gorgeous GoddessWear at numerous events throughout the country, from California to Chicago, Seattle to San Antonio.

And then came the coronavirus! My wonderful papa / grandfather Jose used to say, "There's nothing so bad that something good doesn't come from it!" So, in 2020, I updated my Gorgeous GoddessWear website, and made it into a store. I still do a handful of events throughout the year, but not 20, like I did previously!

Here you have a selection of some of my Gorgeous GoddessWear. For lots of the items pictured, I only have one available, or limited sizes. In many cases I cannot re-order them. If you see an item you like and it’s not listed in your size, I might be able to get it. Please ask me, and I will re-order it if possible.

I regularly add more pieces to the website, so please let me know what you'd like to see more of, and please keep coming back to see what’s been added. And, if you live in the Los Angeles area, you're welcome to contact me to make an appointment to come up to Topanga Canyon and see the entire collection! Also, a rack of the collection can be found at the bookstore in Topanga that I started in 1975, now called the Spiral Staircase.

Please be sure to “Like” Gorgeous GoddessWear on Facebook and follow us on Instagram.

Thank you for visiting our site and happy GoddessWear shopping!