There was a time in my life when I wanted to become President of the United States. I even got my Master's degree in Public Policy with a concentration in Women's Studies to prepare. I'm not sure that's still in the cards, but ensuring that women have a voice in the policies and laws that impact their lives endures.
So when I was looking for ways to give back through boyette, focusing my efforts on Running Start was a no brainer. Running Start is a nonpartisan nonprofit that trains young women to run for public office. To have a voice. To take control of our futures.
I'm committed to donating 1% of every order to Running Start, to be given annually. It's not a huge amount. But it's an act of defiance against the current system as well as an act of hope. As generosity goes, I've also signed up with them to be a mentor. Generosity of money and time and heart and kindness. It all counts. It's a step. I hope you'll join me in supporting them.
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Here are a few ways boyette's menswear-inspired essentials will have you looking stylish and elegant every day.
Look 1: Spring Coverage
I love combining rich textures! This happy, blush-colored silky skirt paired with the Maxwell Cashmere Boyfriend Sweater brings oodles of femininity to our oversized boyfriend-cut sweater. Add some bright and optimistic lipstick, and you're ready for spring!
Look 2: Ladies Who Leather
There's nothing more chic than leather and cashmere. This is exactly the stylish look I was envisioning when I designed the Maxwell Cashmere Boyfriend Sweater. Add a hat and some long dangle necklaces, and you'll be set for a night out.
Look 3: Fancy Casual
Ripped boyfriend cropped jeans and a plain white t-shirt are a classic combo. Add fancy socks and heels to your fave jeans and our Joey Pocket Tee, and you take the look from every day to Wow!
Look 4: Denim and Prints
Another pairing I love is taking a mannish denim work shirt (like our Cody), and pairing it with feminine prints. This play on hard and soft is a winner, and will make you look like one too.
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Look 1 - All The Denim.
Take your favorite denim. Add more denim. The Cody pairs well with stone-washed boyfriend jeans, or raw indigo skinnies.
Look 2 - Iconic T-shirt and Jeans.
Who says a white t-shirt and jeans can't look put-together and chic? We love how the Joey's great design makes even a pair of jeans look great. Add a jaunty hat, and you're good to go.
Look 3 - Modern Audrey Hepburn.
Black leggings and a chic cashmere boyfriend sweater are what movie star looks are made of.
Look 4 - Vintage layers.
All the textures and all the layers. The Maxwell and the Cody reboot these vintage finds.
]]>Outfit 1 - Denim on Denim. Don't be afraid to mix your denims. The different textures look great visually. Here we paired the Cody with high-wasted acid-washed jeans. It's chic, timeless and works for any season.
Outfit 2 - Skirt Topper. A masculine shirt paired with a more feminine bottom, like this adorable patterned skirt, is a winning combination. We love the complementary hard/soft vibe. Add some cowboy boots and you're ready for the Spring rodeo.
Outfit 3 - Hiking Assist. Your denim work shirt shirt isn't just for work. It can be called upon for play as well. It's a perfect addition if you're looking for extra coverage from the sun during a hike, or an outer layer to keep the chill off. We've mined the denim-on-denim idea again, but this time with shorts and the versatile Joey Pocket Tee.
]]>So how can you rock boyfriend style? Here are four outfit inspirations.
1. Movie Night. We took the iconic t-shirt and jeans combo and added fishnet socks for a hint of punk.
2. Art Gallery Opening. We took that same t-shirt and denim pairing to another level, with high-wasted acid-washed jeans, a sweater duster, and dramatic makeup and hair.
3. Hiking Date. It's the Canadian summer tuxedo - denim work shirt, white t-shirt and denim cut-offs.
4. Coffee Talk. We love the juxtaposition of this masculine, oversized cashmere boyfriend sweater with a sweet, pink silk skirt.
]]>Some of you have asked about our pricing. My main objective is always to make beautiful, quality and sustainable clothing that I would want to wear. Find out what it takes to do that.
