My mother was a “fashionista” before that was even a word. She loved shopping and she loved getting dressed up. My dad was also quite a fashion maverick, he was a very snazzy dresser and always told us that everything needed to have a perfect fit. As you can imagine, with parents like these, we spent a lot of time with Theresa the seamstress.
When I was 13 and having my Bat-Mitzvah, we went to a “special seamstress” to make my outfit. (Really, Mom? Neiman Marcus is across the street). This way, she assured me, no one would be wearing the same dress as I was. And trust me, if changing to a different dress for the party afterward had been a thing back then, she would have had two dresses made.
Never once did she visit me at college without a care package stuffed with clothes she thought I would love. (Thanks, Mom, I can shop on my own now). When I was 23, I moved to Italy, and wouldn’t you know it, every month a package showed up, a box full of clothes. (I lived in Milan, the fashion capital of the universe).
My mother has since passed away and often my sister and I will laugh at her fashion mantras, but you know she was right about a lot of things. Mara, if you see a pair of evening shoes that you love on sale, buy them. Always purchase a “fresh robe” in the spring. (Fresh? Can a bathrobe get stale?). Mara, white t-shirts discolor, buy new ones every season. And my all time favorite that really turned out to be true – clothes get season fatigue.
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Strange, but oh so true! By the time February rolls around, I’m sick of my winter clothes and I’m dying for a new sweater or coat, and right around July I’m always completely bored by my dresses. So here are my “brighten up your summer” picks, thanks to Mom.
My namesake has the perfect dress and if your life could use some extra loveliness, slip into this Mara Hoffman dress.
Everyone looks good in this Vince tank dress in silk with raw-edge bias detail.
For those cool autumn nights, add a bit of boho-chic with this Eileen Fisher Stripe Organic Cotton Poncho. On Sale!
This organic linen white tunic from by Eileen Fisher goes with all my denim.
I love these neutral wedge sneaker from Clarks, great to travel with.
And this Gauzy Cotton tank dress from James Perse comes in black and white, perfect for a beach day.
And finally in memoriam to one of the most creative women to ever have lived, the darling Kate Spade. This gold bangle looks stunning on a lightly tanned wrist.
I miss my mother everyday. I wish I could tell her she was right about so many things, but mostly I wish I could tell I loved her and thanks for making me the “fashionista” I am today.
Shop your favorites from my homage to my Mom:
XOXO The Koolest Moms
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We are Pam and Mara, Grown and Flown’s new in-house fashion gurus. Based in Brooklyn, we’ve been friends for over 20 years, with four boys, many proms, graduations, beach vacations and birthday dinners between us.
Mara’s been living in jeans and t-shirts working in the fashion world in London, Milan, LA, and NYC, producing editorial and ad shoots for over two decades. Pam’s been suiting up for the corporate world as a chief marketing officer in the live entertainment/sports business.
We’ve always been a little obsessed with style and how we use clothes to help us feel attractive and self-confident. You’ll often find us yelling at each other over dressing room walls, or trading texts at midnight about that one pair of size 8 boots left on sale online at Nordstrom.com. But over time, we’ve found that dressing and feeling great has become much more challenging. And that’s even more frustrating now that every moment has turned into a photo opp.
We want to feel comfortable and appropriate with our style choices so that we can face the world each morning with confidence and ease. We’re in search of cool, effortless style that makes us feel amazing and powerful at this very age. Please join us at Grown and Flown as we venture forth into this new world together, and at Facebook and Instagram @thekoolestmoms.