Healthcare Management
Eleanor Yee is a healthcare professional and a domestic diva rolled into one. When she’s not serving up delicious gourmet meals for family in her home, she delights in re-imagining vintage baubles and frocks inherited from her mother. Eleanor blends love and respect for her roots with her past to create truly original ensembles.
Please tell us about that fur.
Vintage, right?
I inherited this rabbit fur jacket along with several minks from my mother. My mother was able to pull off wearing furs and very big pieces of jewelry, even though she was only 4’10”. I recall that she was always “well put together”- clothing well coordinated with accessories. Many of my large pieces of jewelry were also inherited.
You mentioned your mother’s dramatic outfits influenced your style. Do you have any of her old frocks?
My mother liked “glitter.” I still have a number of her beaded dresses from the 50s and 60s, along with some traditional Chinese ‘chongsom’ (traditional Chinese dresses, fitted with a high collar).
We hear you have a knack for resurrecting old jewelry to make new pieces. What advice would you give to someone who is about to get rid of lots of baubles?
It is always a good idea to save your old jewelry, real or costume. Much of the costume jewelry pieces I have from my mother, (she used to haunt garage sales for costume jewelry), are now vintage pieces and very wearable. I have repurposed them into rings, necklaces and other pieces with the help of Jaffe Jewelers.
Your collection of accessories is pretty impressive. Tell us a story of how you acquired your most favorite item.
My most favorite pieces of jewelry come from varied places—my favorite earrings are large silver and agate clip-ons purchased in Cancun, Mexico. I like to wear these with my necklace of cinnabar beads my mother purchased in San Francisco’s Chinatown years ago. These I wear with my favorite orange, pink and black cardigan. My favorite bracelet (silver vine cuff) is from Brighton.
You lived in Brazil and San Francisco, two places with distinctive style. What would you say defines Toledo’s signature style?
Having now lived in Toledo for the past 17 years, my observation is that people wear what appeals to them. So the “style” can be characterized as eclectic, I suppose. For me, along with coordinating disparate pieces of clothing and accessories, comfort is very important. My sense of the Toledo style is wearing comfortable and appealing clothing that is eclectic and unique.
