Wink September Issue by Wink Magazine

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EDITOR: ALICIA ZEIGLER Editor@winkcolumbia.com MANAGING EDITOR: ALERICK ZEIGLER Alerick@winkcolumbia.com ARTS DIRECTOR: TANARIC WATTS Tanaric@winkcolumbia.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: KATE HEATON KH@Winkcolumbia.com SENIOR WRITER/COLUMNIST: SUMMER BRONS Summer@winkcolumbia.com DearCarrie@winkcolumbia.com FITNESS WRITER: STEPHANIE A. NYE Stephanie@WinkColumbia.com COLUMNIST/WRITER: TREVOR BARATKO Trevor@winkcolumbia.com BEAUTY EDITOR: DANA WELLS Dana@Winkcolumbia.com Beauty@winkcolumbia.com RESTAURANT REVIEWS: AMY NUNAMAKER Amy@winkcolumbia.com FASHION EDITOR: KIALEAH SUMPTER Fashion@winkcolumbia.com CONTRIBUTOR: EMILIE JOHNSTON Emilie@winkcolumbia.com COLUMNIST: NATHALIE GREGG Nathalie@winkcolumbia.com PHOTOGRAPHER: ERIC NICKELS Eric@winkcolumbia.com Cover Photography: Clifton Parker

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WINKING AT MISSS FAUNTLEROY’S BOU-

DEAR CARRIE : JEALOUSY EDITION LINDSEY MILLS PHOTOGRAPHY TRAVIS TEATE PHOTOGRAPHY STREET STYLE WITH TREVOR BARATKO IS HE A BAD BOY OR BAD IDEA? CLIFTON PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY LUXURIOUS AT HOME PEDICURE STYLE QUIZ KIALEAH SUMPTER INTERVIEW WITH NATHALIE GREGG WINK FEATURE : JOSH RATLIFF

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WINKing at Miss Fauntleroy's Boutique - by Summer Brons

Equal Opportunity Glamour

oing her part to bring beauty to the masses, Airica Jones, owner of Miss Fauntleroy's Boutique, has a special affinity for all things fabulous. What started as an outlet to share fun accessories with other women has rapidly expanded into a full-scale fashion shop.

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“It shouldn’t be a struggle to find quality, fashionable clothing.”

“...offering fantastic shoes in generous sizes.”

nclined towards wearable design since childhood, Airica first began sewing fabric by hand with the careful guidance of her grandmother, a skilled seamstress. Her love for fashion and accessories followed her into adulthood, and Airica fell in love with designing jewelry and tracking down unique pieces wherever she can find them. Spurred on by the compliments and inquiries from other women as to where she found her eye-catching adornments, Airica launched Miss Fauntleroy three years ago, selling both her own jewelry designs and those of others.

rmed with degrees in both business and marketing, Airica had the savvy know-how to take her shop to the next level. Today, Miss Fauntleroy's Boutique offers everything from exclusive jewelry to favorites like handbags, scarves, sunglasses and hair accessories. Further still, like most women, Airica

loves few things more than a snazzy shoe, so she set her sights on a special goal: offering fantastic shoes in generous sizes. "It can be difficult to find cute shoes in sizes ten or larger," she explained, committed to her cause. You'll find a tempting menu of everything from flats to platform pumps, inviting all price ranges from the easily affordable to the "I'm totally saving up for those and they're totally going to be worth every penny."

fashionable clothing." Inspired by the likes of Gwen Stefani and Mary J. Blige, Airica's clothing promises to be edgy, trendy and completely envyworthy.

To WINK at Miss Fauntleroy's Boutique for yourself, visit missfauntleroy.com.

irica's vision for plus-size fashion is about to take another exciting turn with the launch of her clothing line in spring of 2012. Designing most of the clothes herself, Airica looks forward to transforming her sketches into reality. "People expect plus-size women to be comfortable wearing a muumuu or something with a loud floral print in an attempt to be 'stylish.' That is unacceptable. It shouldn't be a struggle to find quality,

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JEALOUSYEDITION Q

: Dear Carrie,

My best friend recently got engaged to her boyfriend of a year and has asked me to be her maid of honor. Of course I’m thrilled for her, but I’m also more than a little jealous. My friend has never expressed any real interest in getting married, whereas I want nothing more than to become someone’s wife. She’s so nonchalant about the wedding and it’s hard for me to help her with these tasks when I feel like it should be ME. Any advice on how to deal?

