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The Most Comfortable Hangover Cure Ever

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Hangover Hoodies want to provide you with the perfect outfit for all your lazy Saturday mornings. “We hope you’ll have as much fun wearing them as you did making memories last night.”

If you’ve ever rolled out of bed on a Saturday morning with a headache and no desire to get dressed, Hangover Hoodies is here to help. Two recent college graduates have a new apparel company targeted toward good vibes and making memories. 

Delaney Mountford and Katelyn Gerstenschlager have been friends since they played on the same soccer team at age five. They both grew up in South Bend, Indiana, and were inseparable until they went to different colleges. Delaney went off to Miami University of Ohio, where she studied Communications and Writing, and Katelyn went to Indiana University, where she studied Marketing and Business Analytics.

After graduating, Delaney came back to South Bend and went to business school at Notre Dame for a year while Katelyn got a full-time job in Columbus, Ohio. “Even when we were off at different schools or in different cities, we loved to visit each other and became friends with one another’s friends,” Delaney said.

When everything started shutting down because of COVID-19, Katelyn left Columbus and came back to work from home in South Bend. Delaney had just graduated from business school, but there were hiring freezes at all the companies where she had been interviewing, so she was living with her parents and nannying in order to make money, she said. The two had talked about having some kind of side hustle, but didn’t know exactly what they wanted their product to be. 

Delaney Mountford and Katelyn Gertenschlager of Hangover Hoodies. Photo via HangoverHoodies.co

Delaney wanted to put her new business degree to use, and Katelyn works for a retail company, so they felt like they had enough knowledge between the two of them to start something in apparel, Delaney said. “We first came up with the idea in mid-May, and our first drop was July 10, so we put in a ton of work in those initial six weeks to get everything up and running.”

They started on hoodies because “we both love wearing them, and felt like there was a gap in the market when it came to moderately-priced hoodies that were really cool and interesting,” they said. Also, as recent college and grad school graduates, Delaney said they wanted a brand that would emulate how college kids and twenty-somethings feel when they’re out with their friends, having a great time.

“One thing about our company that has helped us a lot is that we fall under our target market,” Delaney said. “That makes it a lot easier for us to find content that we think will resonate with our buyers and viewers, and it also makes the design process easier because we base it off of whether or not we would actually wear or purchase what we create.”

They didn’t always plan on starting an apparel company and didn’t settle on it until they decided to match their skills and personal tastes into what they wanted to design. “Apparel is a really cool industry because there are so many different possibilities, and you can constantly change your designs to match trends as they evolve,” Delaney said.

Photo via HangoverHoodies.co

Hangover Hoodies’ mission “is to bring you optimism and comfort in a way that reflects your dope personality,” according to the website. “Our aim is to create a culture of warmth and belonging, being representative of our customer’s favorite experiences.”

One early method of promotion Hangover Hoodies used was social media. When their TikTok went viral, though, it totally exceeded their expectations.

“We started off posting a few videos that would get basically zero views, and then all of a sudden, one of our videos got 150,000, and two weeks later one of them got 200,000,” they said. “And now, we have a video with over half a million​ views. That’s insane to us, especially because it’s so many people who are just like us.”

Both Delaney and Katelyn were both working full time when they launched the company, so when their TikTok went viral, they texted each other at work, and would just refresh the page over and over again. Both of them agree that TikTok is an amazing tool for small businesses because companies have the potential to reach an enormous audience without spending any money.

It takes around 20 hours to pack up and ship all the hoodies after each drop of new product, since they’re doing it out of Delaney’s parents’ basement. Having a free marketing outlet makes the whole process a little easier.

Photo via HangoverHoodies.co

In addition to hoodies, the Hangover Hoodies website has a blog with articles about not just hoodies but other trendy topics like White Claw, playlists, and coffee. Although it’s just a blog now, they want to evolve it more into a whole brand over time, “because we just didn’t expect the reaction that we received from our followers,” they said. “People really resonate with the message of the brand and the feeling that we try to convey in our content.”

