The Future Is Here & The Time Is Now

2016 is here and officially upon us.  It took me a little time to figure out what I wanted to write and set my intention for the year but it has finally arrived. Funny, because really it was there all along. Forest through the trees type thing I suppose.

It was sometime in the early fall, when one of my clients came in wearing a pink pin that said "Be Kind" on it.  As it turns out, she has them custom made and gives them to people when she feels so inclined.  I was lucky enough to then become a recipient of one of these little treasures after our discussion about how frustrated she became with everyone saying "be nice." "What we really need is people to be kind, the two sentiments are not one and the same," she waxed philosophical.

Fast forward to December 2015 and some of my oldest and dearest friends decided to have a house party for New Years. It was the first time I would be celebrating in a house in a long time.  I was really excited to be with all of my childhood friends so I suggested that we turn it into a costume party to really get things festive (and a little crazy).  As I wasn't the host I could not strictly enforce my costume idea so I encouraged my friend who was, to do just that.

Long story short, in the end my costume enthusiasm was not matched by the masses and I had to make my peace with the fact that the Party Gods were not ruling in my favor on this one.  In all honesty, I was oddly attached to the idea and was a bit bummed that not everyone felt the same.  After pouting for a few minutes about not getting my way, I realized I was being ridiculous and decided to move forward with my plan with or without the rest of the party. I decided to have the best time with some of the most beautiful people I know.  Friends who have loved me in whatever I'm wearing since the time I was 14 years old.

As I started to formulate my idea for what I wanted to wear, I decided my theme would be
"Future Space Cool."  I went to Beatnix on Halsted which has amazing wigs, make-up, costumes and all sorts of funky items to have fun with.  I settled on the look you see featured.


I arrived at the party with my Polaroid camera in hand, along with my catch phrase, "The future is here and the time is now." On occasion, at apropos moments, I would point to my pin and say "In the future we're kind to each other."

In the end, it was one of the best New Years I've ever had and everyone loved and adored my look.  It was a great reminder to do my own thing no matter what and let everyone else do theirs. I also realized that in doing so I had stayed true to my style philosophy which is; dress for the part, dress in what makes you feel good and dress with intention.  I have set the tone for the year for myself and hopefully in writing this can inspire you as well.

There is no waiting, the time is now.  Start where you are and do what you can. I stumbled across this quote today by Martin Luther King Jr. and I think it sums it up quite nicely:

If you can't fly - run
If you can't run- walk
If you can't walk - crawl
But whatever you do
You have to keep moving forward

This year my goal is to move forward NOW. It's easy to get stuck focusing on all the times you f*cked up. Redirect that conversation with yourself and get started.  Let's freaking crawl if we have to and let's do it in style!

What do you think?  Did you set any goals for 2016? I would love to hear.

P.S. more on the blog name change and other exciting news to come!

Subtly Sexy

In our fast paced world of instant gratification, gratuitous nudity, overt ostentation and generally over processed everything, one can easily become bored and nauseated simultaneously.  Subtlety is a dying art and one which I thoroughly enjoy utilizing.  It's not always the obvious or expected route but it leads the mind there in its own clever way.  I think a relatively straight forward and simple example of this is the classic black sheer hosiery with the line that goes up the back, which we currently have at RELISH (see image to the left) which also happen to be great for a holiday party!  Done obviously these tights could be paired with a mini skirt and a revealing top showing ample decolletage.  There is nothing wrong with this and someone wearing this could look great, but there are times when you want to be sexy but in a more sophisticated and understated way.  What I like to see these tights with, is flat shoes (or low heel just for a little elongation of the legs), ankle booties would be nice.  A skirt or dress that hits at or just above the knee leaving the viewer to imagine just where the extension of that line goes.  For the top I would put a chunky black sweater or something with an asymetrical hem could be nice to offset the vertical lines of the tights.  As always jewelry and a scarf to pull the look together.  An interesting hat could also be a nice touch.

The point is, when a viewer sees this outfit they take in multiple ideas at the same time creating a more complex whole concept.  Sure the tights are sexy but paired with lower shoes and a chunky sweater they become a wink and a nod to sexuality, the idea of possibility as opposed to directly spoon feeding straight sex to whomever has eyeballs. In many ways this is taking back control of dressing from the perspective of the hegemonic "male gaze" and truly a subversive thing to do.  It makes someone ask, "Who IS she?"  Which is simply, very intriguing and very sexy.

