A Mother's Lasting Impression, Her Sense of Style

This Sunday marks the 94th year since becoming a national holiday we celebrate our mothers. Granted its original purpose to celebrate mothers who had dedicated themselves to peace probably didn’t include offerings of cards, flowers, and breakfast-in-bed, but it does require a note of thanks.

The last time I saw my mother was in December. After an all day flight from the West coast, she unloaded her impressively packed suitcase containing 6 - 8 outfits and 4 pairs of shoes to stretch a three-week visit.

Her mastery of packing is a result of having raised ten children who all demanded a bit of organization collectively and individually. Food and toys were rationed carefully just as our wardrobe options. We shared clothes for sleepovers, camping trips, and family visits, amounting to a few duffle bags amongst us. The parents were no exception. Presentable? Always. Designer label-wearers? Not so much.

Mom dressed herself in trends fitting of the era, mostly in flowing long dresses if memory serves. She would deny claims as ever being a trendsetter, but has recalled fondly images of a more fashionable young adult before entering motherhood. She hailed from a family of socialites who entertained regularly, where the ladies adorned themselves in costume jewelry and form-fitting cocktail dresses all appropriate of course by Texas standards. My grandmother - a wife, mother, and businesswoman - dressed my mom and her sisters in petticoats and delicate laced gloves for Sunday Mass. Mom once confided in me she dreamed of being Rosalind Russell's version of Auntie Mame – always coiffed and dressed for a party.

That dream may not have been realized but mom can hardly fault herself. As with all mothers of the world, investing in clothes – and just the act of shopping for herself – becomes less a priority. The stress of finding time and the finances to keep current gives new meaning to the word "comfortable." Mothers find comfort in a tracksuit because it requires no dry cleaning. Why button when you can slip on elastic waist jeans? Saturday Night Live immortalized the "Mommy Jeans" and fashion designers responded feverishly by introducing hip designer options at more affordable prices (thank you, GAP).

Regardless of our family's meager means, mom always evoked elegance. Sure, she may have felt crazy on in the inside (did I mention that she raised ten kids?!), but her appearance signaled a different message. Her slender silhouette akin to Katharine Hepburn accommodated a classic look of tailored blouses and trousers and dresses on special occasions. Even her yoga uniform of leotard and tights and a turban-like head wrap oozed chic. We knew we were in the presence of someone grand, confident, and strong. It was in those early years that I learned the difference between fashion and style.

Now that her children are leading adult lives, she has resurrected the image of a modern-day Auntie Mame. Albeit resigned to a palette of black, grey and white, she sports designer jeans, heels, and the occasional bold-colored blouse. Her signature look; however, is jewelry. Each piece – ring, necklace or bracelet – draws you into her world to discover a woman who constantly gives and produces life. Just the way Auntie Mame lived (life is truly a banquet).

Mom and I braved the cold weather that December to participate in a shared favorite activity: shopping. She was my Fashion Guru. I sounded like a client questioning colors, prints, and shapes. "Perhaps, you may want to try a bolder shade to enhance your coloring," she would respond with diplomacy. In between changing rooms, we exchanged views on what constituted as age-appropriate clothing, the demand for green production in the fashion industry, and if yellow was going to be the new black this spring season.

We had a wonderful visit, as to be expected. However, our goodbye brought a sense of comfort. My mom left proud of my success to date and from her, I realized that I still had lots to learn about style and grace.

Happy Mother's Day, mom.

CROW Opens for (Online) Business

As some of you know, I've been working with CROW Clothing, a new kind of clothing company that creates eco-friendly fashion and offers its customers incredible resources on social justice and health and fitness. My role has been as an Advisory Bird, offering my expert advice to it's fearless CEO damali ayo. You can find my picture and bio on our "team" page. We began this exciting and daring new venture in November of last year and it's been a really inspiring few months leading to our grand opening, today.

Please join us in our debut by visiting crow-clothing.com <http://www.crow-clothing.com/>.

Here are a few things that make CROW a unique "evolutionary" company that I am proud to be a part of (you can find this and more on our 'about' page):

* We make our clothes with eco-friendly, sustainable fabrics that are made in harmony with the environment. We use a diversity of fibers, which is key to avoiding the "replace and drain" phenomenon that plagues many "green" practices.

* Our sliding-scale pricing means that a wide variety of people can afford to wear. We may be the first retail clothing company to attempt this fresh approach to sales.

* We donate 1% of all sales to Now Art Grants, a program started by damali ayo that funds artists creating work that engages social change.

* Visit our learn page and our links section for resources and inspiration. Find everything from 10 ways to combat racism to 163 things you can compost.

* Physical well-being is part of building a strong community. You can find resources on health, fitness, and nutrition on our site.

