Speaker 1: Welcome back to another episode of Excuse My Grandma. It's Kim and my cohost.
Speaker 2: Grandma Gail.
Speaker 1: Okay. I'm so excited because we have three amazing guests in our studio today. Also, I hope everyone had a very happy Mother's Day
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 1: And celebrated with their families. Cynthia Rowley, the amazing designer, Kit Keenan and Gigi Powers who I know you've seen on social media. They're all New Yorkers living in Downtown New York City, and I've loved watching them create content. So I'm excited to get into our conversation. Welcome, ladies.
Thanks for
Speaker 3: having us.
Speaker 4: Thank you.
Speaker 1: We've never had
Speaker 2: be here.
Speaker 1: Five women or anyone in the studio before.
Speaker 2: Well, we had to redecorate the studio because this is not meant for five people.
Speaker 1: You guys are very snug on the couch. I hope that's okay. Perfect.
Speaker 4: Perfect. We like to be close to each other. Yeah.
Speaker 1: Well, you all live together, so that makes sense.
Speaker 2: We all
Speaker 1: live together. How is the living situation?
Speaker 4: I call it the sorority house alpha alpha alpha because we're all Alpha. You know Alphas.
Speaker 5: Alphas. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah. That's
Speaker 4: Yeah. Actually, I'm probably the least powerful of the trio.
Speaker 3: That's not true. But it's funny because I bought an apartment in the West Village in December. Mhmm. And I'm still working on getting permits for renovations, but I still live at home because of that. And we've had this extra time that we didn't think that we were gonna have.
So it's been really fun, honestly. It's like so great living together.
Speaker 4: I was like, just rent that place. Yeah. Rent it out to Stay home. And stay here.
Speaker 1: Yeah. It's probably nice knowing that, like, it's not forever and you're going to this amazing, like New place. New place that you're Yeah. Curating. But for now Yeah.
You're in this spot.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 3: I love living at home because the three of us, we share everything. We share our clothes. We are, like, always together, maybe a little bit codependent, but in the best way.
Speaker 2: Maybe Bob's figuring out about the marketing and the cleaning and everything else. She's got that on her on her list of things that she takes care of. So when you start doing it on your own, it's not as easy.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 4: Right. That's right.
Speaker 2: That's for sure.
Speaker 1: Access to the closet is huge, though.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 1: But you all, like, have a little bit of a different vibe with, like, style. Right?
Speaker 3: That's true. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1: But I
Speaker 5: feel like we all can experiment and, like, try new stuff. Mhmm. So last night, I wore a piece from everyone's closet,
Speaker 3: and I was so so old.
Speaker 1: Yeah. That's so good.
Speaker 3: BG skirt, my top, my mom's jacket.
Speaker 2: And shoes. Shoes.
Speaker 1: Yeah. For those listening, because it's probably a lot of voices and not just watching Mhmm. Can you, like, introduce yourselves and maybe say what your style aesthetic is?
Speaker 3: Yeah. I'm Kit Keenan and I think my style aesthetic is probably the most mature of our family. Like, I like dressing a bit more conservative, but it's just what makes me feel the most confident.
Speaker 5: I'm Gigi Powers, and I'm not really sure, like, how I would categorize it. Maybe you could help me with, like, describing it, but I feel definitely less conservative
Speaker 3: Mhmm.
Speaker 5: And more Eclectic, maybe?
Speaker 3: Maybe he's mixing a lot of vintage pieces in. Yeah. Well,
Speaker 2: that's so in now. And and also, you're the youngest. Yeah. So you're you're still just starting out in style and figuring it out.
Speaker 5: New things. Exactly. And what, like, silhouettes I like Mhmm. And what makes me feel, like, com comfortable and confident. Yeah.
So I'm really, like, still discovering.
Speaker 1: Yeah. By the way, Gigi, like, that's so relatable. Like, I have no idea still Yeah. What my style is and how I would describe it. And even if I felt good in something before, I, like, don't know how to replicate it.
Yeah. So it's hard. And I
Speaker 5: feel like as I'm, like, trying out the new silhouettes, I feel like it changes so much depending on the season. So I can, like, go back to what I was wearing last year, and I probably wouldn't wear that now.
Speaker 1: Mhmm.
Speaker 5: So it's hard to commit to an aesthetic for clothes if I, like, don't know. Totally.
Speaker 2: Alright. I'm gonna ask them because she's creating the styles and has for years. What do you have for this season that would be the one or two second piece that you would have to have in your closet if you were advising these young girls?
Speaker 4: Well, my style is a mix of sporty and, like, kind of maybe too sexy, which I'm looking down at my skirt right
Speaker 2: No, it's pretty. A little see through, it's pretty.
Speaker 4: Pretty see through piece. Anyway, but always a little sporty. Mhmm. So, I think pieces, like, I mean, we've been making these cargo pants forever, and I kinda can't really live without them, and there's just new iterations of them. Right.
They and just our trousers fit really well for my style. Dress them up, dress them down. And then
Speaker 2: another piece, the must have. A must have. Would it be a sweater or a jacket for this season?
Speaker 3: Well, coming up to surf and swim.
Speaker 4: Oh, yeah. I'm a you know, a wetsuit would be Yeah. You know, swim or a wetsuit, something, like, actually functional. Active wear. Yeah.
Yeah. But I do like the pretty dresses
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 4: Too. I like to have, like, my one, like, kinda special piece In the closet. That I know I can, like, pull out when I wanna look kinda Great. Stand out.
Speaker 3: Yeah. We can It's funny because people always assume that we help our mom with design, and it's a big misconception because I neither of us work on my mom's brand at all. She has done it herself. And it's funny because people, like, will see this mesh completely see through bedazzled dress and be like, oh my gosh. You guys must be helping her design this stuff.