Delaney said that when they launched the company, they thought they’d sell 200 hoodies by the end of 2020. Only a few months later, though, they’re about to sell their thousandth hoodie. They also just guest-starred on The Golden Hour podcast, and are trying to work with a few other ones as well. “We’re also looking into developing our own podcast eventually, in addition to other products and services for our customers,” they said.

Hangover Hoodies is also eco-friendly and sustainable. “We recognize the impact that shipping has on the environment,” their website says. “All HH packaging materials are eco-friendly and either recyclable or compostable.”

Delaney and Katelyn were both were very conscious of how damaging fast fashion is for the environment, so their products are all shipped in 100% compostable mailers, with recyclable tissue paper and stickers to “make sure that [they’re] not contributing to the damaging environmental side of e-commerce.”

Photo via HangoverHoodies.co

They also picked a price point that wasn’t cheap enough where people could wear it a few times and then throw it away, but not so expensive that it seemed unattainable for people to get, they said. “Because it is a high-quality hoodie with a slightly higher price point, we believe that people will be more likely to appreciate our handcrafted designs for a longer period of time.”

Their most recent drop was August 28th, but they typically restock every two weeks. You can visit them at www.hangoverhoodies.co, and on Instagram and TikTok at @hangoverhoodies.

Top Photo via HangoverHoodies.co

Travel Back to the 20s with The Valentine’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’” Exhibit

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As The Valentine prepares to reopen, we take a look inside their latest exhibit — which heads back to the 1920s to feature Richmond’s culture of the era, and local stars like Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. 

As functions and businesses begin to open again, one of Richmond’s most iconic museums, known for their collection and preservation of the city’s culture, is re-opening. While visitors will have to make reservations to tour The Valentine’s array of exhibits, museum-goers will be able to visit a new exhibit available to the public on July 21st. 

The new addition to The Valentine is named “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” It contains antique outfits and collectables from the Roaring 20s, telling the story of Richmond’s rich culture, the history of legendary dancer and Richmond native Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, and the evolution of fashion through an exclusive collection of women’s dresses, children’s clothes, and menswear. Kristen Stewart, Fashion Historian and Curator of Custom Textiles at The Valentine, describes what you’ll find when you visit. 

“The collection has a really complicated history,” Stewart said. “It was collected at a time when the museum was not the Richmond City history museum, but an encyclopedic museum. Concurrently along with the exhibition, [we] are executing a refinement project.”

During the exhibit’s preparation, Stewart has worked to determine what objects in the customer textiles collection have rich histories related to Richmond. The Valentine plans to care for, and highlight, these objects from the 1920s for perpetuity. 

PHOTO: Courtesy of The Valentine Museum

“There are about 40 dressed mannequins, and those are mostly women’s clothing,” Stewart said. “The vast majority is women’s clothing, with some children’s clothing and a handful of men’s sportswear. You’ll see examples of what women wore as ‘day wear,’ or casual wear. Active sportswear include bathing suits and knickers, which are really fun.” 

The exhibit has an emphasis on what working women in the 20s were wearing. It includes a number of examples of swimwear and sportswear, then moves into a collection of professional women’s clothing. 

“There was this huge influx of women, both graduating and completing higher tiers of degrees,” Stewart said. That influx of women into the workforce a century ago led to a whole new direction in women’s fashions.

“Then, of course, the show has to finish with what everyone is coming to see: 1920s evening wear, which is renowned and bright for its wonderful sparkle,” Stewart said.

The country was booming, and 1920s were a time when people celebrated, partied, and found fun wherever they could. Stewart emphasized the change in atmosphere that occurred due to impactful changes in society, along with the era’s new trends in fashion. 

“The 1920s were a moment when recreational sports were a leisure activity on the rise,” Stewart said. “Consequently, you see a fashion story evolve alongside a social story.”

