Hiss and Hearse

Today the skies are grey, the snow is still falling, and I find myself daydreaming about Forbidden Island tiki drinks, driving down Highway 1, and visiting my friends in snow-free San Francisco. Some positive things that have happened during this last frigid week: I was able to span lots of time with my honey, and my new, sophisticated KCP business cards, designed by Nubbytwiglet, arrived.

I have been collaborating with another talented person, Erin Corbett, who is a photo re-toucher living right down the street from us. We have been using our combined forces to revamp the website of a local skincare parlor called Bloom. I am also working on her business identity, and she is using her skills to help me with my photography portfolio!

Other wonderful things include: receiving real letters from my photographer pen-pal, Chloe Aftel, who constantly inspires and pushes me to be a better artist; wearing my new Betsey Johnson coat, which I bought for a steal and whose heart buttons make me feel happy; watching the documentary about American figure skater Johnny Weir, “Pop Star on Ice,” which I found to be completely inspiring; and discovering a love of yoga, which I have been doing once a week with Erin Corbett.

This morning I heard birds chirping, and these winter days are starting to make their exit. At the end of the month, I am taking a much needed trip home to California to see family and friends, and I am very excited about that! Tell me things that are making you feel wonderful.

Howdy, everyone! Richard Wayne here. Though I’m always behind the scenes of Hiss & Hearse, editing all the entries and cheering Kristin on, it’s been quite some time since I’ve posted things of male interest up in here. But lately I’ve been fortunate to wrangle up a few fashionable finds, so I figured it’d be nice to share them with you.

Cloth Logic (Tulle’s menswear line) had a big sale this month, and being that I’m never opposed to any opportunity to amplify my resemblance to Link Wray in this photo, I purchased, at a deep discount, the classic, black canvas trench I’m wearing in the photos below. Unfortunately, like the image of Link Wray on the beach, I’m standing amidst a blanket of frigid snow.

I’ve kinda got this thing for flashy shoes. Since most of my wardrobe is made up of neutrals, especially black, I like to give my outfits a pop of pizzaz with a bold pair of boots. A few weeks back, I decided to treat myself to a new pair since my grey cowboy kicks with the fancy silver toe and heel rands are about to kick the bucket. After searching the internet far and wide, I landed on the Giorgio Brutini website and purchased these slinky, snakeskin ankle boots.

I’m fortunate to be in a loving relationship with a lady who knows my style well. Part of my Valentine’s Day gift this year was this silver-chained, trinket necklace from Heresy Designs on Etsy that features an antler tip (don’t worry, dear animal-loving friends, I believe it’s faux), a crucifix, and a Mother Mary medallion. It’s a little bit country and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll. Just like me, I guess.

In the photo above, I’m also wearing a new black button down from H&M. It’s constructed of this very smooth, cotton-stretch material, and the buttons are concealed behind a subtly sleek, ribbon placket.

As a side note, I’d like to say that even though H&M is quite hit-or-miss as far as their inventory goes, I find their sizing to be reliably consistent, and that’s comforting. We were in a kind of rush to get out of the store, and this svelte shirt just kind of popped out at me on the rack as we made our way to the checkout counter. I grabbed the first small I saw, confident that trying it on was unnecessary. When I got home and buttoned it up, I discovered how right I was. Fits like a glove!

And finally, a couple of weeks ago, Kristin hepped me the blog of clothing retailer, 80’s Purple. In a recent entry, they featured a hair grooming product called “Grant’s Golden Brand Pomade.” I have been using pomade to style my hair since I can remember and have always been frustrated by either a deficiency in hold, a lack of luster, a greasiness that gunks up both pillowcases and pores alike, or the fact that it just plain won’t wash out. But this company boasts its hair treatment as having the tenacity it takes to keep up a coiffure, the ability to be re-styled for hours, and a water-based formula that washes out in the shower.

