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Authors Posts by Kylie Souder

Kylie Souder

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Events and Editorial Intern - Kylie Souder is an Events and Editorial Intern at Cincy Chic. To contact Kylie, send her an email at ksouder@cincychic.com.

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Learn about the local small business owner and apparel designer that’s working to bring self-confidence to the Tri-State and beyond.

Empowered Apparel aims to make you feel confident and empowered through its line of shirts.
Empowered Apparel aims to make you feel confident and empowered through its line of shirts.

Instilling self-confidence and achievement in the Tri-State area and beyond, Empowered Apparel has been serving others with apparel to inspire since December of 2015.

Empowered Apparel is a small business located in Cincinnati that focuses on positive messages through trendy apparel. “I’ve always had the desire to be the owner of a successful business,” Lamon Kinebrew says. “Owning and operating your own business gives a person the opportunity to use his/hers gifts and talents freely.”

“The idea behind my brand Empowered Apparel represents strength, power, and authority,” Kinebrew says. “All of humanity, whether people are aware of it or not, have the strength-mentally to continue forward in life during those tough times, the power- to conquer challenges or any giants both physically/figuratively that people may face in their life, and the authority- to rule over your individual life and achieve all goals that are set in place.”

Kinebrew feels personally empowered as the entrepreneur behind Empowered Apparel, as empowerment is the premise the company was founded upon. “We all must know, believe, and have confidence that you are empowered and equipped to go forward in life prospering and succeeding.”

The apparel and accessories are designed with either the logo of a lion, the words “Empowered Apparel,” or both featured somewhere on the garment.

“My lion logo is a symbol of self confidence, that all people were born with,” Kinebrew says. “The lion is a dominant animal with a great reputation of knowing, believing, and caring itself with confidence in its fullness. The lion runs, walks, eat, roar, and lives in courage and confidence. We, as people, are equipped with that same attribute as the lion.”

In addition to t-shirts, customers can purchase men’s polo style embroidery casual shirts, and also sweatshirts as well as hats in the fall and winter seasons. Empowered Apparel can be purchased by reaching out through email, on their Facebook page, or by phone. They are excited to announce that an online store will be coming soon to shop all of their items.

With Black Lives Matter movements drumming up positive change around the country, Empowered Apparel strives to create positivity in the community through clothing.

“It’s important to support black owned businesses because its helps keep our local economy growing,” Kinebrew says. “It also display and show what the American dream is all about in this land of opportunity.”

To purchase Empowered Apparel, visit their Facebook page at Empowered Apparel LTD, or email Kinebrew at lamonkinebrew@gmail.com. Empowered Apparel can also be found at Second Sunday’s on Main from 12-5 p.m.

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Farm-fresh flowers and fashion. Two of your greatest loves? You’ll want to learn about the blossoming mother-daughter-team behind Two Little Buds.

asd
The mother-daughter team behind Two Little Buds.

A floral designing mother and daughter team have been gardening together for decades. About 10 years ago, mother Alice Francis and daughter Mindy Francis Staton decided to make a business out of it, so they launched Two Little Buds.

Then, about a year ago, the pair decided to start their own farm, so they could sustainably grow their own product. They were inspired after attending a workshop in Washington State where they learned from the leader in the farm to vase movement, Floret. “I have had issues finding the flowers I needed for weddings around here,” Staton says. “So the only thing I knew to do, was grow my own.”

You can find flowers from Two Little Buds at Lane & Kate in Oxford.
You can find flowers from Two Little Buds at Lane & Kate in Oxford.

So, today, the pair work with weddings, special events and floral retail as Two Little Buds, and the farm where they grow a large number of their flowers is called Morning Sun Farm.

Staton says her love of gardening, of course, stemmed from her mother. “We had gardens growing up and we would spend hours tending to them,” Staton says. “And I fell in love with growing. We would also make wreaths to sell around the Holidays with the dried flowers we grew.”

Specializing in farm to case style arrangements, Morning Sun Farm has gorgeous blooms you’d have a hard time finding anywhere else. From stunning Café au Lait dinner plate dahlias to anemones, heirloom narcissus and hyacinth flowers, there is no shortage of specialty. The rows of florals on the farm are as gorgeous as you can imagine.