PHOTO: Courtesy of The Valentine Museum

The exhibit’s title comes from a song of the same name, written in the late 20s and made popular by Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. Born in Richmond, Robinson was one of the most groundbreaking actors and dancers of his time. He pursued a career in acting, and broke social norms as one of the first African-American artists to perform alone on stage. At the time, black men never performed by themselves; only white men were allowed to be the “star” of the show. 

“There was this pleasure of a liberated lifestyle, and some fear and anxiety of the consequential political oppression in response to this liberation,” said Stewart. “The lyrics to ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’,’ to me, beautifully reflect this tension. It’s a really jazzy score that makes you want to misbehave, but the words are speaking the opposite, like ‘saving my love for you,’ and staying true.”

While most of the collection’s garments come from generous donations and The Valentine’s own curation, Stewart notes that a few items will be missing from the museum — unless the community has outfits of their own to offer. 

“We do not have any outfits related to Bill Robinson,” Stewart said. “[It’s] an honest reflection of the fact that we don’t have more material relating to his life. We, frankly, don’t have any actual women’s garments worn by black women in the 20s from Richmond. As a fashion historian, that’s just pure heartbreak, isn’t it?” 

PHOTO: Courtesy of The Valentine Museum

As a historical museum, The Valentine recognizes that the lack of preserved historical garments comes from racial segregation during the era. 

“Even though The Valentine was desegregated, in terms of audience, from the beginning, there was this hesitance,” Stewart said. “There wasn’t the same line of communication that you would have if you weren’t facing, and operating in, a segregated society. In the 30s and 40s, we missed the opportunity to collect these clothes.”

Stewart explained that The Valentine has acknowledged these missing items in the exhibition, and hopes that the Richmond community can step in to donate clothing they may have from the 20s. 

“We will have silhouetted figures that acknowledge what’s missing,” Stewart said. “[They] serve as an invitation to black families living in Richmond, who maybe had a great-grandmother from the 20s, who have captured and preserved that time in history through clothing.” 

The 1920s brought historical moments of monumental change to the country, and allowed Americans new freedoms they had not had in the past. With many of the same issues alive in Richmond in today’s world, Stewart notes the parallels between the show and Black Lives Matter protests. 

“It is like a mirror. It feels like the show provides us an opportunity to acknowledge that there have been moments of weakness,” Stewart said. “Young people, in some ways, see more clearly than those who are older than them. [They] certainly are looking at the future with a more clear-eyed vision than their parents are. The youth element that we see on the streets today may see itself reflected in the mirror in this show.” 

Photo and Caption Courtesy of The Valentine Museum

Overall, Stewart hopes that the new exhibit will not only commemorate that time in history, but share information to teach about societal differences and educate through the use of clothing.

“There is some inspiring content,” Stewart said. “We’re inspired by what women were achieving, inspired by what — in spite of segregation — black Richmonders were giving. [We’re] inspired by how Richmond was embracing this rapid pace of change in the beginning of the 20th century… and sobered by some of the dark lessons of that time.”

As The Valentine gears up to open its doors again after the pandemic’s initial closures, Stewart is pleased to see “Ain’t Misbehavin’” be the exhibit to kick it off.

“The reason I’m so glad this is the show we’re opening with is that it recognizes all the tension, pain, and anguish of that period,” Stewart said. “It is also extraordinarily playful, and incredibly fun, because it’s driven by usefulness. It’s recognizing a decade that we refer to as the Roaring 20s. That’s not because people were sitting around twiddling their thumbs — they were having a good time.” 

To learn more about the exhibit, check out “Ain’t Misbehavin’” at The Valentine’s website. Admission to the Valentine is free this summer, but tickets for self-guided tours must be reserved in advance, due to social distancing protocols.

Top Photo courtesy The Valentine

The Visual Narrations of Selah Marie

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Richmond portrait photographer Selah Marie started out as a model, but it was only when she got behind the camera that she truly found her calling in life.

