We both shared a very special bond with our grandmothers, and when she told me that her wardrobe was full of pieces her grandmother left her I knew I had to feature her. We coordinated our schedules to meet on a Sunday morning at her new apartment in Downtown Norfolk. We chatted over sparkling water, banana nut muffins and fresh strawberries. She couldn't hide her enthusiasm and joy that her grandmother bestowed upon her.
She told me that her grandmother's name was Polly, well her real name was Evelyn but she talked so much as a young child that her nickname quickly became Polly (like the parrot) and the name stuck. Polly was vivacious; she was a ballroom dancer since childhood and even hand modeled at one point in her life. She took pride in her appearance and maintained her petit physique all her life. As Alisa grew up she and Polly bonded over shopping & dancing. Polly would take Alisa to her ballroom dance recitals and, as you can imagine a little girl would, she felt like the bell of the ball. When Alisa reached adulthood shopping in Polly's closet was not uncommon. You see Polly was classic in her style but she also kept things modern.
At this point it was time to get my hands on her clothes. I wanted to dress Alisa in a way that expressed her own style while simultaneously capturing Polly's influence. We decided to a day look and a night look, based solely on the fabulous shoes. The black wedge heels were so cool & funky so we paired it with a fabulous cheetah print sheath cocktail dress, Alisa chose a pair of crystal drop earrings to add another element from Grandma's closet.
The floral pencil skirt was the impetus for the day look. I have failed to mention at this point that Alisa's closet is brimming with so many beautiful clothes that I could have spent a week putting outfits together. For the sake of time I focused on styling Alisa in an outfit she could feel like herself and incorporate small details that commemorate Polly. So, the floral skirt. It has a gorgeous dark navy background with watercolor florals of mauve, dusty pink and powder pinks paired prettily with leaves of teal and glimmers of light grass green.
We had already pulled out a few blazers, as it is my belief that a jacket or cardigan really completes an outfit - especially for work. My favorite so far was the deep teal H&M cropped blazer; the cool color complemented Alisa's cool skin tone and the cropped length fell at her natural waist. I pulled the gorgeous silk green blouse from her closet to compete the look, but Alisa's had some reservations.
When I put the top next to the skirt and showed her that the color of the top would help pull the greens from the skirt and make them pop she was so excited, as she would never have put that together. Score! We finished the look with a pair of nude pumps to elongate her legs and keep the focus on the rich tones her clothes showcased. She kept Grandma's crystal drop earrings and added her adorable black handbag with a large flower to complement the skirt's print.
