Mad about the final season of Mad Men!

"It's all about the detail. That's why I love all those vintage things. It's the details." - Christina Hendricks.

Christina Hendricks recently told The Associated Press going to be difficult when the seventh and final season of "Mad Men" starts filming this November.

"I just want to milk it as long as possible," said Hendricks, who plays my personal favourite character on the show, Joan Harris, on the AMC drama. "I want to really enjoy this last season every second that I can because it's been a really special time for me and a really special show." I couldn't agree with you more, Christina! 

What keeps me glued to the show, apart from the great story lines and excellent acting, is the show's signature fashion, created by costumer designer Janie Bryant. And the style has really seen a revival in streets and offices everywhere. 

When Joan got married in the show, you watched her starting to wear higher necklines, and then power suits joined the character's rotation when she was promoted at the show's advertising agency.

Thinking back when I got married (19 years ago already this month, wow!), my dress style did not change at all. Did you change your dress style when you got married? Maybe that's a 60's thing. But one thing never changes about her look: her updo!  

Christina's personal style is very different. For the AP interview, she wore an Alice & Olivia zebra-printed top, teal Stella McCartney cigarette pants and neon-yellow Jimmy Choo heels. Not something you'd see Joan wearing in the show!

"For me personally, I think I'm a little bit more playful than I think Joan is," she said. "I think that reflects in my clothing. I like things with a bit of whimsy and a bit of romance."

That hasn't kept some of the "Mad Men" midcentury style out of Hendricks' wardrobe, though. "I never had a pencil skirt in my closet until I was on `Mad Men,"' she said.

Her favorite outfit during the show's run? A knee-length, belted purple dress with a silk fuchsia scarf, which was re-created for the Barbie collector doll. "It has a little kick-pleat in the back," she said. 

All I know is I will savour every episode that's left in this series, and get lots of fashion inspiration from it. 

Has Mad Men's style influenced your personal style? Are you experimenting with pencil shirts, form-fitting tops and scarves? Personally, my style is somewhere between Betty and Joan, depending on my mood :-)

In case you need some tips on how to recreate this iconic style, check out one of our other blog posts on that subject here: How to recreate the Mad Men Chic 60's chic today. 

Let me know in the comments how you create your own personal Mad Style.

Style on my friends!

Cristel

(Interview credit: The Associated Press.)

Social Media Madness or Magnificence?

Dear fellow Style Insiders,

"Interdependence is and ought to be as much the ideal of man as self-sufficiency. Man is a social being." - Mahatma Gandhi 

Mahatma Gandhi said we were social beings, but did he mean social media beings? The last few months I have been focused on expanding Senzu's social media presence, and with the help of Marie, who wrote my guest blog a few days ago, our group of followers and fans has grown considerably. 

Being present in multiple social media outlets is a fair bit of work, and despite many apps, it is not always so integrated and automated as they may like you to believe! So where do we post and how much time does it take? Well, posting takes about an hour or so a day, not counting this blog or taking and editing the pictures. Inspiration comes and goes, so when it does, I try to sit down and write! The rest of the time, if I think of a good idea for a blog post, I note it down for future use. 

Am I being anti-social when working on social media? This blogger thinks it may be. In any case, it's a fine line. 

We've gone from 129 'likes' on Facebook, to over 440, in the span of a few months. Thank you all for your support! Onwards and upwards, as they say!

We are now also on Pinterest, where I post a lot of fashion picks (not just Senzu jewellery) and looks that I like. We also have an entertainment board, with easy recipes when you're expecting guests, and of course plenty of cocktails too! My personal favourite board though is our Entrepreneurship board, with tips and ideas for those of us who work from home or work for themselves. 

Wherever I am, I am always looking at people's fashion expressions, their 'street style', for inspiration of what to create next, and also to further develop my own personal style. Check out Senzu's page on Chicissimo to get a glimpse into my wardrobe... Some of these looks and others also make it onto our Instagram, where I share looks, social pictures and more.  

