WIW: Celebration of Life (memorial) trip - YouLookFab Forum

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WIW: Celebration of Life (memorial) trip

Vix

Veteran

Hi all --

This winter I unexpectedly lost a dear family member -- though she lived a very long life, her passing was a shock to us all. This summer we all gathered for our final, bittersweet goodbye back East.

Among so many other things Ms FC was a style inspiration to me. She lived modestly but loved clothing and color and was interested in style right up til the end (including fussing about having to switch to "terrible" shoes in her 90s that she felt clashed with her special occasion wear!). Worth noting she was a fan of bling so I know who to blame for my magpie tendencies, ha.

She was truly a lifelong learner and since I was traveling from the West Coast, I decided to honor her memory by taking a few days to explore a bit of Philly's wonderful museums and street art.

(Special thank you to Janet for advice re dressing for Philly's wild weather!)

For obvious reasons, I didn't take photos of what I wore during our Celebration of Life -- but I did re-create it recently for a garden + cafe visit. It felt right to wear green to remember her and so green it was. Back home Mr Vix indulged me by continuing his photographer role.

Thanks for looking, and wear what you love (she did)!

********************

Photo 1 -- Me by a tiny fragment of Philadelphia Magic Gardens (tile murals that incorporate...everything). Deep purple jersey dress under print long-sleeve tunic

Photo 2 -- More from Philadelphia Magic Gardens, plus me on one of the cold rainy days

Photo 3 -- Leaving our rental ready for evening touring (walking!) and dinner in a my silk lurex top over a body-con deep purple knit dress (also including previously posted selfie to show pattern better) + sliver of different, sleeveless plum tunic over charcoal jersey skirt (yes I sit on steps)

Photo 4 -- Outside the Rodin Museum (Philly not Paris!). A wedding was photobombing as the museum was kicking us out at close and as I walked out this women's dress looked so beautiful with the flowers I asked if she would pose for me.

Photo 5 -- Re-wearing what I wore to the Celebration of Life events on a beautiful summer day closer to home (our time of day was beautiful for viewing flowers, but not great for amateur photographers)

Photo 6 -- Back home / Close-up of dress-as-tunic. I know the bandeau showing was a point of discussion in another outfit but...I don't mind it

Added Photo 7 -- the two of us in our best blues a few years ago (she'd want you to know her feet forced her into those "slippers" at the last minute!)

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20 replies

Latest reply was from

rachylou

Veteran

That is really nice, Vix!

Jane

Veteran

Lovely photos! I love the hat and sunnies, very stylish.

I especially like the outfit in 1 (and the wonderful murals behind) and then in 3, the middle outfit. Are 3 all the same outfit - I can't quite work it out. I love the plum colours.

Beautiful gardens, looks to have been a good trip and a very fitting way to reflect on your relationship with dear Ms FC.

lyn67

Veteran

Thanx for sharing Vix, YLF! Love your tunic+ pencil(tube) formula here, very interesting, personal and pertfectly appropiate to all your functions!

Mainelady

Veteran

What a lovely way to honor your dear family member. Your outfits really do look fab. I like how you wear patterns!

Brooklyn

Veteran

Hi Vix. I am sorry for your loss. How lovely to have a gathering to celebrate your family member’s life. An interest in fashion runs in my family too.
You look lovely. I always enjoy seeing your interesting prints and layering techniques. Love the tunic over skirt. And the loose top over fitted long sleeve top look took my eye because it’s starting to get cold here. And I really love your hat. A bit 1930s, I think.

Kathie

Veteran

Gorgeous photos. Your use of color and pattern is spectacular.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I’m sorry to hear about your friend. Lovely that you celebrated her in a memorable way.

I love #1 and 2. Again, the patterns work beautifully with your hair.

Helena

Veteran

Gorgeous. She sounds like a wonderful, spirited lady!

JAileen

Veteran

You look lovely for such a special event.

Vix

Veteran

All --

How lovely to wake up to your kind words. I know so many have experienced loss, and you know how it goes...you think you're done with the most intense feelings until you're not.

I'm so glad we were able to say goodbye after the worst of the shock and grief but man, the waterworks are back for us all! She would have been so exasperated with us, ha.

Rachy -- Thank you! I could have used your anthropological eye at our event IYKWIM.

Jane -- Thanks so much; I know she would have loved hearing about our adventures and had lots of comments to add...some that would no doubt have had me laughing my head off! I wasn't very clear in my late-night descriptions and have added a few details, thanks for catching...

answer: in #3 the first 2 collage photos are the same outfit, 3rd collage photo is same top layered over winterized outfit (same silhouette of sheath dress), 4th is a completely different outfit

Mainelady, Kathie, Lyn67, Angie, and JAileen -- Thank you, she loved dressing up and think she would have approved of our party clothes (and my later hoagie eating, wandering, and art explorations)! Can you believe I finally found a background that let that tunic's print look sedate.