You never know what you’ll fall into. Even if you have a clear goal for what you want to do, things can happen that lead you in a different direction entirely. For Richmond-based photographer Selah Marie, this was definitely the case. When she realized modeling might not be her calling, she tried stepping behind the camera instead and found that it came naturally for her. The results were enough to make her forget about her original goal of fashion modeling for good.

“I always had a camera, ever since I was younger, and I’ve always taken pictures. But I didn’t find it to be my passion until 2015,” she explains. “I guess when I used to watch America’s Next Top Model and stuff like that, I wanted to be a model. But when I got in front of someone else’s camera, that went… not how I expected it to go. After looking at the images of myself, I was like, ‘Oh no, I can’t do this.’”

Marie found that her lifelong dream wasn’t what she was meant to do with her life. But she soon found a new passion, seemingly by accident, only landing on photography after she began playing around with a camera and wanting to learn how to shoot.

“Let me just pick up a camera and figure it out,” she says, describing her thought process at the time. “And then I just reached out to some models, and I was just like… shooting.”

While photographing individuals from the area, portrait photography gradually became a primary focus for Marie. Photographing a single person and creating unique photos became a discipline she wanted to perfect. It’s not her only interest as a photographer — there are other areas she hopes to dive into, as she explained.

“Oh my God, fashion. That’s one of the things I’m trying to get into, as far as practicing,” says Marie. “However, my comfort zone is portraits.”

While portrait photography is a common specialty in the world of photography, Marie differs from others when it comes to the ways she composes her shots. Natural props like flowers have become a staple of her photography, and she loves the aesthetic of film, although mastering it was challenging to her at first, because she had to learn how to recreate that aesthetic through digital means.

“[The models] were like, ‘Oh my God, did you shoot with a film camera?’ But no, I don’t have one,” she says of her process. “I would use the grains to add texture, because I wasn’t that familiar with Photoshop. So I would just replace it with grain to make the image look like it has more texture in the skin.”

Learning the skills of photographic composition was challenging enough, but one of Marie’s biggest challenges came from learning how to use the equipment she was given. While cell phones have made photographers out of everyone, understanding the high-end Nikons and Canons that professionals use can prove to be difficult at first. 

“When I first started shooting in the daylight, the sun would be too much. So my images would be overly exposed,” she says. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, what is going on here?’ That was one of the hardest challenges for me, trying to shoot daylight. [For a while,] I was really stuck in the studio.”

Marie eventually mastered adapting to changing surroundings, and has since branched out of portrait photography, capturing graduation and wedding photos.

“I’m just now starting to let people know that I do more than what they see on my main page. I just started putting up the graduation photos and engagement photos, because I want people to know that I do everything,” she says. “I’m a creative photographer, but I can do your engagement shoot.”

While it was never her original goal, these days Marie hopes to build a future for herself in the world of photography, and she’s even thinking about moving into the world of video.

“I do see it being long term,” she says. “I can’t go full time [yet], but I do see that down the road. I also see me being behind the scenes of movies, sharing my ideas with directors and seeing the things I create inside the movie. That’s one of my other goals as well.”

Photography doesn’t come easy when you just happen to fall into it, but Marie has been lucky to do something with her work that is not only beneficial for the people she shoots, but for her as well. Marie knows that her photography not only helps those in front of her camera open up, but gives her the creative outlet to express herself as well.

“Everybody tells me the same thing: how I make them feel when they’re in front of my camera,” she says. “They will tell me that I make them feel more confident than ever in front of a camera, or even away from it. Like, I made them feel so beautiful. And then, when I show them the image, they’re like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe she made me look like this.’ Just to see the smile on my client’s face or a model’s face, their reaction lights up my world. That’s my favorite part — that’s what keeps me going.”

All photos by Selah Marie

The Dorm Room Hustle: Owning Fashion Companies in College

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Whether it starts as a side gig or a passionate new business, college students around the country are opening brands of their own before graduation. 

