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Andrea Mackris
Andrea Mackris has a lovely walk-in closet…for her shoes and purses. The built-in shelves are already filled, so another dozen or so pairs of high heels from Prada, Manolo Blahnik, Gucci, and others are casually lined up on the floor. A graduate of Westminster Christian Academy and Mizzou, Mackris worked as a White House intern during the Papa Bush years and for Missouri U.S. Representative Jack Buechner. Then she earned a master’s in journalism at Columbia University. In broadcast news, she worked as an assignment editor at NBC news, as an associate producer on The O’Reilly Factor, and later for CNN’s Paula Zahn. In January 2007, Mackris moved back to St. Louis; she volunteers at Planned Parenthood, chairs the association’s young friends’ group, FriendsbyChoice, and is a member of the Contemporary council at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.
Her fashion style in short: A modern twist on a traditional classic.
First fashion memory: The first time I tried on my mother’s heels. I felt like a queen.
Current favorite outfit: Valentino sleeveless dress with black knit turtleneck top and white-and-black silk woven skirt.
Favorite designers: Alexander McQueen, Missoni, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Armani, Fendi, Valentino, Halston, Diane von Furstenberg, Prada, Chloé, Christian Louboutin.
Favorite out-of-town stores: Missoni, Dolce & Gabbana, Kors, Iris in New York’s West Village.
Planned fall purchases: A Valentino black ruffled cap and a Zonda tunic with alligator-print leggings by Roland Mouret, all from Neiman Marcus.
Clothing item she’d grab during a house fire: My chinchilla jacket.
2 of 10
Cheree Berry
Barely 5-foot-3, Cheree Berry worked as an associate art director at Kate Spade, authored Hoorah for the Bra, was picked by Modern Bride as one of The 25 Trendsetters of 2008, took the local wedding invitation world by storm, and most recently created a stationery line for Lilly Pulitzer. The human equivalent of a whoosh of fresh air, Berry laughs heartily and frequently. She speaks in staccato bursts; the smile on her face is luminous—and unflinching.
Her fashion style in short: Classic with a twist.
Favorite brands: Alice + Olivia, Walter, Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent, Marc Jacobs.
Current favorite outfit: A really great sequin skirt. It was a dress I got at a thrift store. I had the top cut off, and I wear it with a little J.Crew tank top.
First favorite outfit: An aqua-blue shorts jumpsuit with a ruffled edge of purple. I wore a little white T-shirt under it and paired it with jellies.
Fashion addictions: Necklaces. If I just wear a tank top and A-line skirt and throw a great necklace on, it gives it personality.
Planned fall purchases: There is a great new brand out there called Harvey Faircloth. It is all about perfect cuts.
Favorite St. Louis stores: Ivy Hill, Anthropologie, Wish, Saks, Dillard’s, Mezzanine.
Favorite out-of-town store: Bloomingdales.
Clothing item she’d grab during a house fire: My Virginia Johnson yellow elephant shawl. I wear it most days. Virginia Johnson is an illustrator from Toronto who has amazing style and colors.
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James Afflixio
James Afflixio grew up on Long Island and eventually moved to Manhattan. What he didn’t pick up at home—his father worked for John Fairchild, founder and publisher of W and Women’s Wear Daily—he learned on the job, working first for Gucci, then Paul Stuart. Then he veered away into interior design, running a showroom of high-end merchandise for architects and designers. He also planned parties for celebs like Oscar de la Renta. In 1993, he moved to St. Louis with his partner, Gary Boyson, then in charge of menswear for May Co. Today, Boyson is in real estate, and Afflixio sells antiques and coordinates interior projects.
His style in short: Updated classic with a modern twist.
Style education: My father was an impeccable dresser who ironed his own shirts every day to make sure they were perfect.
First item of clothing he spent serious money on: In 1981, I bought a Paul Stuart custom-made black Chesterfield overcoat.
Current favorite outfit: Thomas Pink shirt, Diesel jeans, Gucci shoes, and a sport coat.
Favorite designers: Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Armani.