Brooklyn -- Where would we be without our close-to-home style inspirations? I think she was so happy when I started wearing vs just caring abstractly but she never said a peep about outfits I know she would have hated.

Thanks for the compliments re clothing and accessories as I'll be looking back at your warm-weather layering! I restrained myself and only brought 1 hat given the mixed rain/sun forecast, but 1930s styles are my fav.

Torontogirl -- You chose a perfect word for her! And I swear she had better comic timing than most professionals. Thanks for taking the time to post.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

You look great in all of these! You are so good at choosing patterns that suit you. I'm glad your packing was successful, and the trip included exploration and relaxation as well as the memorial. Great photos. Philadelphia is so close to me, and yet I rarely go up there -- I need to rectify that!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

So sorry for your loss, Vix. But glad you were able to celebrate in beautiful style.

You have really tipped towards the beautiful mauve/ lilac/ purplish side of the colour palette and it is gorgeous on you! You're making me realize that I need to investigate this more thoroughly myself. As Angie noted, the patterns are stunning with your hair. Everything is cohesive, proportionate, and so harmonious.

You have put so much thought into what works for your body type and your colouring and have worked out a truly distinctive personal style. Inspirational!

Love the green watercolour abstract print, too. Your hat and sunnies are super-glam!

ChrisM

Veteran

Beautiful outfits - and I love your tunic-over-a-dress style! You’ve got some fantastic tunics too - the first one is FANTASTIC. What a lovely way to honor Mrs. FC.

Vix

Veteran

Janet --

Thank you...tried-and-true outfit formulas to the rescue! Prints are my secret weapon for hiding anything I can't get out while traveling, ha.

Having lost my radar for Eastern weather I was so glad to have you confirm covered legs and feet would be most comfortable for those cooler wet days. [It did get a BIT tropical but I wouldn't have been happy in my sandals/skirts.]

Philly is such a fantastically layered city compared to most of the West (those extra 100+ years sure help) I loved it. Haven't really visited when visiting family. You'd have your camera glued to your eyeballs the whole time!

Suz --

Thank you. She was ageless to us despite aging -- I think the secret is she thought only other people were old!

I totally think you should explore mauves and dusty purples achieved with grey or white tints. Though I'm telling you, this is THE year for cool palette blushes.

That tunic in#1-2 is 2+ years old (bought used so who knows its real age) and while I personally feel the shades aren't my *best* they are really great for calming down elaborate prints or creating a more Zen vibe in ways that "our" deeper slightly brighter shades don't. They're the easy listening colors of our palettes haha!

And since they pair beautifully with deep blues and greys, if you find the right ones you've got the partners standing by.

Adding --

Chris M -- almost missed your lovely words while writing my novel. Thank you so much. I thought I might be sick of the tunic-over-dress thing by now after a few years of heavy wearing but I'm still a fan and have added extras into rotation! Easy breezy.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I'm sorry for you loss. It is always a shock and a shift in the world as we know it.
You look absolutely lovely in all of these. I think of you as a color sage, but I have to say these remind me that you also have a perfect eye for proportion and scale. The patterns suit you beautifully. The green is stunning. I have noticed that the most energetic and spirited 85+ women I have known all keep a certain amount of vanity about them. It is a sign of respect for themselves and everyone seeing them.

Sal

Veteran

Sorry to read about your loss. She sounds like a fun and active woman.

I love picture 1 - both the mural and the outfit.

I also love the green silk top/tunic that you wore to the celebration of life. The colours are so serene - I am a bit drawn to hectic patterns and this shows me that subtlety can be modern.

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

Stunning in every regard, from your photos of your outfits to your lovely story about your loved one. I enjoyed being on location with you.

Katerina

Veteran

I am so sorry for your loss.
The pictures are stunning and so are your outfits. You look incredible.
What a beautiful and touching tribute to a special lady.

Vix

Veteran

Shevia --

Thank you for your wisdom -- yes, the "shift" with loss is real AND I agree that we all benefit from trying to remain visible in our senior years as a way of signaling our humanity and contributions.

Also very flattered given your own "style eye" -- prints are a constant learning experience for me but I'm deeply curious about them. One of my favorite things is to help others pick prints that suit their personality and person and end with visual harmony. This from a recovering print-a-phobic! [Well when they're Not Good they're...bad.]

Sal --

The scope and scale of the mural tile art was really something, that's for sure. Thank you for the kind words about FC; she taught me about style by example and now I keep my eyes open more. I'll be thinking of you with your prints...maybe there's inspiration right next to you!

Vicki and Katerina --

Thank you both so much. Sometimes I regret not encouraging her to join YLF -- I think she would have at least loved to lurk! The impulse to share memories about people special to us is strong, isn't it? I always appreciate hearing them from others, so decided to share mine.

Anonymous

Wonderful tribute.