#but there is a retailer in my city that sell my dream dress…. i want to try it on….

[godsperfectprincess]

oh god i swear i’m going to sleep. but i need to say this. every day i get closer and closer to trying on wedding dresses for the hell of it

[plush-anon]

You worked at joanns? 😍 dream job

In all fairness, a large part (and I do mean a LARGE part) of why I enjoyed working at Joanns were the managers.

The store manager was a guy named Richard, one of maybe two or three men who worked there total, and this man was practically a saint as far as retail goes.

This was a man who would, with no hesitation, get on the floor to help customers, or hop on the registers to check customers' purchases out, or pop on to the cutting counter to cut fabric. He remembered the names of regulars, would chat and smile while getting shit done, and was the type of guy to speak slowly and softly when we had shitstains explode at us measly peons for not giving them the full cost of an item back in a return (ex $200) when they used a coupon to purchase an item to begin with and only paid a portion of the cost (ex. $150). No joke, this actually happened to me on Black Friday with a man who stood at about 6 foot with a crewcut and a snarl (the military Karen, if you would)

Richard, of course, stood at about 6 foot 5 inches, and reminded me of a ginger grizzly bear in some ways. Very few customers continued to be assholes when they asked to speak to the manager and Richard came over, smiling wide. He encouraged us to chat with the customers while we worked the cutting counter - it was a good way to learn about what they were making, encouraged general conversation and lent itself to a better environment for everyone, worker and customer alike, so we weren't just awkwardly standing in silence the whole time.

The assistant store manager (aka his second in command - we had two other assistant managers, but she wielded more power than both of them) was Farrah, and she was basically Cool Wine Aunt, but with weed. She was open about smoking it (but not in a pressure-the-underlings kind of way, but more of a 'yeah, it calms me down' kind of way) but never on the clock, and was just really chill in general. She was also a 'jump on the registers' type of manager, and on occasion would take the closing staff out to get a drink from the texmex place next to us in the shopping center, and cover one for each of us - particularly during the Holiday Clusterfuck of October, November, and December (their Frozen Kahlua Mudlslide was my alcoholic drink of choice - they also had these spicy chicken strips that were amazing with it, but I digress).

Both of them were amazing people who would support and back us up without hesitation (if they weren't dealing with corporate or stock trucks coming in), and both routinely worked 15 to 20 hours UNPAID overtime during the Holiday Clusterfuck so that we the underlings could get more hours without Corporate jumping up our ass about going over budget.

They were also refreshingly upfront in our monthly meetings about profits and meeting them, as well as why company policy was the way it was, and how to work within the boundaries so we got more hours. One of my favorite moments was when they said the fabric sales essentially covered their own cost (production and delivery); the rest of the cheap crap in the store was what covered our paycheck and electricity, so hawk it as much as you can if you want extra in the bank (paraphrasing here, but that's not that far off what they actually said tbh).

With some Karen-y exceptions, the customers were honestly pretty chill. There were two women from a nearby church who bought well over 200 yards of cut fleece to make no-sew fleece blankets for children and the poor in December (it took forever to do, but they were so cheerful about it and told some funny anecdotes in between, kept the counter clear as soon as they were cut, etc. Took them three carts to haul everything to the register XD).

There was the slew of quilters making everything from baby blankets to anniversary gifts to quilts for their grandkids attending the local university that they could wear to football games in the colder weather, while still showing team pride. They always bought quarters and eighths and the end of the bolt for half price, digging thru our remnants bin for something they might have missed they could get for half price. They always talked about what they were working on, and spoke in great detail on their kids or cousins or niblings or grandkids. I saw so many pictures on phones, in wallets, and they loved them to absolute pieces.

There were cosplayers making their first costume to comicon, halloween goers trying their hand at making their own outfits, and a few furries making custom suits for order or just updating their own personal outfit. There were the usual school and church Christmas plays that needed costumes, and folks making custom table runners and place settings for family holiday meals.

One notable young man bought out 30+ yards of our 65" inch wide bolt felt for JEWELRY projects he was making as a part of his business and as a part of his art program (you can major in art with a concentration in jewelry making, and he was using it for that). He didn't leave a card, but the pictures he showed us were STUNNING.

We had a few elderly mothers come in with their daughters, to pick out fabrics so they could make their own wedding dresses, or quinceanera outfits, or veils; they showed us the patterns they had, or the pictures they were basing the designs off of, and all of them were STUNNING. (One came back in with the finished dress in the bag, this intricately beaded poofy dress that had to have taken days, hot pink and shiny).

We had local restaurant owners pop in for re-upholstery projects and curtains and vinyl; same with teachers and deck dads and furniture restoration workers that would gush about the design, what they had planned. Some would bicker with their spouses on the pattern, but it felt good-natured on the whole.

We had some elderly men come in to peer over our sewing machines - "How much it run for? My wife's birthday is coming up and her old machine's about done, and I want to surprise her. She had a Singer, but she hates the electronic screens on some of these newer ones, they hurt her eyes." - and moms coming in to sew some custom bed sheets for their kids - "My son really likes the new My Little Pony show, but he's a little shy about it. Do you think the blue's okay? Only he like yellow more, but they don't have any back there and he doesn't MIND blue really but - Actually scratch that, how wide is the fabric? My pattern says it needs to be at LEAST 22 inches wide, does it say on the box?" - and people coming up with some WILD craft ideas that were always a delight to hear them gush about - "So this MAY seem crazy, but I can turn these plastic pumpkin trick-or-treat pails into SNOWMEN heads with felt like this. We fill them with treats for the kids since we don't have a fireplace and they like it fine, but someone said I should sell these on Etsy and people really like them! But I've run out of pumpkins, and you have NO idea how happy I am that you guys still have some left."

The group we had to work with was also pretty crafty; a few were chronic call-outs, some a bit lazy, some perpetually done-with-this-nonsense, but we were mostly on the same page on shift, and all of us were crafty as heck. The employee discount was a blessing AND a curse, lemme tell you.

Stock was the best part, for me. Hours before the store opened at 9 AM, we would rip open the boxes and stuff everything onto the shelves, organizing anything the closing shift missed the night before along the way, updating new stickers or shuffling pegs over for new product arrangement, etc. We could listen to music or podcasts as we worked, and I ended up impressing some of them bc of how fast I tore through everything some mornings (the music definitely helped out there).

I was actually about to be promoted to assistant manager after 6 months, but then I got my job with the university, and they had federal health benefits AND dental, so... yeah, no contest there. Richard actually laughed when I told him I'd been hired at the university and was giving my two week notice, since it meant he didn't have to do the slew of paperwork that accompanied new assistant manager hires. He congratulated me on the job, especially the health benefits - he said that was a perk worth leaving any job here for. I nearly cried with relief that he wasn't mad.

He and Farrah chipped in and got me a small music box that plays Man of La Mancha's Dream the Impossible Dream on my last day. It still sits on my desk at work.

It was honestly my favorite retail job out of the bunch I've suffered through. Surprising at first, since I initially received a rejection email bare HOURS after my interview with Farrah, but about a month later (as I trawled endlessly through interview after interview, desperate for anything those first few months ), I got a call back from them asking if I was still interested (which I was, bc hey a job!). They remembered me specifically bc I had missed my bus to the interview, called ahead to let them know I would be late, then walked the whole way there in the rain to get there. (It was only about a mile and a half away, so not a terrible journey, but flooding is an issue in our flat-ass city; I looked like a drenched afghan hound holding a useless umbrella, so enjoy that imagery).

They were particularly impressed by the calling-ahead part.

Unfortunately, both of them ended up moving on to different paths over the year after I left - apparently they had been friends with benefits (? I say hesitantly, since I ran into one of my coworkers at an art show later on and she spilled the beans there - she was a bit flighty in nature though, and got caught up in gossip a LOT, so who knows. Lovely brocade custom projects though), and his ex girlfriend had called corporate on them and got both fired.

I think Farrah came back some time later, but the damage was done after that - the new manager came in and operated SOLELY to corporate policy. A LOT went to pieces in terms of store cleanliness, order, and general camaraderie after that - the new fabric counter folks look and sound dead inside, and barely interact with customers (not even a 'whatcha making' in passing, which is kind of sad - the stories I got helped to pass the time, and kept me from using up all of my Set Conversation Phrases for customers that actually WOULD leave us standing in silence). Corporate also stopped some of the smaller store policies that made our job easier and gave the customers a little something extra (the 'end-of-the-bolt' discount - if, after the customer orders say, 2 yards of fabric on the bolt, and there's say, a half yard "remnant" left on the bolt, we can sell them the remnant for half-price. A LOT of quilters LOVED this, and we did too, since it saved us from filling out the remnant tag and printing a sticker later on).

Just goes to show how important good management is in a business; especially when it can kick a store previously part of the top 50 stores in the NATION (while being a medium store at that - smaller place, NOT Hobby Lobby size like the Large stores) to something much less pleasant. I could be rose-goggling the situation thought - retail is still retail, no matter how nice some aspects are - but it still sticks with me as to how good he experience was even taking into account that it WAS minimum wage retail.

Food for thought, lads, food for thought.

[abthepoet]

So Id like to mention that COVID19 has put a lot of things into perspective.

My industry of experiential marketing was literally one of the first to go about a week ago when stores began banning all live demonstrations. I work in the natural and organic food industry doing live events and cooking recipes on site to sample brands to customers at grocery retailers.And because sampling tables are good places to spread germs, my demos all immediately came to a stop. I'm also an in home, private Music Teacher to kids of various ages and needless to say if schools' on hold, so is teaching. and so is income. My Venmo is :ABBlas22

Which sucks, a lot because the majority of my work is independent contractor based. . . .and there's no health care, paid leave, unemployment, or sick time. Why do I still do it? Because I love the industry, the opportunities it affords me, and the pay is solid. Except come tax season. The Government likes to fuck you if you work for yourself. . . .even tho I pay for all my own equipment and car repairs to get me from job to job. My Venmo is ABBlas22

However, amid the panic, I havent felt this calm in years. The constant anxiety and pressure of having to make money and go to work and be on time and make my schedule and drive from this city to that city for this demo and that demo, has subsided. I finally wake up and I'm not staring at the clock counting down how long before I have to leave which triggers an anxiety fest about leaving my dogs home alone because my one dog has such severe separation anxiety she destroys her crate, escapes, and then ruins the house(we are actively working on it) . . .so I'm up early and nervous about, "ok I have three hours I have to walk the dogs for at least one of those hours, feed them, get dressed, brush teeth, try to eat, clean the house, stuff their Kongs, make sure I have everything I need, and then try to sneak out before the dog starts freaking out." followed by "did I book enough demos this week, if I have to execute 16 for the month where can I put another demo, should I give myself a day off? nah, i need the money, let me check my Google calendar for the 65th time this morning and stare at all the blank dates I should be booking demos instead of doing anything else because no matter how much I work, it is never enough. So I spend an hour worrying about plunging my family into financial ruin. . . . better get online and start digging thru emails and brand Ambassador groups to make sure I've got enough work. Oh what's that? the sound of my entire family and partner telling me to get a *regular* job even though the idea of punching a clock and working for someone else makes me physically sick. . but I go and do it anyway because its a W2 position so you think well maybe I'll get health benefits at least and then come to find out that this bullshit retail job doesn't give part timers benefits of any kind, but I keep the job anyway because everyone said a normal job was best, but it pays $6 less an hour than my demo gigs and is a total waste of my skills and professional experience and eventually is cutting into my income because its taking up so many weekly hours but pays significantly less that I start calling out to go do demos instead and then the same people who were like "get a regular job" turn around and go "no, not That job, try This job."

and I'm over here ready to fucking scream because I've Been very clear about wanting to be in business for myself. I have tried many things, including testing an extremely beta version of what eventually became Uber Eats. . . I could be a millionaire but my parents thought it was a stupid idea and once I used up my resources trying to drum up business, that was it.

also, this is the worst part about being a millennial. I went to college for music because they said be anything and follow your dreams . . .but then I graduated into recession (2006) and got the first job I could,at a deli, which . . . .isn't exactly a degree holding position. For years we said,"I'm just grateful I Have a Job right now." and we got bitter, broke, and depressed as a generation. We're in our 30's now and it's just as bleak an outlook for our generational future. At least until the boomers die out and free up some of that wealth, if they don't all leave it to the cat and state first just to spite us.

