Day 24...

March 18, 2014

“Put on your red shoes and dance the blues”

— David Bowie 'let's Dance'

Madewell Tee, J. Crew jeans, Hermes Belt, Vintage silk bag, Styled for LA livin'

As I mentioned before, there is a very brief period of time that my mom and I shared the same shoe size, and our tastes did not always align, so I will not have many shoes posts in this cannon as I would have liked (oh that her 20 + pairs of Jack Rogers could have fit me!) but I do feel like I have some goodies to share. Example, these Belgian Shoes. They are not considered 'haute couture' but they are indeed a cult favorite. Loved by people that know the value in a well made shoe that looks effortless, and feels great. (PS I have noticed that they have recently been knocked off by every major designer out there from Michael Kors to Kate Spade.) This shoe is a hard sell in LA, virtually unknown, and pretty buttoned up for the bohemian vibe out here. But ironically, that makes me want to wear them like my own private flag. If I get a thumbs up or smile or nod, I know you've had some time on the East Coast. It's a touchstone...as are all of my mom's things: little connectors, tiny yet poweful ways to feel closer. Oh and if you hang on, there will be another pair in chartreuse and white coming your way one day. Here's to you mom!

Day 23...

March 17, 2014

“Just cinch it!”

— The Gap girls, SNL

Vintage Silk Belt, Saks silk tunic, J. Crew Jeans, Repetto flats

Although it looks a bit more teal in theses pics, this top is a true emerald green (worn in appreciation for St. Patricks day), and the belt, has lovely jewel tones woven throughout it. My mom had two of these, in different colors and I just adore them. I have scoured them for tags of any sort, but have not been able to find anything, so If anyone has any info on the maker that would be great (Gay Boyer?)

The Jade Buddha was also my mom's, but oddly the most sentimental item I am wearing is the shirt. We bought it together last Christmas on our last shopping trip together. It was getting harder for you to walk, and you were in a wheelchair navigating between shops, but devil be damned, you got up and walked around those stores with me. I'm so angry at the disease you had to fight. I wish I could have taken it away. I wanted to protect you as much as you wanted to protect me. We had an earthquake in California this morning. The first thing I did was run to the girls rooms-Randy warned that I was not supposed to do that, I was supposed to stay put-but how could !? I had to make sure they were ok. You would have done the same. Thank you for helping me become the person I am today. I'm not perfect, you were not perfect. But I think perfection is overrated, I prefer being "Perfectly Imperfect" xoxox

Day 22...

March 17, 2014

Evening Gown Sunday's!

Vintage Chiffon Treacy Lowe, Balenciaga Sandals

I'm trying to make good on my promise to trot out a piece of evening wear on Sundays. This dress is from Bohemian English Designer, Treacy Lowe, I believe it is from the 70's. I love this dress! It feels so Talitha Getty, on a rooftop in Morocco! Although, for now it will have to settle for being worn in my back yard in Silverlake! The belt did not come with the dress, but It was my moms and I love the combo. I'm so into the belt you'll see it again soon;) Mom, You had great taste! xoxox

Day 21

March 17, 2014

“That’s Entertainment”

— The Jam

Plate's from Mom, Tablecloth from our trip to France

As promised, at some point, I was going to also include other items from my mom. In this vignette, there are the hand painted coral and shell plates she generously sent to me after she first saw what I jokingly refer to as my "Palm Beach on acid" dining room wallpaper! You may find yourself asking Hmmm, "Are there, salad plates in this set? Matching salt and pepper shakers? A gravy boat? A full tea set?" The answer is a resounding yes to it all!!! Any one that new my mother, knew that she LOVED to entertian. I have inherited that love in triplicate. I can think of no greater joy than a gathering of dear friends, kids playing, food cooking, wine flowing, love pouring. This night we had a grilled flank steak, baked potatoes, a chopped salad, and a gorgeous flour-less chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and strawberries, that our gracious guests provided. This is exactly the kind of meal my mom loved. She understood that good food was not always fussy food (although my mom is one of the few women I have ever met that could make a 'croque en bouche' from scratch!) She was so proud to have been involved in the emerging Slow Food Movement. The kitchen is where I miss you most. It breaks my heart that I can't call you with a "cooking question." You were so patient with those, even though I would literally call you sometimes 3 times in a night! Mom I promise I am trying to carry on your legacy for the girls, hoping that they will love the kitchen as much as we both do. And even though I miss you the most there, it also serves as my sanctuary, where I feel you most. Love you. xo

Day Twenty.....

