In Spades

Like many of you, I’ve fallen hard for the HBO series Westworld. It combines some of my favorite elements of great television – mysterious characters, deep-seated motives, complex plotlines and most of all – enviable fashion. While I’m not typically a huge fan of western attire – I only own one pair of cowboy boots (a vintage pair that belonged to my great aunt) – what I do appreciate about this way of dressing is the elevated utility of each piece. In this genre everything must have a purpose, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. The boots, hats and denim all have a wonderful duality of serving a purpose, with major style.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’m a little obsessed with Janessa Leone hats. I’d been searching for the perfect wide brimmed fedora for quite some time when this western inspired number caught my eye during the Shopbop Event of the Season sale.

*Style Tip:  for items like high quality hats, purchase them from online retailers or major department stores rather than direct from the brand.  The reason?  Shopbop, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and the like all carry these items and offer Friends & Family discounts that you will never receive direct from the brand.

The fedora’s stiff finish and distressed silk ribbon make for the perfect combo of rough and tumble + chic. Worn with the coziest sweater ever (bonus points for its slouchy, off-the-shoulder silhouette), charcoal denim and a block heel boot (huge trend right now) this strikes the perfect balance between the Wild West and reality.

Today’s post is a special one. Back in August I visited my sister in Chicago and she suggested I take advantage of the many art installations the city has to offer for a photoshoot. Her favorite is a mural of two black horses by artist Ricky Lee Gordon. Part of the Wasbash Arts Corridor, this “living urban canvas” entitled I Am You / You Are Me immediately spoke to me too.

When I first started In Spades I agonized over the name. I’m not kidding when I say I did focus groups, sent surveys to family and friends and sat with my ideas for months. What came forth was something a little unorthodox, but felt inherently me – The Dark Horse. It spoke to my interest in non-conformist dressing – getting dressed for you and you alone, not your significant other, the girls you’re trying to compete with or the trends you think you should embody. It embodies my love of the underdog, the one that chooses to march to the beat of her own drum. I like different. I cherish weird. The Dark Horse doesn’t just understand that, she personifies it.

While The Dark Horse didn’t land as my blog name, it still speaks to me as a state of mind.

Gordon’s main message in this mural is one of interconnectedness (I encourage you to read more about it here). While fashion allows for one of the highest forms of self expression, it also finds a way to bond us all together. To make us feel as though we have a tribe. I chose to wear all black for this shoot for obvious reasons. During this little slice of creative expression, we were a tribe. It was important to highlight the overall story, not to stand out as its star.

Personal style is so fascinating. There are times when we want to overly embellish and there are times when we want to wipe the canvas clean and return to basics. I think the common thread is exactly what Gordon set out to do with his mural – no matter what our mood chooses to depict on the outside, it is the connection we feel to ourselves and each other on the inside that matters.