Courageous in CLE

For many of us, this past year has been one of hunkering down at home – working, relaxing and video chatting from the comfort of our couches, albeit with a lingering sense of anxiety and fear. For Cleveland’s frontline workers though, the pandemic painted a different picture. Risking their health and safety, they followed the call to keep others safe.

For this special edition of Jstyle, 10 Northeast Ohio frontline workers joined us in downtown Cleveland. They shared their stories while visiting spots like Playhouse Square, The Lumen and East 4th Street – all in style for summer – to give us a peek of the excitement beginning to surround the city once again. 

Shudina wears an orange maxi silky dress paired with a colorful woven handbag from DRESSCODE Boutique in Beachwood; shoes by Catherine Malandrino are her own. Staci wears slim off-white ankle pants paired with a loose off-white tank top and matching asymmetrical shawl from Eileen Fisher in Woodmere; shoes by Stuart Weitzman are her own. | Casey Rearick Photo

Photography: Casey Rearick Photo

Fashion: Gina Lloyd

Hair & makeup: Ramona Dauksa Studio


Playhouse Square, downtown scenes

Playhouse Square is the epicenter of Cleveland’s acclaimed theater scene, just blocks from the heart of downtown and attractions such as East 4th Street, The Arcade and a wealth of restaurants and bars.

While live in-person performances were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, life is coming back into the theater district this summer, starting with “The Choir of Man.”

And this November through 2022, KeyBank Broadway Series will return with shows like “The Prom,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and “Disney’s Frozen.” Located within Playhouse Square, the new Lumen apartment complex stands as the tallest residential building in Ohio.

Allyson wears off-white straight legged denim jeans by L’AGENCE paired with a sheer floral blouse by Veronica Beard from Kilgore Trout; shoes by Vince Camuto are her own. Moises wears a plaid jacket by Coppley over a dark purple collared shirt by Ermenegildo Zegna, with ultra-light straight legged pants by Brax, all from Kilgore Trout. Shoes by ECCO are his own.

The Lumen, which hosted Jstyle for the frontline worker photoshoot, boasts a contemporary, lavish design that fits the dramatic and lively theater scene.

With locally owned restaurants such as Yours Truly, Republic Food + Drink and Zaytoon Lebanese Kitchen in walking distance, the area’s reinvigorated entertainment, dining, nightlife and more shine among Cleveland’s best. 

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