March 14, 2014

Best of luck!

Vintage Kenneth Jay Lane necklace - even found a photo from a 70's Catalogue!

Worn with St. John Cardigan, Gucci belt, Frame Denim Jeans,  and a J. crew linen v neck tee — Worn with St. John Cardigan, Gucci belt, Frame Denim Jeans, and a J. crew linen v neck tee

Oh how I loved this necklace when I was little girl! It was so jangly, so sparkly, so weird! I mean I was 6, I had no idea what any of the symbolism meant. But my mom did. It is a collection of Italian symbols of good luck and protection. My mother loved Italy, and for a time when she was a young woman, she even briefly lived over there. My grandfather spent most of his professional career at IBM working hand and hand with a Jesuit priest named Padre Roberto Busa, who was based outside of Milan. Together Padre Busa and my Grandfather, Paul H. Tasman, Indexed the works of St. Thomas Aquinas (using room sized computers to store the info) and helped decode and Dead Sea Scrolls for the Vatican. Pretty cool right? My mother was always so proud of my grandfather, as are we all. But my Grandfather was a serious man, not prone to great shows of emotion. I believe, no, I know, that was hard on my mother. She and I were (are) so alike in spirit, SO sensitive, so wanting to be loved, and liked. That's hard to say, but true. It's not an easy trait to have, but Mom, you wore, and I continue to, wear my heart on my sleeve. And damn it, that's ok. Days after my mom passed away, my brother Jordan and I came across some letters written to my mom from her time in Italy, they were from an older man, (and in no way romantic! ) giving her paternal advice on a relationship she was considering (My father? Someone else? We don't know) They were so sweet, so kind. They turned out to be from Padre Busa, who I believe was put in my mom's life to help and guide her. My whole family was lucky enough to have met Padre Busa over the years, he was a remarkable, warm, sweet man, just like my grandfather, but in different ways- they were a perfect compliment to each other. My mother believed in blessings, as I do to this day. She was not terribly religious, I would consider her to have been more deeply spiritual than anything. Ah, and she truly believed in angels. Mom, you are my angel now. I believe it. I know it. I feel it. - Love you forever.

Day Nineteen...

March 13, 2014

“They were all impressed with your Halston dress...”

— Billy Joel

Vintage Halston dress, BOET Necklace, Manolo Blahnik pumps

This dress makes me happy. It is a vintage red and white silk Halston, with a matching belt. It can also be worn with another belt, and the matching belt can be used as a scarf (ooh I may need to try that!) Or it can just be worn as a shift.... I am wearing the dress with a necklace given to me by my husband for Christmas, it comes from one of my favorite clothing shops in all of Los Angeles, Lake Boutique, which is located in my hometown of Silverlake, CA (PS-the jewelry designer is BOET, and Lake is getting more of her work in this month- It's amazing!!! I put a link to the shop below) The combination of this dress and necklace bring up something interesting for me. Shopping. Oh man did my mom love to shop-if there had been an Olympiad of shopping, she would have medaled in every category. This was such a mixed bag for me. Sure, who doesn't want to go shopping with their mom? I miss that so much. But there is a point when shopping to shop is not healthy. Oh mom, if you are reading this somewhere-please don't be mad at me for over-sharing! This is a common problem for a lot of people, and I am not immune to it, let's set that straight. But when my mom passed away, I found that I was left with mountains to sort through. (BTW- I could not have gotten through it all with out the help of my brother Jordan, Kathy, Vivienne, Margot, Sarah etc.- but it made me look at what "stuff" means to me. And the irony of this blog, is that it is based on me wearing my mom's things, and writing about it. But there is an interesting thing that I have noticed recently; because I am focusing on how to work with, and process, the items I have in my possession, it seems silly to go out and purchase more clothing or accessories. It's forcing me to get creative with what I have, and to pare down the things I have to just the things I need. Now this is only day nineteen, so trust me I'm sure there will be a point when we will ALL be over the selections at hand, and I did need to order a pair of D'orsay flats for spring...but this does open up a new way of thinking. Thank you for going on the adventure with me. And mom, thank you for being the curator of the treasures I am looking after. Love you with all my heart.

