Ever wonder where I got the name ZUBURBIA from?
I spill the beans to Dana Farber on her blog WoodstockWardrobe.
I also share my thoughts on the differences between being a brick-and-mortar vintage seller and an online seller, how what you see is what you get over here at Zuburbia and some cool new things in store at Zuburbia in coming months.
Check out the entire interview HERE.
Looking for a fun beach read to keep you company?
Gretchen Berg’s I Have Iraq In My Shoe: Misadventures of a Soldier of Fashion will have you laughing out loud while you bake under the hot sun and thank your lucky bikini that you’re sweating in the good ol’ USA and that your vehicle didn’t undergo a bomb inspection when you entered the beach parking lot.
Gretchen’s witty, chatty voice is like reading a letter sent home from a friend working at a summer camp — if that friend was a liberal American girl teaching English in black Gucci pumps to conservative Muslim Iraquis.
No stranger to travel, Gretchen arrived in Iraq hoping to pay off her credit card debt, make a difference in a few students’ lives and perhaps even find love.
She returned with a deep appreciation for the region and its people while somehow also managing to purchase 20 new pairs of designer shoes.
Her quests for Diet Coke, her discovery of Virginity Soap and quips like “You Can’t Hide the Sexy!” will endear you to this talented young author who may be the first gal ever to claim the title of Iraqonista.
Currently, Gretchen is confining herself to domestic travel while she promotes her book and works on two new tomes, one that’s travel-y and one that’s so hush-hush even the promise of Christian Louboutins couldn’t pry it out of her.
But she happily agreed to chat with me about her dual adventures of living in Iraq AND writing her first book.
I love puns and word play so I love the book’s title. Do you remember where you were when you came up with it or was it an editorial brainstorm?
I had been playing around with other horrible puns for “Iraq”, then one day my coworker Steve and I were walking out of the bank in Suli and I literally got a rock in my shoe and was like “AHA!” One of the first things my agent said to me was “Okay, let’s start thinking of alternate titles”, and I was like “NOOOOOOOOO!”
You’ve visited 45 countries and have traveled to all seven continents. All seven! That’s quite an achievement. And while you do share your unique packing technique in the book, are there other tips you can share with me and other women who hope to travel the world someday?
Oh God, please don’t follow my packing philosophy! I feel like so much of my book was more of a “What Not To Do”.
I would say the most important tip, if you really want to travel, is to just make it a priority. You may have to make sacrifices in other areas of your life if you want that trip to Greece – like getting your hair done at a training salon for 6 months (I always get $12-$18 haircuts), or asking yourself if you really NEED the latest iPhone upgrade, or whatever (I still use a flip phone – cue laughter here). Stop saying “Oh I really want to go there, someday”, and say “I’m going to go there next summer” and make it happen.
It’s pretty clear you LOVE shoes and you advise “Don’t give girls fashion magazines in their formative years if you expect them to wear sensible shoes.”
Do you have any other thoughts or words of wisdom for how to deal with the cultural pressure to be thin, beautiful and well-dressed at all times?
It’s funny – the fashion magazines never gave me body issues at all. I was more likely to compare myself to my friends or other people around me (still not a great idea – never compare yourself to anyone else).
I have so much fun playing dress-up, but once I’m dressed and walk out the door I kind of forget about how I look. It’s like “Okay, you get ten minutes of fashion-posey time in front of the mirror, but then you’re done”. No one likes to hang out with the girl who’s obsessing about how her butt looks in those jeans, or her hair looking perfect, or her face being too shiny.
But do please help a sister out if she’s got lipstick on her teeth. Or a visible booger.
At one point, you’re clothes shopping in Iraq and you call yourself a style savant. Does that mean you have some kind of shopping super-powers?
YES! Oh, now look what you’ve done. On my “To Buy” list I just added “Cape”.
I loved the nods you give to Gone With the Wind throughout the book. How are you and Scarlett O’Hara most alike and how are you most different?
I think we’re both sort of unsympathetic heroines. Self-sufficient scrappiness can often rub people the wrong way.
