Meet Emily ‘Femily’ Howe. A bookworm, biz strategist and bossbabe connector, she loves hosting feminist cocktail parties, exploring local arty cafes, power yoga, organizing body-positive high fashion clothing swap for tall and curvy women at her condo in Oakland every season and Le Tote. She believes in art that makes the world better, most recently a poster campaign against street harassment and another one about keeping her city green. Emily’s goal is having no ‘typical day’. “But if I added up all of my recent fave days, it would go something like this: wake up at 6am, throw on a gym outfit (including my vintage Nike sweatshirt I bought from LeTote!), have bagels and watch the Daily Show and spend time with my brand new husband.” Over to her for more on fashion — and feminist cocktail parties!
Emily wore the Le Tote laser-cut top and green necklace to Oakland’s First Friday Art Walk. “I love a necklace that really pops. The cream colored shirt was the perfect cool canvas for it, striking the balance of still being cool, but not overwhelming the necklace.”
What do you love most about the service?
I love Le Tote and I’ve recommended it to everyone I know who is in a fashion rut, but has no time to shop and no interest in filling their already-tight closets. I joined way back in the day (3.5 years to be precise) in order to spice up my closet and be nice to the planet (and my wallet!) at the same time. Plus, I seriously love snail mail and it feels like my birthday with every package — except I don’t have to pay for it or find room in my closet! I also get a kick out of saying “it’s a rental!” when someone compliments an item.
Emily at Fort Worth’s Modern Art Museum on a day of champagne and art with an old friend. “I’m not actually into florals or flirty/lacy femininity, but for some reason this dress really worked. I think it’s the bohemian stylings and the deep V that give it enough edge. It felt easy and also dressed up enough to hit the fancy Texas restaurant at the museum and not feel like a tourist (no judgement to tourists, I just wanted to feel like a femme on vacation, not a tourist!)”
How would you describe your work style?
On the 9-5 front, I call myself a “management consultant for social good.” I advise some of the most interesting orgs in California, from universities and socially responsible businesses to nonprofits and high tech do-gooders. I work remote unless I’m at a client’s headquarters, but either way, I don’t do the whole pajamas all day thing because I get a lot of spontaneous calls for meeting and events. So, I get dressed for the day like I might need to own it: mostly Bay Area casual biz chic. (See my IG @femilyonthego if you want to see the specifics of my OOTDs!)
Emily is seen rocking the Olivia Culpo x Le Tote dress at her wedding weekend. “We got married at San Francisco City Hall and then ran off to Napa for a weekend of wine, sun, and newlywed merriment! I wanted a wow dress for that wow weekend and this dress did not disappoint! It was a real statement dress, without feeling fussy. It felt just like Napa — fancy and at the same time deeply chill.”
Finally, what goes behind creating a feminist cocktail party?
The idea emerged from my feminist book club. I host feminist cocktail parties and “salons” on pressing themes. The goal is to get everyone jazzed up or inspired in these dismal times. I send old fashioned, hand-drawn paper invitations because I love making people smile with “real mail.” I invite my fave people — very different groups based on who I want to hear from on a certain topic and who I think will really dig the topic. Folks come ready to talk and meet other inspiring characters and relax and get new ideas! Some example topics include: “Woke parenting & raising a conscious next generation”, “Femme sexuality, bisexuality, and power,” “Concrete tips for balancing political activism with self care.” I am about to throw a female-only (definitely kid-free) holiday party, which doesn’t have a discussion element — it’s just a par-tay of rad feminists who like lady-only company. I also throw an annual GALentines party for my lady singletons, which is a real hoot.