So yea, people are freaked out with COVID19 but for the first time, I dont feel pressure or anxiety to rush out the house or make money because everything got cancelled. All I want to do is work super hard on my own online store via Shopify and grow from there. I love to work and I love the discipline of hard work. I would rather spend 18 hours in a day working on my own business and hustling my ass off to make it work using over a decade of marketing and sales experience to promote my brand for once.

But that's hard to invest time and money when I live paycheck to paycheck and have a partner and fur babies who depend on me. Everytime I excitedly talk about dropshipping through shopify and all my plans for it, it's met with a nervous "I believe in you but dont fuck us financially." "I believe in you but doesn't that take time." "I believe in you but why don't you just work here, they pay decent."

I love that the #Coronavirus hit and suddenly human rights are easy to hand out. I love that Coronavirus got us to halt economies on a scale so massive that will actually help us fight climate change. Capitalism has destroyed our planet and our species.

I want to always remind everyone that we are a species first. Not countrymen, not race, not religion. . . we are all dancing flesh bags, given different corporeal conduits with which to experience life and then later compare notes with one another.

"What's life like in that short skin suit?"

"Not bad but I can't reach anything."

"Good thing I got one of these tall skin suits." *grabs top shelf items*

"Thanks!"

It's to help us come together, understand similarities thru differences and use them to gain new perspectives while helping our species and our planet thrive.

This insane notion that everyone needs to have a job needs to go. Our species was Not made to do slave labor all day long for an invented wage that keeps us stuck fighting for basic survival when we have the potential to completely alter our lives.

The Earth is a hostage who's not allowed to feed her own kids. They locked up every fruit bearing tree, enslaved every animal, poisoned the soil, polluted the water and then held your life at gunpoint and demand you hand over hours of your life to work that does a disservice to your potential for greatness just for a chance to get a taste of what should be your birthright.

Basic needs of survival that all humans will die without shouldn't be prizes for who can work themselves to death the fastest.

Im using this time as an opportunity and am taking what little resources I have to work on my online store and sell off and flip what I can to make start up money on Ebay. (I dont even have WiFi and my apartment complex has locked the business center for CoronaVirus) . Using my phone for everything is really fucking tedious, especially because I've had it for 4 years and it doesn't always cooperate, but I'm grateful I even have one to use. If you want to invest in me, even just $5 I will 100% be using it to get a business off the ground. I've got most of the basic work done and market research, but with no income I cant even afford the basic Shopify plan at $30 a month, I'm hoping they pass a moratorium on evictions because how do I pay rent with no job to go to!?

My Venmo is : ABBlas22 and I do reward!

[sridisha]

Top Latest Five Entertainment news Urban news

Top Latest Five Entertainment news Urban news

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[scrayas-blog]

                 hey sisters ! my name’s 𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖈𝖍 ( yes, after the iconic peach salinger ) and i’m super excited to be here ! not gonna lie, i had a different idea for soraya way before i started writing her intro ( like how i wanted her faceclaim to be laura harrier but then zendaya kept calling my name lmao ), but i like how she came out !my only hope is that you guys like her too & that my intro isn’t too poorly written. it’s been a while since i’ve written a character intro, so please don’t roast me too much ! anyways, here’s my bbg soraya !

           a zendaya coleman lookalike was strolling down broadway street in their louis vuitton star trail ankle boots. soraya belanger just had a birthday bash for her twenty-third birthday. she has been living in new york city for twenty years. i hear she tends to be pernicious at parties, but also kind of soigné. ( cisfemale & she/her ) [ peach, 22+, eastern & she/they ]

statistics !

name  :  soraya evangeline belanger.

nickname(s)  :  sora, ray, raya, & so-so ( but only by her family ).

age :  twenty-three.

birthday  :  january 2nd, 1996.

zodiac  :  capricorn.

gender :  cisfemale.

pronouns :  she/her & they/them.

height :  5′10″.

hometown :  malibu, california.

nationality  :  american.

ethnicity  :  african american, german, & scottish.

occupation  :  former television personality, model, entrepreneur, & fashion insider.

label(s)  :  the aesthete, the gregarious, the sovereign & the trendoid.

aesthetics :  sexual tension, the glow of your phone at night, sharp eyeliner, glittery eyeshadow, long hair blowing in the wind, scented candles, long eyelashes, flushed cheeks, making out with someone for hours, your favorite song playing from another room, expensive perfume, rose petals on silk sheets, taking long showers, hickeys, waking up on the wrong side of the bed, gold piercings, shoes with red soles, bubble baths, golden sunsets, harsh honesty, concerts, blind faith, & red lipstick.

background !

         zorina nelson was a woman with a dream since she was a young girl and dressed up in the clothes in her mom’s closet. she loved dancing around in her heels & messily putting on her makeup – her mom never deterred her daughter either, supporting her &her seemingly outlandish dreams. she wanted to go to college for fashion, & even though she came from a family of little means in arizona, zorina’s parents worked hard to ensure that their daughter could attend school in california. four years later, zorina graduated but found herself struggling to get her name out there. she didn’t have connections like some of her classmates & didn’t know where to turn, so she began working retail while designing on the side. she was working at barneys in order to get the bills paid, but she was sad that her career hadn’t taken off the way she wanted it to.

         one fateful day, though, zorina picked up a shift on what was originally supposed to be her day off & encountered a customer that was struggling to find something to wear to an event. now, call it weird, but zorina always kept some of her pieces in the backseat of her old toyota & she ended up allowing the customer to wear her dress. the customer tried it on, loved it, & decided to wear zorina’s dress to the event. little did zorina know, but the customer was an influential woman in fashion ( think someone like rihanna but in the 90s ). skipping ahead, that same year, zorina’s brand really took off & now she was selling her clothes like hotcakes. also during this time, zorina met & married businessman nicholas belanger. the couple married in a secret ceremony in big bear, california & their relationship was known as the ‘ cinderella marriage ’ in the media.

         after a few years of marriage, zorina & nicholas welcomed their daughter soraya into the world. soraya would be their only child & the couple spoiled her almost immediately – she had any & everything she could have ever wanted. soraya spent the first three years of her life in malibu, california, but they family moved to new york city ( soho, to be exact ) due to zorina wanting to be closer to her company’s headquarters in manhattan. soraya attended some of the most elite schools that new york & money could get her, so she grew up surrounded by people of wealth & influence. by the time high school rolled around, soraya was a girl who knew what she wanted & how to get it. she wanted to be student body president ? bribe the voters. she wanted a specific superlative in the yearbook ? be fake friends with the yearbook staff. in a way, soraya was a spitting image of her father’s ruthless personality in business meetings.

         of course, it was no surprise that when her senior year rolled around, soraya was named as prom queen & most likely to be successful, or something silly like that. remember how james charles went viral by taking his ring light to take his senior pictures ? well soraya did it first, honey ! her pictures spread like wildfire all over twitter & instagram, so she soon found herself signing a lucrative modelling contract with img models ( worldwide ). her first year was rather strenuous as she was walking in hundreds of shows, but when she walked for saint laurent ss14 that’s when her career really blew up ( imagine zendaya with kaia gerber’s walk ! ). then, her covers list began to grow as well including vogue, allure, glamour, seventeen, cosmopolitan, instyle & essence, just to name a few.

         last year, soraya was cast on the e! docu-series model squad ( *devon windsor voice* do you know how hard it is to be blonde ? ) & was one of the few models uninterested in walking the victoria’s secret show. during her time as a model, soraya began dipping her toes in more than just runway & covers, including designing, collaborating, & taking a break from runway as a whole for the time being. now, she can be seen attending fashion dinners, secret shows, panels, parties & everything in between. she recently did a collaboration with colourpop & designed a collection with revolve !

personality !

         like her app says, soraya is very pernicious & soigné. as for her negative trait pernicious, it basically means that she’s super sneaky in getting what she wants. not only that, but she’s that kind of sneaky mean where people wouldn’t expect it. in front of the cameras & the important people in her life, she’s sweet & charismatic, but outside of that realm she’s the girl who doesn’t mind spilling someone’s secrets when she knows the tabloids are around or incredibly hostile around those she might not like very much. as for her positive trait soigné, it basically means that she never leaves the house looking like less than an eleven ! her edges are laid, her highlight is poppin’, & she’s dressed to the nines even if she’s only going to get lunch. all in all, soraya can be very fake sometimes & has an affinity for all things luxury.

quick facts !

100% the girl who spends most of her day in her underwear & an oversized shirt when she was nowhere to be.

never leaves the house without her bag of essentials & will cry if she’s forgotten it home.

cries very easily when things don’t go her way.

if someone asks why she’s late, her usual answer is either her eyebrows, her hair, or both.

she lives in a super cute penthouse at the four seasons which she moved into about a year & a half ago.

the way to her heart is via concert tickets, namely, rihanna & beyonce.

connections !

now, i can’t guarantee that i’ll make a page of connections or write a post, but a few from the top of my head include:

high school boyfriend !

friends with benefits / exes with benefits / enemies with benefits !

a modelling rival !

best friends !

former friends !

flat out enemies !

i’m a big ol’ sl*t for some angst, so i’d love that too !

exes on good terms / exes on bad terms !

any kind of connection from high school ?

any kind of connection from her career ?

any kind of connection at all ( i’m desperate lol ) !