The mother-daughter team grows nearly 80 percent of what they sell commercially and through weddings and events. What they don’t grow, they make sure to find locally sourced, and farm fresh.

Aside from their special relationship and maintaining a business and farm together, the buds are also passionate about community involvement and collaborating with other local businesses. “We love small businesses, and want to help promote them as much as possible,” Francis says. “So we do pop up shops at local boutiques as a way to encourage sales for them, and us.”

Two Little Buds pop up shops typically involve pre-made bouquets and loose stems available for customers to quickly grab and go. Workshops, on the other hand, are user involved and differ between wreath making, flower crown creations, terrarium and farm-to-vase arrangement.

flowers
A flower crown-making workshop.

In fact, Two Little Buds hosted a flower crown making workshop at the Oxford-based women’s fashion boutique, Lane & Kate. Francis says the best way to learn about these pop-up shops and workshops is to follow along on social media. They’re on Instagram and on Facebook.

They work with big businesses, too. For example, Anthropologie recently reached out, and Two Little Buds was the first to host a pop up shop in the store. “It was such an honor to be involved,” Francis says. “They plan on hosting other markets in the future. It was such a great opportunity for all of us.”

The mother-daughter duo also hosts in-house events at their farm and there’s one coming up. On August 20, Two Little Buds will be hosting a Farm Open House at their Morning SunFlower Farm, where guests can walk the flower fields, cut their own flowers, make floral arrangements, eat, drink and listen to local music. Workshops through Two Little Buds are typically 1-3 hours long and the cost ranges from project to project. A recent terrarium workshop cost $42 to participate and the upcoming farm-vase workshop is $93 to participate.

Morning Sun Flower Farm is located on Morning Sun Road in College Corner, Ohio. Two Little Buds Florist is located in the Bridgewater Falls Shopping Center at 3431 Princeton Road, Suite 103, Hamilton, Ohio 45011 For more information about Two Little Buds, call (513) 737-8527 or visit their website at http://www.twolittlebuds.com.

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There’s a new designer in town that isn’t baaa-shful about style, creating accessories for the mini fashionista in your family. Click for all the details.

Little Lamb Boutique
Little Lamb Boutique sells accessories for little girls. 

The Little Lamb Boutique isn’t sheepish about style.

Mary Baute recently launched the business, which offers a variety of accessories for little girls, from a personal passion of dressing up her daughter. “I started making bows when my daughter was born in September,” she says. “I got so many compliments on them, and thought I should sell them since I enjoy making them so much.”

When Baute realized she had something unique to offer, she jumped on the chance to become her own boss. And what began as a simple craft project to dress up special moments, turned into a full-fledged online business.

One of the items available from Little
One of the items available from Little Lamb Boutique.

“I have always wanted to run my own business,” Baute says. “It was a no-brainer once I started only working part-time to stay home with my little girl. It’s something I hope she will learn from as she grows up.”

Baute’s creations come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors and she also does made to order pieces for any specific needs you may have. With a love for Cincinnati, it’s no surprise that her best selling bows and headbands so far have been the Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals themed items. “The public response has been great and it’s fun supporting our home teams,” Baute says.

Bows and headbands posted on The Little Lamb Boutique Facebook page can be purchased as is, or serve for inspiration for different creations. Baute typically works with custom creations from customers and their littles.

“I find inspiration through my daughter, and her bright and fun personality,” Baute says. “When she was born she was very feminine and sweet. Her personality has really shown through as she has grown up, and she is now more spunky & fun.”

Order by commenting on Facebook and receive an invoice via PayPal.
Order by commenting on Facebook and receive an invoice via PayPal.

To purchase an item, you can comment on the Facebook photo of the bow or headband you’re interested in, and be sent a PayPal invoice for the sale. For custom creations, simple comment on the page or send Baute a Facebook message.

While she knows firsthand how special it is to see her own daughter in her creations, what her customers have to say is so important to her. “I have many favorite parts about selling my bows and clips,” Baute says, “But my favorite is the messages I receive after customers dress their girls in them. I usually get a photo or two and it brings me joy.”

To purchase accessories for your little one or a friend, visit Little Lamb Boutique on Facebook or call (513) 526-9951.

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A local museum is hosting an exhibition with authentic costumes and fashions from the hit show Downton Abbey. Read on for all the details.