Favorite St. Louis stores: Neiman Marcus and Macy’s for the Tasso Elba line.
Favorite out-of-town stores: The Diesel store in SoHo, Thomas Pink and Paul Stuart in New York, and Gucci, mainly in Florence.
Last piece of clothing he threw out: My Chesterfield coat from 1981.
Clothing item he’d grab during a house fire: I’d grab the drawer with my watches and cuff links.
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Jeana Reisinger
For Jeana Reisinger, being named to an SLM best-dressed list is so, well, déjà vu. In 1998, the diminutive blonde made both the magazine’s list of “Best-Dressed Women” and—wearing a pair of suede Gucci pants and vintage jacket—the cover. A native of St. Louis, Reisinger graduated from the University of Missouri–Columbia, met her husband, Buddy, on a blind date, and then lived briefly in California before he landed a job with Anheuser-Busch, at which point they moved back to St. Louis. She earned her master’s in art at Webster University. The couple has three children: Lily, 13; Bear (Walter III), 11; and Lizzie, 9. Three years ago, Reisinger launched a floral-design business called Living Art.
Her fashion style in short: Ruffly and feminine, bright and fun.
Favorite brands: Roberto Cavalli, Rebecca Taylor, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Prada, Tory Burch, Banana Republic.
Signature touches: Kieselstein-Cords belt buckles.
Current favorite outfit: A black dress from Banana Republic. You can throw on a Hermès scarf with it or flip-flops.
First favorite outfit: A yellow, French smocked-top terry-cloth dress that I wore for four years. I was 7.
Biggest fashion regret: I loved Olivia Newton-John, so I would wear the headband and the leg warmers.
Favorite St. Louis stores: Neiman Marcus, Saks, BCBG, J.Crew, Dillard’s, and Vie.
Favorite out-of-town stores: Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman, the Gucci boutique in New York.
Clothing item she’d grab during a house fire: The Kelly bag Buddy gave me for our anniversary.
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Marylen Mann
Marylen Mann beams as she recalls the day earlier this summer when she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Missouri–St. Louis. When she talks about watching those celebrating their family’s first college graduate, she gets a tad teary. But then again, her own accomplishment—creating OASIS, a nonprofit that gives nearly 350,000 senior citizens the opportunity to take classes at centers in 25 cities, as well as being an arts activist and philanthropist—is no less inspiring. A native St. Louisan, she has a sense of style that’s evolved along with her appreciation of art—and her sense of humor. As her friend Ljuba Knezevic notes: “Funny clothes, that’s her.” Mann laughs—and agrees. “I like fun and funky,” she says.
Her fashion style in short: I am attracted to clothes that amuse me—like the Comme des Garçons top with the padded crossed hands.
Favorite brands: Armani and Issey Miyake.
First favorite outfit: A red silk taffeta cocktail dress I bought at Montaldo’s in the 1950s.
Fashion addictions: Jewelry and accessories. I like handmade artists’ expressions.
Favorite St. Louis store: Macy’s.
Favorite out-of-town stores: Takashimaya in New York and Ariane in Los Angeles.
Last piece of clothing she threw out: I gave away a long gown to Helen’s Closet, when Helen Weiss [longtime head of public relations for Famous-Barr] died. It was gold-beaded down to the hips and then black chiffon. The National Council of Jewish Women had a sale of Helen’s things. I wanted to give something good.
Clothing item she’d grab during a house fire: My Issey Miyake bubble jacket. Or my antique Japanese fireman’s jackets.
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Ozzie Smith
When you think of Osborne Earl “Ozzie” Smith, the first image may well be an in-air flip or a diving catch, roll, and bullet throw. It probably isn’t the subdued, dapper man in an Armani suit. But both are the same Smith, the superstar shortstop who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, 2002, six years after his last game. During his career, Smith collected 2,460 hits, won 14 consecutive Gold Gloves, and hit the game-winning home run in Game 5 of the 1985 National League Championship Series. Today, the Oz lives in St. Louis, owns a multi-multi-screened eatery (Ozzie’s Restaurant & Sports Bar), is the education ambassador for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and honorary chair of the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic, and spends a lot of time on the links.