If you like to read multiple blogs, you can now also follow this one through Bloglovin.

We're also on Google+, though our account here is still in its infancy. Should we develop it further? Let me know your feedback. If there is anywhere else you think Senzu should be, please comment below!

Thanks very much for being such great supporters and see you online, everywhere ;-)  

Cristel

Senzu's Style Insider loves fellow bloggers, so we're now on Bloglovin too!

Great news!

If you follow multiple blogs and you like having a quick overview of all of them, you can now follow the Senzu Style Insider (this blog!) on it too!

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/6968395/?claim=6zppdg7yz7g">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Be your own boss… my new lifestyle!

Several years ago I decided that I had enough. Enough of precious time spent commuting to my job, enough of hard schedules and most importantly, enough of doing what I just did not want to do anymore.

We all know that life is precious and we must think and take act towards where we really want to spend our energy.

I decided to work for myself, and to work from home, or from anywhere I want to be! The liberty of scheduling my time as I wish is what I like best. Who doesn’t like to do the groceries at 2PM on a Tuesday afternoon?! Being able to work from everywhere is also a great opportunity. I can host home parties in many regions and go to as many trade shows as I want. (Road trip crazy? This could be your dream job!) I personally only require an Internet connection and I can manage my web sales and orders from anywhere. The result is more quality time with my family and more fun doing things I love, like Do-It-Yourself projects and cooking new recipes!

There are challenges, of course! Keeping a good schedule that I readjust each week is key to being your own boss. Trust me, it’s easy to work crazy hours at home skipping lunch or forgetting what day it is!

Being a Senzu independent stylist has become part of my work at home strategy. Along with other web related projects and special initiatives in my community, I earn my living through direct selling. I just love selling nice jewelry and accessories that I would buy for myself. Loving what you sell is key! 

There are many ways to make money working as a stylist. What I prefer is promoting on the web and earning a percentage on sales from people who buy directly on the Senzu website. It’s easy and fun! I also love to host trunk shows or home parties with friends or friends of friends! Girls only soirées, bachelor parties, trunk shows, home parties, it’s just fun to sell jewelry in those events, and I can count on Senzu to always have new items I really love to show.

Do you work from home? What is your direct selling story? Join me on www.facebook.com/MarieSenzu or post your comment below. :)

Marie
Senzu Stylist

Of sun and ice, hockey and following your passion

So in the last few weeks, since we’re back in North America, I’ve been completely hockey obsessed. I never thought I would get addicted to the NHL Playoffs, but here I am, with Leafs on the brain. It was to be short-lived though, as they didn't win the game last night. Now I’ll have to find another team to support for the rest of the Playoffs! Suggestions? ;-) 

I never grew up with (ice) hockey. I grew up in The Netherlands, where we have soccer, and field hockey (click here for a funny video about the differences between Holland vs. The Netherlands). So the rules came easily to me (yes, I make off-side calls!), as they are very similar in many ways. I also grew up on skates; in the Northern province of Friesland, which has a lot of waterways and lakes. When we were lucky, the temperatures dropped below zero long enough for them to freeze over, and we’d skate on natural ice. 

If we were REALLY lucky, the ice would stay long enough to have a 200km (!!) ice skating race known as the Eleven City Tour ('Elfstedentocht' in Dutch). Last time we had one was 1997. As a girl, we simply didn’t play ice hockey, but we speed skated, and those choreographically inclined would figure-skate. Suffice to say I speed skated! 

Sometimes this cold-weather sport makes me miss winters, but more specifically ice. But then I remember the other 3+ months of the year that the weather is cold, miserable, drizzly (especially in The Netherlands; in Canada it’s sleet and sludge). Then I doubly appreciate that my business doesn’t tie me to one place, but allows me to bring my business with me to warmer climates. 