Well, two out of three ain’t bad. It sure does style and hold my hair well and washes out easily with water. But the claim that it allows re-styling is a load of crap. After a few minutes of saturation in my hair, it stiffens up as though I’ve applied hairspray. And unless you’re a masochist, trying to comb through that would not be fun. Now, I’d generally be willing to overlook this mild inconvenience, but at nearly $30 per 4 oz. container (including shipping), a product better deliver everything my ‘do demands!

That’s it for now, but keep your eyes peeled for a post about the very handsome, handmade, detective-style wallet holster Kristin gave me for Christmas (if we can ever figure out how to get a handle on the unctuousness of the leather – more to come about that). Stay warm!

“Believe that you can do it, even if it is ‘a dream job’. Someone has to do it, so it might as well be you!”
-Leanne Ford

Name: Leanne Ford
Location: Nashville TN! . .. .and NY . . .and LA. . .. and Pittsburgh
Occupation: Wardrobe Stylist

Ten things that describe who you are.
Creative, A good time, Kind, Carefree, Gypsy, Open, Loving, Tomato-lover, Dance maniac, Sing-a-longer.

Tell me about your personal style.
Fashionably Scrubby? If grandma used to be a hippie rocker chick, I am the grandma.

Do you have a favorite artist? Photographer?
Hmm, I have favorite writers: Dorothy Parker, Jack Kerouac, CS Lewis. I really love photography, but not the kind I am involved in. I love documentary photography, getting life and people and places and showing them beautifully without changing anything about what you are shooting. And I love love love music! All kinds, but to sum up my style of music, I would say anything from Lost Highway Records.

When did you realize that styling could be a viable career choice?
It was pretty much a fluke. I realized I could and should be a stylist when people started calling me and asking me to style for them! I was working in PR for Roxy, and the VP of Design and I had a mutual admiration club going, so she would ask me to come on the shoots and style. I was so excited because it was in Palm Desert, which is so fun. Then, a magazine in California, FOAM, that I worked with called and asked me if I was interested in being their Fashion Editor. So for two years I conceptualized, produced, and styled three shoots an issue. When I moved back to New York, I realized I had a huge portfolio of work and could style full time. It really worked out perfectly for me.

When did you decide to become a freelancer?
When I realized I could! It is perfect for me. I am able to be where I want, when I want. I do not have to call off for my two weeks vacation, and I can make a nice amount of money to have a nice life. And the sky is the limit, the options are totally open. Those are all great things for me as a person.

Margot Tenenbaum is the inspiration for an upcoming photo shoot!

It’s a high of 25 degrees today in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! While I sit inside a warm office watching the snowflakes swirl and fall softly to the ground, I have some things to share with you, dear readers.

I couldn’t be more than pleased with the new black and white identity designed by my friend, the talented and darling, Miss Nubby Twiglet!

I came across the website of Austin-based freelance web designer and writer, Paige Maguire, called flux-rad.com, where she has some really great mixtapes available to download!

2009 was the year in which MadMen inspired me to start wearing pegnoirs to bed instead of pajamas, and in my searches for them, I came across this the pegnoir of my dreams.

Shae Acopian Detar always inspires me with her self portraits that she posts on her fashion blog, EverythingStyle.com. On Christmas Day, Richard Wayne’s mom gave me a fancy wireless remote, which means I have no excuse for not taking more photographs of my own face. Maybe this can be a goal for 2010?

“Of course she drank the poision.”, artwork by one of my favorites, Caitlin Shearer.

This morning I opened my eyes and Pittsburgh was covered in snow! The sidewalks, the cars, the tree branches – it all looked like a scene from Groundhog Day!

I think the snow is gorgeous to look at, but of course I am saying this from my cozy apartment, while poor Richard Wayne is outside scraping snow off his car.

How are you? I am enjoying learning about my new environment but really missing California and my family. How are you going to spend the holidays? One of the things from the internet that I have been enjoying lately is Regina, the jewelry designer behind Chain Chain Chained’s blog.

