So when it comes to clothing ideas or any ideas on creativity for that matter. We are kind of taking other peoples ideas and putting them to our own. Now, this is where it gets a bit touchy. Recently Land’s End took an exact copy of young talented designer named Kiel James Patrick and copied the thing from fabric, material, all the way to the photography.

You can read the story here at www.ivy-style.com

So what should creativity look like? If there is nothing new under the sun, are we justified at just going about making exact copies of each other? What should it look like? 

I was watching a music video of Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors last night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC31SLCQRwc&feature=player_embedded

It really was inspiring. So personal and deep. And I couldn’t help but think this was as good a picture as one could find about creativity and inspiration. And the blend that the stories we live, end up telling us. If we are willing to live them well and risk telling them.

Drew explains that he wanted to go back to Memphis where he grew up to film the music video. He’s got those deep full range of the vocals for blues, did he come up with that style… stole that from Memphis maybe? Just a wanna be copy of those greats? Well, what is beautiful about the video and the song is that he says he wanted to film it with his family. He writes this about it… “We gathered in Memphis, my hometown, to film us doing what we love; laughing, eating, and enjoying each other's company in places where we have a deep history. The Hi Tone Cafe. Central BBQ. My Uncle's Farm, and my Great Grandfathers 1942 Jeep, still in my father's possession. My nieces and nephew steal the show with their innocence, their joy, and their courage.”

Reading that is enough for me to be inspired.

And between watching the video and having that personal story, I think Drew speaks to that creative place with a unique story to tell. I like the phrase… deep history. Driving around his great grandfather’s jeep, being with his family, good food, and those familiar places. Ah, yes, that is what I connect to in the video. This is his life… where he find his inspiration... and the music feeds that place in all of us. This is real. A true story. I want to keep listening… what else does he have to say in his songs?

So what should creativity look like? I guess it takes many forms, but I don’t think it is a carbon copy of a product ripped off in China by Land’s End. That is consumerism. I think it has to do with sitting in your story enough to understand how to share it and tell it. As Steve Job’s say… it’s just connecting the dots. The true dots, I believe that are yours to connect. I think creativity might look a lot like Drew and Ellie's (his wife) song and video.

I hope as our company grows, we can draw from those true stories and our history. I want to continue to live that out myself, and what inspires us to find the next thing for our company website and in clothes. I don't want to turn into a Land's End. Just ripping off others. I want to put the time and the work into understanding and living out my own story. I hope we are just getting started. Did we come up with bow ties, waxed canvas, or dress shirts? Nope. There is nothing new under sun. But do we have a story we want to tell, that includes America, our past, and something we think has been lost?

I’d like to think so.  I would be so honored if that was part of our story we get to tell. There are maybe two versions of it... the easy way of Land's End just taking an idea or Drew Holcomb & Designer Kiel James Patrick, for me those are the two paths and choices. 

I’ve heard in the media in recent days about “the war on women.” It’s probably more a political topic right now trying to get votes and divide but the concept has had me thinking. While I don’t mean to be dismissive of those issues, I would also argue what about the war on men?

I am talking about good men.

The last few decades men have taken a beating. The media loves to portray men in a few ways… Hyper-machismo. Or a neutered and soft man. There is the lazy man who sits on the couch and gets yelled at by his dominating wife. There is the adulterous man who sees women as trophies. And let’s not forget probably the most media friendly one… the narcissistic man. He is on every channel showing his exploits and telling the world about himself.

But what about the good man? Where is he these days?

He’s not around those story lines much. But I think he’s the glue that holds the country together. He doesn’t make the news, maybe not the Hollywood story plot, but he’s the guy that takes care of his family, honors his country, and his past, and brings about stability for those around him. He works hard, believes in character, and earning his way. He lives by a moral code. He might have a hunting dog. A wonderful wife or family. And probably goes to church.

I’ve spent my days chasing down a few of those other stereotypes, along with in my shame fitting into a few of the others. But with a family now, and hopefully in a bit more settled place, I believe the good man is probably one of the greatest places to bring about life and hope for our country and our families. We might not end up on the news or on a reality show. But when the kids are older, I hope they will talk about that goodness. I hope. And how it was the strength that led them.

It seems like our grandfather's era weren't quite as eager to hit the spotlight and show up on a reality show. They were a little more simple minded, given over to hard work and patriotism that came from serving your country and living within your means. Maybe it's just looking for idealism where it is not, but there was a groundedness it seemed in accepting a good life, and not trying to live beyond it. Taking care of family, their garden and horses, and maybe a few friends down the street. I'd love to see us get back to that as a country. I think good men need to be celebrated. And maybe the reward is that life lived out away from all the spotlight..