College students are not just students anymore. Many students around the country have jobs on top of their schoolwork to earn extra money. Some work as college tour guides, some work in school offices, and others have off-campus jobs. About 81 percent of undergraduate part-time students and 43 percent of undergraduate full-time students are employed, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

With tuition, books, meal plans, and additional costs, college is expensive. Luckily for Erin Watton, John McGrinder, and Anthony Moody, they work right out of their rooms — running fashion and apparel companies by themselves.

21-year-old Erin Watton, who hails from Milwaukee, WI, is currently a junior at the University of Richmond, and the sole talent behind e.xclusively: a hand-painted apparel company that sells custom painted designs on anything, including denim jackets and handbags for any occasion. 

Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Watton started e.xclusively after spilling ink on her favorite sweatshirt in printmaking class during her freshman year of college. “After covering up the ink with painted stars, I sent a photo to my friends,” Watton said. “They loved the sweatshirt, and begged me to paint theirs. Soon after, I realized I could create a small business out of this painting venture.”

e.xclusively officially started in the summer of 2018. Although Watton was working in retail at the time, she wanted more experience in fashion and marketing. “Because I had no experience of my own to offer in an internship, I created a learning experience for myself,” she said. “I have gained so much experience owning my own business, and I love doing it. If you can do something now and love it, why wait?”

Watton advertises her products through her Instagram, Pinterest, and website. “In the fashion industry, user-generated content and word-of-mouth are how people learn and trust brands,” she said. “For me, when my clients post photos in their custom, hand-painted pieces, their followers trust my business and may even follow along on social media, or purchase a piece themselves.”

With the growth of social media, Watton believes that 2020 is a great time to run a business as a student. New entrepreneurs can decrease their overhead expenses, reach people within their target audience quickly, and gain instant feedback on their products and services as well as content they produce, she said. 

Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Being a student is time-consuming, but Watton has found a balance between classes and work. When she isn’t in class, she is either at a client consultation, sketching and painting designs, posting Instagram content, or updating her website. “When I’m working on e.xclusively, it could be five minutes spent on a social media post or five hours spent painting,” she said. “It definitely depends on my schedule, my orders, and what my goals are at the moment.” 

John McGrinder is another student who runs his own business while managing classes and extracurriculars. Originally from Downingtown, PA, McGrinder is a sophomore at James Madison University, and the mind behind Renegade Sports.

Renegade Sports, a sports-focused apparel company, started in 2016 in McGrinder’s sophomore year of high school. The idea for the company arose from a class project with a friend, and was originally called Seal Team Sports. 

“My friend Evan knew I was involved in graphic design for sports Instagram pages for fun, but he asked me if I wanted to help him with a new project for his class,” McGrinder said. “I absolutely loved working with sports and designing, and it was a fun way to set aside some extra money for school while doing something I loved.”

PHOTO: Renegade Sports on Instagram

Similar to Watton, McGrinder mainly advertises his business through his Instagram. Most of his work is done on his phone or iPad because he makes the designs himself. “I have them with me in case I have an idea for a design while out on the go or at home,” he said. “With big brands like Barstool Sports out there, I always try to get my ideas onto my products and website as fast as possible, to be the first out there with my idea on a certain trend,” he said. 

McGrinder has a busy schedule as a student, but he finds time between classes at JMU and work to make designs. “I really work best when I’m inspired by a new player or trending team,” he said. “Not every day for me is involved with creating a design, but I’m always checking on my site, tracking sales, and keeping my eye on the sports world for new ideas.” 

Running a store in 2020 as a student allows McGrinder to use his brand as a creative outlet. On top of gaining experience, it allowed him to get involved in marketing before learning about it in any of his major-related classes. 

Renegade Sports also helped open doors into the marketing world as this past summer. McGrinder worked with the Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 MVP, Von Miller, in creating some mock-ups for a shirt to commemorate his 100th sack in this past season. “Overall, running Renegade Sports has been so valuable to me in exploring business and marketing, but also in allowing myself to be more creative outside of schoolwork,” he said. 

