Day Seven: Fluttereen Ashore

Aviator Peacoat w/ Detachable Faux Fur Collar: Miss Sixty 

Satin & Silk Gown: BCBG Max Azria Runway 

Headpiece: Free People

xoxo,

I'll give you Candy, give you Diamonds, give you FRILLS!

If anything you want is this fancy little number...

then I'll give YOU anything, anything, anything!

{hint: "YOU" are the winner... Be sure to email me your full name and mailing address @ EstoyJeSuis@gmail.com to claim your Birthday Giveaway Goodie!}

xoxo,

Day Six: Every Guy's Crazy 'Bout a Sharp Dressed Gal...

Blazer: Cartonnier  

Blouse: personal collection - bought in Madrid, Spain 

Skirt: Theysken's Theory 

Belt: Theysken's Theory

xoxo,

& Pups: Cura, Albert & Margot 

A Little Survey from Yours Truly

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Be My Valentine, The Whole Year Through

Yes, I know, the sweetie-pie holiday has come and gone this year, but WINNER Essi Salonen finally picked up her JewelMint giveaway prize from the postmaster & {drumroll, please}....

You're so welcome! 

xoxo,

A Letter, A Starlet, A Lesson in Being Glamorously Nice

Dear Reader,

Once there was a girl who dreamed to sing like Doris Day, while wearing Chanel and a shroud of applause.

And when she grew up...

----------------------------------------------------------

Jennifer Keith  is a singer of classic American Jazz standards and swing music.

image: facebook.com/profile.php?id=772287058

She performs in her very own "Jennifer Keith Quintet" and with the acclaimed American roots/swing band "Royal Crown Revue".

I love old movies, music and clothing.  It is a goal of mine to keep classic American music and glamour alive and cherished!

The daughter of a writer/director father, the granddaughter of an actor/singer grandfather (featured in the "Wonderful World of Disney" films), her great grandparents were Vaudevillians and she is the Great Great Granddaughter of B.F. Keith (that's the "K" in RKO Studios)... Her grandfather once said, 

"Greece Paint is in Your Veins." 

Having attended the prestigious Orange County High School of the Arts, Keith was exposed to a bevy of musical theater history and training.  She followed that up with music technique and theory studies while in college.

I have been singing for as long as I can remember.  When I was 19, I met tenor saxophonist, Mando Dorame.  He helped start my first jazz quintet and eventually, I began guest-singing with his group, "Royal Crown Revue" to which I was permanently added only a few short years later.  That addition has afforded me the fortune of performing all over the world, in Australia, Spain, England, Greece and even Egypt.

During some of those formative years, while performing with Dorame around Los Angeles, Keith was approached by club presenter Maxwell DeMille.  He was opening a new vintage inspired supper club called Cicada Club and he wanted her to perform there.  

That was around four years ago and I've been singing and frequenting the joint ever since!

Here in LA, her hometown, she also performs with her own "Jennifer Keith Quintet" every Saturday in the Observation Bar aboard the famed Queen Mary and every Wednesday at Bar Thirteen located in Downtown LA.  

Her vintage roots were planted from a very early age, with a love for mid-century cars, music and clothing and her favorite childhood films being those made in the 1940s and '50s.

When I found out that I was actually RELATED to some of the great entertainers of Vaudeville and RKO, it all made sense.  Performing has been in my blood for four generations, so I guess it was inevitable.

Jennifer told us that her musical influences are the songbirds of the golden years: Doris Day, June Christy, Keely Smith, Patti Page, Margaret Whiting, Sarah Vaughan, Jo Stafford... just to name a few.  It seems that they're being beautiful, having poise and great style didn't hurt the impression they left on her either.

L to R: June Christy, Doris Day, Patti Page, Jo Stafford
(images, L to R: s11bdbphotos.com, listal.com, 2.bp.blogspot.com, userserve-ak.last.fm)

She went on to tell us that her hair, makeup and wardrobe approach is often pulled in reference from the Hollywood glamour of bombshells like Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner, Veronica Lake, Lauren Bacall and Elizabeth Taylor.  We can't argue with these gals when it comes to style and we can only give Keith a major pat on the back for having such good taste. 