The Taft Museum is showcasing costumes from Downton Abbey.
The Taft Museum is showcasing costumes from Downton Abbey.

Cincinnati is hosting an exhibit at the Taft Museum of Art showcasing fashions from 1912 through the roaring 20s. Running now through September 25, you can visit with 36 original costumes, film stills and accessories from the smashing British hit drama, Downton Abbey.

The exhibit delves into the period and what was going on in the world around it, which can be explained through the fashions that were popular. The exhibit describes, “World War I (1914–1918) had a lasting effect on people’s lives and on what they wore. The exhibition shows the progression of women’s fashion, from figure-altering corsets and bustles to straighter profiles and shorter skirts. For men, the de rigueur white tie and tails for dinner gave way to the more relaxed dinner jacket with black tie.”

“The exhibition will also draw connections to Charles Phelps Taft and Anna Sinton Taft who lived in the Taft historic house and assembled the collection that is now the Taft Museum of Art,” Lonneman says. “The Tafts would have run in similar social circles as the fictitious Crawleys. Cora Crawley is actually from Cincinnati.”
What makes this collection so special is that most of the costumes are made with original fabrics and embellishments from the 20th century. All of the pieces are recreated with perfect likeness in mind from the designers by using old photographs, paintings and patterns.

“You can’t see this exhibition within a 150-mile radius of the Museum,” Lonneman says. “We are delighted that we are able to share these stunning costumes with Cincinnati community. Also, since we are displaying some of the costumes in the permanent collection in the historic house, it’s been a wonderful opportunity to showcase our world-class art collection.

If keeping up with your favorite Downton Abbey character wasn’t enough, the museum will be hosting a fashion event in August that will make the exhibit much more interactive.

“In conjunction with the event, we are hosting a fun fashion centered event in August,” Lonneman says. “The event is called Fashion à la Carte and includes a self-guided tour of Dressing Downton, a wearable art workshop, fashion panel discussion, trunk show, and British themed food and drink.” Fashion à la Carte will be held on August 19 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“Join us at 6:15 p.m. for a conversation about the world of fashion and entrepreneurship,” Lonneman says. “Stylist Tamia Stinson, who writes ‘The Style Sample’ blog; menswear entrepreneur and designer Jonathan Mezibov; Jenifer Sult, designer/founder, Cut and Sewn; and Frameri Eyewear co-founder Konrad Billetz will discuss the local fashion scene and how the 1920s still inspire designers today.”

This highly anticipated event is open to the public, but requires tickets purchased ahead of arrival to the museum. Admission to the exhibit is free Taft Museum members and for children five and under. For nonmembers, the tickets are $15 for children older than five and $20 for adults. Get your tickets as soon as possible because many dates and times are already sold out.

The Taft Museum of Art is located at 316 Pike Street,
and is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about upcoming exhibitions, click here.

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Learn about a locally-based urban fashion retailer that aims to bring affordable clothing with high style to Greater Cincinnati.

Beez Fly Closet
Beez Fly Closet is chic urban street style combined with just the right amount of sass.

If you’re looking for chic urban street style, with a hint of sass, you’ll want to catch all the buzz about BeezFly.

With for years in the making, BeezFly owner Brandie Carpenter says she’s now an expert in affordability with high style. “BeezFly originated from my name and my style,” Carpenter adds. “Everyone called me ‘B’ growing up. The Fly is just a term for dressing cute.”

Styles ranging from club wear to more casual styles adorn the walls of BeezFly. The customers who shop there love to be on trend, Carpenter says. And they carry sizes ranging from small to 3XL. “BeezFly Closet caters to anyone that wants to stand out and be different,” Carpenter says.

To keep up with trends and what’s happening in the ever-changing world of fashion, the buyer of the store looks for inspiration from celebrities such as Angela Simmons and Rihanna. BeezFly works to stay above the trend by also attending trade shows where they can engage with cutting edge designers, distributors and other retail partners.

Following their fourth anniversary last month, Carpenter says she carries an eclectic range of looks, from casual rompers to to cocktail dresses, but one thing is always constant: a good price. “Being in business for four years we’ve learned that everyone is looking for a bargain,” Carpenter says. “That’s why we aim to keep our prices affordable. We believe in ‘Looks for less,’ getting a bang for your buck.”