PHOTO: Renegade Sports on Instagram

Another entrepreneur student, University of Richmond sophomore Anthony Moody, owns and operates his clothing company, Redeemed Generation. Moody started his brand when he was 13, and it has been steadily growing ever since. 

Moody’s day starts and ends with marketing, which he believes is the most important part of the business. “It’s all about connecting with influencers, commenting on posts, interacting with followers, and building the brand,” he said. “It makes a big difference when companies are active on Instagram, and have a page that really showcases the brand — so that’s really crucial for me.”

In addition to running all the marketing for his business on his Instagram and website, Moody also makes and prints everything in his room. “My room is full of presses, dryers, and paint, because I make it all,” he said. “I’m actually looking for a small office where I’ll be able to work. With the way the business has grown in terms of sales and inventory, it’s a lot to keep in my room.”

Photo via Redeemed Generation on Instagram

Moody originally found his love for art in elementary school, but pencils and paper weren’t enough for him. Being a student and a business owner has been a challenge, and the balance has been one of the most difficult things, “It’s worth it,” he said. “It’s my passion, and it’s what I love doing.” 

In addition to Redeemed Generation, Moody also prints clothes for outside groups like dance teams and class reunions. “With all the materials and machines I have in my room, as well as the skills I’ve gained from Redeemed Generation, expanding to print clothes for other people was not that big of a challenge,” he said. 

Redeemed Generation is mainly based out of Moody’s dorm room, because the presses and machines make it hard to travel in terms of production. His ideas and art, on the other hand, are constantly on his mind — regardless of where he is. 

Photo via Redeemed Generation on Instagram

“My brand has become my life,” he said. “A lot of people around me always plan and take on so much, working solely to build their resume. I just make clothes because I love them, and it’s a way for me to express myself.”

Overall, these three students are just a small glimpse into the larger world of student business owners. Students everywhere are starting their own companies on top of their already-stressful college lives. It’s time we give these students the recognition they deserve. While they’re going to class, doing homework, and writing papers, they’re also running the companies of the future. 

Top Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Op-Ed: Your Footwear Is Killing My Country

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Guest writer Phil Ford comes to us with dire warnings of a great scourge plaguing our sadly divided nation: flip-flops.

There is an antagonism we are experiencing in our great nation that has had many suspects in the lineup: race, religion, socio-economics - -  but the truth is far simpler. I have found the lynchpin of America’s divisiveness.

An almost caustic sound, especially when dragged across an apartment complex parking lot. The steady puffy plastic drag across smooth asphalt has all the charm of scraping a fork across teeth. The coup de grace is the familiar, accented punctuation of the inevitable popping sound of the plastic heel smacking the flesh heel in a high five. We are, of course, talking about the American flip-flop.

Sure, the thong sandal has been around for thousands of years, and can be quite comfortable while poolside enjoying a whiskey sour. There has been a great abuse over the last number of years, though, and flip-flops have now become the Donald Trump tweet of footwear in the United States. Frankly, it’s embarrassing.

On any visit to the upscale mall where a P.F. Chang’s or Brazilian Steakhouse resides, one notices that this phenomenon of foam rubber has become quite the trend with the lack-of-tread-setter. People will wear flip-flops with anything. Punk dudes with a face full of piercings, sleeve tattoos, offensive t-shirts, and tight-crotched jeans wear them. Beautiful twenty-something women in fully Gapped fashion-wear don dainty little flip-flops with gaudy pink plastic flowers on the strap. And I swear there is a tween scene sporting oversized platform shoe versions called “Kiss-Flops” that keep such rail-thin children from blowing over in strong winds.