In my opinion, all women have a bit of inner goddess.  Why be afraid to show it?  I think that Hollywood today is lacking the mystery and glamour that it used to have.

L to R: Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner, Veronica Lake
(images, L to R: celebritiesheight.com, listal.com, demeterclarc.com)

Since she mentioned the big H word, we asked in pulling concepts from film, photography and icons, who would she say are her style-crushes - past and present - and why?  Her answer... Keith is a fan of film noir -- the shadows, contrast and drama have had a hypnotic effect on her (to which we say, then those writers, actors and directors did their jobs well!).

I love the feminine silhouette and I sincerely enjoy being a girl! 

{Any Peggy Lee fans out there?}

Keith intimates that she'd like to be part of bringing back the old glamour and class to the industry.  She says she feels that Hollywood and the music scene are losing the "singer" amidst what she calls "karaoke performers who are lip syncing because they're too out of breath to actually sing while they're doing aerobics on stage."  We love our Gaga as much as anyone else, but we're admittedly guilty of feverishly searching the net for a cappella A/V to remind us why the sirens were such a danger to Odysseus. 


So what would Miss Keith like to impart as a lasting impression on the morale of a generation immersed in E-vites and lost to the tradition of bringing a gift to the gracious host of said party?

image: facebook.com/profile.php?id=772287058

Sam Butera (legendary tenor saxophonist) once told me,

"It's nice to be important, but it's important to be nice!"

--------------------------------------------------------

Having recently recorded her second album (still in the finishing touch process), 
"LIVE from the Queen Mary", Keith's first album, 
"Jenny", can be found on iTunes and CD baby. 

xoxo,

30 Days, 30 Outfits: Day Five

    Sooooo:

A. I picked a heck of a busy month to do this 30/30 business, but I'm sticking to it -- even if it gets   a little spread out.

B. I've decided, that is -- I'm not asking, I'm just telling -- there is such a thing as an outfit for the eyes... it's called makeup.  With that on the table, I'd like to present Outfit Number Five:

Electric Peacock Eyes, for Day & Night

I started by following the contour of my eyelid, nearly closed so I could see the crease, with
Color Tattoo by Maybelline EyeStudio in "Fierce & Tangy" -
using a Round Contour/Crease Shadow Brush.

Then, I slid the brush in a tangent off from the peak of the crease outward to the point where a continuing line from my lower lid would meet one of the same from the edge of my eyebrow. 

In the final touches, I used the same brush and smudged
Color Tattoo by Maybelline EyeStudio in "Edgy Emerald"
into the outer section of the lid & crease, leaving the cat-eye angle exposed.

Lastly, I dabbed Color Tattoo by Maybelline EyeStudio in "Pomegranate Punk" on the inner crease using my baby finger and leaving the inner section of the lid bright orange.

Throw on a sliver of gold arch highlighter, your favorite mascara & a touch of blush... 

Gorgeous standout color, no liner needed & all day wear that won't budge before a big night out!

I have green eyes, so these tones were the best to make them POP! 

For Blues: Start with Bold Gold, smudge in Tenacious Teal & finish with Bad to the Bronze

For Browns: Start with Painted Purple, smudge in Tough as Taupe & finish with Too Cool

xoxo,

From The Green Room: Upcycling Your Peels, Prada & Proust

It is insurmountably disturbing the amount of waste that happens in the US on a daily basis. Our landfills are packed to the brim and although many have caught on to recycling, there is still much more to be done...

HERE are a few stylishly beneficial ways to divert waste from our landfills:

1) “WASTE NOT WANT NOT”

START A COMPOST:

Nearly 40% of our average daily waste can be composted. Do you compost at home? If you live in an apartment, like me, and you don’t have a personal garden, farm, or yard to put some rich compost to use, like me.... that’s no excuse... you can compost in small quantities 1-2x per week at a community garden!

