Power Play

Columbia Up-And-Comers Show Off This Fall’s Up-To-The-Minute Looks

By Jessica Perkins

As the weather turns chilly, fall fashion heats up with textural layers combined in unexpected ways. Vintage mixes with modern for subtly monochromatic and color-saturated ensembles — both looks are in, as long as the focus is on surprising, edgy details. Here, four young, successful professionals known for their fashion-forward ways model the biggest trends for autumn.

J.T. Tiller

JT Look 6
Former Mizzou basketball standout J.T. Tiller has a piece of style advice for other college athletes: Pull on a button-down and a pair of slacks every now and then, because such an outfit might soon become your new “uniform.”

While making presentations and creating portfolios as a broker’s assistant at Smith, Moore & Co., Tiller’s day-to-day look is sharp and professional. “Instead of wearing just sweatpants and shorts all the time, I have to wear actual ties. Those definitely come up a lot,” he says with a laugh.

Do you still play basketball?

Yeah, I still work out because I plan on going overseas soon. I’d like to play in either Spain or France … Actually, I think basketball and style go hand-in-hand. You can tell a lot about the way a person carries themselves by the way he carries himself on the court.

You recently donated your time to play basketball with children in the Boys & Girls Club. How does participation in sports benefit children?

I think it teaches them a lot about themselves and helps build their confidence as well. It teaches them respect and responsibility; it’s very integral to them growing up and becoming men and women of society.
Stylewise, are you more of a James Bond or a Ben Affleck?

I would go with a little bit of both. I’d say I’m a mix between P. Diddy and James Bond.

What’s your weekend uniform?

If I’m just around the house, I’ll wear some basketball shorts and a T-shirt. If I’m going out, I’ll probably wear some jeans, some Jordans and a polo or T-shirt.

What’s the most beloved item in your wardrobe?

I’m gonna go with my “I love haters” T-shirt.

Sue Yun Fowler

Last year, Sue Yun Fowler made a bold career move: she resigned from her plum position as coordinator of diversity programs at the University of Missouri Trulaske College of Business and enrolled in the university’s accelerated nursing program instead.

“I really felt like I owed it to myself to try it or I might regret it later on,” she says. “It did take some courage, but it’s been the right decision.”

Yun Fowler passes on her words of wisdom for living — and dressing — courageously.

What’s your advice for living fearlessly?

I think you owe it to yourself to pursue those dreams and those ideas that you have. Most people would say they don’t want to live with regret. They don’t want to wonder what could have been, so if that’s how you are, you’ve got to go for it.

What’s your advice for dressing fearlessly?

What you wear is an expression of yourself — there’s usually more than what meets the eye. So I think that again, you probably owe it to yourself to have that freedom of expression, whether it’s by way of fashion or by way of writing or any number of things.

How has your wardrobe changed along with your career?

[She laughs.] Well, now I get to be very comfortable and live in scrubs every day, which actually is a lot of fun! And you can still be cute in scrubs. But I still love fashion, so now I just make sure I incorporate a lot of my wardrobe into the rotation somehow [on the weekends].

Who is your style icon?

Cameron Diaz. She’ll take some risks but she’s really versatile.

What’s the most beloved item in your wardrobe?

My wedding ring. It just means so much to me.

Billy Giordano

For Room 38 Restaurant & Lounge managing partner Billy Giordano, the key to success is pretty straightforward: Immerse yourself in your profession so you’re “being completely inundated and hands-on as much and as often as possible.”

This philosophy is reflected in the way Giordano dresses. “I dress for what’s in front of me for the day,” he says. If he’s bartending, that means a well-fitting pair of jeans paired with a crisp, black button-down shirt. But on Mondays, when the restaurant hosts Martinis and Manicures, “I wear a dress button-down and slacks. You have to look good for the ladies!”

Is your style more like James Bond or Ben Affleck?

I guess Ben Affleck. I try to stay well-dressed yet casual — that’s my approach.

What is your wardrobe staple?

I don’t know; I’ve got a lot of wardrobe! I love a great suit, but jeans and a T-shirt are pretty good by me.

What’s the one item in your wardrobe you can’t live without?

I like accessories a lot, shoes and watches and stuff. I’d say my watches. I’ve got two staples — a Wittnauer and a Gucci.

What’s your weekend uniform?

If I’m working behind the bar, jeans and a black button-down. If I’m not behind the bar, I dress for that particular evening — anything from the jeans and a tee to a casual blazer or even a suit, if the occasion calls for it.

Amy Susan

Amy Susan has a Carrie Bradshaw-type closet and a killer sense of style.

The well-heeled communication director for the Missouri Department of Labor and mother of two put her innate fashion sense to work when she helped style this photo shoot. She believes in being playful with clothing but also acknowledges fashion’s transformative powers.

“In the workplace, fashion can project boldness, confidence and professionalism. My job is to put forth a well-tailored message that the public will pay attention to,” she says. “After work, fashion is not about dressing for everyone else, or dressing for the times. It’s putting on an outfit and becoming a different person.”

What are some trends you’re looking forward to for autumn?

I’m really into the African vibe. I just bought this really cool purse that looks like you could charm a snake out of it. I like the African textile look with wool and a pair of old Dr. Scholl’s clogs. The platform heel is coming back, too. And the bigger the hair, the better right now — big all around, bringing the ‘80s back, poofing it up and making it larger than life.

What’s your wardrobe staple?

My vintage, clip-on earrings. I have probably 10 pairs that I wear. They just knew how to make earrings back then!

What’s the most beloved item in your wardrobe?

My Hermès scarf that my husband gave me. I wear it on my head as a hat, I wear it as a jacket tied around, I wear it as a scarf, I wear it as a shirt. [She laughs.] It’s my favorite, and it means a lot to me. It’s from when we first started dating. I told him I’d always wanted an Hermès white scarf — I got the idea from The Devil Wears Prada. I fell in love with that book.

What’s your weekend uniform?

I would say I take it down a level, but I usually wear heels unless I’m carrying my child somewhere. I’m obsessed with hats, headbands, big earrings and mismatching. I love doing the faux pas of fashion: browns and black, pinks and reds.