One of my grandmother’s passions was music. She also loved the color purple. Lilacs, lavender were a particular favorite. Her bedroom was always done up in these shades.
As I was packing for the trip up north to Rhode Island last week I wanted to find small ways to honor her while we were there. It didn’t take long for me to parlay one of my loves- nail polish into one of those ways.
Later that day I happened to look over at my cousin and she too was wearing this same shade. We both looked at each other and said, “For Memere!”.
That day I dressed in a black sheath and heels. My hair felt like that of an anchor woman. I wore a double-strand of pearls that my grandmother would have loved. I felt plain and incomplete though. I would have fussed with myself far too long and was glad that at the last-minute I had thrown my Stella and Dot bee brooch into my jewelry case. I attached it to the pearls and finally felt complete. Bea, my grandmother, would have approved. I was ready on the outside even if I wasn’t on the inside.
That’s the thing I love about cosmetics and fashion. They can make you look ready for any situation despite the fact that inside you feel like you never will be.
*Lilac image from tripodgirl.blogspot.com
