BLAINEHOGAN

The Found & Forgotten // a Q&A with Lyla & Blu

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:08:00 PDT

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, my journey to becoming a gentleman has found me crossing paths with some incredible people. Today I want to introduce you to my new friends, Christian Watson and Hannah Wright of the incredible design and style inspiration blog, Lyla & Blu (which admittedly, I want to live inside).

They also recently opened a shop where we can finally purchase some of the lovely vintage items they've had us drooling over for so long.

Christian and Hannah are truly remarkable people doing amazing things and I wanted you to get the chance to get to know them a bit better. Via the slightly faster postal service that is electronic email, they sat down and told me their story.

What exactly is Lyla & Blu and how did it get started?

It stemmed from a simple thought, one that eventually lead to a question. "How would you like to start a blog with me?" Christian and Hannah, a long distance couple at the time, created an idea; a story, from where much of our inspiration comes from-- an earlier time. We were each studying different mediums of design.

From Christian's wonderment of what we could give to a virtual community if the two of us came together-- bringing our tastes, our knowledge thus far in all things design, our compassion for others, and our interest in each other-- we both soon came to the mutual desire to create an aesthetically charming outlet to welcome whoever knocked- or, in this case "peered through the window" in to our "home..." to show them style, grace, adventure, books, food; our idea of a full lifestyle.

Where does the name come from?

From the atmosphere we created with our blog, we chipped and formed the story of two, young individuals who lived in the year 1924. We thought of the names from personal meanings to each of us. "Lyla" is a family name of a very beautiful lady (with much grace and poise) in Hannah's family. It has, for quite sometime now, also been the name she wishes to name a child of hers, if she were to have a girl. "Blu" is a nickname Christian's mother gave to him as a child.

Christian was born without a heartbeat. The unfortunate picture of one without a heartbeat is one with a lack of bright color; to be blue. This is also a name Christian would like to have in his family line for his children someday.

What draws you to the forgotten, the buried, the old, the handmade?

It is the endless character and life that will forever lie in all of those things thought to be under those listed categories. So many treasures we find, and the pieces we will never come across, they hold knowledge and history and little secrets and details.

Regardless if you were to find two of the same model of a brownie box camera, let's say, you would still have two one-of-a-kind cameras within your possession because they did not see the same things, they did not endure the same hands. This goes for all things forgotten, buried, and handmade. It all holds some sort of difference, some sort of individualism.

With handmade items, it is utterly difficult to craft a piece that is exactly alike from one creation to the next. We admire this and hold a deep respect for the craftsmen we know of now and those before us.

How did having a Tumblr lead you to opening a shop and selling what was in your "window?"

It was not something we really even considered for a while until our blog viewers began asking if we were a boutique. We were actually quite tickled by this, as well as honored, that by the way we portrayed ourselves, we were assumed to have something beyond what we had. We were just two creative students who wanted to contribute to the world our personal and professional takes on style and design!

As you know, I'm overcome with the idea of reclaiming a sense of becoming a gentleman. Your shop goes by the name 1924, which you call "the year of men." Tell us more about that.

1924, like all other times has many issues in society and cultural atmosphere. This however true is not the only aspect that defines human kind or eras. During the 20's and most of the early half of the 20th century consisted of hand made ideals that focused on the happiness of home, and the wealth of quality. Things were made with an impeccable personality and professionalism that today you can just not find.

Why are old things so sought after? Because even today with a little help from those dedicated, they still have use. This is an aspect of product you simply have to search high and low for today. Being a gentleman has nothing to do with any year or culture. You can grow up in terrible conditions with hatred all around you and still strive to be not only dapper in your clothing, but in your attitude as well.

It seems there is a tremendous amount of energy as guys in their 20's and 40's harken back to their heritage in clothing, calling, vocation, to name of a few. What do you attribute this to?

i am certain these things come from a search for goodness in self. So many things factor into this change, but i think people really want to get back to the roots that we can relate to. It's so surreal to think of people so interested in times other than our own, and though it isn't everyone it certainly is a colossal amount, i can only hope that it isn't simply a fad but a turning point for our our societal evolution.

In this age of fast-paced, byte-sized-everything, how does one become a gentleman in the 21st century?

As important as it is to point how how to become a gentleman i think it is important to iterate that becoming a lady is right along the same line. You want to dress well? Dress well. You want to be kind? Do it. You cannot fake it because no one is going to ask you if you are gentleman, like most things it's a character you develop in yourself and only you can fully define.