[burnouts3s3]

Red Dead Redemption 2, a review

(Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit unprofessional blog post written by an unprofessional blog poster. All purported facts and statement are little more than the subjective, biased opinion of said blog poster. In other words, don’t take anything I say too seriously. Just the facts 'Cause you're in a Hurry! Publisher: Rockstar Studios Developer: Rockstar Games Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP): 59.99 USD How much I paid: 59.99 USD Rated: M for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language and Use of Drugs and Alcohol. How long I played: 50 Hours in an attempt to complete the story mode before Christmas rolls around Microtransactions: Preorder bonuses to those who ordered the game before release.   What I played on: A Regular PS4, not a PS4 Pro Performance Issues: Say what you will about the Infamous Rockstar Studios, the looks gorgeous with its various weather effects, depictions of gore and its various animations. Certain shadow details and hair particle effects look a bit blurry. One instance of the game pausing momentarily before starting again. My Personal Biases:  The only Rockstar Games I’ve completed are GTA IV and Bully on the PS2. I almost completed the Original Red Dead Redemption but got stuck and watched the rest of the cutscenes on Youtube. My Verdict: Red Dead Redemption 2 not only feels like a Love Letter to Rockstar games but also a Farewell. Admist the shooting, bank robbing, horse riding, cow milking, train heisting fun, there’s a sense of melancholy. Just like the Protagonist Arthur Morgan, players will begin to realize that not only have things changed but maybe looking back, the nostalgia of the hayday years are starting to fade and just like Civilization starts to roll in, change is coming to not only the world but to Rockstar as well… Buy it! WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Red Dead Redemption 2, a review

Rockstar Games wants to ask a question: At what price does Freedom come with? Set in 1899 and before the events of the first Red Dead Redemption, players control Arthur Morgan, an outlaw on the run after the Blackwater job went bad. Along with his charming bullshitter of a leader, Dutch van der Linde and the crazed Micah, Arthur attempts to lead a community of outcasts to safety. But with the Federal Government, the Pinkerton Detective Agency and rival gangsters after him, Arthur soon realizes that things aren’t what they seem. And in an attempt to be free from the every growing march of progress and civilization, he’s starting to have doubts if the things he thought were good were even great to begin with. Throughout the game, Players perform heists in an attempt to gain enough money to buy the community out for freedom. But, with one crazy heist after another, Arthur soon suspects that his all-knowing leader, Dutch, might be in over his head. Using the familiar cover mechanic, players can fire off guns and fend off or shoot civilians just so he pleases. But, now Arthur has to take care of the community. Using funds he’s acquired, he can upgrade his camp to supply food, medicine or ammunition. Arthur can now eat and cook items from materials found out in the wilderness. By hunting animals, Arthur can skin them for meat and pelts, which he can either sell or use for crafting. With no cars available, Arthur will ride his trusty steed through the desert, bayou and other locations, rendered in gorgeous detail. I could ride for hours and hours with time passing slowly in-game while various weather effects show off the RAGE engine to its finest. Customization is also a feature where in Arthur can grow a beard, get a haircut, own various guns or buy himself a three piece suit that will make him the most well dressed gentleman on the riverboat. In addition, the various mini-games appear where-in Arthur can do 5 finger fillet, play some Texas Hold’em Poker, or just collect debts from dead beats. In terms of content, for 60 USD, I felt like the thief here! And yet, it’s going to be the story that will either make or break the various players here. The game makes one thing clear: there’s going to be an increased emphasis on not only ethnic minorities but female characters as well. From Charles Smith, a half black, half Native-American, hunter to Sadie Adler, a widow who’s lost her home only to become a hardened gunslinger, gamers are sure to press the “SJW” alarm here. In one story mission, Arthur must drive a Women’s Suffrage Caravan into a southern town while being booed by hecklers. The change in cast also bleeds into the story: Arthur is having continuous doubts about Dutch’s mad schemes and wonders if Dutch has changed or if Arthur himself has changed. Their community is constantly on the run, attempting to find the ‘freedom’ America has promised only to be met by cities, civilization and some pissed off gangsters. The beauty of the wilderness is heavily contrasted with the polluted city of Saint Denis, where-in smokestacks blacken the sky. In some ways, the game is a commentary on Rockstar itself. Before, Rockstar games was the bad boy of the industry, upsetting parent groups and politicians with its risqué behavior. But now, Arthur reflects on whether or not those heydays of freedom and doing whatever you want were, in fact, as wonderful as they make it out to be. Arthur keeps second-guessing himself; he’s not sure if his loyalty to Dutch was warranted or if things were as good as Dutch made them out to be. Things have changed and Arthur isn’t sure if he’s the one that changed or if it’s the world around him. In some ways, Red Dead Redemption 2 is as deconstructionist and self-critical as Grand Theft Auto IV and its protagonist Nico Bellic, but where as Nico attempted to play the immigrant unable to let go (which contrasted heavily to the gameplay of gamers doing whatever they want with him), Arthur feels more consistent as a character.  Whereas John Marston, the protagonist form the previous game had a sardonic wit and one-liner for everything, Arthur feels like a cowboy seeing his last days of freedom and is coming to terms with his fate. It feels like the game is trying to appease everybody but the ideas put in place are sure to upset their political opponents. Men’s Rights Activists are going to complain about the mandatory mission wherein Arthur must drive a Women’s Suffrage Movement caravan through town but Feminists don’t like that players have the ability to beat up a Feminist. Minority players aren’t going to like the rampant racism displayed by Micah and Bill but White gamers aren’t probably going to like the depiction of Southern Plantation owners depicted as stupid and racist. Pro-gamergate players won’t like Sadie Adler, a widow turned gunslinger who might be crazier than Arthur but anti-Gamergate players will hate how Sadie would be a National Rifle Association spokesperson if Dana Loesch decides to retire. CAVEAT: Red Dead Redemption 2 might be the inevitable turning point for Rockstar Games. While the mechanics, the animation and the attention to detail can’t be less than soul bearing, it will inevitably alienate people. In some ways, RDR2 is all things to all people: a misogynistic game beating up women for Feminists, an SJW Pandering game to Gamergate Supporters, a Hunter’s wet dream to Animal’s rights advocates, Feminist Propaganda to Men’s Rights Advocates, and a thinly-veiled NRA ad to the #MarchforOurLives supporters. It’s offensive to everyone, Republicans, Democrats, independents, Libertarians, Feminists, MRAs, Journalists, Gamers, Consumers, pro-Gamergate, anti-Gamergate, pro-gun control advocates, anti-gun control advocates and anyone with good taste, even more so than the “all sides are bad, everyone shut the fuck up” viewpoint mainly held by South Park creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker. And yet, I had a lot of fun with it. Verdict: Full Price!

[kimberly-roberts]

A Life For Sale

The battered old red Ford pickup bumped her from her seat slightly as she caught a corner of the dried deep rut left by the tractor.

She knew she was going faster on this road than she normally took it, but she had to get there, and get there fast.

Tonight the council was to hear arguments about what to do with a proposed development, just west of the ranch Julie lived on. The ranch, small of only 200 acres, it had been her family’s and now was hers to run.

A cattle-woman she was known as.

So tall strong and beautiful, with a rancher’s deep tan, she could easily be called striking to anyone’s eye. She loved raising her herd of Charolais with their big, doe-like expressive eyes, and coats a brushed taupe. Gentle creatures they were, and yes, productive too.

Yes, this was a life she loved.

Her greatest love though could be found in Zander.

He was built tall, muscular, black, with deep exotic eyes, eyes that seemed to go to the very soul of her. He was a power to be reckoned with, and when he called for her, Julie would always come, just like all the others.

Throwing his long flowing hair back, he would stand firm, waiting for her.

His breath fogging the cool morning air. She could see the others, his harem, watching her approach him. She knew though that they wouldn’t leave, until he told them to, so strong his hold on them all. So they watched as she strode up to him.

Her words, soft gifts of comfort and love, coaxed him closer.

She knew what he wanted.

She knew what he asked her here for, the sweet Granny Smith she had for him in her Carhart jacket. He was a sucker for those.

With a no longer timid hand, she revealed the green treasure to him. His nostrils seemed to dance with the anticipation he had for the sweet morsels. Quickly, grabbing it from her hand, he flicked his tail high, standing back on his hind legs, muscles taut, and jumped up, then turned towards his waiting entourage, giving them leave with his powerful whinny.

Like a storm, the wild herd powered through the valley, away from Julie’s lands onto the lands owned by the town.

This is the land Julie must protect for Zander and his girls. This is a part of their community, a part of this country’s heritage, a natural resource that must be protected.

Ted Martin hadn’t even grown up here and yet he had big ideas for that land.

A city slicker if there ever were one. He is a store-bought cowboy, never having riden a day in his life, or much less allowed a callous to take hold on those non-working hands of his. Dressed in his instant rancher, Ted Martin walked like he was just from a movie set, playing a part that didn’t fit him.

He wanted this land for his own uses. A resort and casino.

What a sad use of a beautiful gift to all, and moreover the home to the wild herd Julie now called neighbours and friends.

Pulling into the town, she saw several trucks lined up. There were many a folk here tonight that this seemed important to. She hoped they were here like her to protect their land, the town’s land.

But she wasn’t sure. For just like the slippery snake-oil salesman that hunted their victims on this very ground a hundred years ago, Ted Martin had his own sweet poison to sell. Promises of jobs, long-needed for this area. Promises of future developments that surely would follow. These were the pipe dreams that Ted Martin was hawking. Julie wasn’t sure how many were that desperate to buy.

Sliding out of the old Ford, Julie took a deep breath steadying herself to walk into whatever lie ahead.

There was indeed a full house tonight. She barely found a place to stand along the wall near the front. A gavel cracked on the fold-out tables serving tonight as the council chamber in the community center.

Regular town business was conducted at what seemed to her an onerous pace. “And now, for New Business” Gene White, the town council chair announced. It was as if the room collectively began to breathe again in unison.

“We have here, a proposal for a development on parcel, um, let’s see…oh yes, parcel #017924, on just about 300 acres. The proposed development is for mixed use, consisting of residential, recreational and retail. Is Mr. Martin here to present?“

“You betcha, your Honour..er, I mean Mr. White” The crowd chuckled at Martin’s faux pas.

If Ted Martin’s strategy was to bore the crowd with details, he certainly was succeeding.

With eyes glazed over, some closed entirely, the crowd heard the endless details accompanying his proposal. Square footages, costs, jobs, salary ranges, number of homes, types of stores, types of games, all reviewed ad nauseum.

Finally as if recognizing he’d succeeded in his magic sleep potion, he said “Thank you for your time” and sat down. Even the council members had to elbow some of their fellow members to the business at hand.

“And now for any rebuttals to this proposal?” Gene inquired of the group.

“I do” Julie said almost to herself.

“I do” she said louder, her courage returning.

“Ok, Julie..Julie French. Come on up here then.“

All looked upon her as she strode to the front of the room to make her plea. One couldn’t be sure if it was her carriage and beauty, or her strength in facing the odds of a rebuttal, that all eyes were on her.

“We live here on these lands, given their sacred care by our ancestors. With that comes responsibilities none of us have ever shirked.

Is this an easy life? Hell no! Is it one that we’d want to ever lose though? I don’t think there’s one of you here who would say they’d give it up for anything. Why then are we considering selling out that life, especially to an outsider? Mr. Martin and his company don’t care about us, or about this town, and certainly not about any sacred gift we’ve been given. All they care about are numbers. And that’s the life he asks us here to live instead, one about numbers without care or concern for our way of life or each other. He’s literally banking on you making that choice.“

“Yeah, but I’m barely making a living Julie. Maybe these jobs will be better?” Sam Johnson, an old rancher who’d had some real bad luck asked her from the back.

“You’re right, Sam,” Julie continued.

“Some of us would surely benefit. But at what cost? And really, don’t you know how, if we pulled together, helping each other like we used to, we’d be even better still? Don’t you remember Sam, the days when my dad and you shared with crops, and with our lands for our cattle? Because of that, my family and yours were able to flourish. Now its true, there’s been some bad luck, but I’ll bet we can get there again, better than it ever was! We need to preserve this land, our town’s land for all, for your kids and their kids. This is our life, our way of life. And its not for sale!“

With that the place erupted with shouts of support, and thunderous applause.

Julie saw Ted Martin begin slinking his way to the door.

The gavel cracked again, calling for a vote.