]]>1. Quality fabrics. Our Joey is made from 100% pima cotton. Pima cotton is a long staple cotton that costs twice as much as short staple cotton. Due to it's long fibers, it produces a smoother fabric that is soft to the touch, resistant to fraying, tearing, pilling, wrinkling and fading. It will hold up well over time which means that great fit you love won't change. Cheaper cotton blends and synthetics have a tendency to pill and lose their shape quickly, and that means you won't be able to wear them for very long.1 So there's greater long-term value in the Joey Pocket Tee verses something made with lower quality fibers or blends that will need to be replaced sooner.
2. Small batches. Producing fewer garments at a time means less textile waste. An average American throws away approximately 80 pounds of used clothing per person per year, much of that going to landfills.2 And high-volume production (so-called "fast fashion") contributes to the creation of harmful greenhouse gases. I'm proud and committed to "slow-fashion" and small-batch production - I only produce 100 Joeys at a time. But that means my per-unit costs are much higher than Zara, JCrew or The Gap.
3. Made in the USA. There's something about investing locally that has always excited me. (Maybe it's because I'm the child of restauranteurs who served our small town for generations.) Making my products in the United States brings me joy and helps my community (and is good for the earth as well since it reduces transportation and coal pollution.) But manufacturing in America is more expensive than some other countries.
Look 1 - Spring Date Night: The Maxwell is perfect (and sexy!) for date night when paired with a happy cowhide silk skirt.
Look 2 - Outdoor Birthday Party: This style is all about juxtapositions. And who knew a cashmere sweater could be so fun? Add the Maxwell to a gauzy tulle skirt, and you're ready to live your best life AND stay cozy.
Look 3 - Springtime Brunch: It may look like spring outside, but can still feel like winter. That doesn't mean you have to dress like it though. By pairing your winter sweater with brighter spring colors - think hues of blue and happy yellows or pinks - you'll be signaling that you've moved on from drab. We love layering the Maxwell over the Cody to give us some colder temp options, and love both of them with a slightly cropped bold pink pant and a turquoise wedge. For fun, we also added a woven purse with a tropical theme.
Look 4 - Netflix and Chill: There is nothing more comfortable than a snuggly cashmere sweater and jeans. The Maxwell's elevated lines ensure you'll look fashionable rather than frumpy.
Look 5 - Job Interview: Layers. Layers. Layers. Paired with a vintage blazer and midi skirt, this look screams 80s (but in a good way). We cinched the Maxwell with a belt to create a little more structure. (And that's the Joey Pocket Tee hiding under it. The two are great for layering.)
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First, you pick a theme for the shoot - an inspiration to provide the photographer and the stylist with ideas.
Next, you need to find a photographer. I looked for someone whose photos I already admired and who had worked with some of my friends. Then I needed to find a stylist. I've got to admit - I knew the photographer was important, but I wasn't sure about the stylist. Well, did I get schooled. Those two functions were probably the most important on my shoot. My stylist made sure the looks were right, made sure hair wasn't blocking product, and that the product was steamed and not too bulky or creased in the shoot. She also helped my non-professional models look their best. Worth every penny!
And then, of course is a hair and makeup person or an HMU. I opted for just a makeup person. A friend of mine tried to do a makeup-less shoot because she was going for a minimalist look. However, the end result wasn't great, so it's another area not worth skimping on.
Next there is the location. Indoors? Outdoors? Both have their pros and cons. Based on your theme you are trying to find a place that gives off the right vibe. Outdoors can be tricky because of the weather. Indoors places can be tricky to find (and expensive!). I've done both and it just depends on the look you're going for.
And let's not forget the models! There are agencies for that, or there are friends for that (I also do a fair amount of modeling for the brand because I'm available and cheap. haha). So far I've chosen influencers and attractive friends for my shoots. My fit model, on the other hand, is booked through an agency.
Finally, there's food, drink and music. Nobody can be their most awesome self if they're hungry or stressed. Providing some snackies and bevvies and groovy tunes will get everyone in the right mind zone.