Just because media views it one way, doesn't mean that it's the same for everyone. Be the best person that you can believe in. Trust yourself and feel confident. Be courageous, loving, passionate and more than a lady or a gentleman, you'll be the best damn person you can be.

What is the best advice you've ever gotten?

i love this question. So many years i've learned the hard way, being critiqued, told what and what not to do... But overall the best is difficult to pinpoint, it's a collection of things that make us who we are.

Make decisions for yourself, make the conscience choice to define your character with the best intent. There's no doubt about it, you will die someday so while you can make decisions, make happy ones. Ones that make you feel good, ones that make you happy with the outcome, genuine happiness. Don't fool yourself and be honest always.

This is a timeless truth and for so long i thought making decisions for everyone around me was the best way to live... You will be the best for everyone when you are the best for yourself.

I hope you enjoyed our chat and I hope you check out their goods on 1924 and Lyla & Blu!

A Parisian-Inspired Playlist

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:34:00 PDT

When I was in high school, nearly everyone I knew took Spanish or German. Dreaming of galvanting around Europe, they spoke of all the beer they would consume hopping from train to train during a study-abroad excursion. The others spoke mostly of how knowing Spanish would come in handy in Mexico as they conned their way into foam parties over Spring Break.

Not me, however.

Those lanuages had no history. No, je ne sais quois. And more importantly, no romance, which for a 14 year-old theatre kid was of the utmost importance.

And so I chose French: "the lanugage of love," or so I thought.

My fantasies were immediately dashed on the first day when I learned that if we didn't conjucate our verbs quickly and correctly, we were bopped on the head with an enormous Evian bottle by Madame Larson.

To this day, I can't speak much French, nor have I ever been to Paris, yet as I've been enjoying the legimate arrival of spring, I've found myself gravitating to the quirky, sexy, and happy sounds of gay Paris.

Subscribe to the SPOTIFY playlist here and enjoy!

We Did It!

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:33:00 PDT

Now that the weather has turned, Ruby and are back to our routine of going for a run after I'm home for work. I strap her in the hand-me-down running stroller a friend gave us, riddle the side satchel with fruit snacks, water, maybe a baby Elmo, and off we go.

The first leg of our journey starts behind our place alongside a giant reservoir. We talk about birdies and goggies ("doggies"), and then we climb. For living in the western suburbs of Chicago there sure are a lot of hills and this first one is a beast. Especially when heaving along a creaky stroller, a 2 year-old, and enough snacks to tackle the Oregon Trail.

I take it easy towards the middle of the hill so that when we reach the top I've still got enough steam so as to alert any passerby's who might be wondering if the skinny dad needs help: "It's okay, I got this!" It's a pride thing, but I'm working on it.

After that, it's a graceful decent past the row homes we dream of living in one day. Three stories; Chicago style; just enough space for a small family; part of a cozy neighborhood, and within walking distance to the train downtown and the weekly Farmer's Market.

We cross over train tracks and through the obstacle course of nine-to-fiver's herding off the platform. Seeing a dad with a rather large running stroller pushing his way through like it ain't no thing is half super cute and adorable and half, "who does this ass think he is!?"

We power through like we own the place, but not without a few "excuse me's," from Ruby and I. Manners, people.

We round the corner and hit the three-quarter mark. We're nearly guaranteed to enjoy a spritz of water from the fountain that sits outside the corner Starbucks. The fountain is lovely and was designed to reflect a similar one found in Palatine's sister city, Fontenay-Le-Comte, France. Near the bottom of the fountain is a plaque with an inscription that reads: "Dedicated to the town which was the source of noble minds."

At mass you never want the aisle seat and here is why: every so often the priest will bless the parish with holy water and even if you already did it to yourself on the way in, he doesn't care. The priest stands in the aisle next to an altar boy holding a giant bowl of water in which the priest dips a hefty evergreen branch. The water collects en masse between the needles, the priest raises the weighted-down conifer, and then WHACK!, a small shower assaults you in the face, dripping all over your First Communion suit from J.C. Penny's.

The wind pulls the water from the french fountain into the air just like Father Reiser used to do with his almighty branch and then WHACK!, Ruby and I are soaked. While it's possible that this water was blessed at some point, I rest assured knowing that at minimum it's been dedicated to a town filled with noble minds, of which I am one. The splash of water gives offers me a second wind along with the following thought:

While the original fountain was given to our sister village in the 16th century by King Francois, I'm quite positive the king could have never imagined that a knock-off of his extravagant gift would be made, erected next to a Starbucks in a train station in Palatine, Illinois, and then used as a pick-me up for a dad and his two year-old out on their almost-daily run. If he were alive today, I'd buy him a latte and thank him kindly for the fountain, and for his noble mind.