Composting is easy.  Here’s what you need:

-A large (or small) bin (even a rubbermaid trashcan) 

-Soil (gardening soil does the trick)

-Food scraps (nothing with fat-- no meat or dairy)

Check out this link for step-by-step directions: http://gatheringinlight.com/2007/10/15/how-to-start-a-compost-bin-in-the-city-with-little-money/

2)“ONE MAN’S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN’S TREASURE”

UPCYCLE:

There are various ways to upcycle. Whether it is turning an old pair of jeans into a quilted satchel or old wine bottles into flower vases and candlestick holders...

Here are some of my favorite ideas:

“THERE ONCE WAS A PLANT WHO LIVED IN A SHOE”

WAIT!!! Don’t throw out that old, unmatched boot. Use it as a planter. These look really great mounted

on walls or even on picket fences. The sky is the limit here. You can use tennis shoes, boots, heels, whatever!

MAKE-SHIFT COFFEE TABLES...

I work in the furniture industry and if you are looking to buy a rad coffee table (that is NOT from IKEA or TARGET-- blah!) then you're probably going to be spending a pretty penny. 

Why not make your own? All you need is a solid piece 

of glass (tempered) that is beveled on the ends.  Then you can be really creative with the “legs” or “base”. Options that I love are vintage books or old amps. 

IN THE KITCHEN-- a few easy tips.

1. cut your kitchen sponges in half
2. dilute your dish soap
3. reuse condiment/spaghetti sauce jars
4. rinse and re-use ziplock bags 
5. use cloth rags not paper towels.

In closing, I would just like to acknowledge the fact that my Grandmother was probably one of the “greenest” gals I know... Not because it was hip but because she grew up in the Great Depression, when wasting was abhorred.  Take a peek into your family history to find out just how thrift-savvy your loved ones were -- take away a tip or two!

xoxo,

&

Savvy Saturdays: Altruistic Audacity

I am me. No excuses. No regrets. Simply, inexplicably me.

image: Vivien Clauss

My name is Vivien Clauss.  I was born and raised in Germany -- a country that is much too cold if you ask me!  This is almost certainly one of the reasons why I love traveling so much.  You could call me a modern day nomad.  I wanna see the world, live in different cultures and learn new languages.  I once lived in the UK for seven months.  I would love to be a backpacker in OZ {colloquial term for Australia- EJS}, travel through America or work on a quality-of-life project in Africa.

I am honest, genuine and I appreciate what others have to offer.  

I am terribly impatient.

I hate smoking, insects and attitudes of disrespect.  

I am fascinated by the oceans and the universe.

I love diversity and spirited conversations.

I‘m a partner in crime and up for every possible adventure out there.

I know what I want and I stand up for what I believe in, even if it means standing alone. My greatest fear is to die without having lived.

My so-far 23 year long journey has brought lots of joy and happiness.  I have the best friends for which I could have ever asked.  I've got a hobby that keeps me going.  But fate didn't make a wide berth around me... Last August I lost my beloved brother in a bike accident.  My whole family has such a great passion for motorbikes and bike racing.  It‘s hard to live with the fact that what we all love the most has taken his life.  This tragedy only encouraged me to keep chasing my dream -- a dream that I've been working towards half my life.  My brother always supported me and what I wanted to do, so know I live every day to make him proud... Fingers crossed.

image: https://twitter.com/#!/VC_rocksU

I am very blessed with my immediate and extended family.  My parents opened our home as a foster family.  We currently have three foster children from 4 months up to 12 years. My parents can‘t afford to donate money to organizations, but what we can provide is a loving home, healthy meals and supportive surroundings for those who otherwise would have none.  Unfortunately, being a foster family is not very popular in Germany, although  we are witness to so many homeless, orphaned and otherwise in-need children.  The tragedies are right at our doorsteps, but everyone is chooses to close their eyes.  I am proud that my parents decided to help in their own way.  I love being a big sister and all the opportunities it presents for me to both attempt to be a better person as a positive role model and also to learn from my new siblings.  I never thought that a simple smile could change a bad day into a good one.  A smile is a gift that sometimes only the poor know to appreciate.

