Childhood

My story begins on a farm in Kentucky. For me, farm life meant we had everything we needed from farm grown produce and fresh meat. In addition, life on a farm results in a strong worth ethic and love of the outdoors and knowing weird things like how to milk a goat.

Most importantly, although my parents weren’t perfect, I knew I was loved, unconditionally.  

My parents loved children and we were entertained with a varietal zoo of animals. Although somewhat idyllic, everything is not always as it seems.

My father had a drinking problem and money was always short. I was one of those kids on the free and reduced lunch program at school. The embarrassment I felt at wearing shoes with holes was real. 

Freudian psychology holds some real truths for me and I believe we are shaped by our childhoods.  Struggling and hearing my mom stress over money made me yearn for something more.

My mother came from more and it was her sense of style that led me to write this blog. My mom’s closet was off limits, but occasionally she let me look at her beautiful cashmere sweaters wrapped in tissue paper or try on her strand of pearls. She had amazing taste and invested in quality pieces. 

Of course, living on the farm, those items were relegated to the back of the closet and rarely saw the light of day. 

Expensive, designer clothes were never an option for me. But I always had an eye for fashion and wanted so badly to afford whatever was in style at the time.

At 13 years old, I worked washing dishes at the local restaurant. One of my proudest moments was saving my tips to buy my first pair of Levi’s jeans. 

My mother’s sense of style and my desire to dress fashionably (on a budget) has made me very resourceful. I’ve learned to shop the sales rack, search for quality and always wear nice shoes. 

Along the way, I developed grit and determination to work hard for what I want. And what I wanted was to find work that I felt passionate about and that would make a real impact.