When Jen showed up for her boudoir session she brought with her a bag that brought to mind those mini-cars at the circus somehow magically stuffed full of a dozen clowns. From it, she pulled out kimono after kimono until a pile of more than twenty lay crumbled on the bed like discarded tissues after a cry fest. “Gurrrl, first of all, that’s a lotta kimonos. And second, how did you fit them all in that one tiny bag?”

We learned during her session that kimonos were part of her regular lounge wear while relaxing at home. Thus, why she had so many. We also learned, a bit more significantly, that this year is the longest she’s ever been single in over a decade.

This was significant for us because she attributes the solo time to a sort of blossoming of spirit.  She said right now she’s deeply embracing herself—her unique style (charmingly retro), her independence (like taking trips to starved rock to camp with her only pup Betty as company), and her voice—both figuratively and literally (she’s an amazing singer and song writer).

Jen’s unencumbered presence was a gift to photograph. She said she was nervous and like all our sessions, there was an open bottle of bubbly for some extra encouragement.  But truly, you’d never know there was a question of confidence from the way she moved. The best way to describe it is “in the moment.”

We hope you enjoy the first collection of images from her photo shoot in which she channeled Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, followed by a free-spirited dance wearing, wait for it, a pink kimono ????

Too see ALL the kimonos she brought, check out our Instagram here and be sure to check back next week for the second set of images where Jen looks the spiting image of the late, great Marilyn Monroe.