I have witnessed studs in Abercrombie and Fitch, Fight Club glasses, and hundred-dollar buzz cuts dragging their feet through food courts in Nike streamlined glider-flops. No matter where you go, the odds are about two in four that you are going to be seeing gnarly toes exposed to the elements and restrained via the flip-flop.

Photo by Rui Silvestre on Unsplash

As much money as we Americans are willing to spend on war, Mar-a-Lago golf weekends, and looking good, one could certainly expect us to put a little investment into a nice pair of shoes. It is almost as if people started from the top, applied all sorts of nifty and expensive hair products, worked their way all the way down with the latest trendy apparel, reached the lower calves, and then just gave up. This is a mistake. Feet are the equivalent of the 99 percent of us, the average citizen. They keep us all grounded, and we should respect that.

We have gotten lazy in the foot, and much the same as with our inability to create a meaningful dialogue between our opposing points of view, we seem to accept this. We are quite happy to drag toe around in the archlessness, the lack of contour, the lack of backbone. Why?

People have spent all this time and money to achieve that certain special “look.” Then they have petered out below the ankles. Come on; finish that fashion thought you had. I know you can do it if you just apply yourself. You would think in this fear-driven age, where terrorism or natural disaster could spark at any moment, you would want to have a nice pair of shoes on in case of potential danger. If a levee breaks in your neighborhood, or an active shooter is nearby, where are you going to be? That’s right — up shit-flop creek.

Flip-flops as regular footwear are like true love on Bachelorette reality television, or barbecue Becky phone calls: signs of the decline of Western Civilization. Now, it’s one thing if you are making your way toward a source of water for swimming, or using a public shower at a campground, or even taking trash to the curb. I’m not saying you can’t wear them if you are, say, Jimmy Buffet and you have a matching Cheeseburger in Paradise hula shirt.

But if you are going to be attending anything public that requires walking, there is no excuse for it. Much like Fox News as a reliable news source, it has no merit. You can try and doll it up as much as you like — make them sporty brown with two sets of buckles, like you would even attempt to hike with them. Or decorate the plastic toe straps with butterflies, or cubic zirconium jewels. Regardless, they are still as unattractive and uninspired as Mitch McConnell at a healthcare fair. There is no arch support, certainly no finesse, and absolutely no sex appeal. Flip-flops have all the social dignity of mononucleosis.

Photo by sun ming on Unsplash

It’s fall, for Pete’s sake. And if proper clothing etiquette can demand turning up one’s nose at white after Labor Day, surely there is something to be said in the Hoyle’s Book of Fashion for these unsavory foot disasters. In this age of concern about white teeth, toned bodies, climate change, and clothes, we can’t be bothered to put on a pair of real shoes?

Plus, face it, toes are really fucking ugly.

Look, I don’t want to seem like a curmudgeon. I’m all for expressing yourself and looking like you just stepped off the fashion page. But let’s get something straight right now: flip-flops are not cool. They may be totally nifty at water areas, but when you are wearing them regularly as “your shoe,” then you need five gay men to come in and set you straight, or at least a friend to tell you how wrong you are for wearing them as habitual footwear.

Flip-flops are at the very root of our downfall. In order to have a sustainable society, you need a strong foundation. Otherwise, it’s just empty rhetoric; another dummy with gorgeous hair and teeth, but no stability. I’m just looking out for the best interest of Americans when I say this: take your power of pride and get some sneakers, or at least some loafers. Then we can once again come together as citizens and rally against this common enemy of our feet and our nation.

Now, let’s get cracking on that Crocs issue…

Note: Op-Eds are contributions from guest writers and do not reflect RVA Magazine editorial policy.

Top Photo by Dhruv Deshmukh on Unsplash

Bringing Slow Fashion To A Fast World

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In an era of cheap, disposable garments with shadowy origins, Richmond boutique Verdalina focuses on sustainability and personal connection.

“I love to look at the inside of clothes and see everything so beautifully finished,” said Deborah Boschen, owner of the clothing store Verdalina. “This is the stuff that excites me… I love something like this that’s crisp and classic.” 

