Why Style Matters & other reasons why I want to be Ozwald Boateng when I grow up

Let me preface this by saying one thing: only begin to watch this when you have a block of time to kill. You will get sucked in. It is amazing. It just may entrance you.

With that said, enjoy this 1 hour documentary film on Ozwald Boateng, Savile Row, style vs. substance, and all kinds of menswear perfection. More after the jump. It's worth every minute, I promise.

After you watch, can we please talk about his shirt collars? Mmkgreat.

The Style Cooperative Featured on ImFlashy

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94 Feet Awards @ 6 Points

I recently had the awesome opportunity to  support a friend of mine in his journey to build one of the top sports sites around by attending last weekend's 94 Feet Awards of Chicago.

Click through.

Men's Style & Movies

In some more recent internet wandering, I came across the truly fantastic Moxy Creative Group with great projects that are both refreshing and innovative.

In their "Dress the Part" series, they created movie posters illustrations of popular films, all with an emphasis on menswear. I wish they would do one for The Great Gatsby! 

(Also very worth checking out, their "Ensenble" series.)

Getting Started

I don't buy Moleskines anymore. Or any cool, trendy, pricey, or generally beautiful note/sketch book for that matter. 

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts the other day for creative people, where they challenge you to start. A lot of us get hung up on the method of doing things, or why we can't do things, or ideas not being perfected before they are even started.

A few more recent notebooks that I'm known to juggle and flip between.
The one with the broken binding has earned its stripes.

It has a lot to do with being afraid that it's not amazing. But when it comes to fancy notebooks and crazy ideas, sometimes it feels like the idea has to be well presented and packaged in your mind before it makes it onto a fresh page of that beautiful sketch book. Things have to look great, and you can't have garbage populating and poisoning your creative space right? So the idea needs to be amazing, the very pen strokes you make need to be calculated, and if a color looks off- it's there for. ev. er.

Right?

Well, no.

As I've learned, a lot of creative folks who experience success actually fail. A lot. They've just become comfortable with starting on things over and over, even if they don't know where the project is going to end up, or if it'll even be presentable for that matter. The important thing is to just start. Every single time. Even just for a little.

Yes, that's actually back-of-napkin notes. My studio can be so fancy.

So I challenge you, for whatever it is that you're working on, don't wait until you get your next a really cool  pen with that special ink comes in the mail tomorrow. Don't wait to find the perfectly spaced grid notebook. Don't make your game plan of how you will later tag it. Don't first write the most epic tweet of all time to later announce it. Don't make lunch.


Just start. *steps down from soapbox*

The Style Cooperative - A New Look

We've got a new look over at The Style Cooperative! Hopefully you love it like we do. Click on over and take a look around. More updates to come over the coming weeks as we bring new product and projects front and center.

The Style Cooperative Pop-up Shop

I'm very excited to announce that it is finally here!  Starting today,  you will be able to access select items from The Style Cooperative.  We've hand-picked combinations that look fantastic and have made them available to you in The Style Cooperative Pop-Up Shop.

My favorite looks include the Stockwell Perfect Skirt and the Fletcher Maxi Dress. Because you're all close friends, I'll be sure to keep you posted when new products are available-- and more importantly when our flashy new official TSC customization site is ready for you!

Take a look- I hope you enjoy.  If you're one of the lucky folks who already have your hands on some TSC wears, send over a picture of how you're styling the goods (info@thestylecooperative.com), and you may just find yourself right here on The Style Social.

Have a stylish and safe holiday weekend!

Definitive Culture is Here to Stay

It feels like I haven't written in ages! I took a few days off from blogging and other work (much needed) and was working on a really great project that culminated in an event last night.

There is a great new lifestyle site based in Chicago I've been working with, Definitive Culture, that is finally ready to be discussed with all of you lovely folks.  As the featured style contributor, I'll be sharing musings on style, fashion, ideas, and other bits of loveliness.  So do drop by for additional content,events, and more from me and a handful of very talented and passionate folks.

Also, if you missed out on the launch event last night, I had my very first trunk show of sorts.  The best part is, the goods were actually displayed in a trunk that you may recognize. It was so very exciting to FINALLY share some of the actual product with people and allow them to see and feel and enjoy. This was the perfect way to start off the week with a real bang.

Caught on the Web

I'm not sure if this is something that is widely popular and I'm just late or I'm more hip than most. I'm guessing the prior...

There's a new online retailer with a twist, and it's called Exuve. I know, I know. It seems like every online retailer has to have some kind of twist, gimmick, interactive something-or-other to even stay competitive these days. But this! This is pretty interesting.

Designers (classically trained, educated, pretenders, bloggers, whatever) are able to upload their ideas for a piece or a look including their inspiration. The online community votes. Winners get the look produced.

Plus up to $500 for your design. Not too shabby if you have no plans of producing the goods for your own collection or whatever else. Plus, mom will be proud and your bragging rights for the week will be well-earned.