My RI Life: Stylist, Designer & Owner Of Gossip Inc., Janelle Feigley
My husband Will calls me his "Creative Genius" & my two sons Jake (4) and Nate (2 1/2) call me a princess, so I try to live up to these two superlatives while finding my own balance. I consider myself an unconditionally loving boho soul who looks for the best in everyone & finds beauty in people, places, and things. (Find me on Instagram @bohomamadrama.) I am passionate about most things in my life and I show it...I don't have much of a poker face. I am somewhat nocturnal and do my best work late into the night! I am spontaneous and impulsive and my husband is not, so he truly is my drug, offering me a daily dose of calm to my exciting, energized, life approach. TGFW- Thank God For Will, is my daily mantra and originates from my sister's maid of honor speech.
I wrote my business plan for Gossip at age 12 and continued to perfect my business model while working corporate at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and Kraft Foods. At 12 years old I ran another gentlemen's business solo, after riding my bike 10 miles to work and killed it in my "tips for college jar" and making this absent boss a lot of money. I graduated college in 3 years, playing 2 Division 1 Sports and working 3 jobs. I definitely am a work hard, play hard kind of gal who loves to travel and live on the edge, just a little bit. My biggest challenge these days is being the mom that I am proud of while servicing my customers with the ultimate shopping experience at our 4 stores: Gossip Wickford, Wakefield, Newport, and Beatnik Wakefield. Instagram: @gossip_boutique
My husband and I schedule a weekly date night which we both look forward to amongst the chaos. Hands down our favorite seafood joint is Matunuck Oyster Bar. We love seeing Perry every time we are dining and really respect other hard-working people like ourselves. I always get the lobster roll and he religiously orders the fish & chips. When we are craving pasta, we sneak away to Siena, also owned by our hard-working friends. To me, they have, hands-down, the best Penne Alla Vodka. For breakfast meetings with or without children, we choose T's, owned by the talented artist Anthony Tomaselli, whom I have painted with and admire. We also love Shayna's Place in Wickford because of their smiling faces and organic fresh ingredients. And, we can't leave Allie's Donuts without a dozen fried treats, despite us only being a party-of-four!
I hardly cheat on my own business and outfit myself daily in clothes that are my own original designs or from Gossip or Beatnik (I do love the special Vintage Loves at Beatnik), but I do frequent Teddy Bearskins for my kids clothes and support local artists like Indigo Clarke & Jon Campbell whenever I need a cool personal gift (also sold at Beatnik). I like to take my kids to flea markets in the Summer and teach them the art of negotiation and the value of a dollar.
I am a lover of the arts and I am rooting for Rhode Island to become a true art destination on the map! I am an artist/designer/stylist who loves to create art in all mediums. I am best known for my oil paintings of coastal landscapes and nudes. Locals flock to my Paint & Vino and DIY Nights at Beatnik in Wakefield for public and private party events. Instagram: @beatnikscene
If I could visit the beach everyday, I would! My stores cater to the South County beach lifestyle with endless summer and boho looks for all ages, offering the largest selection of free people in New England. Our favorite family beach is Narragansett Town Beach and we do not leave there without hitting up Del's on the sand or Monahan's for clam strips on the way home. We escape early am to the beach before I head to work so that I get my fill...often headed to Gossip with salt in my hair and on my skin. Another favorite family spot is hiking around Black Point, climbing on the rocks and looking for crabs.
My favorite accessory is a smile, although I am a jewelry whore (hoarder)! I am a sucker for one-of-a-kind finds and covet items that are limited. I barely put make up on these days, unless I have an NBC studio or TV gig, but if I am dressed well, I feel good about myself. My fashion advice is to wear colors that work for you, rather than what may be on-trend. If you are on a limited budget, check out Gossip to add fun accessories to make your look current. A fringe scarf or leather booties can update your whole look, instantly. Define your style and stick to it...if a look is trending but doesn't work for your body, skip the look entirely! Be bold, be brilliant, be beautiful!
Photo Credits: All photos courtesy of Janelle Feigley, except for Shayna's Place which were taken by Ashley Farney and Matunuck Oyster, Siena & Allie's - all found on YELP or Google Images. Picture of T's coffee mug is courtesy of the PattyJDotCom Instagram.