* Our designers, advisors, models, and partners work as a team. We all contribute to the resources on the site and share our expertise on our blog. When you step out on a limb to interrupt racism, help the environment, or create a healthy life for yourself you can feel the support of the Crow Clothing team through the soft fibers of our clothing. (Check out my blog "Change Begins with CROW")

* We believe in "co-opetition" - adding the spirit of cooperation to a competitive marketplace. On our Web site you'll find links aplenty including to other designers and products that we love.

*...AND the clothes are hot.

What else is there to say? It's time to get your CROW on! Visit http://crow-clothing.com

When Green Means More than a Look

In full disclosure, I am a green follower for all the wrong reasons. My initiation into the environmental social club was in my sophomore year in high school when my “hippy” phase was blessed by a pair of Birkenstocks paid with my first check from Cinnamon Sams. My ankle-length peasant skirts circa 1986 and handmade hemp bracelets secured my spot amongst classmates who passed out flyers about recycling around campus. [At this time, I was also actively involved in Amnesty International so the image of an activist defined my choice of attire.] Sure, I believed in the importance of saving the planet but it was more about looking the part than really comprehending the impact of my actions.

Eco-fashion is finally getting the attention it deserves with help from big-name designers such as Calvin Klein and Marni commissioned by Barney’s New York to design limited eco-garments. Phillip Lim started his eco line, Go Green Go, as a result of watching a National Geographic special on the impact of global warming on polar bears. Their visibility leads consumers to research and discover other designers who have pioneered the green market or in the process of building eco clothing.

They are all leaders in every right – taking the initiative to produce earth-friendly products that consumers – whether environmental conscious or not – would buy.

The admirability falls short though when a collection remains a limited edition. For eco-fashion to be truly sustainable, a fashion house must implement sound environmental policies. It must be part of the core mission that dictates how the company – big or small – operates.

One such company is Patagonia. Its 30+ year trademark represents the success a social responsible business model can achieve. Its commitment to the environment frames every aspect of the company from product development to the workplace. The company is also a member of the Fair Labor Association, which ensure compliance of a code of conduct in facilities used by Patagonia.

Patagonia’s preservation of the environment begins with education. Employees are granted sabbaticals to exotic destinations to learn and work with local artisans, activists, scientists, and educators. Their knowledge is then transferred to product development and field reports describing accounts of their experience.

And of course, the clothing is pesticide-free cotton and recycled polyester and 1% of sales is donated to national and international grassroots environmental groups.

Similarly in its approach to the environment is Loomstate. The four-year-old label has captured the nation’s youth with stylish jeans and thought-provoking tees and the heart of the environmental movement. The design team oversees the manufacturing process from beginning to end to ensure integrity of the materials and labor conditions.

What gives a social responsible model credibility is transparency. While it is wonderful to see the explosion of “organic” materials surface in big box department stores to independent labels, it must be an institutional change. Green promotes life and the life of a business should be fruitful without depleting the source.

Tomorrow we give thanks to the Earth for giving us the resources to live. How we choose to celebrate depends on our conscience. Do we watch a program on global warming and then throw away our soda cans in the garbage can? Or do we make a commitment to conserve and invest in sustainable products – which includes clothes? For the latter, simplify your closet by investing in pieces of the highest quality fabric for longevity of wear, vintage/reclaimed materials and of course, natural organic materials. It’s the least we can do.

So, dress up for the party in your sustainable-best and remember to say thank you.

The Power of YOSOY

When Luciana Tiktin arrived in D.C. last summer she came with a dream to start her own fashion co-operative, she just didn’t realize it would happen so fast.

Yesterday, Saturday, April 5, D.C. welcomed its first designer showroom featuring local fashion and jewelry designers as well as oeuvres by musicians and artists. DEKKA, which stands for DC Area Fashion Art Music, is Titkin’s love child, second of course to her toddler son. The location’s second floor space on 13th and U Street features nine designers who pay a monthly rental fee. Nearly 90 designers applied within the first month of Tiktin’s advertisement.

“DEKKA is about working with creative minds and to help ignite that creative process,” Tiktin says.

Tiktin’s own creative process began after working for retail giant Stone Island in her native Buenos Aires, Argentina. Luciana left her home for Miami where she studied Fashion Design at the International Fine Arts College. From, she traveled the globe and ultimately returned to Miami to work as a professional wardrobe stylist for Eduardo Berastegui and agency photographers. Her experiences culiminated in the creation of her own label, YOSOY, in 2001.

YOSOY embodies the nature of movement – propelling you in the future with a bit of edge. One must be bold to wear YOSOY, the label means I AM after all. Making a presence or rather acknowledging your power exudes from the sultry dresses and tops not to be worn at home on a Saturday night.