What do you find sexy? How do you dress to express this?  Do you agree or disagree with this post?  I would love to hear!

The Best Present

There is a certain phenomenon that seems to have pervaded the Midwest.  I've seen it enough times to even go so far as to call it somewhat of a trend. I hesitate to speak on it but it must be said and please know, I say it with love.  Sometimes I have clients who come in looking for a few things to snazz up their wardrobe before they go on a trip like many of us do when we head off on an adventure.  I have noticed these trips usually tend to be either to New York or Europe (specifically Paris).  In hushed tones of respect they mention they want to up their game a bit because they want to look more put together since Parisian (or New York) women are so fashionable and they don't want to be embarrassed by their usual, daily style fare.

So, here's the thing, while I also celebrate and admire my stylish sistren inhabiting the East Coast and gay Paris and love getting inspiration from them, I don't understand waiting to jooj up your style until you go on a trip for 3-7 days out of your year where no one you even know will see you. What are we, your most immediate Chicago style sisters?! Chopped liver?!  We wanna see you looking sassy too!  I think it's important to take pride in your appearance on a daily basis.  It's a form of being present in the here and now and not waiting for the future or a few days of your life where you are on vacation (read fantasy) to present your best self.  It's harder to maintain something long term as opposed to a few days where you have no strict schedule but that's precisely why it's important.

There is lots of talk floating around about being mindful and to me that doesn't just magically happen, it's comprised of lots of little pieces.  It's engaging in your community, not always multitasking with technology while walking, it's slowing down and enjoying your food and it's looking and feeling good about yourself TODAY because who knows what tomorrow will bring.

What do you think?  Do you or someone you know wait to go on a trip to pull yourself together? I would love to hear!

A Wink And A Nod

They say there is nothing new under the Sun and this seems to be quite true.  There is, however, evolution.  The same thing taking on new shape or applied in a different way.  This concept is one of my favorite ways to dress and also the path to originality.  I love to take inspiration from my favorite artists and rework it.  It's less of a direct copy and more of a wink and a nod to those who have come before me.

 I love Sophia Loren and Bruce Lee.  I'm not going to head out of my house wearing the exact martial arts attire Bruce donned in one of my favorite Kung Fu movies, "Enter the Dragon" and I'm not going to head out of my house trying to turn myself into Sophia; there was only one, and to try and replicate her exactly would not only be futile but also a bit outdated. What I would do is pay homage.  I might put my looser black pants with an ankle band which allude to the idea of a ninja/samurai/eastern warrior and I might pair that with a dramatic cat eye, faux fur hat (currently at RELISH) and pearls.  Voila! Just like that we have taken two things and paired them to create an evolved and hybrid original idea.  It's personal and shows what inspires me.  While not everyone is going to see what you have done they will viscerally understand its authenticity.

You will never be able to explain to people fully who you are but you can give them a glimpse by giving them a glimpse into your mind and what you are drawn to and what speaks to you.  If you love Frida Kahlo and Tupac maybe a poncho and a white bandana can be your wink and a nod. Whatever it is, expressing yourself and finding ways to incorporate art on a daily basis are good for the soul and good for the soul of all who catch you crossing the street, buying a coffee or stepping onto the train.  Perhaps Picasso said it best with the phrase, "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." Let's get to dedusting shall we!?

What do you think?  Do your favorite artists influence how you dress?  I would love to hear!

Transitions! Transitions!

As the leaves start to turn, the temperatures cool down and that feeling of Fall is in the air I usually tend to get a tad emo (emotional).  I am always sad to see Summer go and always begin to brace my mind and gird my loins for the stretch of brutality ahead.  That being said, I also love the change of seasons because it's always a chance for a fresh start; A chance to try again, do better, and reinvent.  RELISH is stocked and chocked (full) of gorgeous new sweaters, pants, scarves, handbags, and accessories.  We worked really hard to put together a cohesive collection of sophisticated, classy, fun and wearable items.  Even if you are not doing a full wardrobe revamp adding a few choice pieces can really refresh what you have and make you feel energized.  Here are my top picks for Fall transition.





Scarf:  A new scarf can always freshen things up.  You can never have too many because there are so many beautiful prints and textures to play with.  Scarves are often the finishing touch an outfit needs for drama, flair and to feel complete.  Winter can feel heavy and dark with the darker colors we tend to wear so I love this dip dyed silk and cashmere scarf.  It feels fun and classy at the same time and easily goes with almost anything making it a worthwhile investment. 