-Jealous in Jeans

: Dear Jealous,

Please do me a favor and get over yourself. Resenting your best friend because she beat you to the alter is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard. Either suck it up, put a smile on your face and help her plan her happy day, or be honest and tell her it’s too much for you to deal with. It sounds like you need to do a little soulsearching and figure out why you’re so obsessed with the idea of getting married.

-Carrie

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Please do me a favor and get over yourself.

: Dear Carrie,

One of my boyfriend’s closest friends is a girl. I wouldn’t consider this a big problem, but this chick is an ex-girlfriend of his. They dated for three years and had been broken up for about four years prior to him getting together with me. I know that’s long enough I shouldn’t be concerned, but I just can’t help feeling a little twinge when I see them together. I know they used to have sex, they used to love each other...it’s just weird for me. The three of us hang out a lot and I feel like a third wheel with my own boyfriend because this girl knows him better than I do and they have far more history together. I don’t want to be the girlfriend who tries to force him to chose between me and a friend, but I really hate feeling like this. Help?

-He’s Mine Now

: Dear Mine,

Have you tried having a conversation with your boyfriend about this? You’re right, you can’t issue ultimatums, but it’s possible that he doesn’t realize how uncomfortable he’s making you. If they’ve been broken up for longer than they dated in the first place, I highly doubt you have anything to worry about. They’ve had more than enough time to patch things up if that’s where this was headed. Tell him how you feel and explain that you want to be more involved with their friendship, but you find it hard to feel included when they’re rehashing inside jokes and talking about things you weren’t around for. Communication is key! Good luck.

-Carrie

: Dear Carrie,

”

I used to have a sexual relationship with a guy that I still see out and about on a regular basis. We met in a bar, got along really well, flirted for several weeks and finally went home together one night. We both agreed that we weren’t looking for a relationship, so we decided on a “friends with benefits” arrangement. We hooked up regularly for about three months before things kind of fizzled out. I pretended to be okay with it, but I’ve recently realized that I must have developed some feelings for him. It drives me crazy to see him and not go home with him later, and it’s even worse when I see other women hitting on him. Should I tell him how I feel or just let it go?

-Longing in Lexington

: Dear Longing,

Are you sure you actually have real feelings for this guy, or could it be a case of proximity infatuation? Do you think about him throughout your normal days, or are you just antsy when he’s at the same bar and you notice another chick getting a little too close? If you’re jealous because you feel like these other girls are encroaching on your “territory,” perhaps you should find a different watering hole until the envy subsides. If, on the other hand, you do have a genuine desire for this person and would like to see what happens, then sure, why not tell him? The worst he can do is say no, and you’ll at least be able to stop wondering “what if.”

-Carrie

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JEALOUSYEDITION Q

: Dear Carrie,

Is it worth staying in a relationship with a jealous man? I’ve been dating someone for about eight months and he hates it when I hang out with anyone other than him, even if it’s just my female friends. He also checks my phone constantly and calls me multiple times throughout the day. He’s been like this from the beginning. It’s annoying, but I feel like he might calm down once he earns my trust. Am I wasting my time?

-Smothered and Covered

: Dear Smothered,

You didn’t give any detail about how your relationship is aside from the jealousy, so my biggest question is how you’ve tolerated this for eight months already. I only see his behavior getting worse from here. You’ve been perpetuating the problem by putting up with it, which makes me think there’s a bit of a co-dependency issue here, too. In a relationship as unhealthy as this one, I would say that YES, you are wasting your time.

-Carrie

: Dear Carrie,

I recently got engaged to my boyfriend of two years. I love him dearly and I am very happy, but I do have one small problem: I still can’t stop thinking about my ex. I left my ex in order to date my nowfiancé, and I think part of me still feels like there are loose ends. Although he has a girlfriend of his own and seems completely fine without me, I can’t help but wonder what might have been. What should I do?

-Confused in Cayce

: Dear Confused,

Two words: move on. If there’s been two years and an engagement ring since you dated this guy, you’ve had plenty of time to reconsider. Although I would advise you to leave your ex alone completely, I do suggest you figure out what you want prior to tying the knot with your fiancé. Whether you left your ex for this guy or not is irrelevant; you made your decision and that should be all the closure you need. Focus your energy on deciding whether you actually want to get married, not on wondering what some guy from two years ago is up to.