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We often conduct our sample fittings at the factory. We have conducted about 3 sample fittings for each garment on average at the factory before the final product has been produced, so I've spent a lot of time with that team!
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Look 1 - Weekend Brunch: Iconic jeans and a t-shirt. We dressed up the look with snappy red heels.
Look 2 - Running Errands: We exchanged the jeans with shiny black leggings for an edgier feel, and added an olive overcoat for some additional color diversity.
Look 3 - Dinner and a Show: A textured skirt and faux-fur make this a chic but comfortable ensemble for a night out.
Look 4 - Festival Chic: Pair with shorts, fishnets and a hat to keep the sun off your face, and you're ready for hours of festival music and fun.
Look 5 - Happy Hour: Throw off the blazer and add a jaunty hat to this forest-green vinyl skirt and tee combo, and you're ready to shake off the workaday blues.
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I have to say, the end result has exceeded my expectations. I love the design of it, the way it hangs, and more than anything, the way the darn thing feels. Also, as the weather is cooling down, I'm excited to wear it to keep out the chill.
I've learned so much, and now I have the sweater I envisioned all those many months ago.
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]]>While I was able to source cotton for the Joey pocket-tee and denim for the Cody work shirt from Los Angeles, I couldn't find a U.S cashmere source for the Maxwell sweater. I bought mine from a US-based mill, but they sourced the cashmere itself from Mongolia.
I mentioned my plight to good friend Jancy Quinn of @itmatterswear, a sustainable fashion consultancy. She connected me with her friend Marissa Taylor, a cattle rancher at Lonetree Ranch in Wyoming who just happened to be exploring how to process the cashmere from the small herd of goats she keeps as part of her land management strategy (goats like to eat weeds, you see).
The biggest challenge Taylor faces is getting the cashmere off the goats and turned into yarn. Because it's hard to find cashmere yarn sourced from the U.S, it's also hard to find the skilled workers to extract the hair or mills to process it. Cashmere goats are cold-weather animals (the cashmere undercoat grows in response to shorter, colder days), so the cashmere must be brushed out, not sheared like wool. Shearing off the cashmere removes the goat's outer coat and leaves them vulnerable to the cold. They naturally shed their cashmere when it gets warmer, so the trick is getting it brushed out at just the right time.
Back at the ranch, we spent a few hours brushing some of the goats and extracting their incredibly soft hair. It's time intensive work and the output is small - each goat's annual yield is only about 4 ounces. You begin to understand why cashmere is so expensive when you realize it then takes hair from 4-5 goats to make just one large sweater.
For now, we are collectively working on the problem - joining facebook groups, visiting mills, doing research - and figuring out next steps. The hope is that I'll be able to produce one of the next runs of the Maxwell Sweater entirely from US-based cashmere from Lonetree Ranch. Stay tuned . . .
]]>Customer feedback on the Joey Pocket Tee is that it runs large (It is a slouchy boyfriend-tee, after all!). Most are sizing down from their regular shirt size. Our fit model during production who is 5'7" and wears a 34B bra, wore a small Joey. Our model in the product pictures on the site is 5'3" and wore an extra small Joey. My sister is 5'1" and wore an extra small as well. Plans are already in the works to make an XXS Joey in future production runs.
If you have any questions about fit, connect at hello@lovemyboyfriend.com. Happy to provide guidance!
]]>Then it was off to the garment district to do fittings for the Maxwell Cashmere Sweater and the Cody Denim Work Shirt with my design team. What a shot of adrenaline! The cashmere sweater - the impetus for this whole venture - couldn't be more amazing! It is buttery soft and just looks unique and lovely. I've been wearing one of the samples and can't wait to get the real thing!
I chose some denim options for the work shirt after we looked at the muslin mock up. Our plan is to produce each shirt and then wash it so each one has it's own unique character.
It was a whirlwind weekend! I'm excited to keep going!
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