Mhmm. This is so, like, young and fun and, you know, basically like a clubbing dress. And we're like, no, that's what she wants
Speaker 5: to That's right.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 4: It's I have age dysmorphia, I think, which That's can probably agree on that, like, in my brain you know, when people
Speaker 2: ask you think you're young.
Speaker 4: What age did you do you think of, you know, when you're thinking about in your head how old you are, and I'm always kind of like, like a 15 year old boy? Maybe. I don't know. No, but like, think it is like maybe 30. Right.
35.
Speaker 1: What about you, Grandma?
Speaker 2: Oh, I don't know, Kim, because when I was young I tried every clothes were always something that I loved to identify with, but I was always even though I was always into some designer that I always attached myself to for whatever reason at that particular year, it was always sort of on the conservative side because I was small. So I couldn't go. A lot of my friends were who were very, very tall could carry off a look that I never could. So, I think when I was in my thirties, I wore a lot of Saint Laurent, and I loved I loved the way he made a skirt.
Speaker 1: But now you don't at all.
Speaker 2: No. I don't even go into that store. But, you know, that was the time. That was in, you know, the seventies that I really was experimenting with my style. Now I put on a white shirt and a sweater,
Speaker 1: and
Speaker 2: whoever's brand I like, I wear, and I always wear the same You look great, Well, not Tom Brown Tom Brown became this year's my favorite. I've sort of now bought out everything he has, and because I like it. I live in Florida in winter, and I live here for six months. So you always need lightweight clothes, and I can't wear the heavy jackets, which I love if I was living in New York. Of course, I was here for every one of the snowstorms.
Speaker 1: That's
Speaker 2: true. And I had to go out and get double layers of things. But, you know, style just evolves as you age and what you're doing with it. If you're, you know, living a sporty life, I don't need the fancy dress anymore. I don't find we wear it.
Speaker 1: Most closets probably aren't like Grandma Gail's closets, but
Speaker 2: Well, I'm also vintage. I never throw anything good out. Yeah. Nothing good. Chanel is still in my closet from thirty years.
I don't ever get rid of the designers that I love, but I wouldn't perhaps buy them today, but I mix and match with them.
Speaker 4: I always say I can't wear vintage because it looks like I haven't cleaned out my closet. You know?
Speaker 2: You can't go into my closet. It's all vintage. Went down well, Kim and I went recently, we went downtown to a vintage show, and I said, it's all my clothes. Why do I need to come down here?
Speaker 1: It's so funny because I feel like I never put it together, like, seeing your outfits. And now that I go into a lot of stores, I'm like, that's literally grandma's sweater that she wore
Speaker 2: last sweaters. Yeah. And I just keep them. I just keep them very nicely, and everything is always good from season to season. Yeah.
First of I don't think you wear things, you know, unless you're you're on the farm working with animals. You don't you know, if you live in the city, you you put everything hopefully neatly away from season to season, and I, you know, have them cleaned properly, and you store them. And they could wear good things should last forever.
Speaker 3: Agreed.
Speaker 4: I want we need a closet tour.
Speaker 1: We did we did one on YouTube. Excuse My Closet, we called it
Speaker 2: Oh, you
Speaker 1: a while ago, but we need an updated one. Right. And we need some other like, you've you've added some stuff.
Speaker 2: I think, Cynthia, I would like some of your things in my closet at this point. She's reshowing stuff from many, many years ago. I think I need an update. That's why I have to keep, I get a new couple of sweaters every, six months just to lighten it up and make it more fun because, it gets a little old, Kim.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Cynthia, can you take us back to your early days, like moving from Illinois to New York and getting started in fashion, what that was like?
Speaker 4: Oh my gosh. I mean, it was in the nineteen hundreds.
Speaker 2: Like, okay. Had to Why?
Speaker 4: It was a long time ago. I mean, it was a completely different time. You know, in a lot of ways, I think, because I was so naive, I think it was easier. But if I were to do it now, I think it would be 10 times easier. I think it's much easier now with all the tools we have at our, you know, all the information, all the data, all the, you know, to create an audience, to, like, have a great supply chain.
Like, all these things were things that took years in the beginning, you know, to develop that network. And now I think it's, like, definitely more truncated, the whole process.
Speaker 2: And I think it's easier for women now. It wasn't easy when that easy when Cynthia started. I mean, I know my family was in the fashion business, and there were very few women, you know, Donna Karan perhaps and a couple of people that came before her, that were really out there, but there was mostly a male dominated
Speaker 3: fashion time.
Speaker 2: Now women have the same thing as men, same opportunity.
Speaker 4: I think people started to realize women know what women want. You know? And that was like a big
Speaker 2: I
Speaker 1: revelation, you
Speaker 4: mean, that was think, a little before I started. But yeah, I mean, I feel very, very lucky, very lucky to have survived and thrived and, you know, be able to do what I do every day, I feel so
Speaker 2: lucky. So much fun. Mhmm.
Speaker 4: Yeah, so much fun.
Speaker 2: And it's fun being in New York and doing that. Yeah. I mean
Speaker 4: I mean, it's really like I mean, I feel like it's like a magic trick that you get to have an idea and then make it a reality, and to be able to, like, share it with people. And I was in Chicago this past weekend and met all these women. We had, like, a trunk show. Met all these women, and they're it's they're so happy to be able you know, to have this
Speaker 2: come in and and who's got style, and, you know, you you get very jaded living here. I think here in LA probably have distinct styles, but when you go to other cities that are not quite into the fashion mode, they really are hungering for it. And I mean, they're very fashionable, but
Speaker 4: it's just like to be able to see the that you're bringing someone, and when they put something on and feel so good in it, and like, oh my god, you know, they're so happy about it. It's like you can really see the joy,
Speaker 2: you know? Now I was kinda curious about this because I see it myself in my own life. Do you find now that you're selling more online, or is it still brick and mortar?
