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OK, here we are.  The moment of the summer I’ve been waiting for.  Drum roll please… Oh just a sec.  So as not to seem like the worst, most insensitive, workaholic mother in the world, let me first say that nothing gives me greater joy, emotion or excitement than the thought of seeing my son and daughter today (yes, today!) after them being gone at camp for 7 weeks.  But it’s because of the time they spent on their “vacation” that I’m even able to make my announcement.  So back to it.  Drum roll one more time… We’ve just released our COOL FOR SCHOOL, HIP FOR HOLIDAY / AUGUST 2010-JANUARY 2011 CATALOG!!!  Items won’t be up on www.likewear.com until the end of this week, but for now, you can download the new catalog here http://www.likewear.com/LikeWear-Collection-8-hirez.pdf.  And the crowd goes wild.  Well, at least it does in the LikeWear office.

Each time we design a new Collection, it definitely gets easier.  But it continues to amaze me how many hours go into catalog layout (let alone all the creative development, art time, photography and Photoshop work that goes in before even getting to print time).  We’ve established somewhat of a “look” to our catalog pages and our graphics and clothing styles but we always try to keep it fresh and interesting.  Last week, our summer intern looked up from the catalog pages she was proofreading and asked Ken and I if we were ever afraid we’d run out of ideas.  We both answered simultaneously, “Never.”

We’re not concerned about coming up with new ideas – only with the limit on our time to make them all a reality!  Maybe it’s because we’re both somewhat “creatively obsessive” – meaning our brains never seem to shut down (and that’s an entirely different topic fit for its own post) so we’re always throwing out ideas – always.  But the key to always having new ideas is to feel confident in dreaming them up AND throwing them out there.

Was I forever this way?  Well, I think I’ve always had a creative side or streak in me that was never fully exercised until starting LikeWear.  But I was not always as self-assured (or comfortable is probably more accurate) in launching out new ideas that could potentially be denied, dismissed or laughed at.  Let’s face it, no one likes to feel rejection – even if it’s only for an idea.  Interestingly though, I’ve learned that those of us not born with the creative confidence trait can actually learn to develop it.  As you create (with whatever it is in your life that you’re doing – new recipes, interesting outfits, a unique fundraising idea) and those “creations” are positively received, that positive reinforcement seeps into your soul to make you even more confident to continue to keep trying new ideas.  And so the inspirational cycle goes…

I’ve experienced this kind of development in my own creativity and I’ve watched it firsthand with my kids over the past few years that we’ve had LikeWear.  They’ve witnessed a constant barrage of new ideas being tossed around and even more importantly, they’ve seen the open-minded way that Ken and I usually receive each other’s brainstorms (actually, Ken will say I’m not always so open as I usually already have my own distinct vision for things.  But that too is a topic for another time!).  As a result of living in this kind of environment, I’ve noticed my kids unabashedly offering up ideas, suggestions and creative solutions in ways they never have before.  I get a warm feeling inside every time I hear one of them start to say, “How about we try something like…”

So what comes first?  The ideas or the “creative comfortability”?  Fortunately I think it can and often does work both ways.  If you believe in what you do and what you create, others will see the value in it too and you’ll feel confident to continue thinking outside your box.  And if you are a good, constructive, open-minded listener you will not only help others to have the confidence to keep on keepin’ on in the creative department, but you will likely also spark additional ideas for yourself.  Kind of like creative karma.  We all have more good ideas than we think.  Throw ‘em out there!  Oh yeah, and when you’re done, don’t forget to check out LikeWear’s new catalog!

Okay so you won’t see this anytime soon on MTV but I still think it’s pretty cool.  It’s the first LikeWear video!  It’s a fast-paced montage of our images, our young fans and the clothing they “like to wear”.  I dig the music too. 

As a parent it is so rewarding to teach your children something new. But, it’s even cooler when they figure things out for themselves.

My son, Ryan, has always been big for his age – especially big given that he is one of the youngest in his grade. From the time he was 18 months old, his height and weight measurements were off the percentile charts. At doctor’s appointments his stats were delivered to me as if/then statements – “He’s now 18 months, but if he was a 2 yr. old he’d already be in the 75th percentile”. He was like a bull in a china shop no matter where we went. He was in constant motion – constantly. I lost my baby weight in record time and was always glowing (okay, in a full body sweat) as I tried to keep up with him. Add to that, the fact that I come from a large family that is comprised of lots of girls, and it’s not hard to see why none of us seemed to know what to do with a boy – especially one that was a whirlybird of energy like Ryan. I have often described my mother’s interaction with him as akin to someone who is clearly not a “dog person” trying to play with a Saint Bernard. One of my favorite quotes is from my grandfather as he watched a then 2 year old Ryan at our Passover seder. “What’s wrong with the boy?” he asked with what can only be described as a mix of confusion and horror.

As Ryan grew I found that most of what I said to him started with the word “no”. “No Ryan, that’s fragile. No Ryan, don’t push your sisters. No Ryan, stop splashing in the mud. No Ryan, don’t throw that ball in the house. No Ryan, I definitely do not enjoy being smacked from behind when I’m not ready for it.” I was worried about what all this negativity would do to his self-esteem.

Instinctively I knew that I just had to channel his “spirit” in a positive way – ya know, put all that energy to good use. I was so excited when he could finally be involved in organized sports. As soon as he was old enough, I quickly signed him up for the 2 most popular sports in town – soccer and baseball. He hated them both. He practiced, he played in the games, but he didn’t enjoy it – at all. He’d run after the soccer ball and wind up barreling into other players (some of which were his own teammates!) knocking them down like pins in a bowling alley. On the baseball field he could make good contact while up at bat, but he was a slow runner. And the speed of play for baseball in 2nd grade was equally pathetic. He didn’t care that these were the sports most of his friends were playing. Soccer and baseball were not for him - he just wasn’t interested. Okay, I thought, so he’s just not going to be a sports kind of kid.

Then Ryan started to play football and his world changed. Now his size, energy and aggression were attributes! His face lit up the first time he tackled someone to the ground and received not only a “way to go” from his coach but also a clap on the back for it! Knocking people over, not being afraid to get dirty, and having a tough enough butt to withstand the knocks (literally) of playing the position of center… that’s what it took to play football – it was the perfect sport for him!

Then spring came and lacrosse was a similar eye-opener - less pads than football but fast physical game play. And his body was made for defense. In fact, Ryan has perfected a move that we have named the “butt hole”. When a lacrosse ball is on the ground, often there is a swarm of players all trying to pick it up with their sticks. Most players shove head first into the fray. Not my son. Ryan likes to back up into this type of gathering . He leads with his butt – shoving and bumping players aside – essentially creating a hole in the crowd by using his rear end to clear the way for him to pick up the ball. And it’s effective!

It’s what every parent hopes and dreams of– that their children can try and try again until they are able to take his/her own unique personality and physical traits and use them to a successful advantage. We’ve been commenting on (okay, and sometimes poking fun of ) Ryan’s broad build his whole life. Who was to know his big strong butt would be the thing to perhaps lead him to greatness someday?!?!