-Carrie

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Lindsey Mills Photography started in October of 2008...

It has been a whirlwind of excitement, and more than I could have imagined it would be! I adore shooting newborns, kids, couples & brides...but I will try to accomplish anything. Commercial assignments are probably my favorite, because I love using my imagination and creativity. I opened a new studio in November of 2010, and it has been such a huge accomplishment for me...I love it there! Stop by and see me sometime! If Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not working, you can usually find me at the pool, water park, or out on a boat, hanging out with my husband and kids. Lindsey Mills Photography www.lindseymillsphotography.com 3087 Deville Street Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

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Who is Travis Teate?

Travis Teate is a photographer, artist, and prolific storyteller. From iconic images such as The Red Collection for LUXE and The Blue Campaign for Blue Cross Blue Shield, Travis Teate is admired for his breath taking works of art. His ability to capture the very essence of a subject and turn it into a masterpiece is uncanny! From restaturant spreads to fashion/model portfolios he takes the viewer on a journey that brings his work to life while catering to clients who demand creativity and striking images to set them apart. He was born July, 18 1983 but he became enamored with photography a few years ago. It was the end of summer of 2007 that he decided to explore his talent.

Who inspires him?

Travis Teate’s avant-garde style of photography is greatly influenced by the works of fashion photographer Steven Meisel and the iconic Annie Leibovitz. Every Travis Teate photograph looks like an elaborate stage production or a movie scene from the film noir genre. He has the ability to take the viewer into the middle of a story, making them put together the beginning as well as question the outcome.

What is he best know for?

Pushing the limits and telling a story with his photos while adding depth and meaning to photography and being to make something beautiful.

What’s next?

Teate is in the process of collaborating with artist Ryan Keeley in NYC who currently has two of Travis’s photographs from The Red Collection in his gallery. At the end of the summer, he hopes to establish a presence in Miami, FL, where he has numerous shoots booked with stylists as well as a few big name clients!

For Bookings Contact: Camille Key at Camille@chs365. com Full time Commercial, Fashion, Dance, and Portrait photography services offered. Mr. Teate’s studio is located at 701 Whaley St.

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SS1

et’s be honest, Meredith here could probably get away with wearing anything she damn well pleases – lion-faced sweatshirts, cargo jeans, jumpsuits … nothing (sorry, wishful thinking). But as a manager at Bohemian in Five Points, Columbia, she’s sure to always rock an eye-grabbing look. Here she is with skinny blue jeans, a droopy tank and killer pair of specs.

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his out-of-towner from Detroit keeps it cool and simple in the Southern heat with a soft flowing dress that fades from white into a burnt brown. Yup, we approve of the dress, but we’d rather take the Benz.

SS3 i

SS4 <group>

t doesn’t get more South Carolina than these two charming, professional women, one of whom actually snatched her outfit at the aforementioned Bohemian. Ah, blondes in the South. Life is beautiful, indeed.

SS5

hile there’s nothing extraordinary in the fashion here, how do you walk by this gorgeous family and not take a picture? The mother reluctantly agreed after saying she “just rolled out of bed.” I have a striking suspicion most women envy anyone who rolls out of bed and looks like this.

ry, just try, to look at Vanessa and not say, “precious.” Even in her work attire she’s the doll you just want to squeeze. Easy black jeans and an interesting yellow shaded top. Asked to talk about her style, “I’ve been wearing the same clothes that I’ve been traveling with for the last six months,” she says. It works, my dear.

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Steve O from “Jack Ass” - Photo by Clifton Parker

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WHAT HE’LL DO WHEN YOU…

IS HE A BAD BOY ...OR A BAD IDEA? IF HE’S A BAD BOY

IF HE’S A BAD IDEA

FIRST MEET

Don’t get mad if he flirts with every pretty girl in the room. Have patience if he doesn’t give you all the attention you want. Just because he’s armed with a sleeve of tattoos and dons a smug expression doesn’t mean that you don’t have to earn his interest. It’s a good thing if you have to do a little work, because it’s a sign that not just anybody will cut the mustard for him.

Believe it or not, you’re in big trouble if he doesn’t pay attention to any other girl than you. Bad ideas choose their women like a florist chooses a vase: they want a round mouth, a slender neck, and a bulbous base. That’s all fine and dandy if you’re a vase, but if you’re a woman, the standards are painfully low. The fact that he’s keeping his eyes glued to you is evidence that he doesn’t even have enough sense—or any intentions— to shop around.