And as the council took their vote, Julie could swear she heard a familiar whinny in the night, and smiled.

[sharethelove-ly]

Affordable and Enlightened Wedding Dress Shopping Options

Wedding dresses don’t need to cost thousands for you to be a beautiful bride. There are many unique options for sustainable and alternative preferences, and even designer gowns on a budget.

Gone are the days where brides only had a handful of options to look for when searching for their perfect wedding dress and planning their special day. In fact, many brides shop for their wedding using non-traditional methods. It has even become a trend for brides to transform any dress into their wedding dress. Being unique and true to your inner spirit starts with your wedding dress. We compiled a list of affordable and enlightened wedding dress options for the price conscious and mindful bride trying to stick to a budget.

    1.Lulus

Lulus is a perfect option for brides who are looking for an affordable, yet beautiful dress option. Bridal dresses at Lulus bridal, on average, range from $50 to $250. Many of our photographers over at our Wandering Weddings Photographer page also love lulus, since this was the brand mentioned the most when we asked which cheap wedding dresses they have featured.

“I love the Lulus brand because the dresses are light and easy to throw in a backpack for epic mountaintop elopements! We did a sweaty 2-hour hike to get to this spot, and the dress was wrinkle-free when we pulled it out of the bag!” [Bree, The Photographer]

  Photo by Lavel Marie Photography

2. Chic Boho

Chic Boho is a perfect option for brides who are trying to plan a bohemian wedding. Their dresses range from $20-$80, and they are lacey, flowy, and light.

“I love Chic Boho because they are very affordable for a bride on a budget that wants a stylish gown for her special day!” [Lavel]

Photo by K. E. Rogers Photography LLC

3. Amazon

Amazon is slowly taking over the world! You can find anything on their site, including wedding dresses! We were so surprised by the number of photographers who shared these gorgeous dresses with us. There are so many possibilities. With a little research and patience, you can find your perfect dress.

“I love this Chady J Issa dress from Amazon because it is affordable, yet elegant and beautiful! The high-slit style is not only flattering but also makes it ideal for adventure elopements on various terrains. The bride can move with ease and focus on the beauty of her surroundings!” [Katie]

Photo by M.N.Y Photography

Photo by Brianna Swan

Photo by Ashley Sewell

  4. Sustainable Stylists & Shoppers

  When you need help with your unique wedding needs enlisting a wedding stylist shopper can help you source products and services to fit your unique needs starting with curating wedding dresses until you find the perfect match to finding caterers that fit alternative menu options. We found Sustainable Brides based in Savannah with stylists along the east coast. Reimagining Wedding Shopping for a sustainable and affordable wedding no longer means lacking style and taste. For a concierge experience and the fairytale wedding of your dreams while making positive change, this is a great option. 

  5.Thrift Shop or Consignment

If you are looking for a designer, unique or vintage wedding dress, but you are trying to stay on a budget, then check out a thrift shop or consignment store. You can find a beautiful or vintage wedding dress if you know where to look. In Atlanta, we love The Sentimentalist.

Photo by Sherry Nelsen

  6. eBay

eBay is another great option for you if you want to stay on a budget, but still want to find a designer piece or wedding dress. Sometimes, you don’t even need to find a full gown, like this bride.

“I love this gown because it is simple, timeless, and elegant. The tulle skirt came from Mrpretty on eBay for about $100, the lace shirt and camisole both came from a local thrift shop. I just loved the look together! It was so creative and not expensive!” [Sherry]

Photo by Sadie Rodriguez

Photo by Sadie Rodriguez

  7. Honey Punch

We are loving all these brides who are choosing the non-traditional methods of finding their wedding dress. Honey Punch is a great site to find something lacey and fun for your special day while staying well within your budget.

“This lightweight gown from Honey Punch is an affordable option for brides but also has that boho flair that many brides search for. You can play it up to make it more boho, if needed, or keep it simple like this bride did. The gown has beautiful movement and is extremely comfortable to get around in! Which is ideal for an elopement bride!” [Maggie]

Photo by Tessa Flower Photography.

  8. Etsy

Buy a wedding dress made by hand and with love. Etsy is home to creative souls who sell their work to people looking for something unique and beautiful. There are so many options when trying to find a beautiful and cheap wedding dress here.

“I love Olya Silk & Lace on Etsy for elopement dresses because elopements are all about focusing on the love you share, not on spending an insane amount of money on one day. They are affordable, gorgeous, and perfect for the adventurous bride.” [Tessa]

Photo by Forthright Photo

  9. Seperates From Your Favorite Store

We love it when brides get creative and compile their wedding outfit from their favorite stores to create the specific look they want.

“I wanted to see if I could take a simple white lace robe and turn it into something worthy of a bride! Turns out, not hard at all. This was a white lace $20 robe from Shein, and a slip from Free People. It’s perfect for casual weddings, or those who feel like the stuffiness of a white wedding gown is not for them! ” [Laura]

Photo by Nicole Thomson

Photo by Jacqueline Fugatt

  10. Anomalie

Anomalie is relatively new on the scene in terms of wedding dress options, and boy is it a good one for the creative and budget savvy bride. This website allows you to design your own wedding dress. The price is much more economical, and we are sure you’ll have so much fun!

“Anomalie is perfect for the alternative bride who wants something out of the norm. You design your dress, which is super rad. It is the perfect solution for a bride who wants the freedom to do something different from everyone else without breaking the bank. These dresses are truly stunning, and the quality is amazing.” [Jacqueline]

Photo by Tara Hill

  11. GUESS

Guess is a great option if you are looking for a non-traditional wedding dress. We love it when brides aren’t shy to wear something they love and feel comfortable in on their wedding day.

“I love that Guess carries dresses like this that can be used as a wedding dress. Guess is found in shopping malls in almost every main city in Canada and the US, which means brides can try on the dresses before buying them, as well as return them in-store or online if they change their mind! Guess dresses aren’t marketed as wedding dresses, which may be part of the reason why brides will find a lower price tag on the dress. You won’t find Guess making ball gowns any time soon, I’m sure, but if a bride is looking for a sexy wedding dress, Guess should be on her hit list!” [Tara]

Photo by Barbara Schmid

  12. Rental Wedding Dresses

  If purchasing a dress is not a prerequisite, renting is a great option. There are local options for renting your dress. Laine London is a perfect example in Atlanta, Georgia. Men have been doing it for years. Wearing your wedding dress once, with very affordable options, this makes sense!

“My experience at Laine London was nothing short of amazing! Tiffany was great to work with. She was very kind and attentive throughout the entire consultation.” [Zenobia Scott]

  13. Sample Sale Shops

  If you are looking for a gorgeous designer dress, but you are trying to stay on a budget, then check out a shop that specializes in Selling Wedding Dress Samples such as The Sample Shoppe in Atlanta, Georgia. 

  We are loving all these dresses from non-traditional bridal stores!

There are now so many online retailers, that many brides buy their wedding dress in fun, new places we would have never imagined! You can find a beautiful, affordable wedding dresss if you know where to look and are resourcefu!

Here are Our Top 5  Reminders When Looking for an Affordable Wedding Dress:

Do your research. We love reading website reviews, and watching YoutTube reviews.

Online Shopping? Return it, if you don’t love it.

Sales and discount codes are your best friends.

You don’t need to wear white if you don’t want to.

Pick something that you will feel comfortable and love!

If you are looking for more traditional wedding dress options, then we suggest reading 8 Wedding Dress Designers for Elopements.

Looking for the perfect vendors for your wedding? Search our Wandering Weddings members HERE!

[bigyack-com]

How to Make Friends Online the Old-Fashioned Way (Buying Clothes Together)

Emily Useche, who is 27 and lives in Arkansas, had just put her baby down for a nap one afternoon when she decided to post some family photos on Facebook. But she didn’t simply upload them for friends and family to see. She also posted the photos to a private Facebook group for a whole other community: A fan club for Pyne & Smith Clothiers. Ms. Useche was wearing one of that brand’s dresses in the photos — a style she had posted about once before when she saw it being sold secondhand — and was ready to show it off. Minutes after she posted, other members replied with compliments for her, and praise for the sunflower check dress she was wearing.The group, Pyne & Smith Clothiers BST and Chat, is one of a number of so-called buy-sell-trade communities. Part social club and part marketplace, the groups have sprung up on Instagram and Facebook and have, for some users, become a daily place to socialize and shop.While many serve enthusiasts of mass market brands, others are powered by dedicated followers of idiosyncratic indie brands, the sort rarely featured in glossy magazines and often escape the notice of major retailers. But they have devoted followers, many of whom are attracted by the idea of slow, ethical fashion. Facebook and Instagram communities can be a very real alternative to traditional retailers, providing shoppers with not only products, but also friends.“A lot of us are millennials who are trying really hard to take steps toward sustainability,” said Lacey Camille Schroeder, 32 and a jewelry designer who lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She created the PSC buy-sell-trade Facebook group. “People buying these dresses tend to be like-minded when it comes to fashion. A lot of them are in the ‘crunchy’ category.” That line was founded by Joanna McCartney. She stumbled into making clothes in 2014 when she couldn’t find a linen dress she liked during the hot Los Angeles summer. Made of flax linen and produced in California, the dresses look like the kind you could wear to a dinner party and to collect eggs from your free-range chickens the next day. Their prices range from $146 to $186, though by the time the dresses make it to this group, they’re usually sold for about $120 each. Ms. Schroeder set up the group, which has 2,888 members, two years ago when a follower of the Pyne & Smith Clothiers Instagram said she was looking to sell a gently used Pyne & Smith dress that was taking up space in her closet. Ms. Schroeder got on the phone with Ms. McCartney and hammered out the group guidelines.Civility and a promise to be kind when posting critical feedback are among the few requirements for membership, and Ms. Schroeder said she rarely has to moderate conversations. In some cases, a single dress may be sold and passed between three or four members, who connect with each other and facilitate their own sales along the way.

Friends Through Fashion

Groups range from small pop-up Instagram hashtags like #JamieandTheJonesForSale, with fewer than 100 posts, to accounts like Noihsaf Bazaar, which was started on Instagram in 2013 and now has more than 30,000 followers. Noihsaf was founded when Kate Lindello, 36, a stylist, fashion blogger and stay-at-home mother, wanted to sell a pair of Rachel Comey flats that didn’t fit.Today Noihsaf, which focuses on emerging and independent designers, operates multiple Instagram accounts, including one for vintage and one for beauty products, and posts 1,200 to 1,500 items weekly on its main resale account. Ms. Lindello employs three freelancers to help her sort through the hundreds of daily submissions and choose items to post. Unlike volunteer-run accounts, Noihsaf charges a $3.80-per-sale fee.“Tech is a blessing and a curse,” Ms. Lindello said. “We’re behind our phones so much, but you also have the chance to make this human connection.” In 2017, after posting a pair of her own denim jeans on the account, she was surprised to see that the buyer lived only two miles down the road.“I could have mailed those jeans to Allison in Duluth, but I wanted to know who this person was,” she said. “I emailed her, and she said she’d just drop by my house. She ended up being a New Yorker who had just moved here, and we’re buddies now. She’s my kid’s dentist.”

