Mer

This is my grandmother, Jo Ann Vachule, but we all called her Mer. She was best known as the food editor for the Fort Worth Star Telegram, but before that, she was the fashion editor at the same paper.

She's the one standing second to the right. Look at those coats and hat boxes! Mer did a lot for me, but I can't believe she didn't save even one piece of the amazing clothing she got for free during that time in her life! Who knows who ended up with all the gorgeousness...

Which makes me think- when we buy a piece of vintage, it obviously used to belong to someone else, but how often do we think about them and how much do we know about their life? I know nothing about the previous owners of 99% of my collection, and I really wish that weren't the case. You can feel like a bit of a vulture at an estate sale, but I think taking the time to talk to the family, ask about their loved one and find out the real history of the clothes could alleviate that, and be an interesting and fun way to shop. I would really like to be able to do that. I know I wish that whoever ended up with Mer's wedding gown for example,

knew something about her life, how brilliant and funny she was, and I'm sure they'd love to know it too. It's a way to let memories live on, breathe new life into the past and give a sense of permanence. Nothing lasts forever, but I think some things should stick around a little longer than we tend to let them. Just a thought!