WHAT I WORE TODAY: MY FASHION DNA

My grandmother had a keen sense of style. She never wore a pair of pants a day in her life. I thought she was weird when I was younger, but now I feel blessed that she instilled a modicum of femininity that few women can say they have had. I thought she was mean because she expected the same commitment to femininity from me. I just wanted to fit in and wear pants, jeans, and shorts like everybody else. I know I inherited a lot of my flair from her. She gave me my first sewing machine; I remember it so well.

Ruth Ellen, whom I affectionately called Gramma, must have taken this picture in the early to mid-1940s. I'm 90% sure that she is in Perrine, Florida, and not the Bahamas, which made me wonder why she was wearing a capelet over a long-sleeved shirt. Whatever the reason, she is working it, especially with that flower pin. I attempted a similar look, but to my chagrin I didn't pull it off as gracefully. I had too many heavy layers, which ultimately made me look heavy and uncomfortable. I have a lot more to learn from Gramma...

BAHAMA MAMA

I was immediately attracted to an Essie nail polish called Bahama Mama and it was destined to be a part of my make-up collection.  My great-grand father was born in the Bahamas, on the island of Eleuthera.  He married and raised his beautiful family in Miami, Florida. That's him Herrick Thompson, Sr., the handsome gentleman on the right. It's amazing how I keep finding these connections (however small) between my style and my history.