SALLY KNOLLENBERG NOBLETT
Creative director at Joseph Michael’s Salon and Spa // Lives in Independence Park
WHERE DO YOU SHOP? It’s pretty much one end of the spectrum or the other: Barneys or [a place like] Night & Day Vintage. I’m kind of at that age where I’m not burning through clothes anymore.
FAVORITE CONTEMPORARY DESIGNER Rick Owens [rickowens.eu] does beautiful, simple, drapey design that does not necessarily feel very of the moment to me—it seems a lot more timeless without being boring.
CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT Foundation garments. It’s important to have a really good bra, the appropriate garment for the outfit. If that’s not right, then it doesn’t matter how much you paid or who the designer is.
MUST-HAVE ITEM FOR FALL I haven’t had a really great leather jacket in a long time.
HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT TO WEAR? Lots of times I go from the shoe on up.
HAIR PET PEEVE Too. Much. Product.
STYLE MANTRA How you dress should be like the back of a book—it should make you want to know more about the person.
JASON LOPER
Bag designer at Zola Jones Designs and writer for the website Apartment Therapy // Lives in Rogers Park
STYLE CHALLENGE I’m very small. It’s hard to find my sizes, so I do a lot of thrifting and altering stuff. To fill in the basics, I do a lot of H&M, Zara, and discount fashion stores.
SIGNATURE PIECE I’m a big fan of the bow tie. It’s a conversation magnet.
FASHION INSPIRATION Fred Astaire. We have the same body type—skinny. He always had that touch of whimsy, like using a tie as a belt or having his pants a little too short.
FALL BAG It’s my Jack’t bag [$149], made out of recycled men’s thrift-store jackets. It looks like a jacket, but not in that cheesy blue-jeans-bag way.
STYLE MUST FOR MEN I’m a big shoeshine person. It not only prolongs the life of your shoes, it just looks nice when a man has shoes that aren’t scuffed up, dirty, and gross.
Photography: Maria Ponce
hair and makeup: Tania Bowers, shot on location at Hotel Palomar
JORGE LEDEZMA
Guitarist for the psychedelic pop band Allá // Lives in Humboldt Park
STYLE EPIPHANY I had always heard about stylish Europeans, and spending three months in Scandinavia [to make the band’s first album] really kicked my ass. Some of them were dirt poor, but they would figure out how to put an outfit together. They wear pointy boots, cool jackets, and the best Levi’s.
JEAN THERAPY I’m a big fan of raw denim. I have a pair on right now that I haven’t washed in eight months.
FAVORITE BRAND I’m really into Superdry, a British company. They make these plaid shirts that just fit great.
MUST-HAVE ACCESSORIES There’s a Diesel black belt I’ve had for years and I still get compliments on it. In fall, I like the man scarves. I get those big circle scarves from American Apparel.
ONSTAGE STYLE I have a collection of Mexican cowboy/Beatle boots with pointy toes that I love to wear onstage. It’s a cool feeling, very rock ’n’ roll.
HAIR SALON I go to Michael Anthony in Lincoln Park—Mandy Shoenbein does a great job. I have very thick, coarse Mexican hair. If I go to a Mexican salon, I come out looking like a Mexican soap star.
ELLEN RAKIETEN
TV executive producer, president of Ellen Rakieten Entertainment, and coauthor of Undateable: 311 Things Guys Do That Guarantee They Won’t Be Dating or Having Sex // Lives in Lincoln Park
STYLE I’m a fashion schizophrenic. All of the sudden, I want to be the lady who lunches, I want to be in that outfit. The next day, I dress just like Rachel Zoe.
BEST THING ABOUT SHOPPING IN CHICAGO In a five-minute radius, you can do Blake, Jil Sander, Barneys, American Apparel—you can get it all. It’s a shopper’s dream.
DESERT ISLAND WARDROBE If I only wore one thing for the rest of my life, it would be a black tank top and jeans or leggings.
WHICH LEGGINGS? I have tried every legging on planet Earth, and American Apparel has the best inexpensive leggings.
FALL MUST I just got a fabulous leopard-print animal-hair skirt.
SECRET SHOPPING DESTINATION I’ll go to the Broadway Antique Market. I found an unbelievable 1970s pendant there.
WHAT MAKES A WOMAN UNDATEABLE? Clothes that don’t fit—not knowing if something’s too tight.
Photography: Maria Ponce
hair and makeup: Tania Bowers, shot on location at Hotel Palomar