From Online to In-Person

Around that same time, Nicolle Rountree, an African-American logistics manager who lives in New Orleans and wears plus-size clothing, was fed up with feeling unwelcome in stores and buying new pants every month when fast fashion ones fell apart.Through online research, Ms. Rountree discovered Elizabeth Suzann, a label that offers classic staples in natural fabrics in sizes XXS through 4XL — and then discovered that used Elizabeth Suzann clothing was being sold on Instagram accounts like Sell/Trade Elizabeth Suzann and Sell/Trade Slow Fashion. One day, a fellow Instagram shopper tagged her in a post for a used pair of black Clyde pants in size 16 that she had spotted. Ms. Rountree bid by commenting on the post and bought them from the seller for $125 (normally $245), becoming the third owner of the pants and a committed Elizabeth Suzann customer.This year, Ms. Rountree became a volunteer moderator of the Sell/Trade Slow Fashion Instagram account (more than 18,000 followers), which hosts and curates sale posts for slow fashion items, hosts trade forums and prompts weekly discussions about ethical fashion. Through the group, she has met more and more women who care about slow fashion.It’s an online community that became even more real in October, when Ms. Rountree met two other moderators of the group and road-tripped to the Elizabeth Suzann sample sale in Nashville.“I got out of the car, and there’s this line of women, many of whom I knew, mostly by their Instagram handles, and they ran up to me and hugged me. It blew me away,” she said. “We were all there waiting and shopping in terrible 90-degree Southern summer heat, all stripped down to just bras and underwear. And people are handing you stuff to try on, and you’re handing them stuff to try on, and you don’t even know them. They’re strangers who aren’t strangers.“I’m a black woman who lives in the South,” Ms. Rountree said. “I have never felt that safe around that many people before.”

A New Social Network

Sali Kelley, 50 and an American child care provider and E.S.L. teacher in Italy, has also seen her life changed by online buy-sell-trade communities. Between 2015 and 2016, Ms. Kelley’s best friend left the country, leaving her adrift and depressed, and she and her family moved from Milan to Varese, a smaller city in northern Italy. Feeling alone and isolated, Ms. Kelley found herself having more interactions online. Eventually, most of them centered around a newly discovered passion: slow fashion, and one brand in particular, Ace & Jig, a female-run American company that uses vivid Indian textiles to create whimsical, colorful clothing.Though Ms. Kelley was initially turned off by Ace & Jig’s retail prices (new pieces are $200 to $300), she began searching Instagram, where she discovered hundreds of women selling under hashtags like #aceandjigforsale (more than 16,000 posts) and #aceandjigcommunity (more than 5,000). Noihsaf also has a channel dedicated to Ace & Jig.Before long, Ms. Kelley had started an Instagram account dedicated to celebrating the label, as well as a private message group for plus-size members to trade their Ace & Jig items. She even began organizing an April 2020 meeting for fans in Paris and London, and says it’s not unusual for her to spend hours each week chatting with other Ace & Jig fans and commenting on community posts.She is also managing the cross-country journey of an Ace & Jig shirt that is being mailed from fan to fan every couple of weeks.“The rules are basically there’s no rules,” Ms. Kelley said. “You wear it once and post a picture of it and pass it on.” Termed the “traveling Baja,” after the shirt style and “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” the shirt is size XS but seems to fit most of the women who want to participate, Ms. Kelley said. Currently making its way through Tennessee after traveling from Italy through 13 other states, the shirt is a way for people in the community to connect that Ms. Kelley said she dreamed up one night when she couldn’t sleep.“Most of us are women with the same core values who care about women’s issues,” Ms. Kelley said of the 500 or so online friends in her network. “We talk about kids, life, jobs. We’re constantly messaging each other and commenting on each others posts. If I haven’t seen someone post for a while, I’ll check and ask, ‘Hey, are you O.K.?’” Read the full article

[xaumagazine]

A Glimpse of “The Big Picture”

This week in XAU #4

What’s your Motivation? 

When most people get into the business, they only focus on one thing. While there are a few different reasons why you would want to be in our industry, there is always ONE specific thing that made you join.

What was your reason for joining? Why did you say yes when that person took you out on that interview? Why do you continue to show up to work, even after getting paid so little, after working so much?

There has to be a reason. The reason why you started is always going to be the reason why you continue, so always keep it close to you.

People usually start for one of three reasons. We assume you started in this business for one of those as well, in fact, we hope you did. Understanding these three core motivations is the secret to you succeeding in this business.

If you lose sight of these motivations at any time, you are doomed to immediate failure. Never forget that.

Reason Number 1: Money

The first reason people join a business is the most obvious. They want to make money. The opportunity we present allows people to make a decent living provided they are willing to put in the effort. 

You always have to keep the money in mind when making decisions, but it should never be the primary focus.

The issue with joining a business solely to make money is that money by itself is an extremely weak motivator. 

It's easy to lose sight of the money when you have a bad day in the field. Lord forbid you to have a bad week or bad month, most people who do, never make back from the dead. They run into the smallest hardships and quit. 

Stick around our office, and you'll see people come and go. People quitting is unavoidable. Usually, the people who quit left the business for the same reason they started.

It was never a lack of money, but rather a lack of an emotional connection. 

What were they going to do with the money? Why did they want to make money so bad?

People are never motivated by money directly. Money is indeed a gift, but we must remember that money on its own is worthless.

It's about the things money can buy. Rather than focusing on the money, we should focus on what our actions will be once we have, and our intentions for amassing specific amounts. 

We should never talk about money in vague terms, always in specifics.

Here's an example:

Person 1:  "I want to make money" or "I want to make money to buy a nice car."

They won't last a week. 

Here's another example:

"I want to make money because I want to buy a Lamborghini. Now, while I would be happy with any Lamborghini, I would prefer either a Lamborghini Huracan, Lamborghini Diablo, or both. While the Diablo is the more affordable of the two, it still costs $150,000. The Huracan, being a more modern car, retails a whopping $260,000. Neither of these cars is affordable with the average person's salary.

I want a Lamborghini for so many reasons. They are beautiful cars and master craftworks in the automotive industry. They are sleek, stylish, and extremely fast. They have become symbols of success and class, and to own one is a luxury that most people never get to experience. Even if you just wanted to rent one, it would cost you about $1500 a day, so it's no surprise that most people don't even know what it's like to drive one.

I always imagine what it would be like, cruising the hills on a sunny day, the convertible top down, basking in both the glorious sun and the majestic sounds of the car. I am on my way to a date with the love of my life, my flower's ready, and when she sees me, the car behind me, and the bright bouquet of daisies, I'm sure she will be left speechless.

We'll get dressed up, and the world will be ours. We'll start by taking over the city, and when we show up to the party in a car as exotic, as rare and commanding as a Lamborghini, no one will be able to take their eyes off us. The butterfly doors go up, and I exit first. The first thing I do upon exiting the vehicle is buttoning the jacket of my tuxedo, and the second thing I do is open the door for her. When she steps out, I take her hand and help her out of the car. I close the door behind her, then, taking her hand to lead her to the entranceway: a red carpet. I casually toss the keys to the valet and tell him to be careful. The only thing that takes the valet's eyes off the car is the sheer radiance and beauty of my lover. She is glowing tonight, and the night is all about her. We have a good time, a night filled with joy and laughter. I take her home, to extend the night with passion, and when the night is over, she's begging me not to go. I kiss her goodbye, tell her I love her, and I hit the road again.

That night, I'll drive through the hills once more. I'll be playing music of low fidelity, if not just enjoying the silence and the sounds of the machine. The roads are empty and winding, a complete joy to drive on. I'm still wearing my tuxedo, driving the car on this night becomes an event of its own. The drive becomes the most relaxing thing I've ever done, and the longer I drive, the more a singular feeling invades my thoughts. "I am so happy and grateful that I can drive this car, on a night like this" I firmly realize that my whole life had been leading up to this moment.”

That's the story I want to tell. If I don't have an opportunity to make at the very least, millions of dollars, then I'll never be able to turn my dream into a reality. To die, without experiencing what I've described, fills me with a nameless dread. I will do whatever it takes to bring my vision to fruition.”

How did you feel after reading the first example? Did you feel different after reading the second example?

There is no guarantee that the second person will make it any further than the first person. He does, however, have a much better chance at enduring the hardships that come with being in sales or in being an entrepreneur.

Think of the feeling you had when you read the first example and compare it to the feeling you had when reading the second.

If your motivation doesn't fill you with a similar feeling as the second example, or if you can't describe it as clearly as written above, then you should take some time to think about the things you want, and how much money you need to get them.

Whether the car you want is a Lamborghini or a 1998 hatchback Honda Civic, it's going to cost money to get it, so it's important to be money motivated if you want to get the things you want in life.

Maybe you don't want a car at all, but you still have to get around. Whether you travel by foot, by boat, by plane, you're always going to need money. The most important thing to remember when being motivated by money is that it's not the money itself, but the stuff you buy with it, and the way you'll feel once you have those things.

The secret to getting results is extreme clarity on what you want and why you want to accomplish what it is you set out to do.

Your reason for starting is your reason for continuing, and it will be your reason for quitting if you don't believe in it strongly enough.

Most people who leave our business, do so only after losing sight of why they joined, or after deciding that if they were to stay in our business, then they wouldn't get what it is they want.

If you are building a team, and you want to minimize the number of people who quit on you, then you need to find out their why. Once you've found out someone's why you need to go deeper. Find their emotional connection to it, and do everything you can to help them achieve it.

Helping other people get what they want is the key to success in business. It can't just be about you. Whether you are selling a product, service, or opportunity, your ability to relate it to someone else's desired outcome is going to determine whether or not you'll be successful in the long run.

If you aren't getting the results you want, it's because you aren't helping enough people to get the things that they want. 

Help others and they'll help you, be sure to take the time to become genuinely interested in the goals of the people around you.

Stay Gold. 

[oliverosedesign-blog]

York.

On the 18th September, we all went to York. The first task was to go around the history museum that is in York and look and how things have changed especially Fashion.

We had a task to select 3 retail stores and analyse them. The three stores which we picked were Urban Outfitters, Whistles and Millies bridal wear.

                                          We chose Urban Outfitters which is on the outer rims of the town centre of York (26-27 High Ousegate, York YO1 8RX) the reason behind us choosing this was because it is high street fashion all thought the clothing they sell is very desirable it is on the pricier side. The shop floor design matched the clothing, it was more of a retro look such as the buildings scaffold on show and street art on the walls with pipes being used as clothing rails. The customer it aims to sell at are the younger generation who have money to spend on clothing, between the ages of 14-25 is the main age of customers that shop there. The staff are all trendsetters in by wearing the clothing form Urban Outfitters. Urban Outfitters also offers a large amount off for students, they also have an easy to work website that costumers can easily purchase items they want from there home. 

We chose Whistles which is a store located more to the centre of York (35A Stonegate, York Y01 8AW) we picked this store because it is a high-end clothing brand. If you were to purchase their clothing you bought their clothing is was because of the manner in which it was made (stitching) and the fabric it was made out of. It was well made clothing. The shop floor design was slick it was all perfectly set out no mistakes like its clothing. the staff were also showing off the clothing bran by wearing the branded items, they had a 10% discount but it was subtly pointed out to the public with little advertisement. 

