Ten years ago this month I started this blog in a home office in Sugar Land Texas. I had fun with it, got back to writing again, never made any money off it, and did it as a hobby. No real agenda. I published about 100 article/posts quasi-musings and drivel on life and random observations. Some of my favorites were written during the pandemic in between Netflix binges as we all know.
Now this blog and domain are under construction for a new season. But I can still post and write and give a preview. Regarding this new vision, I’d say, ‘Thomas guide’ (if you know, you know) more than a GPS, but it’s moving along.
I have loved very few things consistently in life. No, I’m not referring to people — to things, activities, hobbies etc.
I loved the sport of swimming for a very long season, from age 5 to about 21. But I never wanted to go back to a career as ‘slower older’ person, sorry, wasn’t for me. I moved on to poetry, theatre, and writing pretty quickly.
I love cinema, photography, and a good rose’ or Barolo, but I’m not making a career out of it.
The few things that have stayed consistent loves over the course of my life: words, fashion, rock and roll, and history.
Now that my son is off at college, I have more time to think, more time to conceptualize random ideas that just may be my third act, my final season in life. So last month, I started combining my love for fashion and styling with history of the pieces, curating more and more vintage items, and writing about them.
It’s a work in progress but something I feel worth the effort and thought. Combing through my mom’s closets this summer gave me full confirmation of this. The stories of her pieces, the fact that our closets are almost a ‘museum of ourselves’, much like our bookshelves. Snipets of where we were in that moment, the culture and period of the decades etc. They reveal who you are, often what you think, and where you’ve been and with whom.
The best aspect of getting older is that you realize that your parents were actually cool. My parents met in the 1960s at UW. Based on pictures, they both wore super cool clothes, sailed a lot together, and had a ton of fun. They met at 19, got married at 22, and had me at 25. Thankfully I have some of these cool clothes. My son inherited my Dad’s Navy flight jacket with patches from all over the world. My mom is still cool and is allowing me to curate several vintage pieces now. I have wonderful coats and clothes from my Mom. I’m keeping these items I’ll be posting in the next weeks. (They are available for stylist shoots or costume rentals)
Below is a fox trimmed wool coat, it has a matching dress too, the 60s shift dress in style and length. Excellent condition. Look at the details of the leather buttons back in the day. Only couture does it like this today.
My mom was looker, definitely a ‘Foxy Lady’ per Jimi Hendrix. I imagine her walking about campus in this with big brown boots, long blonde hair, on her way to a coffeehouse to meet my Dad. Maybe a large umbrella since it was Seattle. It happened. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.
XO Christine Nor* more items @norstorela
*I don’t use AI when writing from my voice. All me.
Fashion Stories & Dirty Laundry 