A dear friend of mine on Fripp Island (home town of this year’s American Idol contestant Candice Glover: watch the video of her visit to her old workplace on Fripp Island here) very recently made a similar decision. Due to a back injury, she was sofa-ridden for about a month post-surgery, and even the slightest move was extremely painful. So she spent a lot of time just laying down, with her eyes closed, in her quiet surroundings, just reflecting on her job and life. 

At the end of it, it crystallized into this deep conviction that she needed to do something completely different with her life and get back to her roots in writing and travelling. So she resigned her job as a wedding and sales consultant and will be embarking on a social-media inspired experiment that encompasses her two passions. Her site will be launching very soon and when it does, I’ll share it with you all. 

For me, it was quite different. I was not exactly unhappy in my previous positions or enterprises, but they did lack a level of fulfillment that I now get with Senzu. Now I truly am grateful and inspired when I see customers appreciate and enjoy my designs and creations (like at the recent Ultimate Women’s Show in Hamilton, Ontario.) 

When I talk to some of our Stylists and hostesses and hear the joy in their voices when they tell me of the fun they had last night at a Soirée they held or how they’re growing their own Stylist business, it makes me feel proud and excited. 

Have you made a major change in your life recently, or stepped out on that ledge and jumped off into the world of self-employment? You have a dream business you'd like to get started with but are afraid to say so, out loud, to other people (it may just happen...)? Well, here's your chance! I’d love to hear about it all, feel free to share with us below, comments are open. 

A travel day in the life...

Written on 09 April 2013, Taipei International Airport, Taiwan. 

As you may gather from the above, I am in transit as I write this. We (this includes hubby) are sitting in the EVA AIR lounge in Taipei, on our way to Los Angeles. As crazy busy the last month or so has been, today has been remarkably calm and even peaceful. More on my recent activities in another post, soon. 

We travel a lot, and this bi-annual transplant from Asia to North America and vice versa has become a regular pattern for us in recent years. My Senzu jewellery business allows (in fact encourages!) me to build my business internationally, and it logically follows our travel pattern: Canada, the USA and Thailand. So I will continue to nurture the international aspect of it, and enjoy being able to grow it in those places where we love to spend time and live. In addition, because my business is about jewellery, it is very mobile and easy to bring with me. 

So what does such a day of travel look like for me? Well, here goes:

Curved Gold & Rhodium Bracelet
from our Elements Collection

7-7:30-ish. Check emails, Facebook and spend a little time on Pinterest (addictive!) on my iPad. 

Received an email from my friend Melissa, who recently did a photo shoot for her hair extension business and shot some photos of the Senzu bracelet she bought from me.  These are the shots, aren't they great? 

I usually start my day in Thailand with the fresh mango smoothie our darling, yet wacky Isan maid has prepared for us. The deliciously sweet Thai mango is nearly enough reason by itself to move to Thailand. 

8-9am. Game of squash with hubby. Sometimes he wins, sometimes I do. Today it is his turn to rule the court. A great workout nonetheless. Quick dip in our condo building's pool, then back upstairs to shower, dress and get some last minute packing done and get a few emails out. 

Last Int'l Creators' Fair, so much fun!

10am. Email from a customer I met at the International Creator's Fair a week earlier. She would like to pick up her custom Senzu jewellery order and can I meet her at a nearby Starbucks. 

We agree to meet at noon, as we've been playing tag for the last few days and this is the last chance before we depart for North America. 

12-1pm. Meeting my customer at Starbucks, who loves her new necklace. When her friend joins her, we discover we know each other already from the Bangkok Photography Club. Luckily I brought some extra jewellery and she also places a necklace order with me. Yay! Always great to know your jewellery is appreciated (and even better to always have some on you)!

Custom Sterling Silver & Suede
 Senzu Necklace 

2pm. Got home in time to zip up the bags, hug the maid and her daughter goodbye for just for a few months and catch our car to the airport.  

2:40pm. All checked in and sauntering through Suvarnabhumi (pronounced 'sue-wanna-boom') International Airport. 