Molly Brown is a bridal shop that in within the town centre of York (27 Stonegate, York, North Yorkshire YO1 8AW) . We chose to analyse a bridal shop as there are many different brands, high end bands whose dresses are shown all over the world in all the fashion cities such as New York and Paris etc. but the shop isn't advertising the names it is just knowledge by the bride what brands are within what shop. The customer target is women who are willing to spend a lot of money on one dress that is there ‘dream dress they also had prom dresses and mother of the bride dresses. My personal thoughts on the lay out of the shop was that is was packed, there were dresses everywhere. There was a large variety of different dresses but it was a small building with 3 floors in all the room with have the dressing rooms in I felt like if a woman had a big â princess dress on they would have limited space to move around and see if it is the perfect dress. staff were smartly dressed in suits and formal dresses advertisement for 70% of was marked boldly in the shop window. 

[loubuggins]

Trouble at the Tea Shop (Part 3)

For the next 48 hours, Rachael’s treacherous mind tortured her by playing her meltdown at the café on a loop. She couldn’t stop imagining the hundreds of different scenarios that could have taken place. Some had her behaving nicer, while some had her acting worse. She even had a dream last night of the man chasing her out of the tea shop, begging for her forgiveness, and proclaiming his undying love for her. She blamed the last part of her dream on her hormones.

It was Saturday, and on Saturday’s Rachael worked retail. She absolutely loathed the job, but she needed the money, and the department store chain was the only place that would hire her when she first moved to Jump City for school. As one can easily tell from her dealings with the barista, she did not handle human interaction well. Her main task at the store, was to man the fitting rooms in the women’s department. It was probably the best job for her at a place like this, as it required the least amount of “people skills.” All she had to do was ask the costumers how many articles of clothing they were trying on, then lead them to their changing room. Simple enough.

About every half hour or so, she would have to check the changing rooms for any clothing that had been left behind. She would gather them all up and go return them to their proper racks. This was her favorite part, because it meant no interaction at all. Unless, of course, a confused customer happens to notice you. Then your screwed.

“Hello? Ma'am? Do you work here?” A shrill voice of an older women interrupted Rachael’s hanging. She looked up at the women, who towered over her 5-foot body. The women looked like she had a lot of work done to her face and breasts, as both appeared to be unnatural. She was also dressed like a floosy, but then again, Rachael wasn’t here to judge stupid people.

Rachael glanced down at her name tag and red vest that had the store’s name and logo plastered on it, then looked back up at the women. “Why yes ma'am, it looks like I do.” She deadpanned. The women obviously didn’t pick up on Rachael’s sarcasm.

“Great! Can you tell me where the ice is?”

Rachael blinked at her. “Did she really just ask where the ice is?” She thought. “Um, I’m sorry ma'am, but we don’t sell ice here.”

It was a simple statement, but apparently, Rachael had just stepped on a very sensitive nerve. “You don’t sell ice!” The women cried, throwing her arms in the air. “What do you mean you don’t sell ice?”

“Look ma'am, I’m sorry, but this is a department store. We don’t sell ice here.” Rachael tried to calm the hysteric women, but she was already storming off.

“I’m going to talk with your manager! No ice. That’s the stupidest thing I have every heard!” She complained as her large heels clicked away.

Rachael let out an exhausted sigh and went back to her work. “How annoying. Don’t people understand that employees can’t control what a store sells.” She mumbled under her breath. Suddenly, a light bulb turned on in her head, and she froze in place.

“Oh no.” She whispered as the memory of her first encounter with the man at the tea shop played back in her mind. “It was my fault.”

Rachael threw the remainder of the clothing on top of the closest rack and ran to the back of the store. She passed through the door that was labeled “employees only” and went straight to the break room, where her purse waited for her in her locker. She grabbed her purse, passed the store manager’s office, and called out to him.

“Bye Glenn! I’m going on my lunch break!”

“Okay, Ms. Roth! Have a nice lunch!” The manager called back from his office. Rachael nodded her head and rushed out of the store.

She had to run 5 blocks in heels, but she eventually made it to the familiar brick shop. She stopped in front of the café to catch her breath. Once she had collected herself, she brushed down her black, knee-length skirt and entered the café. Sure enough, the man that her plagued her thoughts the past couple of days was standing behind the counter. He wasn’t watching the front door, however. Instead, he had his back facing her while he was cleaning some dishes in the back.

“Welcome to Dayton Café. I’ll be with you in a moment.” He called over his shoulder, not noticing who had walked in. His voice wasn’t its cheery self either. It sounded like a forced politeness, something that was supposed to come from her, not him. She wondered if his depressed mood had anything to do with their little spat a few days ago. She walked up to the counter, and while her eyes bounced around the antique tea shop, she noticed for the first time, a little clear jar with a small strip of white paper tapped on the front of it, labeled “tips.”

“So, what will it…” His sentence died on his lips when he finally looked up. When their eyes met, they both forgot how to speak. Rachael felt that weird feeling in her stomach return in full force this time. Her mouth became dry, but the rest of her body began to sweat nervously. She tried in vain to fight the blush that was creeping onto her pale cheeks.

“Hello Logan.” She was the first to recover. The man shook his head lightly before walking up to the register.

“Uh…Hi there…um….”

“Rachael.” She offered, giving him a small smile.

“Rachael.” He breathed out. He stared at her for a moment, making her feel a bit uncomfortable. She shifted her weight and cleared her throat, bring his attention back to Earth.

“Yes, um, I just…. I wanted to apologize…for the other day.” She apologized gracelessly. “My behavior was…unbecoming of me. I believe we started off on the wrong foot, and I was hoping we could try again.” She looked away at him, focusing on the wooden floor. There was an awkward pause between them, and Rachael was beginning to worry he wouldn’t forgive her.

“I’d like that, Rachael.” He said her name like he was tasting something sweet for the first time. She looked up at him and noticed his over-sized smile had returned to his face. His eyes even had their normal, delighted sparkle back. “Would you like your usual?” He asked her happily.

“Oh um…yes please, but I’ll have it to go. I’m on my lunch break right now.” She explained.

“Oh okay! Sure thing!” He said as he moved to the back and pulled out a thick, paper cup, and began filling it with the boiling water.

“So where do you work?” He asked kindly, looking at her over his shoulder.

The question took her by surprise. “Oh uh…Lou’s Department Store on 27th street.” She stated casually.

“27th street, huh? You must get a lot of white collars up there.”

She tilted her head curiously. “White collars?”

“Yeah, you know, wealthy folks that don’t mind spending twice the value of stuff.”

Again, she found herself becoming heated at this man for no rational reason. She hated where she worked, and yet she still found herself trying to defend it.

“Our prices are not overpriced.” She retorted.

He openly laughed at her as he placed a lid over her cup. “Sure, they are! Last time I was in there, I saw a shirt that was going for twice what Ollie’s Bargain Outlet was selling it for! Those fancy stores are always charging more than what their products are worth.”

The anger that was bubbling up inside her mysteriously deflated as she studied him oddly for a moment. “You’ve been to Lou’s?” She accused him more than questioned.

He scoffed at her. “Of course, I’ve been to Lou’s. It’s a nice store.”

Her mouth hung open as she looked at him, flabbergasted. “But you were just bad-mouthing it 10 seconds ago! You called it a bad store!”

He smirked that mischievous little smirk of his as he carried her cup to the counter. “I never said it was a bad store. I said their products are over-priced. That doesn’t mean the store itself is bad.” He punched in the amount for the tea into the register. “Now that will be $1.50, Rachael.”

She truly didn’t know what to think. Here was a this strange, overly-enthusiastic guy who could push her buttons without even trying. He was just a barista for crying out loud! Why did she let him bother her so?

“Here.” She said with a huff as she handed him her payment. This time, having exact change.

“Well look who’s learning!” He laughed as he took the money and placed it into the machine.

Her lips quivered ever so slightly. She had to swallow down the giggle that was rising in her throat. Why the heck did he have to be so gash darn funny?

She took her cup of tea, and began to walk out of the shop, before she stopped and turned back to him. “Almost forgot!” She announced as she came back over to the counter. Logan stared at her confused.

“What’d you forget?” He asked.

“Your tip.” She replied sweetly as she opened her purse, pulled out her wallet and dumped all the change she had accumulated into the little, glass tip jar. The sound of metal hitting glass filled the café and bystanders peered over to watched the scene unfold. Once the last coin dropped into the jar with a “clang,” she zipped up her wallet and stuffed in back into her purse. “Have a nice day!” She said innocently and rushed out of the café. Logan just stared dumbfounded at the now full tip jar, still trying to decide if he should feel pleased at the generous tip, or annoyed that he would have to spend a good ten minutes counting it all.

Yep. She was definitely learning.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

[ladystylestores]

Tom Murry Returns to Industry as CEO of Raul Peñaranda – WWD

https://ift.tt/3fiFo0V

Tom Murry, former chief executive officer of Calvin Klein Inc., is returning to the fashion industry by taking on the role of ceo at Venezuelan designer brand Raul Peñaranda LLC.

Peñaranda will continue as founder and creative director.

During Murry’s 17-year tenure at Calvin Klein, he oversaw tremendous growth for the brand, which expanded from $2.8 billion in global retail sales in 2003 to nearly $8 billion in 2013. He retired in the first quarter of 2015.

“He’s an amazing designer from Colombia and has incredible taste,” Murry said of Peñaranda, speaking from his home in Palm Beach, Fla. Murry said he was introduced to Peñaranda by Mark Locks, who are all members of the same beach club in Palm Beach.

Peñaranda and his business partner, Larry Haack, have run the company for 10 years and have shown 21 collections. Alexandra Boet is the chief financial officer. This team will stay in place.

The designer makes made-to-measure dresses that retail from $7,000 to $25,000. “Every dress is one of a kind,” said Murry, noting that Peñaranda sells made-to-order dresses directly to consumers. He also makes designer sportswear, from $800 to $2,000, and a diffusion line from $150 to $450. Peñaranda sells the designer collection and diffusion line on his web site, as well as at A Tempo on the Upper West Side in New York.

“What Raul wants me to do is rebuild the Calvin Klein business model with him,” said Murry. “We can do it slowly, judiciously and  have consistent organic growth. Over time we’ll add all the appropriate categories, such as high-end bags and shoes,” he said. Eventually he would like to open stores, and the first one will be on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, which will be developed by Murry’s wife, Lynda.

Murry is also considering a New York flagship and is in discussions with PVH Corp. about the former Calvin Klein flagship at 654 Madison Avenue, which closed last year. “To me that store is emblematic. We’re ready for it. It’s a big expensive store,” he said, but he figures he can add various categories over time to fill the 20,000-square-foot space.

“If we could get it for a price, and we think it’s workable, we’ll do it. Otherwise we’ll find another location in the city. It would be a dream come true to return that store to its original beauty,” said Murry.

In an interview with Peñaranda Friday, he said, “I wanted to bring Tom in because of his track record, his sensibility, and the leadership with Calvin Klein is something I need to get to the next level.”

“I’m living my dream,” said the 48-year-old designer. “I was always in the shadows of these big fashion houses. I knew it was just a matter of time, dedication and humility that I would be taking a place among the big guys.” He said over the years, when he worked for Donna Karan, Zac Posen and Oscar de la Renta. “You always see them and want to learn the good, the bad, and you want to create your own identity based on who you are.” He said he wants to create pieces that can go from day to night and then clothes to wear to a gala.

A fall 2020 look from Raul Peñaranda.  Getty Images for Art Hearts Fash

“I want to become the designer for the next generation with a humble heart. For me, I not only want to show an amazing collection, but I want to inspire, I want to educate and ignite a conversation. Fashion has become so hard, I want to be the inclusive guy,” he added.