GO OUT FOR THE DRINKS

So he drinks like a frat boy, but at the very least he’ll offer to pay for you to drink like a sorority girl. He may suddenly want to continue drinking at the beach afterwards, or ask you to be the look out while he tags the side of a building; but you can be sure he’ll give you a running start if the cops come.

If you like to plan ahead, chances are you’ll have difficulty trying to set a concrete date and time to get together. Bad ideas like to wait until the last minute. You should probably be concerned if he starts picking up other people’s abandoned beverages for his own enjoyment. Oh, and don’t be surprised if he acts like he’s going to pay for you, but then doesn’t.

HE’S AROUND YOUR FRIENDS

Once again, stay cool if he flirts a little. He’s only trying to turn on the charm to win over his most critical judges. Then again, he may also be trying to make you mildly jealous, but that’s to be expected of a bad boy.

Bad ideas flirt, too. A lot. And it’s not because they’re trying to get your friends to like them so much as they’re trying to get your friends to sleep with them. If, on the other hand, he doesn’t talk at all, it’s probably because he doesn’t care about earning their approval.

SAY NO TO SEX

If he’s really into you, he’ll wait around. Sure, he may feel the sting of rejection, but he will have gained a newfound sense of respect for you. Furthermore, you’ll have demonstrated that you don’t just give yourself up to anybody, something that all men—whether they’re bad boys, bad ideas, or solidly nice guys—can appreciate.

Alright, ladies, get ready for this one. The most common thing for a bad idea to do is not call you back. And good riddance! But, if he sticks around, don’t let his angelic patience fool you. He’ll probably just keep taking you to concerts, parties, and bars—places with abundant sources of inebriating substances—until you give in. Of course, the most sure-fire way to tell if he’s bad news is if he begins to ignore your existence after the deed is done.

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lifton Parker is an artist versed and established in many mediums. He has worked on as a musician on stage, appeared on screen, and worked in the studio pursuing his artistic endeavors. His work has varied from performing in front of the lens and microphone to being behind the camera and mixing board. Clifton draws from these experiences in the music and fashion industries and incorporates them into his work creating a unique photographic vision filled with raw, playful beauty with sensual overtones. With these strong influences and unique visions, Clifton produces an eclectic and incomparable body of work in the fields of fashion, editorial, product, and advertising photography. Clifton has lived and worked in markets as creatively diverse as NYC, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Paris.Â His studies of the arts have taken place at the University of South Carolina, Coastal Carolina University, Tokyo Denki University in Japan, and Focus Fashion Photography in Paris. His photography has appeared in numerous galleries and publications, as well as countless commissions by commercial clients throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia, and in 2009 Clifton won the International Aperture Gold Award. And most recently in 2010, he won a Gold and Bronze Addy for his work with Grand Strand Magazine and Adams Outdoor. Clifton currently shares his time between his homes in Myrtle Beach, SC and Brooklyn, NY where he spends his time doing photography, playing in bands or the doing the occasional live Dj set, as well as restoring his 1968 Norton Fastback cafeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; racer or riding his 1973 Moto Guzzi Eldorado police motorcycle.

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CLIFTON PARKER Cliftonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clients for print and advertising include Swarovski Crystals, Vh-1, Kaufmanfranco, Target, Blenhiemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ginger Ale, Sephora, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Patrick McMullan Company, La Verdad Records, Architek One Records, 944 Magazine, Riviera Magazine, Flaunt Magazine, Essence Magazine, The Boulevard Magazine, W25 Magazine, National Diabetes Association, Elle Girl, as well as many others. Celebrities that Clifton has photographed include the likes of Steve O, Patrick McMullan, Manuela Feris, Anthony Michael Hall, Tony Darrow, Joe Gannascoli, Alepho Deng, Jackie Newgent, Sam Champion, and Adrienne Bailon, just to name a few.

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Luxurious At-Home Pedicure by Dana Wells

Caring for your feet is not only important during the warmer months when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re most likely to be seen, but year-round. In just 30 minutes a week, you can pamper yourself while saving up to $200 a month! 1.