His style in short: Simple and understated.
Style inspiration: The styles of the ’30s and ’40s, when men dressed in suits and wore hats.
First favorite outfit: The suit I bought myself for my senior prom. It was a white pattern with big black lapels and bell-bottoms.
Favorite designers: Armani, Ferragamo.
Favorite St. Louis store: Saks Fifth Avenue.
Favorite out-of-town store: I love shopping in New York, where I have a supplier, Peerless Clothing.
Fashion addictions: Watches and sunglasses.
The one element that makes an outfit memorable: A great tie and matching handkerchief.
Clothing item he’d grab during a house fire: I would grab my case of rings from the Hall of Fame, World Series, and All-Star Games.
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Pete Ferretti
Certain professions simply exude cool. Movie star. Explorer. Nightclub owner. Pete Ferretti is a partner in a number of establishments—starting with The Pepper Lounge in 2002, then adding Mandarin, and, last year, the special-event space Lumen. Ferretti grew up in Maryland Heights and graduated from Mizzou. Then he got into the entertainment biz: “I always gravitated to the hospitality business because it is such an engaging business. It is fun being around people who are having fun. If you can be the host of the party and provide that avenue to people, that’s fun.” And his next venture may be out of town—or maybe not. “We want to be local,” Ferretti says. “There is a lot to be said about working in this market, and before you go off and do something else, there are plenty of things to do here.”
His style in short: Updated traditional.
First favorite outfit: My first baseball uniform. You are so proud. You get your name on the back of the jersey.
Current favorite outfit: My tailored blue Armani suit. I still watch what I eat because I love it.
Favorite designers: Armani, Ferragamo, Magnanni.
Fashion philosophy: If you wear a suit, I think you should buy a suit that fits.
Favorite St. Louis stores: Nordstrom.
Fashion addiction: Shoes.
Last piece of clothing he threw out: Twelve coats. I gave them to Warners’ Warm-Up.
Biggest fashion regret: A knit tie with a tie bar.
Clothing item he’d grab during a house fire: I would make sure my family was out of the house, and then I would chuck all my shoes out the window. Everything else you can always replace.
8 of 10
Sam Foxman
A senior partner and the creative director at Contemporary Productions, Sam Foxman knows how to throw a party—and to dress the part. Born here, he left Webster University after his sophomore year to travel with a jam band named Zignago. That didn’t last, but it was immediately followed by the creation of his first big event: RescueFest, a benefit concert for the victims of the 1993 flood. Soon after, he started interning at Contemporary Productions; then it evolved into a full-time career. His curriculum vitae includes producing the grand opening of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, the inaugural gala for Lumière Place, and the grand opening of Build-A-Bear Workshop’s flagship store in New York City.
His style in short: Relaxed and modern.
Style inspiration: Growing up, I always liked the style of the male actors in ’80s films like Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful, and Less Than Zero. They were young, but wore sport coats.
First item of clothing he ever spent serious money on: A black, quilted, zip-front Prada jacket circa 1998.
Current favorite outfit: Dark blue jeans, a casual black button-down shirt, a gray sport coat, and black Chelsea boots.
Favorite designers—for clothing: Theory, Wrath Arcane, Prada, Paul Smith, Alexander McQueen, Rock & Republic, John Varvatos, Modern Amusement.
Favorite designers—for shoes: Prada, Converse, Y-3.
Favorite St. Louis stores: Neiman Marcus, Splash, Saks Fifth Avenue, Urban Outfitters, Nordstrom.
Favorite out-of-town stores: Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Prada, Bloomingdales, Paul Smith, Theory.
Last piece of clothing he threw out: I had a pair of suede Converse Chuck Taylors designed by John Varvatos that were ruined in a downpour during a concert.
Biggest fashion regret: The white Miami Vice blazer may have looked good on Don Johnson…not so good on me.