As Deborah Boschen holds up and explains her current favorite pieces of clothing from her store, you can tell that she not only has valuable fashion experience but is also passionate about the clothes she is selling. 

Every piece inside of Verdalina has been carefully curated by Boschen and her team to present a clean and calming aesthetic that still is shockingly beautiful. With a variety of clothing ranging from simple and clean pieces made with linens and cotton to stunning sequined dresses, Verdalina has an undeniable wow-factor. 

Boschen has been working in retail for over 30 years, and Verdalina has been her passion for the last six years. Verdalina is a boutique clothing store located at the corner of Broad Street and North Monroe Street in the Richmond Arts District. 

Boschen was bit by the fashion bug when she was living in Los Angeles in 1980, and since then, all of her business adventures have been inspired by the emergence of small boutiques on Melrose Avenue. “I loved the idea of a speciality boutique that was intimate in that way, as opposed to going into a department store,” said Boschen.  

Upon moving back to Richmond in 1987, Boschen met Suzanne Hammes, the manager of The Pink Cadillac, a women’s clothing and gift boutique in Carytown. Together they began to plan the opening of their own women’s clothing store. When Hammes went to resign from The Pink Cadillac the owner offered to sell his store to them and they jumped on the offer.

Hammes, Boschen’s original business partner, sold her share to Libby Sykes in 1992, and Boschen and Sykes changed the name to Pink and continued to run their business out of that Carytown location. Over the 25 years Boschen was running Pink, she witnessed Carytown blossom into its current form. She also saw her own style grow and evolve. After leaving Pink, Boschen set her sights on a new emerging neighborhood for her next project. “I didn’t want to be back in Carytown,” said Boschen. “That felt like going backwards, in a way.”

When Verdalina opened in the Arts District almost six years ago, most of the neighborhood’s activity was coming from local art galleries. As with Carytown, the neighborhood has really evolved in the time she’s been there. “It was fun to be part of Carytown’s growth, and I thought this would be the same,” said Boschen. “And it has happened — retail has moved in, lots of restaurants have moved in, and I found this beautiful corner space with lots of light.” 

Boschen created her store for a particular type of customer. Verdalina has been designed to fit a more mature woman, and represents Boschen’s personal style and needs. Her ideal customer is typically older than 40. “She still looks good and wants to dress fashionable, but she has different needs than when she was younger,” said Boschen. “She wants her arms covered, she wants her legs covered.”

Boschen allows her personal taste to guide her as she goes to market looking for pieces to sell in her store. Boschen’s closet is entirely composed of clothing from Verdalina. 

In addition to her own instincts, she works with her team to determine what she should carry, and always keeps her best customers in mind. Verdalina’s customers are given Boschen’s cell phone number, and she keeps them updated with texts and pictures of new things coming into the store. She wants all of her customers to love what they buy and love wearing it.

Verdalina is not a store that follows trends; instead, it focuses on high quality and a “slow fashion” model. Fast fashion is cheap and rapidly produced clothing for mass production; slow fashion focuses on high-quality goods that last. Slow fashion is a more sustainable production model, and also allows designers to work directly with manufacturers. 

Boschen became aware of the stark contrasts between fast and slow fashion six years ago when she visited an H&M for the first time. She had come across a completely lined and tailored jacket being sold for $29 while her completely lined and tailored jackets at Pink were being sold at around $450. “I knew there was a problem,” she said. “Someone wasn’t getting paid, and I figured of course it has to be the workers. It shocked me, because I had never witnessed that.” 

The clothing sold at Verdalina all comes from sustainably-sourced brands. “I like clothes that are designed well, made well with the best textiles, and built to last,” Boschen said. “They’re not throw-away clothes.” 

Verdalina is located downtown in Richmond’s Arts District, at 325 W. Broad St. Follow them on instagram @verdalina, or see their online catalog at verdalina.com.

Photos by Emma North