(P.S. Here is the link to Lake!)

www.lakeboutique.com

Day Eighteen

March 12, 2014

It aint' all Couture…..

Sometimes it's a handmade sea themed necklace….

How do you balance this necklace? With a Madewell Long sleeve Tee, navy blue silk DVF parachute pants, a Tiffany's Elsa Peretti cuff and Martiniano Shoes:)

Ok-so my mom had a lot of stuff, some fancy, some not, some great, some junk, and within those categories, things could also fall into another sub-category "fun" No doubt this necklace falls into the fun category. I mean look at it-it's a sea themed handmade hanging fish necklace! Now here's some more backstory on this necklace; in the second act of my mom's life, she met and fell in love with my stepfather Mike Lawrence, whom I love and adore and have never spent a day not considering my father. After all the kids had settled into college, and were spread out across the country, Mom and Mike bought a house in Sanibel Fla. where they would spend their winters. This would be the ushering in of what I will call the "seashell themed jewelry" era of my mom's life. If you look at the details of this necklace, it is actually quite beautiful. Each fish, shell, etc., is handmade, and it is all solid sterling and either brass or bronze. My mother had an artist's eye and was a very talented artist in her own right, (an accomplished pastry chef, floral designer etc.) She knew when something was well made, and I can just hear what she might have said seeing this for the first time: she would have gasped and said "Oh! Isn't that exquisite!?" Yes, mom, it is, and so were you. Love you. xoxo

Day Seventeen...

March 11, 2014

Nobody's Perfect….

Except for this Mimi Di N Vintage belt….

Oh these belt buckles! There are so many, they are all so good. They never fail to start a conversation. Again, this is NOT how my mom would have worn this, but hey, sometimes jeans and sneaks needed a little "jazzing" up. Yes I said "jazzing," which I do believe my mom would have said. And I firmly believe we should all say that more. I would prefer to live in a 'jazzier' world, a place were people put a little sparkle into their get-ups, with a wink and a nod. If you need any history on the belt buckle maker 'Mimi di N' I have done a little research for you-enjoy!

About the Designer: Mimi di N (Princess Mimi di Niscemi) is an internationally known designer of Women's Costume Jewelry. Her costume jewelry and accessories graced the covers of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar in the 1960s and 70s. The Mimi di N Design belt buckles are classics and potentially heirloom collectibles. Mimi di N jewelry is featured in top design catalogs and reference books and she has designed for the most famous women of the 20th century, including Jackie Kennedy and the Duchess of Windsor.*

Yay Mom! xoxo

Day Sixteen...

March 10, 2014

St. John!

If you knew my mom even a little bit, you knew that she loved St. John Knits. She started wearing them in the 70's, she wore one to my wedding, wore one when she went into the hospital for the last time. There were some close friends of my mother's, that I shared some of her knits with after she passed away. But there were just so many that I just had to keep. The ones I knew she loved so much. I promise, you will see me in more than a few of them throughout this year. PS, I still think they look great with jeans and a tee shirt. I even wore one with leather pants before I started the blog. Stay tuned, I'm sure that outfit will pop up! Love you mom.

Day Fifteen...

March 10, 2014

Day into night….

