My mother died when I was four, so things that were hers are very important to me. I don't have much that's wearable - a few pieces of jewelry, one pair of shoes (too small for me), a few articles of clothing. I wore a huge red silk coat of hers to the premiere of Adrienne Kennedy's play on Broadway (it took Adrienne 60 years to get there), because Adrienne and Mum were close friends and I wanted Mum to be present at Adrienne's triumph.
Oh, that’s heartbreaking, Allegra. I don’t care how old we are, that’s hard and things like that seem to get harder as we age, so my own parents tell me.
A red silk coat sounds like a dream. Especially that it’s your mom’s and especially when you wore it to her friend’s Broadway premier (?!!). When I wear my grandmother’s jewelry to anything I am conscious of her being with me. She’d be annoyed it wasn’t her wearing it, I know…but, she was a lot of fun. I’d love to see a photo of the Red Coat!!
I've never really coveted my mother's fashion. She's a slave to comfort, so think men's jeans (which fit her better), turtlenecks and flannel shirts. Oddly, this describes my exact fashion sensibilities in 8th grade. 😂 But we do have a lot of furniture in our house that came from my childhood home, which my mom and dad still occupy. One piece, which we lovingly call "the ugly thing" sits in my dining room now. It's like a hutch type deal with a mirror and my mother reminds me every time she visits that she used to change my diapers on it. I do remember inheriting a lot of clothes, jewelry and beauty accessories from my maternal grandmother when I was a middle schooler. Everything smelled like her. Jean Nate and foundation, plus a hint of cigarette smoke. She had a handful of fur coats, too. Sable, I think.
I did dress up in my mother's wedding dress a lot when I was little. High neck, long sleeves, slim, floor length, lace-covered number. It lived in her closet so we could easily pull it out anytime we wanted. 💕
I love your descriptions here, Meg...we all have these unique stories about the women in our lives stuff...I also dressed like your mom does when I was in 6th grade. LLBean flannel shirt, corduroys, Blucher shoes....but the women in my life have been feminine to the skies and back.
I often wonder, how did they do all the beauty prep they did to leave the house? The nails, the hair, and tending to their clothing, ironing, starching, mending. We are slobs by comparison...
It is funny when we inherit items, like furniture we see one way, that the world sees another, like your "ugly thing" in your dining room. I am guessing it's big and dark. We have one of those too. Where did your's come from? a store or a relative...before it was your mom's?
Came across your newsletter because of the Homeworthy video on your beautiful home—still being in my 20s, I'm not your target audience, but I found your attitude towards aging and your artistic spirit so inspiring! My mom and I are the same size, and I used to wear her clothes/shoes often (sometimes to her chagrin)—she's probably my biggest style influence. I love some of her 90s dresses that she's handed down to me. Your jacket is great! So nice to also see a fellow Bostonian here on Substack!
Thank you for coming over to the “mature” side Ha ha…I am so glad you can admit your mom is one of your biggest influencers! My girls do wear a lot of my stuff, but some if off limits…I need to have some boundaries! Any photos are welcome, Ramya and thank you for commenting!
do you think about them when you wear the items, Donna? Different than something you bought? There are special things I have bought that mean something to me, but I do feel something different when I wear something of my moms etc..
Oh my gosh, I LOVE your dirndl!!! AND your Holly Hobby bedjacket! I'd wear that thing EVERYWHERE. I love donning my mom's old 1962 Audrey Hepburn sheath dresses. I just need the weather to comply. And, my book... holy cats... It's such a wildly different headspace to be in... writing versus publishing. I can't decide which I love more. I love seeing our authors succeed, but it takes a whole load of patience to get things to work right.
I don’t have anything that belonged to my grandmother; but she left me some money and I bought a little heart-shaped diamond pendant that I love to wear- it’s in the safe because I need to buy a new chain for it; no idea why. My mother wears a lot of my things!!! I’m lucky to still have both my parents.
I love that white jacket with the patchwork on it🙏☀️❤️
I love that you used your grandmother’s bequest for something sparkly!! Did she suggest that? Go get a chain tomorrow!
I have four parents and a mother-in-law…and one step brother! Small family. LOT of stuff….And, good stuff at that…like that old patchwork jacket!
I wear a lot of my mom and step mom’s things and my kids are always in my things…
One daughter, Bebe, is a singer songwriter and she is wearing my mom’s 70s vacarro turtleneck in her Spotify photo….with a necklace my Dad gave her in the early 70s
I used to wear my grandmother’s flowery blue purple skirt that she wore as a young mother, until it was washed so much the fabric tore and unraveled. I wore her L.L. Bean green wool sweater to feel warm and close to her; the hand embroidered apron with pink thread embroidered in scallops on the borders when I am cooking in the kitchen, even though I fear staining it; the ring from her 50th wedding anniversary engraved with my grandparents initials (my mother took this from her finger moments after she passed way and put it on my finger, which always baffled me.) I’ve accepted and kept hand me downs from my mother, but many I will never wear; I keep them because on many days these are my only physical connection to her, even though she is still alive.
So much of what you write here is how I feel. I keep so many things of their that I will not wear…but my young 20s daughters might…but I would keep them even still…and this:”my mother took this from her finger moments after she passed way and put it on my finger, which always baffled me.)” is something. Lovely and heartbreaking. We are kindred spirits in our feelings…
My mother died when I was four, so things that were hers are very important to me. I don't have much that's wearable - a few pieces of jewelry, one pair of shoes (too small for me), a few articles of clothing. I wore a huge red silk coat of hers to the premiere of Adrienne Kennedy's play on Broadway (it took Adrienne 60 years to get there), because Adrienne and Mum were close friends and I wanted Mum to be present at Adrienne's triumph.