Speaker 4: Oh, way more online. Online.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, that's what we all projected it would be a few years ago. Yeah. I mean, because it's so easy now to do it.
Speaker 4: But that's what I'm the difference between when I started and now, it's, like, crazy. It's so much easier. Yeah.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I like what you were saying about, like, thinking of an idea and just making it a reality. I feel like I really relate to that with, like, starting Excuse My Grandma and Our Brand because it is such a cool concept to be like I just one day was like, Grandma, let's do this thing, and now look where we are. And I think so many people should just, like, try to follow that.
Speaker 4: Just do it. Well, yeah, just do it. Wait. That's brand slogan. Yeah.
Speaker 2: It's not as easy as you guys. It's not easy, but I'm You saying, to have a concept. You have to have people behind you, you know, manufacturing and creating and doing a whole especially when you're creating a piece of clothing, it's easy to have the idea, but then you have to have the person in the factories to make it and the women to sew it and the men to sew it. So it's in a whole process, but we certainly have the ability to do it now. Right.
Yeah. Which is wonderful.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Gigi and Kit, how were you feeling? Like, were there any rules around borrowing clothes and the closet?
Speaker 2: Out of your mom's closet.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Uh-oh. Honestly, no. Like, I think
Speaker 4: I mean, there's still stuff that actually, I was gonna ask you about this that leather jacket.
Speaker 3: Yeah. I have it. Okay. I have it. There are certain things that I
Speaker 4: That just disappeared years ago that I forgot I
Speaker 1: had. Yeah.
Speaker 3: Yeah. I think, honestly, at this point, we're, like, all around the same size. Gigi's a lot taller, but we're all around the same size. So we just
Speaker 2: Mix and match.
Speaker 3: Feel each other's clothes all the time. Yeah. Like, I will go into go into Gigi's closet and I'm like, oh, that's my corset that I love to wear out. And it's been in there for months.
Speaker 1: What's the best piece you think you've borrowed from each other?
Speaker 3: Probably the jacket that my mom is talking about. It's a vintage, like, navy blue leather Saint Laurent jacket. Sick. And maybe I've never been on to it for as long as possible.
Speaker 4: I bought it, like, cause I thought it was really special.
Speaker 3: Yeah. So Mhmm. Something you both
Speaker 1: got from your mom personality wise?
Speaker 3: I think the the way that my mom's brain works, the reason that she's been in business for so long is because she has the creative side and she also has the business side. And I think that's really hard in fashion to find because there are a lot of, like, startup brands that start with all business and then the product itself isn't, you know, beautiful or creative. But then she also has such a creative mind that she like goes to sleep at night with a pad by the side of her bed and like will wake up at three in the morning and sketch. And I think we both have both of those sides of our brain where like we're very hungry to make a career for ourselves but then on the other side I think we both have like a creative medium that we're drawn to and I think that's what you need to be successful
Speaker 1: in that. So Right. Yeah. For sure. Cynthia, is there something you love when your daughters wear?
Like, you think they look the best in?
Speaker 3: Everything.
Speaker 2: I think they look good in everything, to tell you.
Speaker 4: I attribute them. Everything. Like, we I don't think we put a lot of emphasis on fashion, really,
Speaker 2: at home. Yeah.
Speaker 4: Is that true?
Speaker 3: That's true. Yeah.
Speaker 4: Like, we don't we get in our cozies at home, and I I just think it's never been, like, an obsession. Mhmm. You know, it's just something that's, like, always been there, luckily, but and maybe that's why it's not an obsession. But we don't, like, covet things or, like, talk about fashion. We don't even Interesting.
Speaker 1: Not relate to that. I feel like we talk about it a lot.
Speaker 2: You do. You do.
Speaker 1: I got because I'm always I always need your help.
Speaker 2: Cynthia, do you do a home collection as well?
Speaker 4: We just we do little collabs. Yeah. Like, we we had one launch last week with Pottery Barn that's tabletop and bedding and
Speaker 2: because I could see that happening, especially with her new apartment. Could see that. I wanna We've do
Speaker 4: done a lot of little collabs like that, a lot of, you know, small collections. But we're working on something.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Because I think people need help in that area. You know, a lot of the young people today, they look great, and they have a sense of style, but they can't do it in their homes. They're not so they don't have the confidence to do it in their homes, and I think that would be right up your alley because you know you're very good at that.
Speaker 4: Well, I would love to do that. I think it would
Speaker 2: be see? I'm gonna be your
Speaker 4: manager Let's go. No, I think that that is, you know, self expression. I think it is something that people should experiment with. You know, everybody's always like, well, I'm just gonna do white everywhere, And you that is great for some people. It's like, I mean, clarity of mind or whatever it is, but it's also, I think, a place that you can really, like, show what what your your style is.
Speaker 1: Mhmm. Yeah. Wait. Cynthia, I did beige everywhere.
Speaker 2: I just moved Well, I
Speaker 1: love beige. No. But I don't want it to be all beige. Now that it is, I'm like, it needs life to it. Can I do that with accessories and
Speaker 2: stuff?
Speaker 4: Get, like, some Yellow. Beautiful painting, like a gorgeous painting. Yeah. Colorful paint, like, giant painting.
Speaker 3: But I totally relate to that because, like, the house that we grew up in, that we still live in, my mom has such a, like, creative sense of decorating that there's prints everywhere, and I'm trying to be as sensitive as possible. There's prints everywhere and, like, fun. We have, like, a huge yellow fur chaise lounge, and we, like,
Speaker 2: right in the walk in. Guys. Your mom was.
Speaker 3: Beautiful prints up the stairs, but, like, everything in color and crazy wooden paper. Yeah.
Speaker 5: Bit up the stairs onto the crazy print on the wall with, like, a bronze staircase, like, banister.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Custom banister. It's a lot. Red paint in the gym. Like, everything is
Speaker 4: hella I'm up.