“I consider myself a hustler because I work hard for other brands,” added Peñaranda. Last year he consulted on design with Nicole Miller and now he’s working on the revamping of Juicy Couture. He also designs a fashion line under his own name for the Baccarat Hotel in New York.

Murry said he’s not investing money in the venture, only his time and energy, but will be looking for financing. “He has a profitable business today,” said Murry. His plan is to add sportswear, outerwear and bags to the dresses.

Asked isn’t this a tough time to be launching a new business, Murry replied, “Yes and no. There will be less competition,” he said.

Peñaranda works out of an atelier in New York, and Murry plans to commute back and forth to New York City from his home in Palm Beach.

Peñaranda recently showed his 21st collection at New York Fashion Week in February called “Shine.” His collections are known for their craftsmanship and luxurious fabrics.

Raul Peñaranda during February’s New York Fashion Week.  Getty Images for Art Hearts Fash

Murry added that the collection is known for its beautiful Latin colors and prints, and is manufactured in New York City. “This guy is a very easy guy to work with. He’s probably the nicest designer I’ve ever encountered,” said Murry.

Peñaranda was born in Cali, Colombia, grew up in Caracas, Venezuela and moved to Miami with his family as a young adult. In 2000, he relocated to New York where he was offered a freelance design position at Liz Claiborne, while enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons. He worked at such fashion houses as Oscar de la Renta, Donna Karan, Zac Posen and Tommy Hilfiger, in roles such as creative director of merchandise and trend services, senior designer and textile/CAD designer.

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from World Wide News https://ift.tt/3fkEXn2

[mastcomm]

Starting Your Own Business Is Hard. Here’s Some Advice.

This article is part of our Women and Leadership special section, which focuses on approaches taken by women, minorities or other disadvantaged groups challenging traditional ways of thinking.

These women are shaking up their industries around the world by making bets on their vision and on themselves. They have started their own businesses to solve problems, to follow dreams and passions. While they have doggedly kept their businesses moving forward, they have reached back to counsel and invest in other women.

One big factor in a rise in female entrepreneurship is the increasing number of role models and leaders, said Joanne Hession, founder of The Entrepreneurs Academy. They are “important, observable examples of what can be accomplished by women,” she said.

They talk about how they launched their organizations, the challenges of fund-raising, and they provide some advice.

LuLu O’Sullivan

GiftsDirect.com/TheIrishStore.com

As a young girl, Ms. O’Sullivan spent Saturday mornings watching her grandmother deftly chat up customers at the counter of her sweet shop on Merrion Row in Dublin. “Granny was quite a character,” said Ms. O’Sullivan, founder of GiftsDirect.com, the largest online retailer in Ireland, and TheIrishStore.com, which sells Irish products globally. “She loved running her own business. Customers would walk blocks past other similar stores just to spend a few minutes with her.”

In 1987, Ms. O’Sullivan embarked on her own journey as an entrepreneur, selling teddy bears and driving a moped to deliver them. She took off with start-up capital of 2,000 pounds funded by her friends and family — and the soul of her grandmother driving her forward.

Seek out women-friendly initiatives and supporters. “Going for Growth is an initiative to support female entrepreneurs in the Republic of Ireland. Look for funders who support women-owned businesses. Enterprise Ireland, for example, has a special fund for female entrepreneurs.”

Keep learning. “In 2009, the opportunity to attend an intensive yearlong program sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, Leadership 4 Growth, held at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, boosted my leadership, strategic capability, and confidence. It was like an M.B.A. with no exams, thank you. This was a game changer in the business. It allowed me to step back and say ‘hang on a second what is it we really need to do to get to the next stage?’”

Build a strong team. “Hire the right people around you. You don’t need to be sitting in every meeting. Delegate, and take time for self-reflection. Have an excellent financial person beside you. I was all about sales and marketing and a beautiful website, and I had to learn that one. Know what you’re good at and not good at to fill the gaps in the leadership team.”

Core leadership traits for women entrepreneurs. “I look for perseverance and creativity because you don’t know what will be thrown at you the next day. Finally, being an entrepreneur requires you to be an optimist. You can say that’s a disaster because of x or y. It is really about how can we maneuver our way through this and keep going?”

Kristen Miller and Amanda Johnson

Mented Cosmetics

Ms. Miller, right, known as KJ, and Ms. Johnson, founders of New York City-based Mented Cosmetics, were frustrated they couldn’t find makeup for dark-skinned women like themselves. “We decided if we couldn’t find that brand, we would create that brand,” Ms. Miller said. They started in 2017.

Start small. “If it’s something you’re passionate about, find a way to start testing it and doing it, even if it’s on a really small scale,” Ms. Miller said. “Instead of debuting with a wide range of makeup products, we had a niche product-nude lipstick.”

Partner with someone. “There are eight bazillion things that have to be done, and having someone who is a sounding board to bounce ideas off, to push back when something doesn’t make sense, is really helpful,” Ms. Miller said. You can play off each other’s strengths. Ms. Miller focuses on communication and long-range strategy; Ms. Johnson is the day-to-day- detail-oriented, hands-on operator.

Go after your network. “The world truly does work on a ‘who you know’ basis, and even in the best intentions people invest in, and want to work, with people who look like them, talk like them, have similar experiences,” Ms. Johnson said.

Practice makes perfect. “When we talk to investors now, we ask them what they can do for us,” Ms. Miller said. “In the beginning, we never did that because we needed the money. Our question was always: what can we do for you, and how many ways can we show you how amazing we are, and how much data can we show you, what kind of dog and pony show can we put on? Now we have a better understanding that No. 1 this is a partnership.”

Core leadership traits for women entrepreneurs. “Running this business is the hardest thing I have ever done,” Ms. Miller said. “It is incredibly, unbelievably difficult. I’m filled with anxiety on most days. It’s not for the faint of heart. The leaders I admire are women who are taking risks, who are very assertive about their vision and somewhat unapologetic about pursuing that vision and have a way of getting others on board with them.”

Fran Dunaway and Naomi Gonzalez

TomboyX

Ms. Dunaway, right, wanted a comfortable, button-down dress shirt. “What really kicked off this journey was my frustration with the lack of choices that fit my style,” she said.

In 2013, she started TomboyX with Naomi Gonzalez via a Kickstarter campaign to fund the manufacturing of the shirt. The next year, TomboyX introduced its first boxer brief for women — a product requested by numerous customers. Based on the demand for the briefs, TomboyX pivoted to focus on gender-neutral underwear and related apparel.

Lean in to each other. “Women are gathering into groups, teaching each other and getting smarter about investment, about finance, about funding,” Ms. Dunaway said. “Seek out pitch competitions and incubators and women’s entrepreneur networks near you. Look for firms that make investments in other women, such as the Women’s Capital Connection.” Being part of the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women program in 2017 also bolstered Ms. Dunaway’s network. The program provides high-potential women entrepreneurs with education, connections, and community.

Lay the groundwork. “Have a thoughtful strategy around why you are raising capital and what your investors will get out of an investment,” Ms. Dunaway said. “Build a strategy around who you talk to, so you don’t waste your time kissing any frogs. Have they invested in companies like you before? Is this their sweet spot? What do I want from them besides a check? You will save yourself so much heartache by being strategic about that and using your network on LinkedIn to get introductions.”

Core leadership traits for women entrepreneurs. “It’s the ability to inspire, keep people focused and motivated about what your vision is and moving the needle,” Ms. Dunaway said. “Plus, you need an ability to communicate that in an effective way so that people feel empowered.”

Amy Nelson

The Riveter

Ms. Nelson of Seattle was looking for a workplace where she could network with other women. When she could only find a co-working space that was male-centric, she decided in 2017 to open her own — The Riveter.

Know what you’re selling. “Your job as an entrepreneur is to tell them how they will make money. I have had to overcome the perception that I am a woman, a mother, in my late 30s, so I made a decision to take it head-on and describe how I see motherhood as a strength. I would hear: ‘Great pitch … but I have to ask are you physically up for this? Are you physically up for building a national company? You have three kids and one is a baby, can you do this?’”

Put yourself out there. “Enter pitch competitions. I entered a small-business competition when I was thinking about launching The Riveter. The competition forced me to get everything together — to write a financial projection, a business plan, to figure out how to pitch my business. It was a compressed amount of time, and I was forced into this funnel. I often wonder: Would I have made the jump if I hadn’t done that? It pushed my idea forward to a place of action.”

Core leadership traits for women entrepreneurs. “Patience — parenting has taught me patience with myself and patience with those around me that I didn’t have before.”

Claudine Adeyemi

Career Ear

Ms. Adeyemi, creator of London-based Career Ear, discovered the challenges of trying to find a job and a career path when she didn’t have resources or role models. She lived it and was determined to make that transition easier for others, so in 2016 she launched her own online career advice and networking app and website.

Think bigger. “I’m still learning this myself. Most women and, certainly, women of color, often don’t dream as big as men. If you’re thinking of a particular problem that you want to solve, or business you want to launch, be thinking of how that can be done at its biggest possible scale.”

Take action. “If there’s a cause you care about, or an issue that you want to resolve, do something. Maybe your project will turn into a hobby and not a business venture, but you get into the habit of making a start. You will learn along the way and impact, no matter how small, is still impact.”

Core leadership traits for women entrepreneurs. “Putting the ladder down behind you is a key quality of a female leader. You must mentor others and be visible to encourage and support others. Share your story, nurture and develop others to become leaders. That’s what leaders do.

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Why is the jobless rate for people with disabilities roughly three times the national average? Employment discrimination plays a role, but so might clothing. A recent study from researchers at the University of Missouri found that the dearth of adaptive clothing in the mass retail market poses workforce barriers for this already marginalized group.

While Target and Tommy Hilfiger sell adaptive clothing, most major retailers don’t. Adaptive clothing might feature snaps instead of buttons or accommodate someone who’s had a limb amputated or uses a wheelchair. The problem is that the limited amount of such clothing that’s actually available from mass retailers tends to be casual. So what’s a person with a disability seeking a job in the corporate workforce to do?

All too often, the struggle to find business attire leads people with disabilities not to pursue certain careers or to skip applying to jobs they’re qualified for, according to Kerri McBee-Black, an instructor in the University of Missouri’s textile and apparel management department. She and Jung Ha-Brookshire, director of graduate studies in the textile and apparel management department, analyzed the professional experiences of 12 people living with disabilities.

Although that’s admittedly a small sample size, the researchers note that they identified similarities among the study participants. Half had physical conditions, such as muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis, while the rest had psychological conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder. The need for adaptive clothing is typically associated with people who have physical disabilities, but some individuals with psychological disabilities have unique apparel needs too.

Racked spoke with McBee-Black about how clothing keeps people with disabilities out of the corporate workplace. She also discussed how employers can be more inclusive and why retailers need to start recognizing that people with disabilities exist.

Are there any retailers that cater to people with disabilities in the corporate world?

Many mainstream apparel brands don’t believe this is a big enough population, that there isn’t a big enough market. But if you look at the population, we’re all going to be disabled at some point, at least temporarily, and some permanently. It’s not going away, especially with the baby boomer generation increasing in age.

With the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements and general movement toward inclusivity, maybe now is ... the right environment for the apparel industry to be more inclusive. I don’t want to be completely skeptical, but at the very least, it’s a way for them to make money and be socially responsible, which millennials and Generation Z like. They want their brands to be socially responsible. They want their brands to do good things.