Oh, that’s heartbreaking, Allegra. I don’t care how old we are, that’s hard and things like that seem to get harder as we age, so my own parents tell me.
A red silk coat sounds like a dream. Especially that it’s your mom’s and especially when you wore it to her friend’s Broadway premier (?!!). When I wear my grandmother’s jewelry to anything I am conscious of her being with me. She’d be annoyed it wasn’t her wearing it, I know…but, she was a lot of fun. I’d love to see a photo of the Red Coat!!
It's very very red! And very big. I don't think I can upload a photo here. If you really want to see it that bad, I'll need your email, I guess!
don’t worry…I can imagine it..
I love the sound of a red silk coat ❤️
I think I posted the photo as a Substack note - haven't done that from my phone before.
That would be so fun to see!! Here is my mom’s original wedding band. It’s so sweet.
That quilted jacket is fabulous.
I've never really coveted my mother's fashion. She's a slave to comfort, so think men's jeans (which fit her better), turtlenecks and flannel shirts. Oddly, this describes my exact fashion sensibilities in 8th grade. 😂 But we do have a lot of furniture in our house that came from my childhood home, which my mom and dad still occupy. One piece, which we lovingly call "the ugly thing" sits in my dining room now. It's like a hutch type deal with a mirror and my mother reminds me every time she visits that she used to change my diapers on it. I do remember inheriting a lot of clothes, jewelry and beauty accessories from my maternal grandmother when I was a middle schooler. Everything smelled like her. Jean Nate and foundation, plus a hint of cigarette smoke. She had a handful of fur coats, too. Sable, I think.
I did dress up in my mother's wedding dress a lot when I was little. High neck, long sleeves, slim, floor length, lace-covered number. It lived in her closet so we could easily pull it out anytime we wanted. 💕
I love your descriptions here, Meg...we all have these unique stories about the women in our lives stuff...I also dressed like your mom does when I was in 6th grade. LLBean flannel shirt, corduroys, Blucher shoes....but the women in my life have been feminine to the skies and back.
I often wonder, how did they do all the beauty prep they did to leave the house? The nails, the hair, and tending to their clothing, ironing, starching, mending. We are slobs by comparison...
It is funny when we inherit items, like furniture we see one way, that the world sees another, like your "ugly thing" in your dining room. I am guessing it's big and dark. We have one of those too. Where did your's come from? a store or a relative...before it was your mom's?
Came across your newsletter because of the Homeworthy video on your beautiful home—still being in my 20s, I'm not your target audience, but I found your attitude towards aging and your artistic spirit so inspiring! My mom and I are the same size, and I used to wear her clothes/shoes often (sometimes to her chagrin)—she's probably my biggest style influence. I love some of her 90s dresses that she's handed down to me. Your jacket is great! So nice to also see a fellow Bostonian here on Substack!
Thank you for coming over to the “mature” side Ha ha…I am so glad you can admit your mom is one of your biggest influencers! My girls do wear a lot of my stuff, but some if off limits…I need to have some boundaries! Any photos are welcome, Ramya and thank you for commenting!
I wear sweaters made by mom an her mother and jewelry passed down from my grandmothers and one great grandmother.
do you think about them when you wear the items, Donna? Different than something you bought? There are special things I have bought that mean something to me, but I do feel something different when I wear something of my moms etc..
Yes I think about them whenever I wear them and it’s different depending who the item is from.
Oh my gosh, I LOVE your dirndl!!! AND your Holly Hobby bedjacket! I'd wear that thing EVERYWHERE. I love donning my mom's old 1962 Audrey Hepburn sheath dresses. I just need the weather to comply. And, my book... holy cats... It's such a wildly different headspace to be in... writing versus publishing. I can't decide which I love more. I love seeing our authors succeed, but it takes a whole load of patience to get things to work right.
I’m so proud of you for pushing yourself to do your own work while you have been tirelessly championing other women’s work. Good for you!
And, I really want to see a pic of your mom in the dress…and you…
In HS I wore my mom's clothes from the 50s. So fun.
me too! And my Dad’s varsity jacket…Do you still have any of it?
I don’t have anything that belonged to my grandmother; but she left me some money and I bought a little heart-shaped diamond pendant that I love to wear- it’s in the safe because I need to buy a new chain for it; no idea why. My mother wears a lot of my things!!! I’m lucky to still have both my parents.
I love that white jacket with the patchwork on it🙏☀️❤️
I love that you used your grandmother’s bequest for something sparkly!! Did she suggest that? Go get a chain tomorrow!
I have four parents and a mother-in-law…and one step brother! Small family. LOT of stuff….And, good stuff at that…like that old patchwork jacket!
I wear a lot of my mom and step mom’s things and my kids are always in my things…
One daughter, Bebe, is a singer songwriter and she is wearing my mom’s 70s vacarro turtleneck in her Spotify photo….with a necklace my Dad gave her in the early 70s
I used to wear my grandmother’s flowery blue purple skirt that she wore as a young mother, until it was washed so much the fabric tore and unraveled. I wore her L.L. Bean green wool sweater to feel warm and close to her; the hand embroidered apron with pink thread embroidered in scallops on the borders when I am cooking in the kitchen, even though I fear staining it; the ring from her 50th wedding anniversary engraved with my grandparents initials (my mother took this from her finger moments after she passed way and put it on my finger, which always baffled me.) I’ve accepted and kept hand me downs from my mother, but many I will never wear; I keep them because on many days these are my only physical connection to her, even though she is still alive.
So much of what you write here is how I feel. I keep so many things of their that I will not wear…but my young 20s daughters might…but I would keep them even still…and this:”my mother took this from her finger moments after she passed way and put it on my finger, which always baffled me.)” is something. Lovely and heartbreaking. We are kindred spirits in our feelings…