Speaker 5: You're fired. But that's why Then, like, your apartment, you'll want to keep, like, very clean.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: That's what I'm curious.
Speaker 3: But it's funny because people were commenting like, oh, this is definitely gonna be a beige influencer apartment. And I was like, you should go follow someone else if you want eclectic style because I want my apartment to feel like a hotel, honestly. Like, I love peaceful, clean energy. And then I think you can have fun, like, with the art or little touches here and there. But, like, for me, the main pieces will
Speaker 2: Would it be beige?
Speaker 3: Be beige or white. And I'm so sorry about that.
Speaker 1: What is an influencer apartment?
Speaker 3: An influencer apartment is, honestly, like, kind of the vibes of what we're sitting in right now. I was just really upset. Though. Really pretty. And usually, like, a lot of boucle, white.
Speaker 1: Well, it's hard to think because when you're like, you don't want it to distract from your or it's just
Speaker 3: Well, honestly, I like, my room at home, I get that comment sometimes too. And I think for me, a lot of it is because I'm filming for brands in that space and I wanna be able to change it Right. Easily. And also, there's a lot of issues around IP. So if you have crazy prints that someone else owns or art pieces that someone else owns the right for, you're gonna have to blur those out of the back of every video.
Speaker 1: So so true.
Speaker 3: It's actually if you're using your space as a studio to film content, it's something that
Speaker 2: Has to be neutral.
Speaker 3: Thinking about.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Such a good point. I feel like every time we film in Palm Beach, you you have a 20 foot wall with a big art
Speaker 2: piece on it. I keep saying.
Speaker 1: And I have to blur it every time or that, like, people get
Speaker 2: Well, I can't redecorate for your filming. I know. I know. Those things are there. What's on
Speaker 3: the wall?
Speaker 2: I wanna This is very contemporary. I got it of my when I had a home. There was a big contemporary home. I had this painting that I bought from the Rubell's, years and years and years ago, and when I bought it, he had for a while they had a studio in Palm Beach, and I walked in, and it's a triptych. And he said, Unless you take it, I'm not sending it over just for you to look at, you know, because it I was a said, Don't worry, I'm taking it.
I measured it. And now I've often thought if I leave the space I'm in, I don't know what I'd have to give one panel to each child because nobody has walls or ceilings this high. Who's Artist. It's a fellow named Howard. He was a non entity, and I think he's even less of an entity now.
I bought it thirty years ago. It's the one thing the Rebels probably didn't make money on, and I ended up with it. But, you know, I have very much what you were saying. I have all beige furniture, but I did it with the art around that's very, very colorful. And I like that.
I find that peaceful for me. But your new apartment, first of all, it's all windows. So, it's very hard to put anything in there. Everything is glass.
Speaker 1: Have few walls.
Speaker 2: I don't know where. Do. It's like, you know, I would be I wouldn't look good in that apartment after a while because you see all the lines.
Speaker 1: What? You don't see your
Speaker 2: your reflection. Natural you I see myself in all those the light that comes in.
Speaker 1: I like a little
Speaker 3: yourself? Bit Yes. I like
Speaker 2: a little bit of tone down beige's.
Speaker 1: Oh, yeah. The shades down. Well, actually, when Zach and I went over to your apartment the other day, I mean this in the nicest way possible. When we went back to my apartment Yeah.
Speaker 2: It's a big
Speaker 1: to our apartment, we were like, oh my god. It's bright out. We thought it was nighttime at yours. It's dark in there. I like it.
Yeah.
Speaker 2: That's what I like.
Speaker 1: I have
Speaker 4: certain only I have certain clothes that I only wear after dark. Because it's a little too short, but if it's dark Right.
Speaker 2: I wear it. High.
Speaker 5: Yeah.
Speaker 4: Yeah. Never in the Anything sheer. Bright sunlight. Mhmm. But at night.
Speaker 1: Yeah. So we're recording this right before Mother's Day. It will come out slightly after Mother's Day. Do you guys have any plans?
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Yes. I think we're gonna go do some massages. No. That's It's fun. Mhmm.
And then we're gonna have, like, do my mom's ideal Sunday on Sunday, and just
Speaker 4: I have a friend who is also a single mom of of three kids. So every Mother's Day, we always spend together. Oh, that's so For two moms and our collective five kids.
Speaker 1: Mhmm. That's lovely.
Speaker 4: That's And we always do, like, an early dinner. There might be three moms this time.
Speaker 2: Are getting And
Speaker 4: six kids, so we'll have to see how that goes.
Speaker 2: That's nice. That's nice. We're gonna try to go to the country and eat outside, but we'll see. We'll see. If the weather is not permitting, we'll do something inside.
Speaker 4: It's my favorite day of the
Speaker 1: year.
Speaker 2: It's a lovely day.
Speaker 4: And I just visited my mom.
Speaker 1: Oh. I was just gonna ask that.
Speaker 4: Who is 89. Okay. So, I just visited her in Illinois.
Speaker 2: Oh, that's wonderful. It was great.
Speaker 1: How often do you see her?
Speaker 4: Few times a year. She'll come here.
Speaker 1: Okay. Great.
Speaker 2: You still have family out? Does she have family in Illinois that is near her?
Speaker 4: Yeah. My brother
Speaker 2: lives Oh, so that's perfect. Yeah. Perfect.
Speaker 4: She was here for the CFDA Awards,
Speaker 3: which
Speaker 4: was exciting. And so, yeah, we see each other.
Speaker 1: Is there a
Speaker 4: question funny.
Speaker 1: Gave you that, like, you feel like you've given to Kit and Gigi kind of passed down?
Speaker 4: I mean, my mom is one of the funniest people I know. She has that, like, doesn't care what you think. She always says stuff. Sorta like backhanded. Like, I was asked to do this charity thing for David Schwimmer's theater company, The Looking Glass, in Chicago, and she says, like, we're talking about it, and I said, you know, it's nice.