In addition to the clothes and accessories they sell in the shop, Carpenter recently added a BeeGlammed makeup artist this year to their BeezFly family. With many clients purchasing an outfit for an event they’ll be attending that evening, Carpenter says her customers love being camera ready from head to toe when they step foot out of her store.

“Words of advice for anyone opening a business is to stay consistent at whatever you’re trying to pursue, and customer service is a major key as well,” Carpenter says. “Building a relationship with your clients is important.”

BeezFly is located at 7124 Montgomery Road in Cincinnati. For more information, or to shop their styles, call (513) 984-2359 or visit http://beezflycloset.bigcartel.com.

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Two sisters opened a fashion boutique in Oxford to emphasize creativity and community. Read on to learn about the shop, what they carry, and the fun DIY events they host.

Lane & Kate is located in Oxford and offers
Lane & Kate is located in Oxford and offers fashion, gifts, and home decor.

Nestled on High Street in Oxford, there’s a beautiful little shop full of sparkling trinkets, jewels, home goods and positive energy. What was once a store under a different name, two sisters purchased and rebranded it. Today, it’s Lane and Kate, a shop that specializes in fashion, gifts and home decor, with an emphasis on shopping local, creativity and community.

Rachel Pfeiffer was an associate at Collected Works, the store that previously called this space home, while she was studying at Miami University. Since she was local, she stuck around after graduation for seasonal shifts. The opportunity then arose to purchase the store. That’s when Pfeiffer and her sister Jessica Greene jumped at the opportunity because it was the perfect fit for their personal and professional passions.

“We love the Oxford community and really had a long-term vision for how we wanted the store to evolve – it was and still is a very exciting time,” Pfeiffer says. “The name change to Lane & Kate reflects mine and my sister’s middle names, Rachel Lane and Jessica Katherine.”

Lane & Kate is located on High Street in Oxford.
Lane & Kate is located on High Street in Oxford.

With no expertise as business owners, the two have grown together, hand-in-hand, discovering new things about each other and the business world. “When we first started working together, we honestly weren’t sure how it was going to play out,” Pfeiffer says. “But, it’s made our bond even stronger as we’ve weathered this challenging, rewarding, crazy, amazing, fun chapter in our lives.”

Shopping local and supporting the local creative community has become truly important to the sisterly duo.

“We’ve learned so much as both business owners and members of our community,” Pfeiffer says. “In terms of people, we’ve become much more privy to what goes on behind the scenes of our vendors and artists and just how much work goes into what they do, so definitely gaining appreciation for that group. We have such a great appreciation for our customers because we do know they are actively seeking to support our artists and lines, our store, and the local economy.”

With two different sisters, come two different personalities in the store reflected in their merchandise. “Lane is our music festival girl, our nature lover with perpetual wanderlust – she’s where we get our inspiration for a lot of the raw and natural pieces and lines that we carry like Efflorescent Metals, Old Hills Design Co., Aspen Bay, Emily Amey, and Gentle Fawn,” Pfeiffer says. “Kate is our polished fashionista who never misses Sunday brunch, always sends a ‘Thank You’ note on impeccable stationery, and looks for more classic and feminine pieces – lines like Rifle Paper Co., Katie Waltman, Rachael Ryen, English Factory and Olivia Burton are inspired by her.”

Staffed mostly by students, Lane & Kate works to engage a younger audience through social media and buying decisions. “When we hire new associates, we not only look for kind hearts and a good work ethic, we look for people who really identify with our brand,” Pfeiffer says. “In turn, we have a team who is very excited about not only our inventory, but our emphasis on creative expression – so everyone is really on the same page when it comes to crafting a thoughtful post.”

Aside from the beautiful items sold in the store, Lane & Kate offer signature workshops that have become a huge part of the soul of their business. Just about once a month, Lane & Kate bring in local artists to teach everything from floral design to calligraphy. “We love these classes so much because they blend community and creativity together in such a lovely way,” Pfeiffer says.

“There is no greater compliment than when someone walks in and says they want to stay here forever,” Pfeiffer says. “The atmosphere that we strive to create absolutely stems from the dynamic personalities and talents of our team.”

Lane & Kate is located at 29 East High Street in Oxford, Ohio. If you’re looking for like more information, visit their website at http://www.laneandkate.com.