We round the corner and onto the straightaway headed for the park. Once we arrive there is tremendous and triumphant jubilation from Ruby:

"WE DID IT, DADA!"

This happens every time we get to the park. We land at our destination and out she yells, "WE DID IT!"

Even though we've only gone a little over a mile and a half, to her, our success is immeasurable. And her elation isn't confined to our runs.

After we change her diaper: "WE DID IT!" After a bath: "WE DID IT!" After we finish off a doughnut: "WE DID IT!" After we fall down, exhausted from a family dance-off: "WE DID IT!"

After we've said goodbye to the park and thank the swings for letting us go for a ride: "WE DID IT!"

After we return to the straightaway and round the corner by the fountain: "WE DID IT!"

After we cross the train tracks and then back up and down the hill, then into the garage: "WE DID IT!"

We stop. I kneel down to get her out of the harness she's mangled into a sailor's knot. I wrestle the nylon strap loose and as soon as she's free, she yells (you guessed it), "WE DID IT DADA!"

And then it occurs to me…

Nearly everyday I leave work thinking I didn't get much done. I know I worked hard, but it doesn't feel like I actually completed anything worthy enough to say, "WE DID IT!"

When, in truth, there are probably 100 times a day I miss the chance to say "WE DID IT!" (even to myself). If I take one second to think about it, I'm certain that just today I've already done at least one thing hard, useful, or challenging worthy of a "WE DID IT!"

So I have to wonder, when I complete these things, why don't I yell out what Ruby says 1,000,000 times a day? Am I too busy, too critical, or just too proud to give myself a hip-hip-hooray just for making it through a day of being an adult person?

I can't believe it's just me, though.

How many times do our teams finish tiny or even huge projects and move on without barely acknowledging the work?

How many times today even have you missed screaming with elation and utter abandon, WE DID IT!?!

Ruby, in all her earnestness, keeps teaching me so much and right now she's demanding we understand that we're missing out when we don't celebrate little victories like making it to the park, or turning in TPS reports, or kissing our loved ones on a regular basis, or putting things in the mail in a timely manner.

We miss something sacred and profound when we don't celebrate the everyday miracles of doing simple (or even hard) things.

Whether the task is hard or easy isn't the point. The point is merely to say, "WE DID IT!" In fact, you'd be surprised how much more you actually do get done in a day if you saw things like Ruby.

TELL US: What have you done today worthy of a "WE DID IT!?"

The Gentleman's Gift Guide to Mother's Day

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:12:00 PDT

When a gentleman is buying something for a lady (mom, wife, or otherwise) he's no idiot to employ the vast knowledge of other women during his search. Since Mother's Day is a week away, I thought it best to do just that.

So I invited Shauna (and a few others) to take us all shopping to find that perfect something for the all the mom's in our lives.

Take it away, ladies!

SHAUNA: I love Mother's Day because it's a perfect time to buy lovely, sweet things for the women in my life that I'm thankful for all year long. Most of the women I know (myself included) generally stay pretty practical with their day-to-day purchases, so Mother's Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the moms in your life a little bit--something beautiful, something meaningful, something a little bit luxurious, something they wouldn't buy for themselves.

Below are my picks for Blaine and for you!

Heart Clutch from Alphabet Bags

Okay, I have a thing about bags--clutches, pouches, totes. My cousin Amanda says that even the most minimalist of people generally have a couple areas where they get a little hoard-y. We found as she helped me go through my closets and cabinets that my hoard-y areas are dishes and bags, and these are my current love.

Heart Measuring Spoons from Mignon Kitchen Co.

I've been coveting these from a distance for months. I love things that are both totally useful and a little whimsical, and these fit the bill perfectly.

Carry On, Warrior

For your mom, for your sister, for your friend, for every woman in your life. I'm such a fan of this book. Glennon Melton is an amazing writer, and this book is one of those that you give knowing that it will make whoever you give it to feel less alone. What more could you ask for in a gift?

Barefoot Contessa, Foolproof

I've never made a Barefoot Contessa recipe that was less than delicious--foolproof, indeed. The photos are beautiful, the recipes are simple, and the entertaining ideas at the beginning and the end of the book are gold. As far as I'm concerned, you can never go wrong with the Barefoot Contessa.