And D.C. women are all about the power of I AM.

“I have women buying my dresses to wear out to the clubs who you never thought would wear them from by looking at their day clothes,” Tiktin says. “D.C. does have a reputation for being conservative, but that is not true for an evening look.”

While the D.C. market is still playing catch up to YOSOY, other major cities such as Miami, New York and Buenos Aires have embraced the label.

Tiktin is optimistic about her future in D.C., citing the environmental perspective of buy local as the key to keeping her business, as well as other local designers.

“Some bridges need to be built to bring local buyers and local designers together,” Tiktin says. “But most importantly, local designers need to network within the fashion community.”

It was evident that Tiktin’s wish came true.

Change Begins with CROW

If you haven’t noticed, change is “in.” It’s the hottest word since “hope” became synonymous with optimism. Everyone wants it from our presidential candidates, to social activists and now to fashion designers.

damali ayo (lowercase is intentional) not only wants change spoken but she wants it worn too. The conceptual artist has recently added fashion designer to her titles to demonstrate the power of change. Her introductory label, CROW features a line of casual glam – all gender hoodies, a 3-way shirt, and tiebreakers – communicating real world issues.

As CROW's tagline suggests “it’s more than what you wear. It’s who you are.” CROW offers its customers a complete lifestyle. On the CROW Web site, you can find out about social issues, health and fitness, get a second opinion from a naturopath, learn how to compost, and even how to join the textile workers union. All CROW clothing is tagged with a vow card customers sign and return to be counted among those who are committed to engaging this new lifestyle where we “enter into a relationship with our world and the people in it.”

What does this new CROW world where social change is no longer segmented, but integrated world look like? Clay, a shade of grey formed when two opposite colors on the color wheel are mixed. That symbolism, or I should say “realism”, is CROW’s signature color projecting a world beautiful in all its complexities.

A portion of all sales of the Portland, Oregon-based label goes to artists creating work that engages social change, through ayo’s Now Art Grants program.

What distinguishes CROW from other social responsible business models is its progressive formula of economics, social justice and the environment. The CROW customer can name its price in a sliding scale on all garments. Love the CROW Hoodie? Love it at the price you choose, from $40 to $75, as suggested by the site; now when was the last time you saw that offered by a retail clothing company?

ayo plans to enlist the services of seamstresses through its nest-egg program. “We believe that even social justice business provides an opportunity for financial gain and independence, not just for us, but everyone who works on our product,” ayo says.

The label equally promotes environmental sustainability and fair labor practices. ayo uses a variety of soft on the earth fibers such as soy, organic cotton, lyocell and hemp to ensure sustainability of resources. This stance extends to its unique line of “scrapology” garments, one-of- a-kind garments made from leftover fabrics. To offset its transportation carbon emissions, items are shipped through Uship, a partnership with TerraPass.com.

Sadly, not everyone believes in change. Change must be seen for a conversion to occur. ayo has built a business model on transparency unlike its predecessors in the fashion industry.

“We want our customers to trust every thing we say and everything we sell,” ayo says. “In this era of corporate distrust, CROW will emerge as a leader that ‘breaks the mold’ when it comes to how a company is run and how it views the bottom line(s) which include not only profit but cultural impact and the growing of relationships and resources at every step in our process.”

ayo’s own acceptance of change began at birth. Her innate skill and talent for cultivating change has earned praise from the social justice community. In 2005, she followed her critically acclaimed web-art-performance rent-a-negro.com with the book version, How to Rent a Negro, which received awards and favorable media attention. When ayo is not designing her CROW Clothing collection, she directs her Now Art Grants, a program that combines small donations of a large number of individuals then grants that money to artists engaged in social change.

My Signature Look is one of eight "advisory birds" throughout the country that support ayo in her approach to creating change through fashion. Her ambitious business model has raised the bar for ethical fashion, proving co-opetition can bring real change for all those who participate.

Dress Your Age, Which Is?

In late January, I celebrated my 34th birthday. I treated myself to a morning jog and then gratefully slipped into a new pair of 7 For All Mankind jeans I bought myself as a birthday gift. I paired the high-waisted flared jeans with a cream blouse made out of recyclable materials by eco-friendly designer label God Help Miss Agnes. I felt stylish. I looked stylish. But that was a good day.

As a stylist, I strive to look my best everyday regardless the occasion, I aim for that perfect outfit that flatters my figure while reflects my quirky personality. I am the first to advocate for finding your own unique style – break the rules, take risks, make your own statement!

Well, maybe that was in haste. There are some rules that really shouldn't be broken. Please ladies, no black nylons with white heels or black heels (period) with light-washed jeans. Gents, no socks with your Birks or company-logoed polo shirts worn out to a nice restaurant.