I'm gonna you know, he asked me to come. And she's like, well, he must have asked a lot of other people first because, you know, you're you live in New York, and he's asking you. And I'm like Hello? What do you say? You know what mean?
But she says stuff like that. Or she was like, I was saying I was gonna go to my high school reunion that's coming up, and she goes, Why? Well, there's, you know, I think there's a certain, like, a lot of people, once they get to a certain level, they don't really They don't really go. So I'm like, so what you're saying is I'm not famous enough to not go to my reunion. Is that what you're saying?
Speaker 2: I don't think she could have done like that.
Speaker 4: But she says stuff like that, and she thinks she knows it's funny. Right. But she also is like, she's giving it By a little to my
Speaker 1: the way, you're preaching to the choir. That's like GrandmaGale in a nutshell. Yeah. It's just like all generation. Spoken.
Yeah. Or maybe it's a generational thing.
Speaker 2: Like, don't have a filter after a
Speaker 3: while.
Speaker 1: That too.
Speaker 4: Yeah. And things don't impress you.
Speaker 2: Right. You know? Very little impresses us at
Speaker 4: that Back in the day, was like, mom, I'm gonna be on Letterman. Oh, I can't stay up that late.
Speaker 3: Right. What?
Speaker 4: Like, literally right in my place.
Speaker 1: For us, I'm like, can I book us on not something as big as Letterman, but, like, you know, some other important interview, whatever? And you're like, can't. Like playing bridge with my friends that day. And you're just like
Speaker 5: I'm busy. Perspective. Come on. Yeah. This is a big deal.
Speaker 2: Well, bring on with the bridge game was important evidently.
Speaker 1: I get evidently. No. It's so funny. Is there anything you feel like any of you that mom should stop saying to their daughters?
Speaker 3: Well, one thing that we always had growing up, which I think is surprising because our mom is a fashion designer, is she was always like, wear whatever you want.
Speaker 5: Yeah. Was gonna say.
Speaker 3: Like, she always encouraged us to be creative with our style. Like, I wore a birthday crown every single day for a year. And Gigi wore a Barbie life jacket to her first day of kindergarten. Obviously. And I think it was just like
Speaker 4: a jacket like a vest.
Speaker 3: Yeah. A vest with like buckles. And kindergarten.
Speaker 2: I thought
Speaker 1: you were gonna be like to her first day of college. I'm like, oh, interesting.
Speaker 3: That was an interesting choice. But I think it's just about like embracing your child's style and however they wanna express that. So I guess it's just stop saying no to wearing things that they wouldn't wear.
Speaker 1: I like that. Yeah.
Speaker 4: I mean, self comp it's confidence. It's self expression. It's like you have to can't tell a child what to wear. Mhmm. You have to figure it out.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Exactly. Kit and Gigi, how open are you with your mom about, like, dating and relationships?
Speaker 3: Like, very open. Yeah. Very open. Yeah. I feel like I was single for pretty much all of my early twenties, so my mom, like, saw everything.
Yeah. And in that time, I think we, like, got to a point where she just was, like, hearing about every single day and, like It's like us. If I was upset about something, like, would be there to listen. And I think we just have, like, a really open
Speaker 2: That's what?
Speaker 4: Dialogue. I think I give good advice. I like
Speaker 5: it because you both give very different advice. Okay. So it's nice to, like, take a little bit of both. Right. And we're so close, like, no one knows me better, that they have to know, like, who I'm seeing or whatever and see how they think,
Speaker 3: like, their advice is different?
Speaker 4: Well, I don't have the best track record, but
Speaker 5: You don't have the best track record, and I feel like you like to side with the boys. Oh. Like, you like to hear them
Speaker 3: trained out
Speaker 2: of
Speaker 3: that, though.
Speaker 4: No. I know. Not anymore.
Speaker 5: Yeah. But you see more Somebody broke somebody broke me. You see, like, more both sides, maybe. Yeah. And you, at least in the past Harsh.
Have been a harsher critic on the boys. Yeah.
Speaker 1: Alright. Like, you play devil's advocate. Yeah. And Kit's, like, one and done. Like, you get one shot.
Yeah. Okay. Interesting.
Speaker 4: Also, I love having the boys around.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 4: Like, I love, like That energy. If everybody's all there at the house and all hanging out. Like, everybody leaves their shoes at the door. Mhmm. And when I come home, I'm like, who's here?
Here. Here. Here. Yeah.
Speaker 1: That's so fun. Oh, okay. Now you're in a long distance relationship. Right?
Speaker 3: Yeah. Well, actually not anymore because my boyfriend finally has his visa Yeah. Which I'm really excited about. So he lives in New York now.
Speaker 1: Great.
Speaker 3: But, yeah, we did long distance for almost two years.
Speaker 2: Same as did that too.
Speaker 3: And it was definitely really hard at times, but I also think it built a lot of healthy communication and some fundamental just openness that you have to have for a long term relationship. So in that way, now that it's over, I can say it was probably a gift.
Speaker 1: Yes. I totally agree where it's like you almost built those skills like earlier than you would have if you were living in the same place. And obviously, you had to prioritize each other at times. And like, I went through all of that as well. And my boyfriend recently moved here.
So then you feel like, okay, success story, but it could have gone a different direction, I guess.
Speaker 3: I also think I'm not someone who struggles with this necessarily, but I think a lot of people when they first start a relationship, they really lose their independence. And Yes. When you're in a long distance relationship, you have to maintain that. Like, you really have to focus on your friendships and
Speaker 2: Mhmm.