And we’re complete opposites when it comes to men. Scarlett had no qualms about going after other women’s beaus, or men she wasn’t really attracted to. I find that a little gross.
It’s pretty obvious you are a HUGE fan of YOOX. What are some of your other favorite online shopping destinations?
I almost regret putting that in writing, because now everyone else is going to be competing with me for The Stuff! But that’s okay. Sharing is good (sharing is good – whispers repeatedly to self).
I also love The Outnet, ShopBop and Zappos (unreal with that whole return policy! Love them!)
My favorite moment was when you wanted to donate nine pairs of shoes to a refugee camp before coming back to the US.
You rightfully wonder if they’ll even want your grommet stilettos and espadrille wedges. And when you discover they do, you note that “just because people are displaced doesn’t mean they don’t want pretty footwear.”
It speaks to how we’re are all more alike than different regardless of where we live. Were there other big takeaways from your Iraq adventure?
That was really the major one, and the most important. We are all just people. We all have friends, families, stresses, successes, etc. Everything else is pretty unimportant.
Finally, what book are YOU reading right now?
I just finished “Peyton Place”, which was written in 1954 (I think?) and was wildly controversial at the time. I loved it. From what my mom told me, it was passed around her high school the same way we passed around Judy Blume’s “Wifey” in junior high. Awesomely salacious, if maybe a bit tamer by today’s standards.
Well, I haven’t read either of those myself so I’ll add’em to my list. Thanks for much and I’ll look forward to your new books!
P.S. I’m going to pass along my review copy of the book to a lucky reader. Just leave a comment below or share this post on Twitter or Facebook. I’ll pick a random winner from all participants next Friday at noon PST. Or you can grab your own copy on Amazon right now.
(Disclosure: Zuburbia received a review copy of this book and is an Amazon Associates affiliate. Photo Credits: Gretchen Berg. Used with permission.)
Like this? For free email updates from Mary Kincaid, click here.
Think you’re busy? Me too!
That’s why I’m amazed when I hear stories of gals who are able to pen novels while waiting in line at the grocery store or who can get more done in a single year than a lot of us can achieve in an entire decade.
And Shea Curry is definitely one of these busy bodies who gets things done!
When this talented actress was sitting idle in her movie trailer on the set of Princess Diaries 2, she figured it was a perfect time to start designing her own jewelry line. During the three months of production, she ended up making jewelry for all the females on the cast and crew. Then it wasn’t long before she discovered her jewelry being featured in INStyle Wedding Magazine.
But Shea didn’t stop there. This year she added another challenge to her resume: Reality TV Contestant. Shea battles it out with eleven other contestants on the latest design reality program, Project Accessory.
GO PINK Bracelet to Benefit BCCA
Since Shea likes to use recycled pieces in her jewelry line and has designed a popular GO PINK ID bracelet that contributes 20% of sales to benefit Breast Cancer Charities of America, Zuburbia is pleased to feature her in this month’s Vintage Crusader Spotlight.
Certainly busy enough to need 28 hours in her day, this gracious gal somehow found a few spare minutes to chat with me about creativity, flea market shopping, her experience on Project Accessory and how she can be both naughty and nice.
Actress. Jewelry Designer. You’re a super creative and talented gal. How have you fostered this creativity in your life and do you have any tips for the rest of us?
As a little girl I was in dance class and singing lessons, but some of my fondest memories were quietly making jewelry and trying to make clothes for my dolls when I was supposed to be napping. I think we all still have that creative little girl inside us and it’s easy to find ways to channel her. Sometimes it means you need to look at your wardrobe with a different perspective and pull pieces together that you haven’t put together before. It can even be as simple as re-paining a room, re-arranging furniture, or buying a cool antique from a flea market to give a room a whole new look.
Tell us about the process of becoming a contestant on Project Accessory. Did you ever dream you’d be on a reality show?
A friend had told me about the show and that they were auditioning in major cities. I decided to give it a shot and I remember being more nervous than at an acting audition! I made it past the first round and they asked me to put together a video of my daily life and me in jewelry-making action. That audition can be seen on YouTube and still makes me laugh!