This is a great airport! We grab a quick, late lunch at the Italian pizza place and check into the lounge for a final few minutes of Internet and Facebook laughs. 

Check out our poll about our new Facebook avatar. Like it, hate it? Let me know! Bye Thailand! See you soon and Happy Songkran (Thai New Year).

Bangkok is a crazy, hectic and crowded city, but it also is vibrant, creative, entrepreneurial and buzzing with energy. If you've never been, check out my friend Scott's company Smiling Albino for fun stuff to do while visiting. Being able to share our time between this metropolis and the calm, peaceful nature and organised small towns we find in North America allows us to appreciate both places even more. When in Canada or the USA, I certainly miss aspects of Asia (awesome food, foot massages, shopping, friendliness, nightlife). 

Not lost and loving it... 

When in Bangkok, sometimes we also miss things about Canada and the USA (fresh air, nature, quiet, lack of red tape). But wherever we are, that's where we make our home for the months that we are there, and enjoy all the things, people and experiences of that particular place.  I love that my company is so well suited for mobile lifestyles like ours. 

Still ahead of us before the day is over: an eleven hour, 40 minute flight to LAX. I don't mind the flight too much: watch movies and sleep! After that, collect our rental car and find a place to lay our heads for the night. Tomorrow is another adventure! 

Styling it up in transit,

Cristel

Your Senzu Style Insider. 

Senzu Jewellery & Accessories, Thailand - Canada - USA

Emerald looks good on real women!

Well, I must admit, I have been much amiss in keeping the blog updated with posts. I really have no excuse, other than that I've had to move house a couple of times and had been pretty busy with getting our home ready for sale. Oops, that sounds a lot like an excuse.... ;-)

Anyway, I am back on the blog now, and thanks also to my dear friend and digital nomad Carou Llou (check out her blog http://www.caroullou.com), who is also in Bangkok at the moment, I've renewed my enthusiasm for blogging. 

I read over my past blogs post, and while I still enjoy reading them, I thought you all might enjoy a more personal take on fashion, rather than (or at least in addition to) what is disseminated from the various Fashion Weeks throughout the world. 

Because let's be honest, would you really wear this to your local Starbucks? 

This Alexander McQueen creation is certainly very elegant, but can you imagine yourself walking down the street with your latte in one hand, phone in the other, whilst trying not to trip over the dress' train? 

(image courtesy of deepseanews.com) 

So with that in mind, I thought I would see if I could take a few snapshots of a real person, who does not walk catwalks for a living, but a woman who works hard for the money (no, not the kind of work in Donna Summer's song!), sometimes working from home, sometimes having to commute by car, tram, train or metro. In other words, you and me. In this case, I'll be me, until I can find another willing fashion victim! :-)

Having tricked my friend Carou Llou into taking the picture of yours truly, check out this 'street style' fashion pic, incorporating Pantone's colour of the year 2013, Emerald.

 This was a great outfit for going out. The dress is extremely comfortable, yet flattering to any body shape. It is faux wrap, so there’s no adjusting needed and has a inner skirt below the wrap skirt. The sleeves are full length, but because this is Thailand (hot, even at night!), I pushed them up to be 3/4 length. 

The accessories (jewelry) are all from Senzu Style, from their Spirit Collection. They are brushed glass beads with dark polished metal beads in light and dark grey tones and go great with most colours. I am wearing the matching necklace and bracelet.   Complementing it are the large hoop earrings from their Elements line in brushed grey rhodium (brass base, plated with rhodium).   

The clutch is also a pretty grey, real leather with a bejeweled clasp. 

 My shoes this night were made by Wealthy in Thailand, black mix of gloss and matte, high heels with thin laces and I found them at a little kiosk in Siam Square market area. 

So, if you have a cool picture that you'd like to share with fashion trends for real women, or if there is a trend you'd like to see me try on, send me a comment, link or an email through the blog! 

As always, keep living in style, and see you at the next blog post!