Believe it or not, It is quite rare that I still have a dress I have a photo of my mom wearing, or that I can fit in! Look at her shoulders in that top photo, they look like they might snap of you hug her too hard! Or as my 6 year old said to me when she saw me wearing this dress in contrast to grandma ; "Momma, you look like you have a pillow in your lap" Ah, from the mouths of babes….On another note, I am shoeless in these photos, my mom wore this dress with flat gold sandals, and she was on a good day, only about 5'-2" ish, so it's a little high-water on me. I am also apologizing for the sunglasses, I promise, I am not trying to look cool, my husband took this photo early on Sunday morning, ya' know, just hanging out in the garden on a Sunday… Seriously though, I'm not sure where else I would wear these evening gowns right now, so until I do, they may just crop up on Sunday's for fun! PS One of my dearest friends in the world Rebecca (very petite lady) once borrowed this dress, and looked so great in it. It has to be over 40 years old. I'll try and keep it in good shape for you girls. xoxo

Day Fourteen...

March 10, 2014

Bag it!

Chanel bag that converts to be worn on the belt…

Ok My mom loved accessories, and how can you not? They are the key that can elevate a pair of jeans and a simple white tee, they can make a ho hum outfit special, The strap of this bag is removable, so you can wear it on your belt! How great is that?! I am sure my mom never wore it this way, but I have a feeling this will be my favorite way to wear it. Now look honestly, I have no idea wether or not many of these are even real. She picked up a lot of them at thrift stores over the years. My mother was THE best thrift shopper in the world. It was one of our favorite activities to do together, Oh lord consignment shopping in Palm Beach- PURE HEAVEN! Mom, I so miss those shopping trips. I miss them terribly, it truly is not the same with out you. Thanks for giving me the killer eye mom. xoxox

Day 13...

March 7, 2014

Chains of love

Lets's take this down a notch shall we? Van's, Men's button down, structured sweatpants.

Like the post about the Ferragamo shoes, a heavy gold chain can veer dangerously into two directions, rapper or poncy "ladies who lunch" territory. Now don't get me wrong, I love my ladies and we love to lunch, but when doing my research to make sure I used 'poncy' correctly; I found it to mean exactly what I had thought: "pretentious or affected.". And that is exactly what both my mother and I could never stand. the "better than's" The people that drank their own Kool-Aid and thought they where hot suff. Drove her nut's, drives me nut's. That is why I believe my mother surrounded herself with the coolest, kindest, smartest most amazing women I have ever met. Her best friend when I was born (who was named my godmother) was a woman named Frances Cox. She was an incredible woman, a teacher, a photographer, social anthropologist. When my mom was struggling I used to wish I could live with her. The irony of this is that her kids wished they lived with my mom! Over the years, these women unconditionally looked out for each other, and for us. Sadly, cancer took Frances before it took my mother. That was a terrible heartbreak for us all. Frances's daughter Kathy was by our family's side, up to the final hours before my mom passed away-almost as if Frances had sent her. Which I believe she did, (but that is a story for a later post.) And it was not just Kathy, it was Sarah, and Hanne, and Michelle, and Vivienne, and Margot, and Lucy and Nora and more that I am sure I am missing (I'm so sorry) but know that she loved them and that they loved her. In the depths of mourning and despair we were held up by this net of the strongest, most incredible women in the world. Her sisters, and now my default mothers. That is a powerful testament to the kind of friend my mother was. That she had friends like you. My grandmother used to say "If you lie down with dogs you'll end up with fleas..." My mom, got that, and she surrounded herself with the best. I also feel wildly fortunate to have what I consider to be a circle of girlfriends my own age that are just as incredible and special to me. Truly I feel blessed. And as a woman and a mother I feel it is my duty to make sure my own daughters surround themselves with the "good eggs" with the kind girls, with the funny, smart girls, the girls that have their backs. Mamma, you always had my back. I hope to continue to be the type of woman that would make you proud. Thank you for giving me the legacy of your incredible friends. I love you all- xoxoxoxo

Thank you for reading such a long post! I will be back Monday. Thank you all for so much support.

Day Twelve...

March 6, 2014

“God is in the details”

— Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Vintage Cashmere Sweater with velvet frogs

Oh these sweet sweaters. My mother had ton's of these, and I remember them being the first items that I wanted to wear when I was young. I mean look at this-how could you not? These were surely my gateway to loving vintage clothing. I think that a lot of these may have been passed down to my mom from my grandmother, and others she collected over the years. I still love them. My daughters love them. My girls are at the phase that they love to click clack around in my high heels, and noodle around in my closet. That is pure heaven to me. My mothers closet just felt good, and I am so happy to share that feeling with them. They bring the sunshine and healing. Don't worry mom, I am loving them for you too, with all my heart. XOXO

Day Eleven...

