Fashion Stories & Dirty Laundry

Recently the nicest young vintage owner in Los Angeles, bought my 1970s Geogetown Leather Design skirt. Well, it wasn’t always mine, my mom wore it for years before I was fortunate to enjoy it. I know for fact it’s from the legendary Georgetown Leather Design in DC. I still remember the shop’s distinct leathery smells. It was kind of scary as a kid to see so much skin and suede hanging all over the walls. It was odd and enchanting all at the same time. Especially for a kid, who wanted to believe that animal skins could be pink or blue in real life.

My mom wore this blue suede skirt teaching as well as on travels to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, London etc, back in the day when my dad traveled there for the Navy. My mom was fashionable at home and at work. That was the model for us growing up. Today, she’s the same. She would never travel in pajamas.

In elementary school, I remember musing about this skirt with boots and maybe a Janis Joplin coat, yeah, that’s who I want to be, A poet, an artist, just a super cool woman when I grew up. And it must involve suede and leather.

It’s funny the things we think about while we watch our parents go about their days, years, lives. Both of my parents always had their own style, especially before 1990.

This skirt eventually ended up in my closet on a ‘full-time basis’. Those are always great moments, almost like you’re transferring a car title. It’s mine now? Really? It was exciting. It’s like real life Barbie dress-up, with no pink corvette involved but more, “Can I have this nice wooden hanger Mom…?”

Eventually, I also wore this working in various arenas: education, non-profit offices, events. I always got a compliment on it. I love how old quality just looks different, people know. However, I’d often ‘temper’ the rock star vibe with a classy dark turtleneck, blouse, stilettos boots, a Fendi bag here and there. It’s featured here with black pearls. It’s fun to mix the old and new, real and faux, all while making new memories out of these pieces.

In this 2014 picture, a little history too. I mean I am doing this. This is the book: “Fashion Stories & Dirty Laundry” right?

I was in the midst of a difficult season. My son’s father had entered my son’s life again only to depart again after several months. I know it was excruciating for him, and yet I felt double grief and regret as I watched my son sad and confused. It was heartbreaking. If there was ever a time of ‘broken heart syndrome’, I’m pretty sure I had that. A heart does and can break, the fibers grieve. (look it up)

Also during this time, our dear friend Nancy passed away from breast cancer and that was a great source of sadness. My son loved her too and in fact, she blessed us in many ways with her talents and friendship since his birth. To lose her was real loss I still miss her 11 years later.

You may say, well…you look happy here. Perhaps. I’d wager that joy fills in the gaps during sad and unhappy times. I always had the joy of raising my son. He was my most favorite ‘calling’ or job as some say. But many of us smile during sad seasons.

Which leads me back to fashion. Many feel fashion is empty, fake, and temporal — often it is. However, think about this skirt. I’m going through a rough time, yet, still managed to ‘suit up and show up’ in something that made me feel good. This blue suede skirt in small ways helped me pick myself back up, a little fire to the ashes to ignite my soul and rise again. A phoenix-rising fashion buddy if you will. I think that’s ok. Many of us do this with what we wear daily, our colors influence our moods, memories, and self-esteem. How many of us have bought a new suit or chosen an outfit before an interview and subesquently felt so good, we ‘nailed it.’ I know I have.

There you go. A little insight regarding the blue suede skirt, over 5 decades old. In the end, it IS just a skirt. But the stories, oh the stories…. It walked, stumbled, and wore through those stories. It weathered those stories like the sturdy fabric it is.

And now it’s in someone else’s story and that makes me smile.

~C. Nor.