Click pic to watch video on YouTube
What was the biggest challenge you faced on Project Accessory?
Well, I’m a jewelry caster which means that I cast my pieces in molds with very hot metal. Then I clean or de-burr each piece and solder, etc. We didn’t have access to any of that so I felt like I couldn’t really do what I really do. I like making pretty things so some of the materials we had to use were not necessarily materials I would choose to create an accessory. And, of course, making shoes was a challenge, but very exciting to say that I now know how to do it!
And what was the biggest lesson you learned from participating in Project Accessory?
I learned that I should always trust myself no matter what anyone says.
That’s a great lesson that all of us should remember and it can be really hard to do! Now I understand that you often shop at flea markets to find recycled materials to use in your jewelry line. What are your thoughts on vintage as it relates to current fashion and do you have any flea market shopping tips for us?
Shea Curry Shameless Jewely Collection
I absolutely LOVE shopping at flea markets! I think you can find so much inspiration from old pieces. I think fashion is constantly recycling itself, and mixing vintage pieces with modern design is so beautiful! When shopping through those sometimes endless bins of jewelry at flea markets, take your time and really try to visualize how you can take a vintage piece and create a whole look around it.
Okay, so I’d love to hear your top three favorite actresses AND your top three favorite jewelry designers. Either vintage or modern.
For actresses…Meryl Streep (She becomes the characters she plays.) Catherine Deneuve (Her depth is breathtaking.) Michelle Williams (She makes you feel exactly what she is feeling.) And for jewelry designers…Vintage Chanel (Always a classic. Always in style.) Alexis Bittar (His designs are classic modern.) Devon Leigh (Uniquely Modern.)
You appeared in the film Valentine’s Day and you have a role in the upcoming film New Year’s Eve. What’s your favorite way to spend both of these holidays?
To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day, just like my character in the film. By that I mean I don’t like all the hype around this ONE night as the night to have a romantic dinner with your significant other. I like to skip the expensive dinner and go right to the bedroom for dessert! For New Year’s Eve, I prefer spending it with friends and loved ones playing board games and drinking fine wine.
Shea Curry at Valentine's Day Premiere
Your company name is Shameless Jewelry and one of your collections is named Naughty/Nice because you believe we need to embrace both our good and bad sides and both the sassy and sweet sides of ourselves. I recently did a blog post on this topic also. But what we really want to know is…How do you do this in your own life? How do you embrace both the naughy and nice parts of Shea?
I love this question!!! I’ve always considered myself a dichotomy of personalities. Always struggling with the sweet, polite, feminine, Southern-girl side of me and that tequila-drinking, hanging-out-with-the-boys, occasional potty mouth, wild vixen side of me. But I decided to just embrace all of me. I mean, don’t we all love the chocolate dipped pretzel because of its opposing sweet and salty flavors? And I think knowing and accepting that we have many flavors is a beautiful thing.
Finally, what’s in store for Shea in 2010?
Well, I just finished designing my 3rd Collection called TWISTED LOVE and will be showing that at the ENK Accessorie Circuit Show in NYC in January. I am adding clutches and constantly adding new pieces to existing collections. I’m very excited for the possibilities in 2012…it’s endless!! Keep checking out my latest designs on ShamelessJewelry.com.
Thanks so much, Shea! Now you can get back to work!
Collector’s Weekly just posted an Interview with the UK’s fabulous Judith Miller, who they have deemed the Martha Stewart of Costume Jewelry and Antiques.
In the interview Judith shared interesting anecdotes and advice along with her unique perspective on collecting.
My two big takeaways:
First, her tip that if you are going to wear a heavy pin, like those made by Stanley Hagler, you should pin them through your bra.
And second, her reminder that since most people want to buy vintage chairs in sets, you can snag great individual chairs quite inexpensively from antique dealers and auction houses because they simply don’t know what to do with them.