Speaker 3: Your community outside of your relationship because when that person's not in town, like, you are still doing all the things that you were doing when you were single. So I think that is also a great, you know, plus of
Speaker 1: it. Mhmm. And obviously, your dating life was, like, kind of on TV when you were on The Bachelor. Cynthia, what did you what were the feelings around that when when Kit did The Bachelor?
Speaker 4: I mean, it was during COVID. Yeah. So I understood that she was, like, dying to do something and get out you know, be with people, so I get it, but I did tell her I didn't think it would be
Speaker 1: idea. I
Speaker 4: don't wanna say I just said I'll never do hometowns. That was my one thing. I'll never do hometowns. So, and when she left, you know, there's no communication at all. So I didn't know Okay.
How it was going, if she was, you know, was she still there? I knew she wasn't home, so, but they tried to, you know, they tried to get me and Gigi to go
Speaker 1: Wait, and did do you do hometowns?
Speaker 3: No. Okay. No, I didn't. I left, like, right before.
Speaker 4: The night before, right?
Speaker 1: So you took your mom's advice, kind of.
Speaker 5: Yeah. Well, I just I just
Speaker 4: said I wouldn't do it, but you Of could've course. You know.
Speaker 3: During it, honestly, I wanted to, like, do something outside of my comfort zone. And the whole time, like, in the back of my head, I had that idea that I would leave at a certain point. But actually, like, when you're there, I feel like you fall into it a little bit more. So for me, I really had to decide. Like, once hometowns came around, I really was like, am I going to do this?
And at that point, I just decided, like, there are so many other girls there that were further down the line with their feelings. So I decided it was probably time for me Yeah.
Speaker 1: To leave. You would have came to the same conclusion.
Speaker 4: Yeah. You handled yourself so well So the youngest person to ever be on there. Right? Because she had just turned 21.
Speaker 3: So young. So crazy. It was fun, though. Yeah. It's a good experience.
Yeah.
Speaker 1: And kind of introduced you a little bit to the whole media world. Right?
Speaker 3: Yeah. Well, I was already doing social media before that. Right. And I probably had, like, 30,000 followers just from showing my life in New York and my outfits and things. And then I did The Bachelor and that really opened me up to a whole other audience, which was fun for me.
And then after that, since then, I've just been building my brand online separately. And it's funny because I feel like I've distanced myself a lot from the franchise, but I still appreciate what it gave me at the time.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 4: So
Speaker 1: I feel like there's so many people who never get out of that. Like, I still think of them, oh, it's a bachelor person. Genuinely, until I sat down to write questions, I like forgot you were on it because I love like following you and your content is so like far from that now. So I think you're one of the few cases where it actually kind of worked where you were able to distance yourself.
Speaker 3: Yeah. I think I did it when I was so young and then I really, after that, took social media seriously because before that, I was just, like, for fun. Mhmm. And afterwards, I really was like, I think this could be a viable career path for me and so I'm gonna pour everything I have into it. And then I really create I worked on creating a brand for myself that was outside of writing and outside of reality
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Speaker 2: Good job, Kim.
Speaker 1: What is your content creation process? Like, do you have a team? Do you have a content schedule? Like, how are you following trends?
Speaker 3: So I just announced my cookbook this year Yes. Which has been a project that I've been working on for almost two years now. It takes a really long time to make a cookbook. And so my content strategy has changed a little bit around that. But I would say, like, for me now, my focus is on promoting the book.
Yeah. And so it's just doing fun collabs with other creators and cooking from the book and showing, you know, all all of the fun recipes that I work so hard on. And other than that, it's like mixing in some some of that organic content that I know performs well for me and then mixing in fun trends.
Speaker 2: Mhmm. Is
Speaker 3: mom a good cook? Yeah. She's amazing.
Speaker 2: So are any of the recipes from what you saw at home?
Speaker 3: Yes. Definitely. I have I have some of her core recipes, like, from her childhood, and then I also have some of her fun, like, recipes, like her famous drinks and
Speaker 1: So fun.
Speaker 3: Frozen rose and stuff like that, which is really
Speaker 4: And grandma too.
Speaker 3: Yeah. My grandma's an amazing cook, so a lot of the recipes are inspired by
Speaker 4: my grandma. What are we gonna do when we don't when she moves But,
Speaker 3: yeah, they basically have the dry cook chef out.
Speaker 2: You have the cook home.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: You're the in in house
Speaker 3: chef. Yeah.
Speaker 5: She yeah. Luckily, you're not too far away, so you can still bring us.
Speaker 2: Maybe she just drop it off drop it off at 05:30.
Speaker 4: Over. Yeah. Exactly.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Wait. I wanna make with you, grandma, like, one of your grandma's recipes. That would be so cute.
Speaker 3: Oh my gosh. That would so cute. I would
Speaker 1: love that. We've been doing this segment not super frequently, but called Excuse My Cooking because
Speaker 2: we're not terrible.
Speaker 1: So we're like
Speaker 3: I can help you guys.
Speaker 2: Alright. Well, we need your help.
Speaker 3: Everything best. Everything in my cookbook is super approachable, super easy. You can do it, like, with absolutely no background or any professional cooking experience. So
Speaker 2: But we have aprons.
Speaker 5: Yeah. I I print
Speaker 2: the house out that.
Speaker 4: You're halfway there.
Speaker 2: We're halfway there. Yeah.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Our pink aprons, that's the only part I like about the whole. What do you all think every New York City girl should know how to cook?
Speaker 3: I think living in New York is a lot of times people don't have a lot of kitchen space and probably don't have, like, all of the fun crazy cooking gadgets. So, like, a one pan, one pot recipe is really what I think everyone should know how to make. Like, an easy one pot pasta or a sheet pan dinner. Thirty minutes. Thirty minutes.
Quick. Perfect. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. Because nobody has a lot of nobody wants to put a lot of time unless you
Speaker 4: are cook.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Unless you really are a good cook. But someone who is coming home from the office and really just wants to put something good on the table, they'd like to do it quickly. Wasn't that Rachel Ray's that's what made her famous, the thirty minute meal?