Another valuable lesson this kind of upbringing has taught me is to never look down on someone unless you‘re helping them up!

____________________________________________________

I‘m not your run-of-the-mill fashionista.  I‘m far beyond perfect when it comes to my looks -- 

{ahem... We disagree & insist that you never let that thought cross your mind again.  You ARE beautiful, Viv- EJS}.

I‘m not what society thinks is beautiful and I agree 

{Society promotes a lot of whacked ideas.  Some crazy gives birth to brilliance.  This is NOT that kind of crazy.  From here on out, you DISAGREE. - EJS} 

...but I do love clothes, shoes, purses, accessories and I have a nail polish collection counting 31 different colors.  Not many of my close friends know I‘m a Vogue lover or that I would kill for Chanel, an Eli Saab or Valentino dress, a pair of Louboutins or a Marc Jacobs bag.  It‘s not that fashion rules my life.  I simply like to keep an eye on what's new.  I am a girl, you know.

My style is very casual.  I enjoy mixing basics with daring accessories.

a little Polyvore.com collection I put together to illustrate my style favorites

I enjoy wearing heels but I gotta admit that after four hours of walking with a 12cm boosted arch, my feet are killing me and I cant wait to give them reprieve.  For everyday wear, I usually throw on a stylish pair of sneakers or kitten heels (5-7cm).  When I dont need to leave the house I kick around in harem pants and a soft knit top.

I have naturally curled hair.  I have to confess that I have absolutely no talent when it comes to styling it.  However, two or three times a year I‘m a hair model for one of the best hairdressers in all Germany.  I get color and cut worth more than a pretty penny (Euros 'round here) for free!  I highly recommend taking a deep breath and asking around at salons for stylists that engage in hair shows and competitions... it's a great way to live a little through a new do' and save some change.

  

image: http://www.bysjanty.nl/

Mani/Pedi, ooh la la!  Oh how I love nail design.  From about fifteen years onward I've made little masterpieces out of each keratin canvas.  By the way, my fav style tip for the finishing touch: got fifteen minutes 'til go-time and didn't have a chance to fix or finish those tootsies and tips?  These long-wear express dry drops have been a life and style saver for me, drying wet nails in 20 SECONDS!  A brilliant buy at only 1,95€.

{we couldn't find this in the U.S. -- except completely sold-out on Ulta.com... it took us a while, but VOILA! Via http://www.cosnova.eu/, Essence's brand distributor, we found it in Spain @ http://www.juteco.es/essence/EXPRESS_DRY_DROPS}

____________________________________________________

Well, I'm off to be a sister, tame my mane and see the world, but I'll leave you with this..

Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.  

~Confucius {551 BC - 479 BC}

Follow Me on Twitter

xoxo,

          Viv &

Bread & Butterflies

One gives us the strength, the other the will to live... Food for the belly and soul!

This is a shop window I stumbled across in Lisbon last year.

Nope, I didn't have time to step out of the office for an outfit post photo shoot today.  Instead, I'm giving you a picture worth a thousand sweetnesses, a wonderland-filled vignette of a daydream for girls of every age.  (By the way -- check out the French doors and street lantern in the reflection -- wishing that were my stoop).

xoxo,

30 Days, 30 Outfits: Making up for Lost Time

Okay, Okay... I know I owe you a Day 3 AND Day 4.

So here are both!

Yep, better late than never.  If I say I'll come through, you'd be wise to put the kettle on at least a day early.  I tend to show up just in time to help set up, or fashionably late.  You know you love me {wink}.

