CITY LIFE

Street View

Beyond advanced style

For this lifelong Chicagoan, fun and comfort are nonnegotiable.

By ISA GIALLORENZO

“Ikinda just threw this together,” says Gail Joanes, 73, while enjoying a sunny Saturday afternoon on the luxuriously fashionable Oak Street. “I went over to the Chicago History Museum, which I love, went to Twin Anchors for ribs, came back, and now I’m just shopping a bit, just relaxing,” she shares.

Though Joanes might seem cozy in her burgundy ensemble and modest in her charming demeanor, she defi nitely knows her threads. About to stroll into the Chanel boutique, that day she was sporting brands such as Oska, Givenchy, and Gucci. Right now Joanes is excited about Texan brand Magnolia Pearl, whose romantic garments have a timeworn look: “[It] is very different. Now as I grow older, I don’t have to conform to anything. I like to wear fun clothes. And they have to be comfortable, of course,” she says.

The relaxed and contemporary feel in Joanes’s outfit really makes her stand out. She bypasses many of the stereotypes associated with stylish folks in her age bracket. She doesn’t resort to eccentricity or polished elegance—not that there’s anything wrong with that—and ends up composing a look that any fashionista of our time would be happy to emulate.

I don’t mean to brag about our city, but Joanes has the kind of easygoing yet savvy style that only the streets of Chicago can produce. Born and raised on the north side, Joanes says that what she saw in her hometown while doing commercials and working o ce jobs informed her taste.

“I remember wearing gloves downtown with my grandmother in the 50s and 60s. Everything was pretty stringent. Now it’s just whatever makes you feel good. You can put together anything and it all works,” she celebrates. v

@chicagolooks

ISA GIALLORENZO

e Negro Motorist Green Book is an exhibition that highlights the history and legacy of “ e Green Book,” the annual guide that provided Black Americans with information on restaurants, gas stations, department stores, and other businesses that welcomed Black travelers during the Jim Crow era.

Closes April 23

Monday Night Foodball

the Reader’s weekly chef pop-up series, now at Ludlow Liquors. Follow the chefs, @chicago_reader, and @mikesula on Instagram for weekly menu drops, ordering info, updates, and the stories behind Chicago’s most exciting foodlums.

March 27: You better believe it’s Better Boy

@betterboychicago

April 3: Irreverent cheese + charcuterie with Immortal Milk @_immortalmilk

Held Me Down

Everything that I see now, I take it all with stride

Hella shots to my pride

Helicopters outside

New outlook on life, new life for my tribe

Big brother got son, lil sister found god

Everything on my side

Everything feel like everything nigga everything is alright

Everything is all mine

Wedding ring for my bride

These days I just cry now, carry everything on my side

I still ain’t got to my “why” cus the worst days I’m laugh happy, who’d a thought I make dad happy?

Who’d a thought I make my mom smile?

Everything is all God

It’s my shoulders they lean on My songs that they sing on

Lil Luqqy that guy, uncle gave me that nod

Auntie gave me that name

Came through with my white Benz and my auntie told me don’t change

She still look at me the same

Hard head who don’t know better

Big head that ain’t grow with him

Everybody can’t go with him

Everybody can’t go with him

By Kayo

Kayo, 24, is a South Side native and rising musician making a name for himself in Chicago’s everchanging creative community. His unique sound and story-telling skills are undeniable, specifically on his recently released debut album, “It Was Fun While It Lasted.” Featuring a song for every type of listener, this diverse body of work features rap, R&B, and even a children’s choir. Kayo’s work and merchandise lives at Southside Blue Hearts, the creative house he founded.

Poem curated by Chima “Naira” Ikoro. Naira is an interdisciplinary writer from the South Side of Chicago. She is a Columbia College Chicago alum, a teaching artist at Young Chicago Authors, and South Side Weekly’s Community Builder. Alongside her friends, Naira co-founded Blck Rising, a mutual aid abolitionist collective created in direct response to the ongoing pandemic and 2020 uprisings.

A biweekly series curated by the Chicago Reader and sponsored by the Poetry Foundation.

Free Programming from the Poetry Foundation!

Hours

Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: 11:00 AM–4:00 PM

Thursday: 11:00 AM–7:00 PM

Copper Canyon 50th Anniversary Celebration (Hybrid)

Join us for the Chicago celebration of Copper Canyon Press’s 50th Anniversary with readings and a panel discussion featuring Copper Canyon authors Chris Abani, Tishani Doshi, Alison C. Rollins, Arthur Sze, and Javier Zamora, and executive editor Michael Wiegers.

Reading: Thursday, March 23, 2023, 7:00 PM

Panel: Saturday, March 25, 2023, 2:00 PM

Poetry & Grief Reading (Hybrid)

Join us for a reading with Raquel Salas Rivera and Angel Dominguez as part of the Poetry Coalition’s annual nationwide programming series.

Thursday, March 30, 2023, 7PM

Learn more at PoetryFoundation.org