Plus I loved her observations on current and future trends, what young people are buying today, why Texans don’t want costume jewelry and her thoughts on reality shows.
Check out the totally fascinating interview here.
Mary Kincaid and RJ Lowery
This month’s Vintage Crusader Spotlight highlights the work of R.J. Lowery, founder and Chief Image Officer of Your Expert Image and founder of the Suits4Saints charity that is diverting used men’s clothing from landfills and onto the backs of needy men in Ohio.
I met RJ and his lovely wife, Connie, at a training conference this past year and he and I immediately connected over our similar views on fashion and style.
And while he’s been super busy preparing for a seminar in Columbus, Ohio next weekend, he was generous enough to carve out a little time for Zuburbia.
I think you’ll all enjoy his insights about style from the male perspective!
Before launching your own company, you spent 20 years working for The Tom James Company, the world’s largest custom clothier for men. That means that over the years you’ve dressed some very successful men including top entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors, and CEOs. What did you find they all had in common in terms of their attitude toward wardrobe and style?
There were two common threads actually.
One group of clients hated dealing with clothing and their wardrobe and considered it “a necessary evil.” They just delegated it to me to handle it for them.
The other group was really concerned about looking good! Sometimes that meant hiding the parts of their body that they didn’t like. Or sometimes they just wanted to enhance what they did have. But the bottom line is they wanted to use their clothing to ENHANCE their image so that it made them more attractive to others.
I found that either way, I could help people be perceived the way they wanted to be, gain more confidence in themselves and attract greater levels of success in ALL areas of their life!
And what is the RJ Lowery Personal Philosophy of Style?
Image Credit: stevendepolo | Flickr
Three things. First, I believe one’s image should look like they care but without caring too much. Does that make sense?
We all know that person who just cares way too much and it becomes “all about them. ” But we also know those folks who just don’t seem to care at all and it smacks of self-image issues.
Next, I think one’s image should be intentional and congruent with the message you’re trying to send. I’m all about my clients having a wardrobe of congruency! Sometimes we look at someone, find out what they do and we go “Huh? I’m confused.” There are times when this may work out okay but not on a regular basis.
Lastly, I’m a big respect guy so I make sure that my clients are always paying respect to 4 factors:
1) The weather/season
2) The event/occasion
3) The person/people they’re with
4) Ourselves and our values.
You work with men and women, but mostly men, on a one-to-one basis to clean out their closets and overhaul their wardrobes. What do you think are the key benefits to working with an image consultant versus doing it by yourself?
I believe in working with EXPERTS in their field and letting them do their job. When I hire someone, I hire them because they are one of the best at what they do and then I let them do it! So one of the benefits to working with me is that I’m good. I don’t mean that in an arrogant way—it’s just truth.
I’ve been one of the top image consultants in the custom clothing industry for over 20 years. I also partner with the finest manufacturer of custom clothing IN THE WORLD, who has local representatives in every major city worldwide. So, after a full day of working with me my clients are extremely pleased with the results and once the clothing comes in, they are even happier. There’s nothing like it!
You worked over 20 years for the world’s largest custom clothier but not everyone can afford custom-made clothes. What are the signs of quality that we should be looking for in off-the-rack clothing?
Image Credit: Worakit Sirijinda | FreeDigitalPhotos.net
First of all, I’m a big American-made guy. I think a a lot of people forget that we have American companies that still make clothing right here in the good ol’ USA!
So whether it’s suits, sport coats, pants, shirts, ties, shoes or even nice jeans, I would say look to buy American FIRST. The quality, in most cases, is fantastic, and you can find most styles that you are looking for. It cracks me up when people say, “I want an Italian suit” and they have no idea it was made in China!
People are making very poor decisions because they are uneducated on the topic and because they don’t take the time to do it right or pay someone to do it right for them.
Using suits as an example, you can get custom-made for less than you think. You can actually stay American for about $800 and up, but if you want to invest less, I recommend going South, not East. The company I partner with has shops in Chile and can deliver suits at a retail price of about $600. Plus, it’s good to know the nation whose manufacturing we’re supporting isn’t a communist regime who would still love to take America down!