Soak: Place your feet in large plastic bowl of warm water infused with an essential oil or foot soak. After 15 minutes of soaking, remove and lightly dry your feet with a dry, clean towel. Try: Tea Tree Oil Foot Soak by Earth Theropeutics

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Soften: Apply a cuticle softener, wait a minute or two then very gently push back your cuticles using an orangewood stick. Be sure not to push your cuticles back too far, as you may damage your nail bed. Try: Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover

Smooth: Soak a pumice stone or foot scrubber in warm water for about a minute; then gently rub the dead skin off the soles of your feet, leaving them soft and smooth. Try: Tweezerman Pink Pedro Callus Stone

4. Exfoliate: Massage your feet with an exfoliate, rinse, then apply a rich moisturizer cream for extra softness. Try: Freeman Bare Foot Peppermint & Plum Self Warming Foot Scrub

5. Polish: Apply

Essie “Iced Chai Latte”

your polish from the bottom of your nail to the tips, starting in the center, then working your way out to the sides. Be sure not to let the polish get on your cuticles or skin. Try these gorgeous colors to put some pep in your pedi!

Orly “Orange Punch”

6. Finishing Touches: After applying your polish, take a Q-tip dipped in polish remover and remove any polish mistakes you may have made. Then slip on you trendiest sandals of the season and show off your work!

Polish Prep:

Before applying polish, gently wipe any excess oil or cream residue off your nails and separate your toes using a toe separator. Try: Sephora

China Glaze “Rich and Famous”

OPI “Panda-monium Pink”

China Glaze “Refresh Mint”

Collection Bling Toe Separator, www.sephora.com

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StyleQuiz In efforts to recreate your style for fall: figure what is your “Style Aesthetic” Take this short Style Quiz and begin to build your closets!

BEGIN QUIZ HERE

1. You are most comfortable in A. long, flowing maxi dresses. B. cable-knit sweaters. C. a revealing bikini. D. the latest trends. E. a white button-down shirt and dark denim. F. a track suit. 2. When not working, you feel most like yourself A. in a romantic vacation spot. B. Playing squash at the “Country Club”. C. on the beach. D. Cities like NY, LA, Miami. E. Hosting an intimate dinner party at home. F. Playing soccer mom with the children. 3. Your accessory of choice is A. an armful of gold bangles. B. a strand of pearls. C. a beach bag. D. A Louis Vuitton, Fendi, or Prada bag. E. “Jackie O” sunglasses. F. a diaper bag. 4. The perfect everyday shoe for you is A. Rainbow flip-flops. B. Leather loafers. C. barefoot. D. Any type of heel*they have to be heels*. E. flats. F. sneakers. 5. You tend to wear A. mostly white. B. lots of navy blue. C. bright colors. D. head-to-toe black. E. anything neutral. F. dark colors.

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NOW THE RESULTS

Evaluating your style quiz answers

Now that you’ve taken our style quiz, find out who you are and how to define your look. If your answers fall mostly in the A’s, B’s, C’s, or so on, you fall pretty neatly into one of six groups, outlined in the following sections.

Mostly A’s:— The Bohemian

Mostly B’s:— The Prep

Mostly C’s:— The Surfer Girl

Bohemian is a style of fashion that draws mostly from the hippie influence. Bohemians love to wear long skirts, romantic tops, skirts, and dresses. You tend toward looking casual, yet pretty. Most of your clothes can go from day to night. You look like you just walked off the beach, no matter what time it is, because you have a relaxed, easy vibe about you.

Most Preps are conservative, neat, pay very close attention to detail, and tend to be very uniform. Preps love to wear polo shirts and crisp khakis or shorts. You are likely to be seen in shorts at the country club during the day and pants at the evening barbeque. The cable knit sweater/ or cardigan is a staple of your wardrobe.

If you answered “C” to all or almost all the questions, you are the surfer girl. Your No. 1 priority is how big the waves are. You don’t care what’s going on in the real world. Your world is the beach. Your outfit of choice is a bikini and a beach bag.

Your color palette includes white, offwhite, earth tones, brown, and “beachy” colors like turquoise and coral.

Your color palette is navy blue, kelly green, and pink — all paired with crisp white, if not one another. Your wardrobe is also filled with bold prints, such as plaid, madras, and argyle, for when you’re in the mood to be noticed. The prep look is totally “old school” yet multigenerational and current as well.

Your color palette is red, yellow, and blue — all paired with sand or off-white. The bright colors are reminiscent of all the beautiful foliage in Hawaii.