Creme de Menthe:

Lace Crop Jacket: To the Max, Max Azria
Sun Valley Silk Halter: Ralph Lauren
Noir Crop Skinnies: White House, Black Market
Vintage Repro Clutch: Carita Viola, Sumi's
Isaac Pump: White House, Black Market 

__________________________________________________________________

Clementines & Bobby Darin for Tea:

Champagne & Sequins Modern Tea Dress: Express
Orange & White Striped Halter-Tunic: Splendid
Gold Patent GWCarrie Heels: Guess by Marciano
Eye Makeup: Daily Wear, Inspired by Prabal Gurung's 02.2012 Runway Look

xoxo,

For Your Viewing Pleasure: Eco-Chic Swag

My good friend and the face behind "The Green Room" here on Estoy, Je Suis, Alicia Garcia, recently spilled the goods on a pretty amazing eyewear design haus.  Shwood, a company out of Beaverton, Oregon is more than just stylish sunnies for everyday though.  Eric Singer, founder of Shwood, and a team of about twenty-five other eco-chic creative geniuses {only taking from nature what nature is soon to give, i.e. trees that are already dying} are making the world a better place, one pair of shades at a time.

image: ShwoodShop.com, more on Shwood's collaboration with Pendleton at shwoodshop.com/blogs/gallery 

A simple experiment with nature. Born from the limb of a Madrone tree, a rusty pair of cabinet hinges and lenses from the corner store, Shwood has been a curious endeavor from the beginning. An endeavor to create a product that encompasses the individuality and uniqueness that can only be found in natural surroundings. A desire to experiment with design, materials, and aesthetics in the search for something that works. Free from passing trends, the brand’s focus remains that of its roots, innovation and creation. Long live creativity.  ~ShwoodShop.com

We sat down with Mr. Singer to find out just how his vision came to life and what his hopes are for Shwood in fashion and in nature.

image: shwoodshop.com

I originally started playing with the wooden sunglass idea about 6 years ago, simply as a new avenue to keep my creative brain happy.  Over the next three years, I put everything I had into the sunglasses.  They eventually caught the attention of my now four other business partners, who all play intricate roles in the sustainability of what we do.  

EJS:  Tell us a little more about yourself, your education and how you became interested in accessory design.  Being an art school grad myself and from the aesthetic of your line of sunnies, it almost seems you studied interior design.

My education has always been the least most important thing on my mind.  That might sound reckless, but it was just natural that the immediate need for fun took over.  Living in these surroundings, it was just too easy.  You live and you learn, and somewhere in the middle you find channels that pull you in certain directions.  My parents allowed this, watching me as a kid make and do everything as I saw fit, being my own creative "sheriff". My high school art teachers allowed it too, which looking back now really was the best thing they could have done for me.  I really don't like cages or rules, although I have come to respect the fact that there are right and wrong ways to do certain things.  A lot of trial and error has lead me to understand that.  Besides, it just looked like too much money to buy an education for myself.  I figured I'd just make one, much like most everything else I wanted over the years.

EJS:  I really respect that kind of innovative approach to your need for a productive outlet... you knew where your heart lied and let your wings soar.  I'll admit, I'm a bit envious that your mind works on such an avant-garde -meets- up-cycling -meets- high fashion level.  Speaking of, your interest in sustainable, outside-the-box fashion is clear.  What was the initial drive behind creating Shwood?

image: shwoodshop.com

The drive at first (6 years ago) was fueled solely by the need to find the next project to keep me happy.  I hit a lot of roadblocks as an artist.  Not created by others, rather by that hand of my own internal architect.  I would simply loose interest in something as I started to understand it.  I knew nothing about making sunglasses, and have never taken a formal woodworking class.  I have always loved sunglasses though, digging though old bins of second-hand shades at the thrift store was something I always looked forward to.  It was just one of those ideas that comes to you for no good reason at all.  I had a tree branch in my hand, with no decent idea of what to do with it.  The sun was shining in my eyes that day, it was that simple.  Since that day and that first pair of wooden sunglasses carved by hand, we have definitely realized there is a place in this world for our product, with a demand that has been a beast to tackle.  It's actually still running wild out there.

