Little Brother Ethan Ivey Shaw: Personal Style Icon #1

Hello peoplez. I've decided to start a regular (bi-monthly?) feature, about which I am super duper excited. We bloggers tend to exist in some sort of Abbey Lee/Bambi-fueled inspiration echo chamber. So, I am going to show you lovely ladies and gentlemen the flamazingly (new word?) stylish people I am lucky enough to know in like, real life. My wayy stylish and interesting little brother* popped into my head immediately. Followed by about 382747238 other lovelies. So this should be unendingly fun!

So, subject #1: Ethan Ivey Shaw. Yes, my unbelievably rad little brother has a name just as cool as he is. Ethan is probably the only person I know of whom I feel comfortable describing as a "hippie". That word is way overused, but completely apt regarding Big E (as my dad calls him). Just think of the song "If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out" by Cat Stevens/Yusef Islam, and you've got my baby brother's personality. He is exactly who he wants to be, exactly when he wants to be it, and does exactly what he does, exactly when he wants to do it (hello, nutso sentence, nice to meet you!). Of course, this translates to his incredibly unique style. 

I love the first photo, because it kind of sums up the way he dresses himself. Notice the Boy Scouts bandana? There happens to be a medal of some kind underneath it. Why, you ask? Therein lies the awesomeness. Why, indeed. 

Ethan recently learned to knit, and has gone nuts knitting cozies for everything. Including his chalk bag (inveterate rock climber: talented enough to spiderman up some impossibly smooth rock faces, handy enough to build a rock climbing gym in my family's attic) and ipod earbuds. He usually has some bit of colorful knitted something trailing after him, or wrapped around his head, or just draped around his neck. Hence the customized chalk bag in the second photo.

I can think of a few people who would pay money for the perfectly distressed and blood stained(!) t-shirt he wore for most of SXSW (he generally sticks with plaid, dirtied up Ts, and vintage). I surmise the blood is from some rock climbing or skateboarding (his other passion) accident. Or just a friendly yoga duel (basically what it sounds like). 

Oh and the next photo demonstrates one of his knitted bits, this one being an unusually dark headband. The kid loves neon- I wish I had some footwear photos, because he has quite the eye for shoesies. Generally speaking, he goes for the brightest/craziest footwear he can find, as long as they're skateboard friendly. Also, look at the joy on that face. Completely infectious.

Moving on. The "I heart Ethan" button (worn by a lovely friend of my brother's) is pretty funny. Mom and I made about a hundred of those the night before his birthday (which coincides with the last day of school) four years ago. The fact that they are still floating around speaks for itself. You can't help but love Ethan.

Next- facial shot! Because he is an undeniably beautiful boy. 

Last but certainly not least, the starting point for one of Ethan's skate parks. He and his best friend (who took most of these photos, hi Nick!) actually build these all over Dallas with their bare hands. I mean like, hardcore concrete pouring and the like. Some pretty famous skateboarders have come through Dallas solely to skate the parks/courses. 

Well, looks like my little tour through the unendingly cool and stylish life of brother Ethan has come to an end. Gonna get a little sappy here (uhh this portion will not be a regular feature), but I am beyond excited to see what Ethan does with his life. He starts college in Colorado this Fall, and I know my insouciant little brother will be something amazing and completely his own. Kid's more creative than ten of me, and more at ease with himself than any teenager I've ever met. 

Anyway, hopefully I've been clear enough that these little style stories are gonna be more than just "cool shirt omg she's so thin". I want to really introduce you to the awesome and quirky people I am lucky enough to know.

SO. Two weeks from now you shall be meeting the adorable, hilarious, and cuter-than-any-button Casey Maria Russell. This girl leaves a trail of sparkles wherever she goes, reminds me of a unicorn (figure that one out?), and has no right to style her outfits as perfectly as she does.

Goodnight, all!

*My youngest brother, sixteen-year-old Griffen Eli, will hopefully appear in the future (pleaseee Griffey...)