Metallic Sandals from J. Crew

After years of buying cheapie flip-flops that broke or gave me blisters, and buying wedges and espadrilles and sky-high sandals I never wore, I finally broke down and bought a pair of these perfectly simple, perfectly classic metallic sandals. I'm in love, and my mom loves them as much as I do. The only problem? All summer long, we confuse them. My feet are bigger than hers, so she shuffles around in mine, while I jam my feet into hers. I can think of bigger problems.

Lululemon Scuba Hoodie

I am a serious Lulu fan, and it all started with a Scuba Hoodie. Snuggly and chic, they come in a million colors, but I'm partial, of course, to the stripes.

Dogeared Faith Necklace

I've always loved Dogeared jewelry, partially because I'm a sucker for good packaging, and this little cross is a favorite. I wear mine everyday & get tons of compliments. I love that it's sideways, and that's it's delicate enough to wear alone or with other pieces. I think this one would be a sweet graduation gift or bridesmaid gift, too.

Stickygram Magnets

We got a set of these for my mom for Christmas & she loves them. Don't tell, but we might get my mother-in-law a set for M Day, so that her fridge can be populated with images of little boys doing all manner of silly and darling things.

Thanks, Shauna!

Next up is a smattering of other fun ideas from my friends Sarah Carter, Erin Loechner, Colleen Ludovice, Mandy Blankenship, and Erin Purchase.

Draw Your Mind Notebook

Custom Family Glassware

Best Mom In The World Card

Sparkly Camera Strap

Gift Box from Eat Boutique

The Famous Bodum French Press

Rifle Paper Co. iPhone Cases

Get 15% on their Featured Section through May 7th. Use code 'MOM15' at checkout.

Shop Keep Handmade Bags

Well, gentlemen (and ladies) I sure hope that was helpful in picking out something awesome for your Grandma, Mother-In-Law, Mr. Mom, Mommy-To-Be, and all the rest!

TELL US // What are you getting the mom in your life?

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Giveaway + Q&A with Shauna Niequist

Wed, 01 May 2013 04:54:00 PDT

One of the most fun people in all the world is my friend, Shauna Niequist. Is it because we share the same number on the Enneagram? Perhaps.

Regardless, she's one of my favorite people and today I get to share my Q&A with her.

We sat down this week in my office to talk about her new book, Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes, the creative process, and the power of collaboration.

~~She's also offered up 10 copies of the book along with 10 personalized book plates for this week's giveaway!~~

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Please email me your mailing address and we'll get your book out to you ASAP.

Chambanachik
Zlata Odrazilova
Amelia Rhodes
Mary Margaret Pendleton
Bekkah
Heidi Urschel
Randy Kay
Andrew Hermann
Kate Fugate
Sherrine Francis

Watch the interview and then enter to win (details at the bottom of the post).

Q&A with Shauna Niequist from blaine hogan on Vimeo.

LINKS AND OTHER THINGS

Shauna and I talked a lot about a lot. Below are some videos and links we chatted about.

First up is the series of videos Bjorn and I created for the release of Bread and Wine (see if you can spot my wife in Cooking Club: A Visual Essay).

We also talked about her recent collaboration with our friend, Lindsay Letters.

Together, they created an amazing line of prints and canvases.

Now, on to the giveaway…

Here's how to win:

You need to do both 1 AND 2 to enter (honor system) and we'll announce the winners (chosen via random.org) on Sunday evening.

1. TWEET TO TWITTER and/or POST THE FOLLOWING TO FACEBOOK:

"Enter to win a special copy of Bread & Wine by @sniequist and watch her Q&A interview with @blainehogan http://bit.ly/Zl8bEG"

2. COMMENT BELOW

Since Bread and Wine is a book with recipes afterall, leave a comment with your favorite spring-time meal, drink, or dessert (links appreciated).

Good luck!

_{Photo Credits: Bjorn Amundsen, Lark Photography, & Fabulous K}

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Why Every Artist Needs A Therapist

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:53:00 PDT

In 1892, John Franklin Earhart wrote a book called, The Color Printer: A Treatise on the Use of Color in Typographic Printing. The volume, essentially a manual for printers of the day on how to properly mix colors, is rather dry except for a number of exquisite color illustrations.

You all remember the color wheel from kindergarten art class where we discovered that every color ever is some combination of the three primary colors: red, blue, and yellow?

Well, Mr. Earhart takes a little over 130 pages to make the same point.

What struck me about the book was how similar you and I are to the color wheel, and every other example Earhart displays. We're all, every one of us, made up of some combination of similar ingredients and it is our stories, our pasts, that define just how much of each color, how much saturation, how much contrast, how much brightness our lives hold.