EJS:  It would seem so.  With the current and escalating trends in both the fashion world and the recycling community merging ever more so, your demand must be through the roof!
After reading the mission statement on your "About" page, I was curious to know if you have a love for vintage styling and decor (quoting "a rusty pair of cabinet hinges") or are you generally a thrifty individual -- as you mentioned, you had a bit of a love-affair with seeking out pre-loved sunnies?

image: shwoodshop.com

The rusty pair of hinges is actually a true story.  The first pair I made had old hinges attaching the temples to the frames.  Hinges that I stole off the medical cabinet in the bathroom.  Haha.  But yes, I do have a love for the old.  My car is 18 years older than I am for instance.  Things were just made with more love back then.  I don't even like buying most things new in stores these days.  Thank God for Craigslist.




EJS:  ...and Etsy!  We share that sentiment.  "Vintage" and "Art Deco" are words frequently uttered with love around my home and office.
Pulling concepts and materials directly from nature, would you say you have a green thumb or that you spent any number or years learning to appreciate the outdoors -- and in what capacity?

Nature is a very giving lady.  I definitely appreciate her for offering up so many materials at no cost when I had no money in my pockets.  I grew up in these forests I still play in and I love watching how landscapes really just don't change out there.  They will always be wild, as long as man leaves them alone and just takes what there is an abundance of.  Luckily that abundance is wood, and not something like metal.  These sunglasses just wouldn't look as good with that nice suit jacket if that were the case.    

 EJS:  It's so true.  Every time I swoon over your site, all I can think is how dapper my guy, my dad and my brothers would look wearing a pair of Shwoods and a sleek bit of Armani.
Now that we're on the exquisite appearance of your designs, those lenses, a la Carl Zeiss -- whose craftsmanship spans the use of the world's top surgeons, astronomers and even Stanley Kubrick, are a pretty significant feature of the line.  How did you come in contact with and choose Zeiss as your partner? .

image: shwoodshop.com

One of my partners had a connection with Zeiss, someone over there who was willing to work with us in small quantities.  As we formed the brand and started up our version of "mass production", our numbers didn't even come close to the industry standard that any lens supplier offered as their smallest bulk order.  Zeiss worked with us, to help get us a premium lens in numbers that matched our tiny woodshop's output at the time.  We wanted to do this the best we could and weren't willing to go with some sub-par lens.  It worked out great.

EJS:  I'll say.  So, what are your hopes and expectations for Shwood in the near and distant future?  What kind of impact do you hope to have?

Lets HOPE the Mayans are wrong about 2012, and EXPECT a large expansion in facilities and products. 

We are doing things the old fashioned way in most respects.  We outsource as little as possible and make our products ourselves, under one roof.  It's not easy, but it is very rewarding.  I'm sure we would be making John Wayne happy with our work ethic.  There is a DIY revolution in our midst, and Shwood is right in the eye of that tornado.  We as humans have to keep encouraging each other to think outside the box, do things and go places that are rarely traveled.  The cycle of life has taught us that the forward thinkers are the ones that push this world to better and better places, we just have to be conscious of our efforts and minimize the negative effects we might be having on others around the globe.

image: ShwoodShop.com, instagram "shwoodshop"

EJS:  Is there anything about yourself or the line that you want people to know that they may not already?

We are a gathering of artists, musicians, and tactitians -- all around creative people who are here to do something we really care about.  We spend our time putting our hands and minds to the test everyday.  That's good life-building material to learn, for anyone.  There's no sweatshop here.  Our employees are the ones constantly making this a better place to create and work.

EJS:  Who knew talking about a sunglass line would be so moving.  I'm honestly touched by that last response.
Any famous closing lines?

"The Edge... There is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."
-Hunter S. Thompson  

YEARS from Bartholomäus Traubeck on Vimeo.

Bartholomäus Traubeck gives trees a voice with this modified record player. By analyzing wooden disks the record player creates a unique soundtrack for every tree. 

video: Traubeck.com, reposted from Shwood's blog: experimentwithnature.com 

xoxo,