The View From Here

Style influence from the stereo...
It began in my teenage years, but likely began for earnest in my early 20s. I was under the influence of women who did not travel the boring road of predictable clothing.
Joni Mitchell and her guitar, Stevie Nicks and her other-worldly wear, Janis Joplin and her floppy hats, Carly Simon, Cher, and others set my fashion compass for good or bad. Music was my guiding force.
I spent that decade, between 19 and 30, in patchwork and frayed bell bottom jeans. I loved to find something fabulous in a thrift shop. It sent my parents into shock, and that was half the fun.
After two years and one semester of college, I moved to Dallas with flowers in my hair, and dreams in my head. Even though I had no particular style, I gravitated toward clothes that were different from what everybody else was wearing. When I wore them I felt comfortable and I gave in to the fact that music would always play a big part in my life.

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Model A’s and convertibles...
Changes in generations have certainly occurred since the first generations formed. But they couldn’t have changed as fast as the one I’m experiencing. Sure, everyone in time may have said this, but I believe the access of the automobile has made revolutions in actions, attitudes, habits, customs, relationships, dress, all with the “pedal to the metal.” In my lifetime alone, only one set of my grandparents owned cars to drive. Automobiles were not just everywhere. But the automobile has shadowed my life.
A favorite photo of mine shows me asleep on the running board of my parents’ Model A or T. Daddy wanted the running boards to remain on all cars. Since some co-workers of his didn’t have transportation, he wanted to drive through the neighborhood or town letting these mostly males have an airy ride to work. A large number worked at one place.
My dad did not buy new cars. Living or struggling through the Great Depression probably shaped his philosophy. He found good “deals” on used cars, knew something about its past history of drivers and realized a good ride when he saw it.

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