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Learn about the local mecca of monogrammed goodies and the creative mind behind it all.

MK's Totebags
MK’s Totebags and Monogramming offers a variety of totes and other gift items.

Monogramming isn’t just a fashion trend, it’s also a great way to personalize a gift or perfectly match your personality.

That’s why Mary Kay Lonneman launched the Covington-based MK’s Totebags and Monogramming, that offers a variety of totebags and other gift items with endless designs, fonts and colors for personalization.

“I started in business about 20 years ago making my own design of really cute canvas totebags in several sizes with different themes,” Lonneman says. “I sold these at craft shows like summer fair all over South Carolina, Boston, Washington, D.C. and Indianapolis.” Then, 15 years ago, she set up shop in the Mainstrasse to get out of her basement and sell more products. That’s also when she purchased her monogram machine, “and the business really took off,” she recalls.

You can find MK's at
You can find MK’s across the river in Covington.

Today, the shop specializes in all things monogrammed and only carries items they can personalize. While she mostly does embroidery, Lonneman says the shop can also do vinyl lettering and heat press.

“My tag line is ‘a monogram makes it special,’” she explains. “Giving a monogrammed gift means that you spent extra time picking out just the right item, and put extra thought into putting a name, monogram and/or just the right design on it.”

Monogramming really became trendy in the past five years, Lonneman says, adding that she tries to stay ahead of the curve. “I try to keep up with monogramming trends,” she explains. “We carry the brands people love: comfort colors sweatshirts and tees for adults, Charles Rivers raincoats, Stephen Joseph backpacks for children…our top selling item in the store.”

The shop also carries lots of Lovies and baby blankets, ice buckets, trays, coolers, and towels for wedding and other gifts for the home. “Parents will come to me with ideas,” Lonneman says. “Say for the first birthday party, and we design something to match the theme. It’s so much fun to see these items on the little ones when they post the pictures to Facebook. We give a discount on the next purchase if they post picture on Facebook.”

Choose from a variety of items and personalized monograms.
Choose from a variety of items and personalized monograms.

As a testament to the quality of items, Lonneman says she frequently sees repeat customers as they transition through life: planning monograms for the wedding, then coming in for a baby registry and then purchasing items for their second child.

“It makes me feel good that they have remembered my shop and that they loved their gifts enough to keep coming back,” Lonneman says. “It sounds dumb, but I have been doing this for a long time, and on Christmas Day, I think about people opening all the gifts that we did, and how excited people were to give them!”

Lonneman says she works with customers to help them choose all the elements of the design, whether it is just one letter or a full appliqué with a name and saying for a kid’s birthday party. Right now, MK’s Totebags and Monogramming shop is having a summer sale right now on some of their kid’s items including dresses, sun suits, hats and bathing suits.

MK’s Totebags and Monogramming is located at 607 Main Street in Covington, Ky. Call (859) 491-0597 or visit them on Facebook to place an order.

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Read on to learn about the inspiration behind a local artist’s handmade wigs, and see why you’ll wig out to own one of her creations.

Wearable Wonders
Stacey Vest is the owner of Sweet Hayseed’s Wearable Wonders and designs custom wigs for customers.

CAPTIONS for photos 2 & 3: Photos with Ashley Marie Bowman by Jeff Kobberdahl

Local wig designer draws on inspiration from all over the city to create custom wigs for many different people. Stacey Vest, owner and designer behind Sweet Hayseed’s Wearable Wonders, believes that wigs should be thought of as art.

“My thoughts are any type of headdress or wig adds another dimension to an ensemble,” Vest says. “My tag is “art for your head.” which can be taken in a literal sense as wearing art on your head or, in my opinion, anything you see, hear, taste, smell or think can be art, so the head is a sacred place and should be adorned.”

While wig making may seem unconventional for some, wig designing came second nature to Vest. “At a very early age I’ve had a passion for fashion, an itch for kitsch. I believe coloring my hair with Kool-Aid and chalk as a young child set the tone and direction for wig making.”

Photo:
Photo with Ashley Marie Bowman by Jeff Kobberdahl

For Vest, wig making is her creative outlet to inspire others and fuel her creative passions. The one-of-a-kind handmade wigs offer a unique take on accessorizing. From luxe braids to colors all over the rainbow, Vest creates her one-of-a-kind wigs with artisan quality, and a flair for the extravagant.

