Four Inane Questions with NoRudos’ Cody G.
Photo Courtesy of Cody G.
If you spot a bold, body-positive swimsuit strutting across a KC pool deck—or even catching Fort Lauderdale sun—there’s a good chance it came from the mind (and sewing machine) of Cody G. By day, he’s an insurance pro. By night (and weekend, and probably whenever the mood strikes), he’s the creative force behind NoRudos—a swimwear and apparel brand with a simple mantra: everyone’s invited, just don’t be rude.
Cody tells us his journey started in true DIY fashion—literally. He picked up his first sewing machine in Overland Park about eight years ago and taught himself the ropes by cranking out pocket squares, suspenders, and bow ties for art shows and friends. Once he mastered stretch fabrics, his longtime dream of designing swimwear exploded into reality.
Fast-forward to today, and his inclusive NoRudos line of swimsuits, towels, apparel, and soon jewelry has landed everywhere from a South Beach boutique to ULAH right here in the metro.
But Cody isn’t just stitching fabric; he’s stitching community. Alongside NoRudos, he runs The Speed-oh Movement—an online celebration of bodies of every shape and size rocking Speedo-style swimwear. With more than 40 thousand followers across platforms, it’s a joyful corner of the internet where positivity drowns out the noise.
Whether he’s designing, traveling with his wife of nearly 23 years, or just hanging poolside, Cody’s energy is contagious—and his mission is clear: make fashion fun, inclusive, and unapologetically kind.
We caught up with him as pool season was winding down. Our goal? To discombobulate him with our funky questionnaire. Plus, we also discovered we can rock a tiny, mint blue thong. Bless.
Photo Courtesy of Cody G.
The Pitch: If you were to create a nail polish color, what would it be named?
Cody G: A couple of years ago, I had my nails painted for the first time in a metallic silver. (I’m a sucker for anything metallic, so, of course, that is what I choose). There are so many fun colors out there already that if I were to make one, I would want it to be completely unique and different.
How cool would it be to have a nail polish that you can change depending on your mood or outfit? In other words, I would invent some sort of polychromic formulation that you could use your phone to select the color you want as many times as you want, without having to remove, repaint, or paint over.
I love the fun names nail polish companies use! My wife at one point had a red that was called “So Not a Waitress”, and I remember that from probably 20 years ago. I would name my revolutionary color-changing polish “Constant Chameleon” (for obvious reasons).
What’s an adjective that bugs you?
One adjective that drives me up the wall is pretentious. Using it to describe people who are rich or wealthy is inaccurate. The word derives from Latin and French, meaning, basically, to pretend, or more accurately, as per Dictionary.com, ‘characterized by assumption of dignity or importance, especially when exaggerated or undeserved.’
Photo Courtesy of Cody G.
Yes, technically, the aforementioned people can often act in this manner and, therefore, be pretentious, but on the basis of just being rich or wealthy and therefore being able to afford certain things that others can’t, doesn’t mean one is pretentious. I am aware of the nuance and fine line that this “frustration” rides. I’m not a linguist, and it’s probably a bit pretentious that this bothers me so much, but it still does. Verdict: BANISH IT!
You can only eat one cereal for the rest of your life. What are ya choosin’?
Put cereal in front of me and I will eat and eat and eat. I have been that way ever since childhood. I don’t worry about what brand, variety, or flavor it is; I just can’t get enough.
I have been known to go through a box in one sitting or finish three boxes that are all a third full in one sitting. Picking just one, for the rest of my life? OMG—How? This question kind of sends me into a panic that I’m very uncomfortable with, so my answer will be, “If I can’t have them all, then I won’t have any!” Therefore, I pick none over one—and I stand by my choice!
Describe, in detail, the perfect nap.
The perfect nap in our home is on a slightly chilly, rainy, and grey autumn Saturday or Sunday. You know the type of rain that you can hear against the roof and the house, that isn’t so hard it roars, but isn’t too soft either?
The lights in the house don’t need to be turned on, because the filtered sunlight through the rain clouds bathes everything in that relaxing, bright (but not too bright) light.
We’ll make sure nothing is on our to-do list and we crawl into bed at about 2 or 3 p.m., wrap the cozy bedding around us, get the two dogs situated in their places on the bed, and lie in the quiet peace of the afternoon.
I will meditate for a few minutes and let the rain gently lull us to sleep. I like to doze for an hour or two (sometimes three if I am super-relaxed), have some great dreams, and wake up feeling refreshed and totally grateful. If a more perfect nap exists, I don’t know how because how do you perfect perfection?