Finally able to take pictures again, this week I was really curious how to make my own bokeh and found this really easy to follow tutorial.

What I love the most about this time of year are the decorations and giving gifts to my nearest and dearest. I wish that I could reveal what I purchased for Richard Wayne, but let’s just say that this year, Etsy was a great gift resource!

I also collaborated with Lindsay Jean, ModCloth fashion buyer and budding stylist, along with friend and model Bobbi Wall to create some gorgeous images. Can you believe that this was Bobbi’s first time in front of a camera?

I am anxious to focus on my photography again. There are some collaborations in the works, including an exciting identity redesign with graphic designer, fellow black and white lover, and snow white beauty, nubbytwiglet! Updates coming soon! Other than that, I am trying to stay positive and enjoy where I am.

“Evoking is the really hard part, though. That got better for me once I learned ease and trust. The camera has a unique ability to capture your thoughts.”
-Ellen Hancock

Name: Ellen Hancock
Location: Sort of all over Northern California at the moment.
Occupation: Model/Actress

Ellen Hancock, the model and lady, is a dream to work with: she is punctual, friendly, gorgeous and knows how to move in front of a lens. She is a chameleon, able to portray natural beauty, glamor, innocence, or even rock and roll. Ellen has made her career out of modeling, and I wanted to know how she did it!

Were you discovered? Tell me how your career in modeling started.
When I was in high school, a lady from Wilhelmina stopped me on the street and asked me to come to an open call they were having, but my mom wouldn’t let me go at the time. So I didn’t actually start modeling until I was 18 – by just meeting some photographers and shooting around for fun. It grew from there into a passion and career pursuit.

Do you have a personal style? Describe it for me.
That’s a REALLY tough question. I feel like I am very precise about what I like, and yet I wear all sorts of different looks. Sometimes I’m lazy and wear completely torn up jeans and a comfy t-shirt. Or, if I’m having fun with it, I guess I turn out most often as chic hippie – sleek shapes with an element of nature in them. My guy recently remarked that some of my clothes have a real art deco feel to them, too. Hmm, yeah I don’t know. It really depends on my mood. I feel like if you change your clothes, your inspiration for life changes. So I like to explore different personas of myself.

Tell me your favorite modeling experience. Any horror stories?
I think my best memories are really based on the amazing personalities I get to work with. I get to be around fascinating, creative people. It’s really more play-time than work (though it can be VERY tiring). Photography is always trying to capture surreal moments, too, so you can imagine what it’s like on set. Amazing locations, having someone coif your hair to perfection, makeup, and so on. I always just try to savor the grandeur of it. The horror stories are pretty few; but back before I was with an agency, I had one photographer ask me and another model to take a picture of him naked. He was definitely a perv! Eww.

What inspires you?
While shooting it’s a shared vision. You pull a mood from the wardrobe, the lighting, the makeup – every aspect. Beyond that, in my personal life, just a strong sense of independence, mother nature, and the few amazing things or people in life that make you question what you think you know.

Does posing come naturally to you? Or is it something that has gotten better with time?
Posing is a skill I just eventually got a bit of muscle-memory for. You want to have freedom of movement without, for example, giving constant up-the-nose shots. Evoking is the really hard part, though. That got better for me once I learned ease and trust. The camera has a unique ability capture your thoughts. I actually used to be dreadfully shy and was on anti-anxiety medications for about five years in my early teens (which was NOT helpful, I must say). So loosening up in front of the camera took a while for me.

Favorite photographers? Models?
Ellen Von Unwerth is my favorite photographer. I feel like she lets women simultaneously own their sexuality and their innocence – a sort of playfulness. Her work feels very empowering to me. I think my favorite model is Karen Elson. But, then, there are so many beauties, it’s hard to choose!

Where do you see yourself in five years?
Down in L.A. focusing on my acting career and a few other projects (but those are just starting to take shape and I won’t jinx them by spilling my beans!).

