For as long as I can remember, I have loved fashion. I think you are either born with a love of style or you are not. I know people who could care less if they own the classic wardrobe staples, if their closet is sorted by color and garment type, or if they even own a pair of heels. They confuse me beyond words, but I love them anyway! As a little girl, my grandmother would make some of our clothes and I would pile them on immediately (see below – I mean immediately, even in feet pajamas!).  I had a flair for the dramatic (my husband will tell you I still do) and loved accessories and maxi dresses even before grade school. Even when I did not have a lot of money for clothes in my younger days, I always tried to “make it work” as my fave Tim Gunn likes to say.
I think I genetically inherited my love of style from my Mom. She would dress in classic, well tailored pieces and had fabulous hair and makeup that reminds me of Sophia Loren or Elizabeth Taylor. I look back at pictures of her in high school and her early 20’s and wish I had that wardrobe now! From her I got my ocd like tendencies around always making sure I am never in wrinkled clothes, that my eyelashes are always curled and that every Easter, one deserves an entirely new “Easter outfit” complete with shoes, purse and spring jacket. I could rattle off 100 more fashionable tidbits I learned, but for now I will just say –  Thanks Mama!

Here is a picture of my Mom from the 60’s – look at that dress and the hair!  Then there is me basically at birth surrounded by fashion (and I wonder why I am like I am now!), followed by me in my crocheted clothes from Ma and rocking my ducky shades in my Easter outfit.