Beyond that it takes time and money. If you don’t have the money to have someone help you then you are going to have to take the time. Don’t make impulse decisions and don’t be afraid to walk away if something doesn’t fit right or look fantastic on you—or your man!
You bring up a good point. I’m sure that many women reading this would love their men to be more stylish, to “up their game” so to speak. And I once heard you say that one of a woman’s best accessories is a well-dressed man. So what advice do you have for us women to help our men care more about their personal style?
First thing I would say is go to DressToAttractSuccess.com. Your readers—or the men in their lives—can watch a free video I did on The Five Fashion Faux Pas for Men. It highlights the most common mistakes men make when dressing AND how to avoid them!
I’ve watched this video and just want to point out that your Five Fashion Faux Pas for Men are also mistakes a lot of women make. So ladies make sure you should check this out, too!
Image Credit: healingdream | FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Absolutely!
Is there anything else you suggest we women do?
Next, you need to find out what “guy” your man wants to be. Does he want to be the classy, elegant gentleman? Or is he the old school, old money type who doesn’t want to appear too “dandy?” Maybe he wants to be seen as the chic, trendy guy who’s “with it.” Or he might want to be that guy with an edge. You know what I mean.
And you may think you know your man, but if you can get him to talk about his image before having someone like me come to work with him, it makes things a lot easier! But be prepared. You might be surprised with the answer you find once you start talking.
Also, getting a third-person involved and having their objective opinion can be very helpful.
Then make a day of it! Going through the closet together as a couple with an image consultant can be fun. It doesn’t have to be a chore.
Finally, tell us a little bit about Suits4Saints, the project that is so close to your heart and that is keeping tons of great men’s clothes from ending up on landfills and instead is channeling them to men who actually need them.
I started Suits4Saints about 15 years ago when I realized that many men I was working with were THROWING AWAY their old clothes after they got my new clothing in!
While that was a compliment to my quality and service, it made me sick to my stomach. I thought to myself that there has to be someone else who these clothes could fit and who would be blessed to have them. So I decided to offer an alternative.
I offered to take that clothing to the charity of my client’s choice and get them a receipt for tax purposes. Right about that same time, I was elected to the board of my church and I started meeting more and more people who had needs for nicer clothing but couldn’t afford it. And Suits4Saints was born.
RJ Lowery with client
We now have a room in my church with cedar racks filled with clean, donated clothing. I’m not sure of the exact statistics but we’ve now had hundreds of people that have either contributed or been blessed by this charity. It’s incredibly humbling to be a part of physically putting these garments on the backs of men receiving these clothes. It’s so awesome to see their faces and watch how they leave with such pride in their new outfits!
I can’t tell you how many times clothes have come in to the organization and within days I’m made aware of a need. Then when I fit that person, he’s THE EXACT SIZE THAT HAD JUST COME IN! And I’m talking about custom-made clothes. Wow, incredible, incredible experiences. There are some times that I can’t help but be blown away when I realize I’m part of a much bigger, grander plan. My second favorite book starts off with the line “It’s not about you.” I think we all need to be reminded of that from time to time.
We certainly do! Thanks so much for your time RJ and I look forward to working with you in the future!
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For more info on RJ’s products including his Extreme Wardrobe Makeover Day, his business seminars or his Suits4Saints charity, give him a call at 888.404.3468 or head on over to RJLowery.com.
Today’s GIVEAWAY:
One lucky reader will receive a FREE 1-hour consultation package (a $500 value!).
You’ll receive a half-hour phone consultation with me to talk about your style and image PLUS a half-hour phone consultation with RJ for a special man in your life or about a special man in your life. It could be your husband, father, son, boyfriend, partner…You decide.
Just CLICK HERE and enter your name and email. Contest ends October 31 at noon PST. Good luck!
(To receive the VPOD free via email with detailed size and price information, sign up for the growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time. DISCLOSURE: Zuburbia is an affiliate of YourExpertImage)
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