GREAT THERAPY IS LIKE A COLOR WHEEL

I recently heard a talk by John Ortberg. About halfway through, he said something I haven't been able to shake:

"You bring to your work the person you are becoming."

It occurred to me that John Ortberg was making the same point as John F. Earhart, which is to say that we bring to the printing plate, and the art we make, a very specific mix of colors and we must understand how these colors came to be.

Unfortunately, most of us can't do this work alone.

Just like printers of the 19th century needed Mr. Earhart's manual to discern how colors were made and to help them understand what happens when these colors overlay one another, every artist needs a therapist to help them do the same.

Perhaps it is because I got my Masters degree from a school with the word "psychology" in the name, perhaps it's because I've been seeing a therapist of one kind or another since my parents divorced when I was a kid, or perhaps it's because I don't know of an artist I really respect who hasn't submitted to the often painful (but beautiful) process of self-discovery and self-awareness, I'm pretty sure I'm ready to go on record by saying:

You can't know who you're becoming - you can't know the colors that have defined you, without a lot of help. Namely from someone with the title of Phd., Dr., LCSW, or LMC.

The core questions therapy asks are this:

What colors are layered within you and how did those colors come to be?"

Put another way, "Where are you going and where did you come from?

These questions, if unanswered, will almost always end in ruin when we inevitably encounter crisis, pitfalls, sticky relationships, and the like.

The stories we tell, whether we know it or not, will always be an expression of the people we are and the people we're becoming. The stories we tell will today will always contain every single color and hue of each and every story that has come before it. And it is only by understanding these past stories and the colors that have made up our tragedies, romances, moments of hilarity, humiliation, surprise, and suspense, that we begin to understand how to tell new stories in meaningful, beautiful ways, and colorful ways.

If someone isn't helping us understand the colors that have made up who we are, we'll never be able to do the work we were made to do.

"It has been the aim of the author to produce a work showing, in a measure, what can be accomplished with common colors, by printing over one another…" - John F. Earhart, The Color Printer

The examples throughout the book stunning. Layers upon layers. Colors upon colors.

Like Earhart's manual, you need a guide to help you get back to the basics; to unravel the make up; to discover the stories that have made the colors.

The work of the artist is to tell great stories by painting an unfinished world with extraordinary color.

The work of the artist is to create art which shows what happens when stories (and colors) combine.

But first the work is to understand what colors (and stories) have painted you.

TELL US IN THE COMMENTS: Why do you think every artist needs a therapist?

The Journey To Becoming A Gentleman

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:48:00 PDT

Over the last year I've become fascinated with this idea of becoming a gentleman in the 21st century and I don't think I'm alone.

As I survey the land I see other guys in their late 20's to early 40's all trying to decipher what it means to do calling and career in such a way that distinguishes us from our baby-boomer parents; with a desire to dedicate more of their lives to meaning than money; wanting to invest in quality over quantity; and to develop and rekindle a sense of slow-ness in a world gone mad with speed.

I've also become keenly aware that this idea of becoming a gentleman is being translated and expressed via entire start-ups and products dedicated to the cause.

Every where I turn I see a c lothes-maker hell-bent on quality, a fantastic bow-tie company committed to found fabrics, a micro-distillery who believes in sustainability, or someone trying to reinvent the way we shave. Every venture created in an effort to help the post-modern male reclaim some of his lost heritage.

Last night at a party I was asked about this "path" to becoming a gentleman. I quickly amended my friend's choice of words and said I preferred to use the word, "journey." And today I'd like to begin the aforementioned journey with you.

As I've done my research on becoming a gentleman I've met a lot of really amazing folks along the way, and I'd like to introduce you to what they do and why I think what they're doing is worth noting.

Today we start with my new friend, Amanda Askew of Trunk Club here in Chicago.

Trunk Club has built their entire business around the post-modern gentleman.

You start the process by answering a few questions and a chat with a stylist. After that you're sent a "trunk" filled with amazing clothes for you to try on in your home. They've also got an incredible space in the city if you happen to be in town and want to try things on in person.

For my birthday this year, Margaret allowed me to refresh some of my old clothes. There wasn't anything wrong with them per se, it's just that I started to feel like I'd rather spend our hard-earned money on quality pieces that would last a long time instead of running to Target or H&M every few months. Because the quality at Trunk Club is exceptional, I see myself saving up over the course of a year and then buying a few choice pieces. Again, I'm trying to choose quality over quantity (and I think you should too!).

Amanda agreed to sit down with me to answer a few questions about her work, her creative process, and what she thinks about the gentleman of the 21st century.