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Think so. So, I mean, she's now in Tuscany, so she did very well with that thirty minute beef.
Speaker 3: If you're dating, I have a recipe in my book called wifey fettuccine Oh. Which I think is what made my boyfriend fall in love with me. So if you're dating, everyone should know how to make that too.
Speaker 2: That's that's a good one to hand out.
Speaker 1: Yeah. That is good. Oh, we have to try all of these. Cynthia, what do you think the biggest, like, hosting mistake is that people make?
Speaker 4: Mistake?
Speaker 1: I wanna hear your answer
Speaker 4: from Grandma. I think it's just being, like, too uptight about things. Like, I if people bring a guest or bring ex you just pull up another chair. Like, just Right. Be No big generous and open minded about everything and making it, like, I think Inclusive.
Inclusive. The more, the merrier. That is always I always say it's not what's on the table. It's what's on the chairs.
Speaker 2: Right. That's a oh, that's one, That you
Speaker 3: I love. Okay.
Speaker 1: You're putting that on a plate, and it's in your homeware collection.
Speaker 4: Oh, that's oh,
Speaker 1: Artificing this.
Speaker 4: See? Thanks. I'm telling
Speaker 2: you, this is good.
Speaker 1: So, what do think, Grandma hosting mistake?
Speaker 4: That is a good one.
Speaker 2: Well, I think the biggest problem would be if you would be making something that was not really instinctive to you. You know, do something that you're comfortable with making because it is about sharing with the people around the table, and don't make it so complicated and so difficult that you're spending the entire time in the kitchen doing it. So it would be something easy for you to make like a one pot meal, which I always used to love. I I was with my family. That that was the best dinner.
Well, it ever came in the casserole. The kid everybody loved it. Serving with some rice or pasta was a perfect night.
Speaker 1: Mhmm.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 2: So make it easy and fun. Yeah. Because we're not professionals.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: You know, leave it to the professional over there. She can do a little more elaborate. For us, we have to keep it easy.
Speaker 1: Gigi, I wanna hear from you, like, having Kit as an example in content and, like, looking at what she does and, like, what your vision is for what your creation
Speaker 5: I used
Speaker 2: to be
Speaker 5: so scared and just, like, more shy. But I can't imagine how much scarier it would be if I didn't have you as a role model. And, like, see like, I think you're both of you, I think you guys are the coolest people ever. So, like, if you have no shame in whipping out the tripod in public and, like, filming yourself or putting yourself out there in a way that's very vulnerable and, like, open to feedback and criticism, like, that's something that I'm not afraid to do because I have, like, two role models that have put themselves out there. That's so So to be.
It's been so so amazing. And I also think it's been a really great, like, growing opportunity for my personal life and, like, personal relationships being more confident. Like, if I'm sharing my life and, like, my days and, like, very vulnerable moments online, it should be easier to talk to people in person and, like, have a easier way connecting.
Speaker 1: Yes. Like, really quickly, I also relate to that because I feel like sometimes I would be nervous to go to social events, like, by myself or brand events or whatever. And then when there are people who will recognize you for your content and come up to you and feel like they can talk to you, whether they're a consumer or, like, a follower or another content creator, like, you end up talking to a bunch of people. You don't have to go up to anyone. And that's like the best feeling.
Speaker 5: And you make so many amazing friends. Yes. And it's like you really can carve out your own community.
Speaker 1: Mhmm. Yeah. I feel like, Kit, you've made a group of friends through content
Speaker 3: Yeah. Definitely. Which is so fun to see. It's such a gift. Like, I I think I've made it easier for Gigi also just because I'm so grateful for my job.
Like, I always I tell everyone that they should try it if they have a tiny inspiration to post online because I like pinch myself every day that this is my job. I've been able to travel all over the world with girls that started out as complete strangers to me and now like we're all going, you know, on each other's bachelorette trips or to each other's weddings.
Speaker 1: Can we talk about the acquired style back in that for a minute? It was amazing. It was it looked amazing.
Speaker 3: It was, like, perfect from the moment we arrived, and I would not expect anything less from Bridget.
Speaker 5: Mhmm.
Speaker 3: But, yeah, it's like things like that that I feel it's so you know, a lot of times people have the that with their coworkers if they work in an office, like, become very close with those people. So it's the same, but then imagine, like, having incredible experiences traveling together. Like, in the beginning, before, like, a lot of us had a bigger following, we were, like, traveling everywhere, sleeping in the same bed, like, random trips. So I think those memories are, like, so special. And I think for Gigi, like, always say part of being an influencer is doing, like, a daily humiliation ritual because you're just sometimes, like, out on the street holding your phone out and, like, talking to it or, like, saying the same thing again and again.
Yeah. Yeah. And a lot of it is cringe, but I think because of all of the amazing opportunities that I've had through my work, like, I never even think twice about it. It's beyond worth it. Yeah.
And it it once you have been doing it for a long time, like, it gets less cringe.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. For Bridget's batch, how far in advance were were the outfits planned?
Speaker 3: There were a few other content creators that were on the trip Mhmm. That are just friends of Bridgette, but then a lot of the girls that were on the trip were just her friends from childhood or from high school. And I think that was really special because when you do what we do, sometimes there's opportunities through work to do to travel or, you know, go on a fun amazing trip that's all expenses paid and that's so lucky. But if you have a regular job, that's probably unheard of. Right.
So getting to take, like, all of your closest friends on this amazing unforgettable trip, it was it was everything.
Speaker 1: Did it inspire your future one?
Speaker 3: Well, I'm definitely getting married in Saint Bart's. So
Speaker 1: Okay. So you can't do the bachelor?
Speaker 3: Can't do my bachelorette trip there, but it was incredible.