“The fun in wearing and making wigs is that I’ve found besides doorways and low ceilings,” Vest says, “there’s really no limitations.”

Wigs might not seem customary for the average person to wear for a night on the town, but her custom creations can be used to liven things up or create a statement. With endless color choices, styling options and special attachments, wigs can be customized to fit a person’s personality or even a different persona.

For some, wigs hold a more special meaning than just adding a bit of flair. Typical for those suffering from illnesses that cause hair loss, or going through treatments can cause self-esteem issues in the lives of many.

Wigs can bring back some confidence in the lives of many. “I made a custom wig for a child with leukemia,” Vest says. “Her mother purchased it for a photo shoot during chemotherapy. I would love to be involved in such organizations as Susan Koman or breast cancer awareness. How great would it be to attend a pink wig hair ball to raise awareness?”

Photo with Ashley Marie Bowman by Jeff Kobberdahl
Photo with Ashley Marie Bowman by Jeff Kobberdahl

Fighting cancer with sass and a custom wig can add joy in the hearts of those who need it the most. Adding a smile on customer’s faces is what Vest enjoys most. “It’s such a huge compliment when clients respect my work,” Vest says, “and I am their official ‘go to’ wig maker.”

Vest hosts and also collaborates with local artists for parades, fashion shows and also local events. Her custom wigs have been featured in the Cincinnati Pride Parade, the Northside Fourth of July parade, and the Chicken Lays an Egg fashion show.

This summer, Vest is teaching a summer workshop at the Taft Museum of Art. Aside from attending local events and fashion shows, she sells her designs on Etsy at sweethayseed.com to offer high quality wigs to people all over the nation.

For more information or to purchase a custom wig creation from Vest, visit https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweethayseed. Or you can follow Sweet Hayseed’s Wearable Wonders on Facebook to keep up with the on-goings of the shop, and see all of her creations.

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Learn about the Cincinnati-based dynamic duo that’s relaunching their line of locally made, hand-crafted and packaged goodies inspired by America’s favorite pastime.

Game Day Feels sells
Game Day Feels sells baseball lacelets engraved with customizable quotes, all to reflect on the baseball experience.

In the city that housed the first Major League Baseball team, it’s no wonder why an American-made company selling customizable baseball goods is expanding beyond their wildest dreams.

Formerly known as Baseball Lacelets, Alexis and Hannah Rosenbaum have rebranded their baseball-themed commerce site as Game Day Feels, reflecting more on the baseball experience and their new product assortment. This sister duo has spent years perfecting their business idea, refining the creation process and selling like crazy.

“Baseball Lacelets brought us to this point, and it’s been an incredible journey so far; however, as our customer reach and demand continued to grow, we realized that working under the name ‘Baseball Lacelets’ restricted us to one product,” Alexis Rosenbaum says. “Game Day Feels encompasses all that we have and will stand for, all while allowing us to expand our product line: wearing a piece of the game that evokes feelings from a memory, a quote, a favorite place, and so forth.”

The items sold at Game Day Feels range from their ever-popular leather wrap bracelets, to necklaces and key fobs. You can snag one of their most popular coordinates wraps detailing the location of Great American Ball Park, or you can customize your own bracelet with their inspiration page or use your own words of wisdom.

“What sparked the baseball theme was our direct connection to the game and the desire to use the market we were already a part of,” Rosenbaum says. “Baseball is a huge part of both of our lives due to the careers of our significant others; we love the ballpark and the array of feelings you can experience watching a game.”

Their products are gender inclusive and are crafted from American-raised rawhides cut specifically for baseball glove lace. With every color of the rainbow available for leather choice and every character under the sun available for print there is no limit to the scope of baseball love you can buy and share.

On the arms and around the necks of athletes and fans alike, these goodies are perfect for a Father’s Day gift; you can customize a wrap for your dad and wear it together to a Reds’ game to soak up all of the game day feels.

“Game Day Feels is at the City Flea once a month. We sell pre-made Lacelets and Keychains at $5 off,” Rosenbaum says. “For those who want to place custom orders that day, we offer $5 off plus free shipping. We also have a monthly studio sale where we have a huge bin of clearance stock for $10 and under. We don’t make anything on the spot, but customers can place custom orders, as well as interact with us in person and see where each product is made.”