How did you get involved in styling and specifically men's fashion?

I have always been interested in all types of fashion. Before Trunk Club, I worked in women's apparel as a sales director (I have been fortunate to have two incredible jobs). Trunk Club to me was a natural progression as I loved the idea that I was advancing from selling a clothing line I love to selling great clothes as well as a wonderful, innovative service: convenience and style at once. A friend and loyal Trunk Club customer told me about a job opening here as a stylist. He knew I was considering a move to Chicago and thought this would be a great fit for my work experience and skill set.

I think a lot of people can disregard fashion and style as superfluous and unnecessary. Why do you think it's important?

Many people in fashion would answer that by saying that is an outward expression of who they are and I think that is very true. How good do you feel when you know you look fantastic?! You are more confident and productive. Dressing well is also sign of respect to yourself and the people around you. Employers notice and take you more seriously. So do dates. For me, it is a mile-marker of sorts: During the last major occurrence of awesomeness in your life, do you remember what you wore? I do.

It seems like guys in their 20's-40's go through a bit of a fashion identity crisis. Do you agree? How would you suggest a normal guy begin to have a better eye for what they wear?

Form and function in clothing have to coincide during all stages of your life. It’s important to be dressed well and those years (20s-40s) are years where your needs change the most drastically. It gets confusing! The fleece outerwear you wore to a frat party as a college senior doesn't look good over, or even cover, the suit you are wearing to your first job. The first suit you own out of college probably doesn't look great by the time you have your second promotion. The casual clothes you were wearing out when you met your partner seem a little silly now that you have a two-year-old to chase around the house and date night requires a little more sophistication. The way clothes fit is of the most importance. Don't waste your money on buying things that are even just a little off! It’s hard to remember that when you find a great sale, but even if you bought it at 80% off, the most expensive shirt you own is the one you aren't wearing because you refuse to take it to a tailor or bought a name instead of a functional piece of clothing. Quality over Quantity.

Why do you like working at Trunk Club?

There are a lot of reasons that I like working at Trunk Club, but the biggest reasons - my clients and my colleagues.

It’s rewarding to know that I am helping change the way my clients shop for the better and I am saving them time and energy in thinking of what they are going to wear and how they are going to get what they need. I hope that I am making them feel better in their clothes and ultimately in themselves.
Beyond the reward I get from helping my clients, I also have the chance to meet so many fascinating people from so many walks of life.

My clients live all over the country and are involved in everything from entertainment, Fortune 500 companies, tech, pro sports, landscaping, medicine, car sales, military service, banking, education - you name it! I get to know a bit about all kinds of things from my guys and I love it. This is a place full of hard-working, wonderfully creative minds. I adore my coworkers. I really like working in the energy a start-up environment offers and also flexing my creative muscles on a day-to-day basis packing trunks. I love explaining what I do to strangers who haven't heard of Trunk Club before or haven’t experienced anything like it.

I love that my job is something that is fun and also puts out some positive energy into the world.

You had me fill out a rather extensive questionnaire when we started. I almost felt like I was writing personal essays for college applications again. When you first meet a client, what is the core goal of all the questions you ask (and maybe give an example of a question or two that you ask that you find most helpful)?

Wait, like I feel now? ;) I ask new members a series of questions to help me be the most effective I can be at providing what that specific guy needs. Is he a busy executive who is most drawn to the convenience of our service? A single guy who just wants to upgrade his look and needs a second opinion on style? A guy who is fairly into fashion but wants an introduction to new brands and my ideas on how to wear them? The questions help me actualize how I can best help him.

There is no one question dictating what I should send him in a trunk. I start off by asking all new members: "What was your goal in signing up?" and, "what is your personal style?" The most common answer is "no clue" although you can get some pretty interesting responses. A client once responded that his look was "Helen Keller dressing Charles Barkley."

From there, his references to brands and preferences shape my opinion of the kind of clothes this guys needs and wants. Shoes are always very telling too. I have gotten better at understanding my clients with practice at packing trunks and in coordinating in-house fittings.

Tell me about your creative process and how you go about picking clothes - not just for individual clients - but for your stock.

For individual guys, it’s about understanding his needs and knowing what will fit him well and make him feel great. I try to hone in on a few pieces I know he needs in his wardrobe and will love, then build several outfits around those pieces so he can 'max out' what he can wear with them. I want to show him new ways to wear his clothes, help him look and feel fantastic and hit the style goals we first discussed when we got started.

We have an expert team of buyers who do an outstanding job of finding the very best vendors, clothes and styles to fit our members.