Advice for other women pursuing modeling as their career?
Keep in mind that there are so many reasons you will hear the words, “No, thank you.” You can’t take it personally. You will hear it a lot. If you can’t look past that and have a good time, it’s not for you. If you are serious about a career, GO TO OPEN CALLS. GO TO EVERY GOOD AGENCY. Don’t putter around and pretend like you are going to do it – get your butt in there. If they say no, go again in six months. For a few people it just happens, but for most people – even if you have what it takes – you have to work REALLY REALLY hard and be persistent. Also keep in mind that no one wants to work around an egomaniac. Be humble, be helpful, be professional.

See more photos of the talented and gorgeous Ellen Hancock at her portfolio website.

What’s inspiring me lately? First off is this gorgeous new photograph taken by one of my favorite photographers, Ren Rox.

And then, this is view from my new desk. It’s hard to not stare out the window at the river and the changing, autumn leaves! I am also typing to you from a brand new MacBook Pro, which is dreamy with its black keys. Today I can’t stop listening to a mix called “Danse Macabre” from a blog called, Trash Menagerie. Los Angeles based photographers and partners, JUCO (Cody Cloud and Julia Galdo), continue to leave me breathless. Check out their latest set, shot in their home.

Things that I want right now but don’t necessarily need: boots, lots of them, including these suede pretties. Pittsburgh is definitely a boot city. Last week it was freezing, and today it’s 70 degrees. In a month, it will snow! I dream of many coats, and so I’ve been on the search for one that both looks good and is warm. I always want more tights, of all colors, textures, and patterns! This last weekend I attended my first Steelers game and was introduced to the joy of the over the knee sock.

Everything is falling into place. Richard and I sign the lease for our new apartment tonight!

I’ve had some fashionable fortunes recently, due mostly to my lovely ladyfriend’s thoughtfulness and to her internet shopping savvy.

This first photo features two of the gems with which Kristin has graced my wardrobe. On my finger, from the “Curio Cabinet” of Etsy seller, Iciernia, is a handsome gold and onyx signet ring, which reminds me of something you might see Elvis Presley – or his descendant of dapper, Nick Cave – donning on any number of his digits. Also note, just above my breast pocket, from the same Etsy seller, the stately and sleek, true-vintage Victorian mourning brooch. The way I wear it nods to a military-inspired approach – a kind of sartorial insignia, if you will.

I think we all know by now that my closet is stuffed full of western gear; but for a long time it has been void of a proper, period-appropriate tie. No longer! My sweetheart found a clip-on ribbon tie for me on e-Bay, and it is the huckleberry to any Doc Holliday-esque ensemble I may put together.

On my darling dear’s recent trip to visit me in the G-20 city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we stopped at a boutique called Pavement, in the Lawrenceville section of my home metropolis. While she networked with the shop’s owner, I took a gander at some unisex accessories and procured this piece – a vintage black tie with toffee-colored detailing re-fashioned into a bracelet with a pearlized snap reminiscent of the enclosures found fastening my western shirts.

And finally, this past weekend, my best friend, Tiffany, and I took a trip to the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh, where there resides a buy/sell/trade clothing store by the name of Avalon Exchange. This place is generally hit-or-miss when it comes to men’s clothing, but I tend to have good luck finding footwear here (during a previous visit, I walked out with a beautiful pair of authentic lizard skin cowboy boots). This trip was no exception, as I became the new owner of this pair of caramel-colored, crocodile print loafers for a mere $12.50!

Any of you other fashionable fellows score any good finds lately? Care to share?

Exciting news, my friends Good Friday Designs just launched their brand new website! Click on the Good Friday banner here at Hiss and Hearse and receive 20% off anything from their store!

I myself own the glamorous Sheena Necklace and Richard Wayne wears his Alamo Necklace almost every day!

Richard Wayne wants to know what you think about his Unisex-y posts! Are there ModCloth items that you feel can go both ways? Please let him know!