March 5, 2014

A shoe in…..

Styled for a casual day in LA. Vintage Ferragamo pumps, Current Eliot Jeans, Isabel Marant Pour H&M top, Vintage belt,and jewelry.

My mom's shoes are tricky, There was only a brief period when we shared the same shoe size, so there are not as many in this cannon as others, but the ones I did save, I love. They are vintage Ferragamo. Ferragamo to me has always meant one thing, Audrey Hepburn, well that and the great bowed pumps my mom had that I thought were the epitome of chic in the 80's. (PS I'm coming for you in my size on ebay hold on!) But this is a hard shoe to break out in all seriousness without it looking like wardrobe for Mad Men, so I think these shoes are best paired with a messy pair of jeans and something bohemian to balance them out. I was going to comment that I think my mom would have hated the jeans, (and she very well may have) but I think she secretly would have liked the outfit. She'd give me an eye roll, and a smirk, and then she might say "pretty cool kid" I can see her face, and hear her voice. That brings tears to my eyes, but I am so happy to be trying to find ways to feel her very day. I feel you today, and for that moment I am so thankful. xoxo

Day 10...

March 4, 2014

“your gonna hear me roar!”

— Katy Perry

If you knew my mother, you saw her wearing a scarf at some point, or at thousand points. She loved scarves, and she rocked them. She would not have liked that this was not pressed BTW, (sorry mom, your right, it would look better pressed.) On seperate note, What I also hope to achieve with this blog is to find fresh, fun, modern, ways to wear her things. She would love that. xo

Day Seven...

March 3, 2014

The first belt...

Gucci Belt with Vintage Norma Kamali Dress

This Gucci belt was the first belt my mother ever gave me, It was probably the fanciest belt I'd ever owned, and it is still one that I reach for often. The buckle fits with two other interchangeable belts, in different colors and patterns (a favorite element with many of my mom's belts, as you will see in future posts). These belts are only wearable on the the waist, and often times, not after a decent meal, and they are completely out of commission with low waisted pants. But there is one hard memory that this belt brings up for me. During the time my mother struggled with substance abuse, and now in retrospect, I believe, body weight issues, this black belt, which at its smallest hole, was 22" or 23", was still too big for her, she was literally waisting away. I am so thankful that she was able to escape from the grips of those demons. It took a tremendous amount of strength. You were always and will always be my beautiful Mother. Love you.

Day Eight...

March 3, 2014

Couture in honor of the Oscar's!

I Just had to break out out one of my mom's vintage evening gowns in honor of the Oscars! I absolutely love this dress, and actually have NO idea who made it. My guess is that the tag was bothersome and may have been removed. Of all of my mom's clothing, it's the evening gowns, I absolutely could not bear to part with. How could I?! There are many of them that feel like true works of art. My mother was as sentimental as I am, and was also the benefactor of my both my grandmother, and great Aunt's fabulous evening wear. My mothers first marriage was to my father Kenneth, who as I mentioned in a previous post, was an executive for Saks Fifth Avenue for 25 years. When my father first started with Saks, designers like Pucci, Oscar De La Renta and Bill Blass were considered fledgling designers, and Saks was a breaking ground for them. As a result, early Pucci's have a tag that just says "Saks Fifth Avenue" Later tags say Emilio Pucci for Saks Fifth Avenue, and then finally, "Pucci". It is an honor to own all three tiers of those tags, and mom, I promise I will try and take the best care of these dresses for your granddaughters, should they desire them.

Day Nine...

March 3, 2014

The Sinking Ship.

If you look closely, the image is copyrighted!!!

This has always been a favorite piece of mine. I have never witnessed an item of clothing that is so simultaneously, bleak and hysterical. I enjoy it on Monday's when I just cant seem to get motivated, or on days when I just want to put my hands up in the air and say "Blank-It! It cant get any worse!." I can still see my mom's wry grin, the one that came out of one side of her mouth. She was not sanctimonious, thank god! She had a great sense of humor, and even in my saddest days of mourning her, this sweater made me smile, It still does. Keep smiling on us all mom. xoxo

Day Six...