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Mostly D’s:— The Fashionista If you answered “D” to all or almost all the question. You’re a fashionista! You love the big cities like NY, Miami, or LA. You feel naked without your heels *any type of heels*. You love to dress up, be in all the latest trends, and wear all designer names. You know which pieces to spend your money on and how to make the whole look appear expensive. You never miss an issue of Vogue, Elle, Lucky, Glamour or Harper’s Bazaar. Your color palette is black paired with the color of the moment, which is, of course, “the new black.”

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Mostly E’s:— The Classic You’re in group 5 if the letter E came up the most, which makes you a total classic. You have an easy way about dressing and are always put together and chic. You stick very close to the basics. You can buy your clothes at Gap or on Madison Avenue, or a combination — after all, a classic is a classic. Your wardrobe consists of white button-down shirts, jeans and slacks, the perfect black blazer, the perfect little black dress, and a fabulous trench coat or two. You also have a drawer full of beautiful scarves and a closet full of gorgeous purses. Your color palette is denim, white, and black, with splashes of color here and there in the form of an accessory such as a scarf or purse. Clothing is basically neutral in color. The ultimate example of a classic is, of course, Jackie O.

Mostly F’s:— The Suburbanite If you answered mostly F’s, you are a suburbanite. You have a casual lifestyle outside the big city. You spend most of your time being a caretaker, but you do make time for an exercise class at the gym, or a 3 mile run outside. A cute Juicy Couture Tracksuit is your claim to fame during the day . If an evening activity comes up, a quick change to slacks or jeans, a cardigan or t-shirt will suffice for you. Your color palette consists of darker colors like navy, gray, and black. These colors are flattering and slimming and don’t show stains or wear and tear from all your daily activity.

If your answers did not fit a particular category then you are in the “Plain Jane Category”. Plain Jane most likely does not have a defining “style”. Your usual uniform is whatever fits the occasion. The easiest way to change this is to examine how you picture yourself and where you see yourself in life. There is always room for improvement!

Remember although The Style Quiz was fun; remember fashion does not always have to be in categories. This quiz was built to give you insight into your personal taste. Hope you had fun! Happy Shopping Wink Beauties.

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7509-D Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia SC 29209 (In the East Pointe Plaza across from Walmart)

Always seeking new models, actors and clients Auditions Every Saturday at 2pm New clients receive 20% discount on hiring our talent 12/31/11 when you mention this ad (promo code: FFSWINK159 EXP Exp:6/15/11) VOTED BEST MODELING AGENCY IN COLUMBIA 2010

Clients Include: Army Wives, Touchstone Pictures,Wink Magazine, Vampire Diaries, Charleston Fashion Week, Charlotte Fashion Week, Wild Honey Media, CBS College Sports, Elite Mktg, Ecoloblue Water, Wow Productions, and many more local, egional and national clients!

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Interview with Nathalie Gregg -

author of Leading in Stilettos A: This is Alicia here with Nathalie Gregg, author of Leading in Stilettos. How are you doing today? N: Doing great, Alicia, how are you? A: Good, good, good! So, tell me about yourself. N: Hmm, which part would you like? A: Everything! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to know everything.

: Leading in Stilettos is my personal journey about how to lead in a male dominated society while still keeping my femininity. At 5 yrs old I had the ability to go with my dad to his first chamber of commerce board meeting. I realized there was not one person in the room who looked like me at that time. I am still in those boardrooms, still working on different projects with the Chamber and economic development and those boardrooms have not changed much at all even though time has passed.

: So when you say there was no one in there that looked like you, are you referring to women or are you also referring to your ethnicity?

N A

: Both. There was not one girl in the room at all and that was 1970.

: Wow. So tell me a little more about your journey from being that inspired five year old, to where you are now.

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: It’s interesting that you used the word “inspired” because inspire is one of my branding words. I guess from the journey being fascinated by business because my father was an entrepreneur, so he took me on a lot of his calls with clients, actually working on the business and those types of things. I was just fascinated by how business worked. Fascinated by the development and how to bring balance into our state and how we impact the global economy around us. I work a lot with women in the leadership and development side, I work a lot with entrepreneurs and also with young professionals, mentoring the next generation of leaders.

and this is the young leaders department. I’ve worked with them a little over two years to get this actually into place. I’m happy to say that I worked with USC and some of the other local colleges and universities on April the 7th to do an event called the Seven Steps to Success. We invited all local college students, freshman through senior. Seven professionals giving seven tips on how to become involved in the marketplace, trying to bridge that gap between academics and marketplace. We announced the COR membership there and some of the young people signed up. We want to make sure that we get connected with them that freshman year, because if we connect with them in their freshman year we’re able to mentor them and work with them and get them engaged in the community and hopefully after graduation they will stay.