“Game Day Feels is everything to us,” Rosenbaum says. “What started out as a hobby quickly turned into a passion-filled, thriving business that provides jobs for ourselves, our third sister, our high school cousin, and now two more Cincinnati women. It has given us a creative space where we can get down to some music, make awesome products, and work with an incredible team of women.”

Follow Game Day Feels on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to keep up with their shop, and visit https://www.gamedayfeels.com to purchase your own little piece of America’s past time.

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Is it a top, cover-up, or skirt? Learn about the locally-launched garment for women looking for a fashionable and versatile addition to their wardrobe.

Skube sells transitional clothing
Skube offers a skirt that takes you from one errand to the next in style.

If you’re like most women, you’re looking for transitional clothing that can take you from workout to picking up the kids from school in style. Monica Kohler developed a skirt that offers comfort, style, and athletic capabilities.

“Like most good things, the idea for skube developed from a personal need,” Kohler says. “Several years ago, I started searching for a product that would help me transition from my workout to work day in style.”

She was looking for clothing that was functional, yet stylish enough to endure errands, exercising, and lunches with friends. “After two years of looking and not finding what I had in mind, I created a prototype of a simple and flattering skirt that I could pull on over my work out clothes,” Kohler says. “I called this product a ‘skube’ due to it’s tubular design, and because it was fun to say.”

The inspiration for skube was developed over Kohler’s love of rowing and the admiration of the junior rowing team’s eclectically patterned clothing. “I appreciated the really fun approach to their gear and had that in mind when I started sourcing fabrics,” Kohler says. “When I actually started creating a skube prototype, I accidentally (or serendipitously) put two different panels together creating a different look on the front and back, and the reversible aspect was born!”

2014 marked the year of conceptualizing the skube, and experimenting with prototypes. Following much advice and feedback on the product, 2015 meant landing on the look and feel of the skube we know today.

2016 will hold the development of a juniors line and collaborations all across the city. The skube is a skirt made from a stretchy knit fabric that is extremely comfortable and flattering on all body types. The materials are made of vibrant colors and patterns that are hand selected by Kohler to create unique color and pattern combinations. The skube is available in three different size categories ranging from size zero to 16.

“My customers very quickly demonstrated that my initial vision for skube was en pointe, but extremely narrow,” Kohler says. “Fairly soon after going to market, I started receiving photos from my them showing them wearing their skubes as a top, styled for a professional day at work, casually with a nice t-shirt and flats, or paired with a beautiful top, heels and a little bling for an evening out.”

With unlimited ways to style, wear, and enjoy, the skube nation is strong and diverse. “My customers range from 8-years-old to 87-years old and continue to push the skube boundary, finding new ways to style and wear their skubes,” Kohler says. “They are the perfect travel wear as they do not wrinkle, and because they are reversible, offer many ‘looks’ from one item.”

Monica Kohler, Designer of skube.
Monica Kohler, Designer of skube.

After creating a nation of skube customers, Kohler wanted to give back to the community. “There was then no decision about ‘giving back,’ but more a deep knowing that doing so would always be a part of the skube.me mission, as our tag line “look good…do good…feel good,” speaks to.”

Kohler welcomes the opportunity to help organizations though volunteerism, product donation and/or sponsorship ensuring that young girls become strong women.

In 2016, Kohler began working with organizations she had personal experience with: Girls on the Run and MORTAR. Her daughter participated in Girls on the Run many years ago, and Kohler fell in love with the mission to instill self-esteem and camaraderie.

“MORTAR is an accelerator that helps give low-income, urban entrepreneurs the tools to help them grow or develop a business within their neighborhood,” Kohler says. “I met the team from MORTAR last year at the Neighborhood Economics Council where I was introduced to the idea that fiscally healthy parents create fiscally healthy families, thus fiscally healthy and integrated neighborhoods and communities.”

“Skube is currently in 8 retail locations, four in Cincinnati, in three states, and continues to seek additional opportunities for women to come in and skube up,” Kohler says. “In the summer, Second Sunday on Main, Oakley Fancy Flea and Art on Vine are great places to buy direct. We love working with customers to find the skube perfect for their personality and body type.”

For more information on skube or ways to purchase, you can call 513.505.9384 or visit skube.me.

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