Get to Know Her: Angi Taylor of Fred and Angi in the Morning, 103.5 KISS FM

Posted on October 9, 2015 by heidy

I’m so excited that my good friend Jill (www.jessandjill.com) and I are going together to the Green Tie Ball this weekend. We are looking forward to supporting Chicago Gateway Green as well as getting into the Studio54 theme. This week we had the opportunity to catch up with one of the emcees for the night, Angi Taylor from 103.5 KISS FM. Check out some her favorite spots around Chicago and get your tickets to party along side her Saturday night.

Heidy & Jill: We’re so excited for you [and Fred] emcee this year’s Green Tie Ball! Why is this event important to you?

Angi: Chicago is, to me, the most beautiful city in America. Any time people visit for the first time, you’ll always hear “it’s so clean here!” I’m a supporter of the beautification of our city, and we Chicagoans have so much city pride, so Gateway Green’s initiatives are something I’m proud to get behind.

Heidy & Jill: You are one of our favorite voices on the air. At what age did you know this is what you wanted to do?

Angi: Thank you for that! You’re one of my favorite blogs *air kisses*! I honestly fell backwards into radio through a college internship. I knew entertainment was my place from a very young age, but radio was never a thought until I saw that I could still be ME and entertain. What started as just college credit turned into my passion on the first day.

Heidy & Jill: How did you get your start?

Angi: Working in a nightclub as a bartender I met the local radio star who offered me that internship during my first semester of college. After 6 months as an intern I got my first small market job in St. Cloud, MN and never went back.

Heidy & Jill: Wow that sounds like you were in the right place at the right time. Do you have a piece of advice for those trying to break into the business?

Angi: Network, network, network. Go to radio conventions, send emails to those you respect for advice, and if you’re in college- get an internship!

Heidy & Jill: What has been your most memorable career experience?

Angi: Becoming the youngest female morning host at my first major-market radio station (KDWB-Minneapolis, at 22 yrs. old), was a big point of pride for me! Also getting this job in Chicago… I grew up in Minneapolis, so to make it here was all I ever wanted. I never had NY or LA aspirations, it was always “when I get to Chicago, I’m there to stay because then I’ve made it.”

Heidy & Jill: If you could have anyone on the show, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you ask?

Angi: This is such a loaded question. This might not be the answer you were looking for, but I lost my grandfather last year to Alzheimer’s, and I’d probably have him on to ask him everything I never had the chance to ask while his health was declining. He lived an amazing life and by the time I wanted to dig deep, he couldn’t remember things. I guess that’s an answer for ME, but other wise I’d have on Notorious B.I.G. and ask him “Who Shot Ya?”

Heidy & Jill: Besides this year’s “Studio 54” theme the night will also incorporate a number of charitable casino gaming tables from Roulette, Blackjack to Craps. What table are you planning on hitting up?

Angi: I love Blackjack and will hit a table for sure, but I should just throw my money at them and walk away because I suck. My husband is a craps guy, and he’s good… so there’s the balance.

Heidy & Jill: The Green Tie Ball is always known for its great performers and DJs – this year is no exception. What song(s) do you want to hear played Saturday night?

Angi: I want some Studio54-era disco for sure! I also love anything current I can dance to. And a girl always likes to dance to songs we know the lyrics to… then we’re in our own music video on the dance floor!

Heidy & Jill: When you’re not working, what are you listening to?

Angi: I love top40, everything we play at KISS-FM, but I’m a hard-core hip-hop fan. Love soul and R&B too.

Heidy & Jill: We love your hair! Where do you get your hair done in Chicago?

Angi: I have a secret weapon! My hair fairy is Jes Mateja and she happens to be the girlfriend of our night jock Rufio, so I’m spoiled in that she’ll make house calls. She is so funky and creative, that going from Kardashian hair to Miley Cyrus hair was a fun experience… it could have been tragic with the wrong stylist!

Heidy & Jill: What are some of your go-to spots when getting ready for these types of events?

Angi: Cusp, Intermix, any boutique in Wicker Park, and tons online: ASOS, Nasty Gal, Shopbop, GILT (for shopping).

Love Kasha at Aniko for waxing/facials, LOVE Leslie at the Liposuction & Cosmetic Surgery Institute in the Gold Coast for a needle prick here and there, and of course Jes for my hair!

Last but not least…
Heidy & Jill: Where can we find you “recovering” on Sunday?

Angi: There’s no place like home and a Lou’s pizza (g-free!) for recovery, but I also love to bum around at flea markets on the weekends – Randolph Street Market gets half my money. I’m a novice “Flea Market Flipper!”

What to Wear: Green Tie Ball

Posted on October 8, 2015 by heidy

Green Tie Ball is Chicago Gateway Green’s biggest fundraising event. The infamous gala, returning each year with a new and exciting theme, raises money for Chicago Gateway Green’s Expressway Partnership Program, which creates and maintains beautiful, sustainable landscapes along Chicago’s major expressways thereby reducing air and noise pollution and landscaping the gateways into the city’s communities. With the Green Tie Ball just a few days away it’s time to start planning your look for the Studio54 themed charity event. Here are a few of my favorite options for this Saturday’s event. Don’t have tickets? Click here.