9 of 10
Steve Savard
Steve Savard’s glory days on the gridiron started on the fields of Parkway North High School, before he moved on to Northwest Missouri State University. Before long, Savard put his journalism degree to work and moved on to the microphone of broadcast sports. He first aired in Billings, Mont., before moving on to stations in Texas and Connecticut. Fifteen years ago, Savard joined KMOV-TV as a sports anchor. He was quickly promoted to sports director. With shoulders broad enough to support a small building and a resemblance to Mel Gibson, he not only delivers the latest sports scores in style but also is the play-by-play man for the St. Louis Rams on 101 ESPN radio.
His style in short: I know what I like when I see it.
First favorite outfit: My first custom-made suit in 1994. It was nice to have clothes actually fit me.
Current favorite outfit: A Zegna grey glen plaid suit.
Favorite designers: Zegna and Dormeuil for suits and sport coats and Alden and Allen Edmonds for shoes.
Favorite out-of-town store: The Tommy Bahama store in Phoenix.
Fashion addiction: Sea Island cotton dress shirts.
Last piece of clothing he threw out: Two-button sport coats and suits that had wide lapels.
Biggest fashion regret: Everything I wore in my first television job in Billings, Mont., 20 years ago. I had no clue, and I had no money to spend on clothes.
The one element that makes an outfit memorable: A great shirt and tie can make any suit or sport coat memorable.
Clothing item he’d grab during a house fire: My Sea Island cotton dress shirts.
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Tania Beasley-Jolly
Tania Beasley-Jolly earned a bachelor’s in art history from Washington University and a master’s in art history from Howard University. She worked at the Met and MOMA in New York before training as an opera singer at the Manhattan School of Music. “That was a great experience,” she says. “However, there are more sopranos in New York than roaches.” She rethought her career path and went to work in marketing and public relations. She fell in love; after marrying, she and her husband, Billy, a Monsanto executive, lived in New Orleans; Augusta, Ga.; and then Antwerp. By then, their baby boy was 6 months old. Back in St. Louis, Beasley-Jolly is getting ready to send a novel she authored to agents and is chairing this year’s Dada Ball at the Contemporary.
Her fashion style in short: Jackie O. in biker boots.
The key to making an outfit pop: Accessories.
Favorite designers: Lanvin, Giambattista Valli, Erdem Moralioglu, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano.
First favorite outfit: A red floral Laura Ashley jumper with a Peter Pan collar.
Shopping mantra: “If I cut the tag out of it, would I still want it?”
Favorite out-of-town stores: Bergdorf Goodman in New York and Colette in Paris.
Planned fall purchases: A short mink fur tunic, a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors in white, and one spectacular heel—a Louboutin or Roger Vivier.
Mixing philosophy: I am a big proponent of high and low. I will put a vintage necklace with pearls from Target.
Clothing item she’d grab during a house fire: My Ann Demeulemeester riding boots.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Audrey Hepburn. Cary Grant. Katharine Hepburn. Fred Astaire. Just drop the name and envision each one’s distinctive style—the classic sheath, the Valentino gown, the perfectly cut suit, the man’s trousers cut down for a woman, the elegant ascot. Each defined a paradigm; each was a person who developed a clear sense of self, of style, of what worked, of what wouldn’t be considered. These were the “it” people of their day—and superstars whose fashion looks people still attempt to re-create today.
As Edna Chase, the longtime editor of Vogue, once quipped: “Fashion can be bought. Style one must possess.” In our fair city, we have a slew of stylish souls with their own distinctive looks who always seem to dress with a certain debonair dash, who shop the best shops and know how to combine items—often expensive, sometimes not—to create knockout looks. It’s not what they buy; it’s how they wear it. And St. Louis Magazine’s Best Dressed 2009 wear it all exceedingly well.
Selections by Nicole Benoist Edgerton; Photographs by Brian Kuhlmann; Interviews by Sarah Salky and Nikole Brown.
Selections by Nicole Benoist Edgerton; Photographs by Brian Kuhlmann; Hair and Makeup by Lisa Kalz; Written by Christy Marshall
