3.15.2010


"my mother's perfect
little black dress"


heavy as lead"



i visited jeannette
in rome this fall.


I caught her
as she was finishing
her latest photo book
my mother's clothes




indeed a departure
from the grit and grime
of downtown nyc


jeannette captures the moment
of going through her mother's closet
and finding no other place
but the bed, the chair,
the rug or even
the window


to document the
many garments
of her mother's
life in fashion.




jeannette
has always been a
jeans and white t-shirt
kind of gal.


while her mother
was a high society
coca cola belle with an
illustrious wardrobe of
ysl, bill blass, pucci,
and norman norell.




jeannette's mother
was slowly departing
this world with Alzheimers
but was able to piece through
her incredible designer collection
and share a final story about
each item she owned
and loved.




fashion may seem frivolous,
but in ellie's case it was a passion,
a creative outlet for a georgian
housewife who truly saw an
art in "playing the part"



"she was not a socialite,
that's the wrong word.

she was a woman who used

her influence to get
things done."




an excerpt from
my mother's clothes
jeannette montgomery barron

19 comments:

AGNES STYLE said...

beautiful pictures!=) check out mine blog!!

Jrosanne said...

This is very beautiful. To look back on someone's life, and preserve that little bits that lingered. I love it.

PK Studios said...

Lovely post Cerre. What a great idea Jeannette had to express her mother's passion!

LaurenC said...

really love this post and can't wait to get my hands on a copy of that book.

ro said...

oh I love these photographs, so evocative.

Unknown said...

Very beautiful and moving post. Recently read somewhere that taking pictures of things is a good way to release attachment... confirmed. Thank you.

Dolo said...

beautiful post and pictures!! I loved Jeannet´s mother wardrove!

Ramona said...

tears in my eyes. lovely post.

Love_Again said...

amazing post, as per usual.

Anonymous said...

Ellie was a treasure of a woman, she will be well remembered through the story of these photographs. Thank you Lee for sharing with us Jeannette's portrait of this special lady and friend. Gina

isabella whitney said...

really touching. thanks for the post.

ashley said...

beautiful and touching...

carl said...

why can garments keep their owners soul so kindly.
you can see the person like she just has left the room

Miss Soggy Smog said...

Oh my gosh. What a beautiful blog entry and beautiful experience. I can't wait to check this book out.

Learning Spanish at 41 said...

A unique memoir of her mother...lovely.

Unknown said...

brilliant!

Unknown said...

the pictures, the words, the story, the fashion...
I LOVE YOUR BLOG
this post really got me sidetracked- daydreaming.

Jillian Hobbs said...

jeans and white tshirt you say?
that's my kind of girl!

Maia said...

What an absolutely wonderful project. I love the whole idea. And the images are beautiful and poignant.