What inspires you?

Small things I see in my daily life can be a big boost to inspiration. For example, looking through my old Art History text books and taking a mental note of a subtle combination of color in a Thomas Cole painting can create something. Keeping some GQ magazine articles around to flip through never hurts, but for most part, my inspiration comes from my fellow stylists, my clients, from the sharply dressed and distinctive guys I see in the real world and the amazing inventory the buying team puts on the shelves…and, maybe a little from Don Draper.

Describe the Gentleman of the 21st Century.

I knew this was coming! In terms of style: above everything, he is dressed appropriately for all occasions. By appropriately, I mean that he is comfortable in what he wears and in his own skin, and is wearing clothing suiting the activity in which he is engaged. This is why it is so important for each guy to work with someone who can help them capture - or more specifically tailor - his wardrobe to his own personality and style. His clothes and manner indicate that he is decisive, chivalrous, and truly present wherever he is. AND he still calls instead of texts to relay any important messages.

If you're ready to begin your journey to becoming a gentleman you can get a hold of Amanda here (tell her I said hello!).

TELL US IN THE COMMENTS: What does becoming a gentleman in the 21st century mean to you? Ladies, we want to hear from you too!

It's Ruby Twos-day!

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 06:07:00 PDT

Ruby,

Just after you were born and we had announced your name, your great-grandparents, Jack and Jo-Jo the Great, would not stop saying the phrase "Ruby Tuesday." They would sing-song it, they'd twirl as they spoke it, and I'm not sure it would be out of line if I mentioned that I thought I saw Jack the Great do a tiny jig once while he said it to you. I wouldn't say it was annoying, because I'm trying to write you a really sweet birthday note, but I was, suffice it to say, very glad when the novelty of your name wore off.

And yet, I hope they find some way to yell and twirl and dance that blasted phrase all the way from Decatur because today is, in fact, Ruby Twos-day!

I know we aren't Jewish, you're only turning two, and this isn't your Bat-Mitsvah, but my desire is to declare that today you become a woman, because that's how full of hyperbole my heart is for you. While you are certainly a far cry away from actual womanhood, at the rate you're going it might be sooner than your Dada can bear. And still, my little girl isn't so little anymore.

You're two today! Not one, but two! That means to communicate your age to others on your hand you must possess a certain level of hand-eye coordination that mere one year-olds simply do not. This also means you're doing things today that I could never have imagined.

I will promise to try and not make these birthday notes a list of your achievements and all the new things you're doing every year, but I must mention one thing of particular note: in your second year of life you courageously survived Rotavirus. And by you, I mean your mom and I survived Rotavirus.

For three days we watched you wrestle in a hospital bed five sizes too big like a champ, while your mom and I quietly cried with anxiety and fear, feeling completely helpless.

During those three days, I came to terms with something that I had been struggling with since you were born. Your mom and I made you (we can discuss this more specifically at a later date), with a lot of help from what you'll learn we call "grace" and "mercy," but we did not create you. I know this, because from what I know about that thing I just mentioned that I said we'd discuss at a later date, you can't create something someone gives you as a gift.

What I also learned curled up with you in that hospital bed at 4 AM is that gifts are not something you own, but something in which you are entrusted.

As I think back to watching you go in and out of terrible fevers and as I contemplated the on-goings of our unfinished world this past week, a thought became searingly clear: you, Ruby Hogan, are a gift we've been entrusted and we only get you one day at a time.

And as for today, I'm extremely grateful because on this day, it's Ruby Twos-day! We've loved you (we hope well) all the way to two and pray for grace and mercy for many, many more.

Like your namesake, you are fiery, bright, and sweet. You are everything we could have hoped. And I love you more than all the stars! Today, Ruby Hogan, you are a two year-old-big-girl.

Love, Dada

The Courage To Collaborate

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:33:00 PDT

A few weeks ago, my friend Shauna sent a last-minute email to myself and a couple others. She was giving a talk that weekend and was hoping we would come over early the next morning to hear a draft and give some notes. I was flattered and also a bit floored. Shauna is the author of three books (her most recent one we'll be discussing here in the coming weeks). She gives talks and interviews all the time.

Why would a competent, confident, author and speaker need feedback? Why would someone like her need to collaborate?

In her book, The Collaborative Habit, Twyla Tharp writes,

"People are people. And people are problems. But - and this is a very big but - people who are practiced in collaboration will do better than those who insist on their individuality."