Aside from the arguments of what constitutes as style, ooh, I cringe writing the next statement, but can a fashionista be agewear-conscious? It seems that we are living in an identity crisis. Teeny-boppers are dressing provocatively (even at 34, I blush at what I've seen), our mothers wearing mini-skirts (an Ally McBeal flashback, skinny or not) and young professional males are wearing their father's blazers and cardigans (well, kudos to U.K. retailer Reiss for modernizing a classic trend).

It's hard to know what's considered age-appropriate clothing when the fashion world seems geared toward young women and men.

I recently attended a fashion show where the featured Japanese designer created a collection inspired by the 1930s. As I watched the young models parade in fringe and trains of billowing garbage bags (pure aesthetics, folks), I too wanted to play dress up. Vintage worn by young people can look fresh and modern and vintage worn by someone of that same era, well, looks vintage.

Recent reviews of the Bill Blass spring 2008 show politely described it as homage to decades of party dresses. What you saw were dresses restored from archives brought to life by young models. Again, who should be wearing such dresses? The young debutante runs the risk of looking too matronly but then too predictable for the woman who wore the original Bill Blass gown.

Each week, the fashion victims on How Do I Look on the Style network cable channel appear to be just as confused. Last week, a mother felt the sting of her 20-year-old daughter’s embarrassment. The mother built a wardrobe around spandex and off-the-shoulder mini dresses that sadly brought gasps by the daughter and her friends. Her defense? She wanted to look young and sexy. Or there was the episode where the 24-year-old mother of two layered herself in fabric akin to muumuus and out-dated ankle-length Sunday dresses that not even a church elder would wear.

The other day my inner child got the best of me. I entered Urban Outfitters. I blame it on the huge SALE sign on the glass window, but honestly, it was my hold on youthful urban wear. I immediately found myself drawn to babydoll dresses (they are so versatile – layer in the cooler months and wear as a summer dress with flats) and graphic t-shirts. Never mind the fact that I just purchased a floral-patterned babydoll dress earlier in the week! I was weak. But I resisted temptation and put the dress back on the rack. Victory.

Admittedly, I didn’t like the idea of turning 34 and perhaps this article is more about my own acceptance of getting older. Yet, my personal observations of people in general have led to the conclusion that we either live in the moment or in the past, regardless of age.

If there is one strength I have, it is the ability to change. As I evolve so should my own look. I must believe that it's really not about the age you are, but about the age that you appear.

Here are a few tips this stylist promises to keep herself:

1. Body-appropriate – wear clothes that are form fitting, which doesn’t mean tight enough to see an overflow of flesh.
2. One trendy item – clothing item or accessory – per outfit.
3. No mini-skirts or midriff tops past the age of 35, unless you are Tina Turner. (See rule #1)
4. Upgrade your shoes – no flip-flops (other than for gym showers), no chunky platforms, no plastic, after your early 30s.
5. Class act – take pride in your appearance and reserve your youthful energy for the shopping!

Emerging Designers Bring Class and Sophistication to D.C.

When D.C. lost über-cool Unsung Designers last December to New York City, the fashion community was heartbroken. The boutique’s claim on emerging designers introduced local fashionistas to a world of hip culture and couture. It was a refuge for bold, funky, and edgy styles that attracted even the shiest of characters. Thankfully, online sales are still possible but if a shopping excursion to New York is not in your future, then where does that leave the designers? The departure may have left L.A.-based designers Stephanie Verrières and Kimi Sako of Verrières-Sako without a second home, but the duo wants to ensure D.C. fashionistas are well stocked with their film noir-inspired collection of pencil skirts and cocktail dresses.

“We fell in love with D.C. and were sad to learn that the store was closing,” Verrières said recently from her California design studio. “We would really like to be in the D.C. [retail] market.”

And there is plenty of room.

The designers’ skill for manipulating fabric to create dramatic lines as demonstrated in the double collar blouse or signature defined waist dress appeals to the femme fatale gone glam. The organza dress coats worn over a sultry little cream dress would be the perfect attire for a night at the Kennedy Center. The collection’s palette of neutral hues and quality fabrics, which includes bamboo, invokes elegance and sophistication – a perfect description of the modern D.C. woman.

In the months to come, Verrières-Sako plans to return to D.C. to participate in trunk shows. In the meantime, My Signature Look, a local wardrobe consulting company, has acquired items from the collection for private viewings. My Signature Look held the first viewing last week to rave reviews by clients and colleagues.

The District’s recent expansion of boutiques and couture living appears ripe for an Unsung Designer replacement, if not the answer to emerging designers east-coast hub.

Contact My Signature Look at 202-445-0590 or katherine@mysignaturelook.com to schedule an appointment to view the collection. Offer is available through the month of February 2008.