Clutch: This zipper pouch made from recycled plastic is only $10 and I love to use it as a clutch when I go out to hear jazz or for dinner (really anything where I'm not standing all night so I can set it down).  Its fun and playful and I like the juxtaposition of something inexpensive with some of my nicer sweaters and scarves. 










Booties: A good ankle boot is essential for transition into Fall.  I got this style from our shoe store, Williams Shoes, and have barely taken them off since.  They are a nice height because you can't see the hem of any of my skinny jeans but they're not too high either.  A tall leather boot this early in the season feels too heavy but it IS getting chilly so these are a nice in between look, not to mention they go well with pretty much everything!




Sweater and Knit Ponte Pant:  A classic lightweight sweater with an interesting detail (in this case the diagonal hem) is a great new piece that's also functional.  Because we do hard Winter living here making sure your sweaters are in good condition is important.  Things that look pilly and old should be removed from your closet so you won't be tempted to wear them.  Look good, feel good as we always say.  The ponte pants featured are a navy and we also have them available in plum and charcoal as well as black.  I love pants in a color because it's something a little different.  The weight of these is a nice thicker knit so they block the wind pretty well and hold up to chunkier knits as well as dressy or casual tops.  The rich navy and plum also look fabulous with jewel tones giving you full on color from head to toe while still being seasonally apropos.  These pants are a client favorite and look great on many different body types.





So what do you think?  What are your favorite ways to freshen your wardrobe for Fall?  I would love to hear!

Freak What You Feel

I can't remember exactly where I first heard the phrase, "Freak What You Feel."   I think it was a quote from an article interviewing different creatives.  It jumped out from the page at me and seems to have stuck in my brain because I say it to myself relatively often now.  It's got swagger, alliteration, truth and rebellion, all wrapped up in 4 little words.  The picture featured is a photo of me freaking what I feel.  In the spirit of the 4th of July and independence, RELISH in your self expression, enjoy the time you have with the people you choose and lastly, Freak On.



P.S.  If you feel so inclined, send me a pic of you freaking what you feel with your style to RELISH706@GMAIL.COM and I will post it to our fb page.  I think it will be amazing to see what everyone sends in.   

Little Suzie

Little Suzie gets up one hour and forty minutes before she needs to leave for work.  She spends 10 minutes making coffee, 45 minutes drinking it and reading the news, 20 minutes to shower and put on makeup and 15 minutes stretching: 


 Q1: How much time does little Suzie have left to get dressed?  

A: 10 minutes
B: Assuming she can find the top she wanted to wear, just enough time
C: She still has to gather her stuff and put on her shoes so really only 7
D: If she hates the first outfit she thought she would like and has to try on 2 more, not enough time.
E: All of the above


Before we get to the answer I have another question.

Q2: What is time and does it even exist? 

A: Yes it does, it's broken down into past, present and future, seconds, minutes, hours and days.
B: It's a social construct and is just a figment of our imagination
C: Your boss doesn't give a shit about these types of philosophical questions and your ass will be fired if you're not at your desk on time.
D: All of the above

ANSWER KEY: 

Q1: E
Q2: D

So at some point or another you may have known a "friend" just like little Suzie.  On any given day depending on circumstances she may or may not be running a few minutes late and rarely is she not rushing.  Full disclosure, I myself, have on occasion, been a "Little Suzie."  I have always struggled with mornings.  Staying up late has come easily to me but mornings, however, are a different story.  Mornings and I have been battling since I was a child, and after thirty years I am waving my white flag.  There were just a few too many mornings that I felt rushed or something popped up that made me wish I had just another 10 minutes.  I started getting up earlier, stretching for longer, and getting ready at a slower and steadier pace.  My days have become more peaceful, and I have found my mornings to be much more enjoyable.  It's not always easy but committing to giving myself enough time has also improved my style.  I waste less time, and make better decisions.  I also did a SERIOUS closet clean out and got rid of anything and everything that didn't make me feel good or had seen its day.  Eliminating the clutter and unwanted excess in my closet has significantly upgraded what I put together and allowed me to express myself in a way I am enjoying even more. 

So what do you think?  Do you give yourself enough time to put together an outfit you feel great in?  Is your closet in proper condition to allow optimum outfit coordination?  Have you ever finally changed a habit you previously couldn't break?  How did you do it?  I would love to hear!