A Taste To Start
We are responsible for the quality of our vision and we have a say in the shaping of our sensibility. In the many thousand daily choices we make, we create ourselves and the voice with which we speak and work.
Reservation Calendar
The events worth preparing for
Tastemaker’s Note → I find it incredibly important to be next to the right conversations, and Q3 has no shortage of them. Eight weeks, seven events, four cities. The calendar does not slow down after Labor Day. If you need tickets, hospitality, or want to turn any of these into a full itinerary, let us know. 👆
Letter From The Tastemaker
Within just 7 seconds of watching me gracefully reach for the strawberry on the cupcake, you would form a solid first impression. Perhaps you’d be curious enough to walk over and introduce yourself, and within seconds of conversation, your perception would begin to evolve—from a silhouette in silk and silver to a person with a perspective….
Your brain would continue collecting clues about my voice, my words, my confidence, my mannerisms while refining an opinion that began moments before we ever met.
The timeline of first impressions is as follows….
→ 100 milliseconds (0.1 seconds): Our brains instantly evaluate a face for attractiveness, threat and trustworthiness before a word is spoken (Princeton research).
→ 7 seconds: in psychology, it is a general consensus that a complete, concrete opinion is cemented during this brief window.
→ 5 minutes: roughly 1 in 4 interviewers make up their mind within the first 5 minutes.
And the driver of this profound judgement? Of course, it begins with our senses because….
→ 55% of a first impression is based on visual appearance and body language.
→ 38% is based on tone of voice and the way you sound.
→ 7% is based on the actual words you say.
Cultivating an authentic sense of personal style is about using personal expression to build from the inside out.
For decades, personal style was often seen as disconnected from a person's authentic identity.
The conventional white button-down and tailored suit, long considered the standard for interviews and professional settings, were criticized for feeling uncomfortable, inauthentic, and at odds with how people wanted to present themselves.
On one particular meeting with a client in a professional setting, I didn’t change the standard of expectations, I only changed my expression.
→ Instead of the expected white button down, I wore a tailored pleated tweed ivory shift dress
→ I replaced the double breasted blazer with a black cropped silk-wool blazer with crystal buttons
→ The shoes stole the show as I paired a pointy-toe patent leather slingback instead of the typical black leather flats everyone wears
The tailored fabric in both items created a sharp contrast against each other….
The open-front blazer hit the waistline and kept the dress silhouette visible and defined…
Did I mention that I tied the ensemble together with a gold-tone jewelry belt?
In reality, for people whose success depends on influence, trust, or perception, style is part of a much larger communication system.
It is one signal within an ecosystem that includes brand, behavior, expertise, environment, and reputation.
Because people don't experience you in categories. They experience you as a whole.
For someone with a highly visible business or public profile, every touchpoint either reinforces or weakens the same story. Your website, LinkedIn profile, presentation deck, office, voice, social media, handshake, and clothing are all saying something simultaneously. When they align, they create coherence. When they conflict, they create doubt.
The perspectives I instill in my clients across style, design and experience:
Reputation is an asset
A poor first impression can mean fewer invitations, weaker negotiations, or missed opportunities. Their appearance is one component of reputation management, alongside discretion, manners, communication, and track record.Context matters more than luxury
The value is on appropriateness over conspicuous wealth. For example:A family office meeting may call for understated tailoring.
Touring a vineyard investment might mean premium denim and boots.
A charity gala requires elegance.
Visiting a manufacturing facility demands practicality.
The common thread is to "understand the room."
Quiet confidence beats obvious status
Overt displays of luxury can sometimes signal insecurity rather than success.Instead, they often appreciate an exceptional tailored fit, quality materials, restraint, a feeling of timelessness, and consistency.
The goal is after all credibility.
Everything is part of the brand
Entrepreneurs and investors understand that every interaction influences perception. They don't separate how they dress, speak, negotiate, entertain, write emails, and host meetings or events. These are all expressions of the same judgment.They optimize for trust
When someone is allocating $20 million, buying a company, or joining a board, technical competence is expected. The differentiation is often judgment, discretion, emotional intelligence, consistency and taste.Personal style becomes another cue that supports (or undermines) those qualities.
Someone who makes thoughtful choices about their wardrobe is often perceived as someone who makes thoughtful choices elsewhere. The deeper philosophy here is related to removing unnecessary uncertainty.
Does yours do that?
Trend Forecast
What’s Shaping The World
Tastemaker’s Note → I'll admit it, I'm a rule breaker when it comes to style. I'll pair something unexpected with something classic or simply skip a step everyone assumes is mandatory. But there's a line I don't cross: it's always appropriate. For me, the room, the occasion, the people in it, is the context that still shapes every choice. The rule-breaking is intentional and never careless.
So, the research on nonconformity backs this up almost exactly: breaking a norm on purpose reads as confidence, but only when it's clearly a choice and not an accident. It has to be deliberate to land. It's about knowing exactly which rules are worth breaking, and why.
Lifestyle + Experiential Assets
A wardrobe communicating presence begins with a timepiece…
It doesn’t have to be the newest, fanciest or the most costly. Featured above is Rolex’s Oyster Perpetual DateJust, which looks phenomenally classy on the woman’s wrist and happens to be unisex. The chocolate dial is beautifully captured when the light hits and even the rose gold and diamonds seem to give an understated elegant look.
Why I’m intrigued with timepieces as cultivation of style:
▪ They reveal discernment. A watch is one of the few accessories that can quietly communicate restraint and attention to detail.
▪ They complete the narrative. Like typography in a brand identity or lighting in an interior, a timepiece is rarely the centerpiece, but it often determines whether the whole feels intentional.
▪ They bridge function and expression. A watch serves a practical purpose while reflecting personality and lifestyle, making it one of the most enduring forms of wearable design.
▪ They remind us that style is cumulative. Presence is built through dozens of thoughtful decisions rather than one dramatic statement. A watch is simply one piece of a much larger communication system.
In many cases, the watch signals taste even with the most laid back of wardrobe pieces…
…opening the door to a richer story about the person wearing it.
(or hit REPLY, and let us source something special for you)
What have you enjoyed exploring most?
Even the finest caviar benefits from thoughtful presentation, elevated by the ornate beauty of baroque silver platters….
Personal style serves a similar purpose—not to replace substance, but to create the context in which it is fully appreciated.
P.S. Like my style (and taste)? Work with me.