Cushnie Et Ochs dress; $1495 Intermix

Nicholas EXCLUSIVE Cut Out Back dress; $698 Intermix

mason by michelle mason EXCLUSIVE Lace Bottom Ponte dress: $568 Intermix

Alexis “Amadeo” jumpsuit with detachable cape; $550 Cusp

Runway Cara bootie; $262.50 orig $375 BCBG

Badgley Mischka “Kiara” Crystal Back Open Toe Pump; $245 Nordstrom

Skirting the Issue: Day and Night

Posted on June 4, 2015 by heidy

I’m constantly being asked how to transform certain pieces from day into night because of budget, closet space or jobs that require after hours events that require quick changes before leaving the office. Believe it or not it’s easier than you think. Most of the time it doesn’t even require an additional shopping trip. The items you’re looking for are probably hidden in your closet. If you plan on going out for drinks straight from the office then it’s all about planning a couple of easy accessory changes so you can log out of your computer and meet up with friends or clients sooner rather than later. If you’re a woman on a budget it’s even more important when you’re shopping to make sure that majority of the items you’re buying can be worn for more than one time of day. I typically start with one piece that I can create an entire outfit around. Once I have the daytime look put together I try and find the least amount changes required to wear it into the evening or in some cases making it more casual for a weekend look. Check out my day to night look below for a little outfit inspiration of your own. If you need more assistance email me at heidy@beclothesminded.com to book a styling session at home or one of my favorite stores.

Heading to the office:

Happy Hour:

“By switching a top and some of the accessories an outfit can easily be worn into the evening and on the weekend. It’s all about making simple changes with items you already own to create new and fun looks.” -Heidy

Get to Know Him: Graham Kostic

Posted on May 29, 2015 by heidy

I’m inspired on a daily basis by other creative minds changing how I look at fashion, lifestyle, even planning unique getaways. One of the people I’m most inspired by is Graham Kostic. I met Graham several years ago when he was working for CS Magazine. I thought he had such a cool look and was one of the nicest people in Chicago. He has since become the creative and editorial director for one of the most innovative online fashion websites GlossedandFound.com. Graham took time out of his schedule to sit down and chat about his fashion philosophy, the must have item in his closet, and explained why you should think twice before accepting a free haircut.

Get to Know Him: Graham Kostic; Creative + Editorial Director, GlossedandFound.com

photographed by Tim Musho

What neighborhood do you live in?

West Town

What does a typical weekday look like for you?

My office is a constant rotation. Sometimes, I’m perched at my kitchen island putting the finishing touches on an issue. Or in studio where we’ll be shooting our latest fashion editorial. Or perhaps setting up a G&F event.

What do you like to do on the weekend?

I try my hardest not to work at all on the weekends. And because of that, the weekends are a real gem.

What charities or organizations are you involved in?

G&F is a partner with Project Onward, a nonprofit studio and gallery for professional artists with mental and developmental disabilities. Throughout the year, G&F hosts various events to raise awareness and funds for the Bridgeport-based studio. One of my favorite ways the brands intersected to showcase Project Onward was in an editorial shoot last Fall which featured work by artist Bill Douglas who re-imagined what we shot in collage-form. The results were stunning and I was so proud of the story.

Favorite stores or online retailers to shop at:

My favorite obsession are the stretch button-downs at Scotch & Soda.

What accessory can you never have enough of?

Pouches! They’re useful. They’re chic. And they keep you organized. What’s not to love?

What do you feel the most comfortable in?

a) JEANS + A T-SHIRT

b) Athletic wear

c) Suit and tie

d) Birthday suit

How long does it take you to get ready?

15 minutes. And that feels too long sometimes.

What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?

Two come right to mind. Just recently, a woman in some crystal shop told me that I had “crazy good energy.” That made me feel really great. Another time, a man told me that in my past life, I was a very powerful shaman who was a healer to a lot of people. Subsequently, because I did so much good in that life, the purpose of my life now was purely for beauty. Granted, he told me this at 3AM at some bar—but who wouldn’t be flattered by such a late night benediction?!

Do you have personal philosophy on fashion? If so, what is it?

Keep it simple.

You could teach a lot of men about style but is there any fashion trend you wish you hadn’t tried?

When I was in high school, I was approached by a salon to come in and get a free cut and color and to be photographed for their advertising campaign. A sucker for the spotlight, I happily agreed. They dyed it bleach blonde and gave me an asymmetrical cut. I remember leaving and walking up Michigan Avenue thinking I was a rock star as I was turning so many heads. It wasn’t until I looked in the mirror at Union Station on my way back to my parent’s house in the burbs that I realized how ridiculous I looked.

I think we’ve all had that one haircut that made us want to run and hide.

Switching gears a little, one of my favorite aspects of G&F are your travel issues. How did that become an important part of the site?

My husband and I travel a lot, so it’s been a natural progression that G&F has been shooting more travel features. This past year, we jetted down to Miami Beach to uncover some gems in the Mid-Beach area. And last year, we spent a week in Nashville to check out Music City. Currently, on site, we’ve prepped up with a travel issue to Nantucket and Cape Cod. There is no pretense when we travel—the joy of finding interesting people doing cool things is fundamental in creating memorable experiences that really unlock the spirit of the area we’re covering.

Favorite vacation destination(s):

I love Sedona and the American Southwest (see earlier comments about crystals and past lives).

After a long and cold winter what are you most looking forward to wearing this Spring/Summer?

My Birkenstocks. Without socks.