The film features interviews with dozens of young street soldiers, the men and mentors who try to teach them a better way, and lawmakers and community leaders, including State Sen. Jeff Smith and State Rep. T.D. El-Amin.

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McMillian doesn’t see himself as a paragon of panache. Contrary to the custom-made pinstripe suit by-the-way of local haberdasher Tommy Tucker, he’s quite nonchalant about it all, calling it “normal business style.”

“It would be presumptuous of me to assume anything else,” McMillan said.

Every flare is politely and effortlessly explained away. The tie bar?

“It’s the cheapest thing I can do on a daily basis that I enjoy.”

The cuff links?

“Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. They were a Christmas gift from my mother,” McMillan said, calling the blue ones he wore on each cuff “plain.”

Then there was ring with the seal of the city emblazoned on it. Nothing to note there. He just happened to have that, purchased from Vincent’s Jewelry downtown before they moved out of the city.

While McMillan is stylishly humble, it’s not surprising he would rank high on Revenue Collector Gregg Daly’s list of well dressed politicos. McMillan returned the compliment to Daly, listing him as well as former Mayor Freeman Bosley, Jr. and State Rep. Rodney Hubbard as others with styles he admired. But he reserved the most compliments for former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.

“He had an exceptional style … He’s at the top of any political fashion discussion,” McMillan said.

As for the blazers his office workers wear, McMillan said he had the idea before he became license collector. He wanted to demonstrate that his staff had the right appearance and the work ethic to back it up.

Paraphrasing Black Enterprise Magazine founder Earl G. Graves, Sr. McMillan said, “There is no business casual in the office because there is nothing casual about business.”

Photos by Danielle Belton

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Alderwoman April Ford Griffin, 38, of St. Louis’ Fifth Ward likes things a little colorful or daringly draped in animal print, but being a civil servant for 11-and-a-half years means less flash and setting an example for the younger ladies.

“I’ve toned down my style,” she said, while admitting, “I like a lot of glitter, rhinestones and pearls.”

She gets her love for an eye-catching look from her mother and grandmother, who are fond of accessories, colors and tons of jewelry. They’re a family who likes to give you a look to remember.

“My mother has lots of jewelry. Rings on every finger. As many bracelets as you can on one wrist,” Griffin said, rings on her fingers dazzling. “I love jewelry … but I don’t come to the board room looking like Mr. T.”

Instead, Griffin dials the flash down a notch and goes for a more conservative, tailored look, pictured here in a gray suit and white blouse by Ann Taylor Petite, topped with her red, rhinestone-studded Prada frames and finished with a touch of flare from her black alligator cowboy boots. Made in Las Vegas, Griffin saw the boots as the way to make a statement with one singular fashion item of high quality.

“You can wear them with jeans. You can dress them up and dress them down,” she said.

Griffin said she was partial to the cowboy boot for its longevity as an American fashion staple. Sticking with staples is part of her style. Since she can’t afford an array of trendy items, she focuses on garments of high quality that are “timeless.” She gets some of her clothes from stores like Cache and Ann Taylor and is partial to Dillard’s as her department store of choice. But to get some of the best quality for a lower price, Griffin is big about consignment shops.

While she gives her mother and grandmother credit for her style, Griffin tips her hat to the women she grew up watching at church. Since Griffin was not “exposed to a lot of high fashion” in her youth, she admired the female church-goers for having the ability to be eye-catching yet “ladylike.”

Griffin aspires to dress in that same manor hoping to instill that same pride in young women.

“It’s important for me to set an example,” she said. “You can look sexy while dressed up at the same time.”

Photos by Antonio D. French

See more pictures from our photo shoot with April Ford-Griffin at our Flickr photo set.