Speaker 2: Yeah. So you have a wedding date, or you're just talking about it?
Speaker 3: No. I'm just talking about it.
Speaker 2: I'm not talking about it. So the fellow has no concept that he's getting married and sick guards. That would be fine.
Speaker 4: But we're planning it.
Speaker 3: We're all planning. Okay. Exactly. So
Speaker 2: That's a beautiful place.
Speaker 1: I know we only have a few seconds left. I wanna play a really quick game, like a most likely to. So you guys will be a team kind of and will be a team. And for each scenario, you can just point to whoever in your family is the most likely to do that thing, and we'll do the same.
Speaker 2: Okay. So you started out.
Speaker 1: Okay. So I'll do, a three two one point.
Speaker 4: Okay.
Speaker 3: Okay. Okay. Who Can we say the name if it's gonna be recorded?
Speaker 1: Yeah. Let's say the name. Okay. Okay. Who is the most low maintenance?
321.
Speaker 2: Molly. Did
Speaker 1: everyone get it right? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Okay. So Cynthia and Gail.
Yeah. Who spends the most time getting ready? 321. Kit. Oh, we're not saying out loud Kim.
Speaker 2: Oh, Kim. You say the name. Kim.
Speaker 1: Okay. Who wouldn't return borrowed clothes? 321. Candy.
Speaker 5: We've got myself. Yeah.
Speaker 1: We've got them
Speaker 4: all right.
Speaker 1: Most likely to stalk an ex online. 321. Kim. Alright, Kim. You think you would stalk your ex online?
Speaker 2: No. I wouldn't. I couldn't care less about my
Speaker 4: ex. Yeah. I don't
Speaker 3: know. Literally none of us
Speaker 4: None of us would
Speaker 2: deal with them. I would either.
Speaker 3: We're very much like If It's over. It's over. Like, they're down Exactly. To
Speaker 2: Grandma agrees with that.
Speaker 1: I'm just curious sometimes what they're up to. Not that I wanna get back with them clearly, but like, I don't know. You never
Speaker 2: Once it's over, who cares what they're doing?
Speaker 1: Slightly Interesting. Most likely to fall in love too fast. Three, two, one. Kim.
Speaker 2: Kimberly. I don't
Speaker 1: know. Maybe you?
Speaker 5: Yo. I don't know.
Speaker 4: No. I feel like none of us would
Speaker 2: you're all level headed, I think.
Speaker 3: I'm, like, unfortunately too logical sometimes.
Speaker 5: That's what I feel like I'm getting into.
Speaker 3: Yeah. You're, like, scared. Like, I
Speaker 5: don't wanna do that either.
Speaker 2: Yeah. A
Speaker 4: I'm a slow burn. Okay.
Speaker 1: So no one. That's okay. Okay. Most likely to ignore a text for three days. 321.
Speaker 3: Gail. Oh, I was gonna say myself, but maybe you.
Speaker 5: I do have to call you multiple times to get an answer.
Speaker 4: But you Oh, yeah. No. It's Kit.
Speaker 3: It's Kit. It might Kit. It's Kit. It might be me.
Speaker 5: Grandma, I think Sometimes I'm, like,
Speaker 4: I don't have any game because, like, if they call me, it's, like, first ring. Yeah. Hi.
Speaker 5: Hey. Hi. Yeah.
Speaker 4: I'm, like, so excited to hear from them, you know, and I'm, like
Speaker 5: What's the moms do? Yeah. Just, like, rookie move. Like, just chill out.
Speaker 2: To do
Speaker 3: fifteen With us tomorrow. With us Yeah. You can always answer, but maybe with Okay.
Speaker 1: With boys. Because you don't even see the text.
Speaker 2: I don't even look at my phone Yeah. After a certain time.
Speaker 1: Okay. I'll do one more. Let's do most likely to overshare online. 321. Kim.
Speaker 2: Kim. Yeah. Kim.
Speaker 1: Yeah. We've gotten a lot of the same ones. Yeah. Okay. Amazing.
Thank you, ladies, so
Speaker 5: much for just showing love up. This
Speaker 4: intergenerational thing I I think it's like an it feels like the time for this, you know?
Speaker 2: I agree.
Speaker 4: Where you really can have fun and be cool and hang out with all different generations. I mean, maybe that's just me. I think to hang out with you,
Speaker 2: but no. I think it's true. And I think they're they're learning from us, and we're learning from them. Exactly. And that's what's very important.
Speaker 1: Yeah. The open dialogue and
Speaker 2: The open dialogue. Listening to both sides of the story.
Speaker 1: Right.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Exactly. Because there are always two sides, and probably the third that's the actual one.
Speaker 1: Mhmm.
Speaker 4: Yeah. Oh, see? You guys are such so inspiring.
Speaker 1: Thank you. That's so nice. We feel the same about you, ladies.
Speaker 2: Let them give
Speaker 1: Tell everyone how they can follow you if you want them
Speaker 2: to
Speaker 1: check out
Speaker 2: Go down on the sofa. In
Speaker 1: in Start with
Speaker 2: a k. In order.
Speaker 3: So number one for me, please preorder my cookbook in good taste. It means the absolute world to me. I've poured my heart and soul into this book, and I'm so excited for it. And What's the name, love? It's called In Good Taste.
Speaker 2: In Good Taste.
Speaker 3: Yes. And then my Instagram and TikTok are both at Kate Keenan.
Speaker 5: Yeah. I'm on Instagram and TikTok. Gigi Powers. You'll find me. Mhmm.
Speaker 4: And Cynthia Rowley on
Speaker 2: every Period. Day period. Amazing.
Speaker 1: And you know where to follow us at excuse my grandma on all social media platforms. Please rate and review the show if you don't already, and we will see you next week.
Speaker 3: Bye. Thank you, guys.
Speaker 4: We loved it.