You’ve said outerwear can be difficult to find for people in wheelchairs. How does that affect them in the workplace?

Coats aren’t easy to find for people who use wheelchairs. One person [using a wheelchair] did advocacy work. He would lobby policymakers and go down to City Hall, and he was required to look the part. He was paralyzed, and people who’ve been paralyzed are not able to regulate their body temperature like everyone else. But finding coats is difficult for people using wheelchairs, so a lot of them will wrap themselves up in blankets, which doesn’t look professional. He felt uncomfortable, stigmatized for not being able to wear a coat appropriately.

Your study included people with psychological disabilities as well. What challenges did they have?

The challenges of people living with psychological disabilities were particularly insightful for me. There was this one particular person [with ADHD, anxiety, and depression] who got into a grad school and started to experience stigma from her colleagues and adviser while working on her PhD. She had a very eclectic fashion sense — graphic tees, crazy colors and prints together, vintage. Until then, she never felt the need not to wear that sort of clothing, but she started to dress super conservatively and didn’t feel like she was being herself. In order for her to adapt and be successful, that’s what she felt like she had to do not to draw any attention to herself. In the interview, she told me, “I didn’t want them to think any differently than they already did about me.”

Workplace dress codes can be so restrictive that they lead some people with disabilities not to pursue certain career fields. Can you discuss that?

One particular young woman who used a wheelchair and has a college degree and experience in the banking industry did not feel comfortable applying for a job in the bank when she graduated. She said, “I knew they had a specific dress code and that dress code would make it hard to use the restroom without assistance from others.” She was independent in every other aspect of her life but that, so she never once considered applying for a job at the bank.

Another person with a disability wanted to be a sports broadcaster, but his adviser told him, “Nobody’s going to hire you.” Granted this was back in the ’80s, a different time, but it really impacted him. He’s now a disability advocate and said, “I enjoy my job, but this was not my dream.”

What can workplaces do to be more accommodating of people with disabilities?

Most industries can be more accommodating and need to understand how dress codes impact their ability to access qualified and phenomenal employees. Twenty years ago, companies started to have casual Fridays. Now we need to have companies come up with some innovative ways to be more inviting [to people with disabilities]. There’s evidence that it can be done if the industry is willing to be innovative and to be inclusive.

People living with disabilities are highly underemployed. They have such low income. They’re not being hired, and my little piece of the research showcases how clothing is a barrier.

Wouldn’t it constitute discrimination if a person with a disability applied for a job but was barred from accepting it because of the dress code?

You can’t fire them because they use a wheelchair, but the dress code issue across the board is nearly impossible to prove unless the discrimination is blatant, unless they say, “We will not hire you unless you wear this suit.” That’s why most people with disabilities self-select jobs. They’ll say, “There’s no way I’m going to work there because the dress code is too restrictive.”

Are there any success stories? Any people with disabilities you encountered who are making it work, even as they’re faced with these barriers?

All of them [the study participants] are working, but they still feel like they have barriers. Some of them just stick with a particular brand. For example, one discovered a certain company makes pants that work for him — he could easily get them on and off — so he bought them in every color and every style. Others will have things tailored and customized. One uses a wheelchair and has had several custom-made suits.

Think about that. You’re already buying clothes, and then you have to pay someone to adapt them on top of that. If you’re a poor person, you’re just stuck with whatever you can get off the rack. It’s just a vicious circle.

Questions and answers have been edited for space and clarity.

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Nashville, Tennessee: Music City’s still got soul

For a medium-size US city, Nashville has an XXL reputation. Everybody thinks they know what it’s about: country music, the Grand Ole Opry, Johnny Cash, improbable dreams of stardom, cheesy ballads and rhinestone shirts.

But don’t be so sure, warned singer-songwriter and rising star Ben Danaher, during a gig at 3rd and Lindsley, one of the city’s many superb music venues. “Lots of dive bars are becoming karaokes,” he said, before dedicating a song, Silver Screen, to “all the hipsters”.

Road trips and fire pits: discovering the secrets of BBQ in Nashville Read more

His tone was gently ironic, the song full of feeling. Danaher (who is playing the Black Deer festival in Kent on 23 June) later told me he was alluding to “really gritty places that the blue-collar crowd would go to, that all of a sudden have a charm to hipsters”.

So gentrification is happening. Meanwhile, mass tourism has turned many of the honky tonks into fun pubs for boozy bachelorettes and preppy boys wanting to show how badly they can behave – for a weekend.

Country music bars on Nashville’s Broadway. Photograph: John Greim/Getty Images

Similar forces are jolting many metropolises – but is there something fundamental at stake in “Music City”? I was here to find out, and headed first to the Gulch, a neighbourhood that used to be a dank ravine by the railway tracks but now has back-to-back restaurants and bars. Music venues The Mercy Lounge and The High Watt host nightly indie and cover bands – “karaoke” gigs, of a sort – but at The Station Inn, the Gulch’s surviving country music spot, open since 1974, I caught the tail end of Nashville’s annual songwriters festival, Tin Pan South.

The names on the bill meant nothing to me but the gig was all-acoustic, warm, intelligent – trad, but cool. As a finale, veteran performer Rory Bourke was asked to play one of his old songs. His speaking voice sounded hoarse and tired, but when he began to sing his biggest hit, The Most Beautiful Girl – yes, the one that starts with “Hey!” and which our mums and grandmas loved – he was back in his lyrical, lovelorn youth. We all were.

Open mic night at the Bluebird Cafe. Photograph: Alamy

That was a Nashville moment, catching the deeply familiar at its source (who knew this global hit came from a Nashville-based country songwriter?) and being moved. The gig also had me fantasising about becoming a singer-songwriter. It’s one of the consequences of visiting a city with genuine cultural clout: you want to become part of the scene, change your life. (My songs are still works in progress.)

This city and its skyline are changing fast. About $2bn of construction projects are under way

At the Bluebird Café, the most intimate of all Nashville’s musical experiences, I caught Danaher again, sharing the bill with three women singer-songwriters: Alex Kline, Erin Enderlin and Beth Nielsen Chapman. He has an earthy voice in the Ray LaMontagne mould, and had just finished a UK tour. (He’s back here in June.)

The performers sat in a circle, backs to the audience, trying out untested and proven numbers, by turns soulful and sarky (Kline’s White Trash Female – WTF has to be a hit, for someone).

It was a magical evening, and made me reflect on something that struck me at downtown’s Country Music Hall of Fame and museum: country is a genre that, for all its cowboy pretensions, has a history of strong women. From Kitty Wells, who proved women could sell records in the 1950s, to the footage of Wanda Jackson out-Elvising Presley on Hard-headed Woman, to Shania Twain’s establishment-shocking outfits. A week before my visit, Taylor Swift showed up unannounced at the Bluebird: she continues to break rules, as well as records. Country music is alive and well (and living in Nashville) – it’s just women who are leading the latest revival.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and museum. Photograph: Alamy

Another overlooked aspect of Music City is right behind the hall of fame: Hatch Show Print celebrates Nashville’s history as a centre for letterpress printing from the 1870s to the rock’n’roll era. Its walls are plastered with early flyers for Hank Williams and Dolly Parton. I was even invited to roll off my own little poster – it’s not great, but it’s better than my songs.

This city and its skyline – which inspired the title of Bob Dylan’s 1969 album – are changing fast. About $2bn of construction projects are under way. The handsome red-brick edifices along the Cumberland river cower beneath glass-and-steel towers including AT&T’s striking “Batman Building”, and 5,028 rooms are under construction at 33 new hotels.

The most stylish – if pricey – place to stay is The Noelle (doubles from $339), a 1930s art-deco beauty in pink Tennessee granite that reopened last year with a sultry cocktail bar and fab coffee shop. Near Printer’s Alley, its interior honours the design history I’d seen at Hatch.

Cranes clutter the backstreets. Not even the Ryman Auditorium – former home of the Grand Ole Opry – is exempt. By 2020, a luxury apartment tower will block the view of the gothic facade of this temple of country and cradle of bluegrass – which is still worth an hour of anyone’s time, not least to see Johnny Cash’s suit.

Third Man Records, Jack White’s vinyl store in Nashville’s Pie Town. Photograph: Alamy

But there are subtler evolutions. In Pie Town, music – in the shape of Jack White’s Third Man record company, vinyl store and 1947 recording booth – combines with high-end retail. Central St Martins-trained Savannah Yarborough crafts bespoke leather garments at AtelierSavas. Any Old Iron, run by British designer (and former scrap dealer) Andrew Clancey makes sequinned suits, dresses and show clothes for Beyoncé and Kesha, among others.

“I moved here not for the music, but for the musicians,” says Clancey. “Many of them want to look more contemporary without having to go to New York or Los Angeles. With every genre recorded here, we felt we could offer something unique. Nashville’s fashion week has just had its eighth year – there wasn’t a stetson in sight.”

Show clothes at Any Old Iron, also in Pie Town

In the suburbs of Germantown, Five Points and the Nations, food is the motor of a more familiar metamorphosis, as pioneering restaurateurs – from veteran Margot McCormack (Margot Café, Marché Artisan Foods) to newcomers Bryan Lee Weaver (Butcher & Bee) and Julia Sullivan (Henrietta Red) – challenge the hegemony of “hot chicken” and “meat and three” (for which I personally recommend Edley’s Bar-B-Que and Hattie B’s).

Five Points, in East Nashville, has a gritty-but-smart feel, with dreamy clapboard houses and Queen Anne mansions.

“There was a huge fire in 1916,” local guide Karen-Lee Ryan told me (she runs excellent Walk Eat Nashville tours). “Then the area was razed by a tornado in 1998 and again in the floods of 2010. The disasters were curse and catalyst. They brought the community together.”

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken – for a traditional taste of Nashville

Ryan puts the collaborative spirit down to music. “Sitting down with an instrument is a creative act. Musicians riff off each other. So do people in Nashville’s food scene. It’s not ‘I’m in my own silo and I don’t care what other people are doing.’”

So, will the skyscrapers wipe out that denim-blue sky? Probably. And will it also lose its vibe? That I doubt. As Ryan put it: “There can be many co-existing Nashvilles, whether that’s through art, music or food.”

And there can be many kinds of Nashville sound too, from Kacey Musgraves’ recent feminist alt-pop on Golden Hour to the rocking and rollicking in the honky tonks on the city’s Broadway, to “Hey! Did you happen to see …?”. And, even, to karaoke nights at the (surely not very hip) hipster bars.

“The music scene in the city is still very strong,” says Danaher. “Despite the changes, some of the dive bars are still home to the greatest guitarists doing residencies. There are way too many amazingly talented, driven people here for Nashville to risk losing its soul.”

Getting there

Flights were provided by British Airways, which has returns from Heathrow to Nashville from £668. British Airways Holidays offers flight and hotel packages, such as four nights at The Westin Nashville from £999.

Best time to visit Nashville is at its best in spring and autumn, with temperatures in the mid-20s. In summer, it’s hotter and more humid. Rainfall is low year-round. Try to combine a visit with a major music gathering, such as Tin Pan South in early April; CMA Music Fest from 7-10 June; or America Fest from 11-16 September. The Music City Food and Wine festival is from 14-16 September. Full list at visitmusiccity.com.

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