: In all your life experience and everything you’ve accomplished, at what point did you sit down and say “I feel like I need to write this story?”

: I didn’t. One of my executive coaches started working with me right after surgery and I was actually have some downtime. She was telling me “You know, you really need to think about playing a bigger game.” Playing has always been a very instrumental part of my life and the platform of play is also how the book is kind of based around sex-segregated play. At three years old you give a female a doll and she plays a type of isolated play. At three years old the guys go out to play cowboys and indians which is a team-related sport. So fastforward into the marketplace .................. and we do not have that experience and the guys just go right into it and keep on moving.

: Wonderful. Can you tell me some of the projects that you’re involved in that fall under those categories? Especially the mentoring women, mentoring children.

: Okay. One of my favorite projects is a project called COR, Community Opportunity Resource. It is a segment of the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce

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: How do you feel about what they say about females in leadership; you know, if males are dominant and have authority and they’re very matter of fact it’s called “being a good leader” and doing what they’re supposed to do, but if a female in leadership is confident and assertive and is very direct about what she expects from her team, she is often looked at in a negative light. What do you have to say about that?

: She’s often called the “b-word.” [laughing]

: Exactly! [laughing]

: I think you have to embrace who you are. One of my workshops and seminars is called “Rocking Your Brand” where you learn about your strengths and what makes you unique. I continue to work forward on that platform and on that path and not be too concerned with what the nay-sayers are saying. Make sure that you form your own group of advisors and mentors and make sure you have a safe haven where you can discuss those types of things. Some of my mentors are some of the first females in their industry and they talk about those things, and as you move through several pieces of your career you’ll notice several things happen so make sure you have an excellent support system in place to help you tread through those waters. Those things will happen, if you’re intentional about being successful those things will come up.

: So, again, you’re reaching out to your mentors for strength and for guidance because they may have already encountered the circumstances that you’re going through right now and they can help you to find a way to resolve those issues or move forward.

: Exactly. And especially being a woman in South Carolina, the south is still very traditional in a lot of ways.

: And not just being a woman, but being a woman of color.

: Yes, absolutely. A lot of times things can get kind of interesting!

: We talked a little bit about your journey from the five year old girl seeing this maledominated arena that you decided you wanted to join, did you meet with any resistance going into this male-dominated area? If so, what kind of resistance did you encounter?

: Absolutely. Now, how important is mentorship? Everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, everyone wants to have their own business. I think the saying goes “there are too many chiefs not enough indians.” Everyone wants to be the boss, but how important is mentorship in your journey to becoming the boss?

: I think it’s critical. I think it’s critical even as you continue to work forward, you can never have too many mentors or too many advisors helping you navigate those waters. I’m a firm believer that if my mentor has already had the same experience, why do I have to touch the stove to know that it’s hot? A: Nathalie, tell me, were there other times in your journey where you felt like maybe you weren’t going to make it to your goal? If so how did you deal with those times, how did you keep yourself motivated and encouraged to keep moving forward?

: It’s called what I call my “mental 911” that means I need to lay down on that couch if it’s a bad day or a bad week and I need my mentors to help me navigate through some of the things that are going on.

: Where should I start? [laughing] Well, first of all, when you walk into a room sometimes they kind of look at you like “what are you doing?” But knowing I belong is one of the workshops I teach called “Sit at the Table.” You make a decision that you are going to sit at the table and it doesn’t matter what they they think, what they say, or what they believe. You know your brand, understand your brand and know that you belong there and not be intimidated by it.

A N

: You keep mentioning your brand, why is branding yourself or your image so important?

: Because I think it helps us understand our strengths and to understand who we are, especially women and women of color and also leaders, that this is our foundation and this is what we stand on, these are our core values and we will not be moved. So if we go in this way then we’re going in a direction knowing that we will be successful. A: Now Nathalie, have you done any exciting speaking engagements recently? Book signings, anything like that?

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: Just stay focused, stay on course and just continue rocking your brand, promoting yourself, letting people know who you are, reaching out to people with like-minded goals and moving forward.