February 28, 2014

The Night Watch.....

Last night my husband and I met a dear friend for an event and dinner. I dressed in an outfit my mother would have loved, and I asked my husband to take a photo (I will post that another time;) As I looked at the picture, I noticed a detail I NEVER would have thought about before starting this project. My watch. I wear the watch my husband bought me for our first anniversary every day, I LOVE it. But because of it's stainless steel band, my mom would have considered it a "sport" watch, and probably not worn it at night. My mom was into details, If her jacket was purple, she'd sure as hell be wearing some amethyst jewelry. Now I don't believe that all things have to match, and in fact sometimes when they don't, the best combinations arise. But last night, after I saw that photo I knew I needed to wear a "Night Watch" (probably more proper to say "evening watch" but "Night Watch" has a nice ring to it and kind of seems all John Snow, Game of Thrones-y,) Anyhoo, it was a small detail, but I know my mom would have nodded in approval. The watch is simple, slender, and elegant, it is no longer working, but it is the one she wore most often. I even remember her sleeping in it. The leather is soft, and feels so nice on my wrist. I am sure I will be having it repaired, and wearing it when the right occasion presents itself.

As this first week comes to a close, I wanted to say that while I will be photographing over the weekends, I think I will only post on weekdays. I believe we all need a little digital downtime on the weekends, No? Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone that has dropped by, subscribed, clicked, commented, It means so much to me, I SO greatly appreciate all the support and love. XOXOX- Amy

Day Five….

February 27, 2014

Have you ever heard of a "Jean Ring" ? No? Well if you haven't, let me fill you in; Jean Rings were invented in the 1970's in St. Louis MO, by a man named Marc. They are brass keychains, that can loop onto a belt, shirt, bag etc. They come in the classic shape above left and, a variety of other shapes, all brass. The exception is this little number on the right. This my friends, is a 14 Kt solid gold Jean Ring charm. Do you know how many Jean Rings you have to sell to get one of these?! Actually I don't, but I venture it's a lot, or that Marc was really fond of you….Yes, my mother had a turn at selling Jean Rings at gift shows across the country. Mind you this was at the height of the "excesses" of the era, to which my mother was not immune. I believe that there may have been more 'bartering" in illicit substances than sale of Jean rings, but that's just my hunch. Hey, my brother and I got a lot of Boris Vallejo themed blacklight posters and other 'Spencer's Gift' style paraphernalia out of the deal, so hey….But here is the hard part about this post, in direct opposition to the bag post yesterday, I asked for this necklace more than once, and my mom said "No." Flat out, NO. No hesitation, no wavering. I think about it now, and realize that I asked her for this when she was sick, and I think that she knew that things were not improving. I can't ask her why she said no, but in my heart, I believe I know why. I think that she was not ready to let go, she did not want to give it all away. She was holding on. Mom, I totally understand. Thanks for holding on as long as you did. You fought hard. When I wear this now, I feel your fight. I Love you.

Please do me a favor, and check out the Jean Ring Website- yes, they are still in production! There is an Urban Myth page that is very worth checking out. http://jeanring.com

This Blog comes from the heart and mind, (but mostly from the heart), of Amy Sklar, interior designer, mother, daughter, foodie, and lover of fashion.

I must admit, the driving force behind this blog was my need to somehow, some way, create a tribute to my dear mother Carole Lawrence. She was a great beauty, chef, friend and mother. Sadly, I lost her to cancer February 23rd 2013. Since beginning on February 23rd 2014 it has been my goal to wear a piece of her clothing, jewelry, or an accessory that she passed on to me, for a total of 365 days (Not in a row, sorry, I am also a mother of two, a small business owner, wife and friend. I tried to do it in a row, and it almost broke me.) I believe it is a fitting tribute to this incredible woman with the greatest sense of style I've ever known. A digital archive, a love letter, a journal, a remeberance for your children and future generations. I love you mom.