MAKING CHANGES TO KNOW WE AREN'T ALONE

The next morning we sat in Shauna's living room with bowls of fruit and cups of coffee in hand, as she read her talk aloud. She had prefaced her reading by asking for complete and utter truth-telling. She wanted to know what was good and what wasn't.

"Now is the time for changes," she urged.

The talk was funny and heartfelt, and really, really good. I took some notes of things I'd tweak here and there. The others chimed in.

Painless.

But to her this was a very big deal.

She talked about how, as she wrote the talk, and even as she was writing her latest book, that as a self-employed employee, she needed a team. She needed feedback. She needed to collaborate. Not just to make what she was making better, but to know that she wasn't alone.

She realized what Twyla is saying and what Jack Johnson sings, "we're better when we're together."

Shauna ended up with a better talk and the relief of knowing that she wasn't standing on stage that weekend alone. Even though she was the one speaking, she knew there were others that had her back. An added bonus of our time together came an idea to create a small artifact to give away at the service.

One brave moment of collaboration spurred another with the great guys at WallBlank Printery to make this:

Collaborating isn't easy. Some people love it and some people hate it.

What Shauna asked for took vulnerability and courage. Because when you invite someone into your process, you're giving them a free pass to tell you what they really think - something most of us spend our entire lives hoping to avoid.

THE BACK ROOM

Behind the stage at Willow, we have what we call the "back room." It's where we go after a rehearsal to discuss what needs to change. Sometimes the conversations are wrought with tension and sometimes they are exhilarating. Regardless of how they end, I always enter them with a little fear. I'm not sure I want to hear someone's opinion. I'm not sure I want to hear the "complete and utter truth."

And yet, what Shauna's courage to collaborate reminded me, was that if I don't hear the truth, what I'm making can't get any better. And perhaps more importantly, if I don't hear the truth, I can't get any better.

None of this hard work happens without great intentionality, however.

Collaborators aren't born, they're made. Or, to be more precise, built, a day at a time, through practice, through attention, through discipline, through passion and commitment - and most of all, through habit. - Twyla Tharp, The Collaborative Habit

Good art-making is about the habit of becoming a better human.

And one way we become better humans is cultivating the habit of inviting others into the process of our creative acts as well as our lives.

Today in the comments, I'm curious to know:

What are you most afraid of when collaborating?

And if you find yourself on the side of the spectrum…what else would you say about the benefits of collaborating?

Five Favorite Things

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 12:14:00 PDT

Epictetus said, "Know first who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.”

As I journey toward decifering the first part of that equation, I've begun to play around with how to adorn myself accordingly. I've got more to say on the topic in coming posts, but for today, let me share with you five of my favorite things.

Without fail, these five things are on, or near my person most every day. I consider them crucial to my creative process. I also think they're beautifully made.

1. Hard Graft iPhone Wallet

This was a gift given to me by a good friend when he realized I kept leaving either my wallet or my iPhone one place or another. Because I hate having things in my pockets when I'm sitting down, I would always take everything out. Inevitably I would leave something behind. While I wasn't sure if I was going to like what I thought might be bulky, I've learned to love this piece. It helps that it's hand crafted with leather and wool felt by Hard Graft - an amazing company.

2. Pilot G2 Ultra Fine Pen

This pen makes the tiniest line you can draw without severely piercing your paper or your skin. I buy them by the dozen since I have yet to figure out a way to remember where I leave them. And so, I leave them everywhere. In order to find one when I need one. Obviously.

3. Dala Horse Mug

While this mug usually only sells in bulk, if you ask very nicely, the ladies at Berquist Imports from my home state of Minnesota might just allow you buy the Old Style Dala Horse mug Model # 18280-00. It's a long story how I came to possess this particular mug. Too long for this little post. Suffice it to say, that I drink from this mug every single day at work and carry it with me from meeting to meeting.

4. Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

Simple. Peppermint-y. Refreshing. I love me some Burt's Bees and while I love their logo and that tiny sailor man's face, I obsessively remove every label from every tube. Again, I buy these in multiple packs because I always lose them (as you can see, I've got an issue with misplacing things).

5. Hard Graft Moleskine Cover

I realize it probably isn't en vogue anymore to write in a Moleskine, but not only do I use it almost daily, I've got a fancy little cover (which, unfortunately Hard Graft no longer manufactures). I love the feel of the wool felt and the little details. It also keeps my notebook together as I'm prone to destroy the binding and the book often falls apart months before I've filled it up.

My friend Ben asked me to share five of my favorite things for STORY this week. I thought I'd share them here as well.

I'd love to know (as would we all) what are your five favorite things right now?