This year marks ten years of She’s a Gent. As I reflect on this past decade, I am proud of myself for having the courage to stand in my truth and share my story and gifts. I’ve come a long way and will always be ever-evolving. This journey has shifted my perspective about so many things in life and continues to help me grow and ascend. I’m extremely humbled that my contribution to creating visibility for women like me, who love styling menswear, has inspired others to explore their uniqueness.
One special aspect of this journey that I am most thankful for is being able to collaborate with others. Being in collaboration with someone who is talented, in their way, as you are, is beautiful and powerful! This cooperative process helps to fuel understanding of differences and further growth.
The Road to The Tailory New York
I’ve been fascinated by suiting since I was a teenager. That said, when I first launched She’s a Gent, I didn’t have any real knowledge of how to conceptualize and style the garments. I turned to men’s style media outlets for inspiration and guidance and I shopped the men’s section for my clothing. I’m not going to lie, I often cringe when looking back at some of my early ensembles. The concepts and color palettes were on point, however, the clothing wasn’t constructed for my frame. They were often really ill-fitting.
I had overcame so many obstacles during those first years of blogging. I encountered a lot of “no’s” in response to my non-traditional style because many brands weren’t yet ready for boundary-pushing style outside of the binary.
On one occurrence, Sara (formerly A Dapper Chick) and I pitched ourselves to a brand that responded enthusiastically with a request for a phone meeting. I was excited, thinking that this would be the moment that I/we secured our first major partnership. Instead, the representative informed us that the brand would prefer to partner with ‘more traditional women’. I remember, at that moment, being less annoyed by the brand’s narrow-minded views and more bothered by the fact that she felt the need to schedule a call to inform us over the phone versus sending an email. Nevertheless, that experience opened my eyes to the challenges that lay ahead. More than anything, it further emboldened me to want to create visibility for women like myself. Not to mention, everything happens for a reason because soon thereafter, I received a warm and much welcomed email from The Tailory New York.
The Tailory New York
The Tailory New York is a women-owned and operated bespoke clothier that combines modern custom design with the art of custom tailoring. The brand stands by the notion that suiting is genderless and can be worn and styled by men, women, and non-binary humans alike.
Shao Yang, founder of The Tailory New York, is one of the most creative and innovative humans I know. She is also a gentle, kind, genuine, and caring person. Shao is someone who wants the best for others and also wants to help you feel confident in your person. Her gift is aiding others in conceptualizing a style most reflective of their vision and personality.
I’m lucky to call her a friend and thankful to be able to collaborate and partner with her.
Horizontal Pinstripe Suit Pants
In 2017, I attended Pitti Uomo – the world’s most impactful trade show for men’s clothing and accessories. Although, it’s arguably most notable for being the unofficial fashion show for menswear enthusiasts to self-showcase their best sartorial ensembles. That said, Shao and I wanted to create bold and impactful looks that would encourage attendees to inquire about the suits and therefore, the brand. On day one, I wore a bold horizontal pinstripe suit. She and I were always looking to push the traditional boundaries and what better way to do so than to take my favorite print and flip it? Subtle yet impactful!
In addition to creating powerful looks for the show, we were also looking to expand on my modular wardrobe. The idea isn’t to constantly purchase and dispose of clothing but rather to create a sustainable wardrobe full of core garments with endless style possibilities.
I’m still discovering new ways to style the horizontal pinstripe suit seven years after designing. This time around, I went with a suit separate outfit.
Solid black-and-white combinations pair well with just about any color. As of late, I’ve been more intentional about incorporating bright colors into my winter wardrobe. I chose to layer a yellow cashmere sweater over the pinstripe trousers and slipped on a pair of patent loafers for a classic and elegant fit. I sealed the look with a bold, royal blue topcoat for contrast.
In my opinion, this ensemble oozes sophistication. I wore this outfit on a casual day out with friends. However, this polished modern look can also be worn to an interview, work, or even a date with your significant other. Choose your style and occasion!
Topcoat (The Tailory NYC), Cashmere sweater (COS), Suit Trousers (The Tailory NYC), Loafers (Stuart Weitzman)
What do you think?