: In mentioning friends and even expanding into family, people that you know and grew up with, how do you- I know I found even for myself that sometimes friends and family don’t quite understand what you’re doing and how you’re going to get there. Sometimes the people that love you the most can be the most negative forces, without even meaning to, just because not everyone is accustomed to success. How do you deal with that?

: Well, you know, it’s so interesting when I told my mother the title of the book, my mother is a very traditional southern woman, and she said “stilettos? Hmm, I don’t know if I like that word.” [laughing] She said “are you sure this is not going to be something I have to hide my face for?” [laughing] I told her no, no...

: Wow, my goodness. [laughing] That’s cute.

: But it’s keeping in touch with the people who have already been there in some aspects to say okay, when this happens, you need to start thinking about this and really working on that mindset, it’s a continual thing, working on that mindset. Because you see such a huge picture and how you’re going to get there.

: Yes I have. March was women’s history month, so I decided we were going to make history; that we were going to go out and lead in stilettos and do some fun things. I talked a little bit about the center for women in Charleston, they’re doing some amazing work. They serve women from homeless women all the way up to CEOs. They’re actually part of Oprah’s network. They’ve received a number of awards around their work and they invited me in February to actually be the keynote speaker for their Pathways to Power conference. After I finished speaking this lady came up to me and she said “we need to get together” and I said “oh, by the way, what is your name” and she says “I’m Jane Perdue.”

: [clapping] I love it! I love it! That’s so wonderful! Don’t you just love it when everything just comes full circle?

: Absolutely.

“

: Nathalie, this has been such an enlightening experience. It was so great to get to know more about you and not just your book but your vision and what you have planned, not just for yourself but for the women of this city and this state. So we’ll be looking forward to more wonderful, great things from you in the future. Do you have any words that you’d like to leave our readers with?

: Yes, I would like to encourage all the women all over the globe that they can do whatever they put their minds to, that success is intentional, and let’s make history.

: Success is intentional. Let’s make history. I like that. Thank you, Nathalie.

: Thank you Alicia.

Just stay focused, stay on course and just continue rocking your brand, promoting yourself, letting people know who you are, reaching out to people with like-minded goals and moving forward.”

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WINK FEATURE

Josh Ratliff

t first glance, Josh Ratliff is the kind of man who knows how to have a good time. At first impression, Ratliff is exceedingly more. The contrasting blonde of his cropped hair would suggest a flair for the eccentric; and while this is true, his professionalism and experience in the world of fashion are the keys to his success in the industry – and successful he is.

A native of Blythewood, South Carolina, Ratliff is a student at The Art Institute of Charleston, majoring in Fashion and Retail Management. But don’t let the student ID fool you; Ratliff has held positions with top local and internationally named designers. From working as an assistant producer of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Charleston Fashion Week, Charlotte Fashion Week and Atlanta Couture Fashion Week to styling and directing various photo shoots for designers such as Roberto Cavalli, Red Carter and True Religion, the possibilities have been endless. Always advantageous, Ratliff has not only

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perfected his abilities in styling but is also an up and coming designer with his own brand in the works. He was recently the featured designer for Bacardi’s launch of their new Artic Grape flavor during July 2011, and designed a runway piece for the Human society’s Cool vs. Cruel national competition. The inspirations behind his aesthetic are vast and range from the club rave, electronic dance scene in Miami Beach to cultural icons like the late Alexander McQueen and the avant garde/futuristic looks of the brand, Anouki Bicholla.

Up next, Ratliff will be designing a1920’s inspired evening gown to be featured in The American College’s annual RED event in October.

ith so much going on, one might assume a personality of haughty exterior, however, Ratliff has remained grounded and deeply connected to his roots in South Carolina. The world is his for the taking; he has far passed the entryway and made himself comfortable in the living room of Fashion. Most importantly, Ratliff would like to pass on a bit of advice, “always work hard and take pride in whatever ever you do. You never know who’s watching you or your talent. It is also important to stay true to yourself because the fashion industry is very easy to get caught up in all of the superficial things. However, at the end of the day when the lights go down and the runway is clear you are left to deal with yourself. This industry is full of ‘Who’s’ and not everyone is nice so, it’s best to know what you want and go for it and when you ‘arrive’ don’t forget where you came from.” -As told to Madison Hall.

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