Ok….. so someone sent me a question recently and asked me which one of my parents created the love of shopping in me…..honestly this is a tough one because they are both super stylish and love to shop. I mean after all….they are the original disco king and queen in my eyes.

My dad fits the persona of a typical Italian, city guy who always wears sharp suits with a pocket hanky, tie, cuff links, and his initials engraved on his shirt somewhere. He is known for his “flashy” golf attire all over his country club, and he still rocks True religion jeans…even past the age of 70. (Dad you still look 60 so don’t get mad I wrote that LOL) Even though my father has a fondness of upscale designers, he very rarely will pay full price for items, and he definitely taught me how to “bargain shop,” and that good things come to those who wait for the sale…. Every Saturday we would head into Boston so we could “give my mother  a break.” It was our father/daughter time and I looked forward to it every weekend…even when I was a teenager!

Now we have Mom….My mom is a “girly girl” through and through. I remember watching her get ready for Saturday date nights with my father. I would sit on the sink and watch her put on her makeup and do her hair, and she would paint my nails red and let me use her lipstick. I also remember playing Barbies with her for hours and hours, and my favorite thing to do was change their outfits. My mom and I spent hours at the mall together, and every special occasion required a new outfit, sparkly something or other, hair bows, and accessories.

 

Every winter she got me a practical, warm coat and one that was very fancy….hence….my love of fur coats I think…..

She loved the hunt for the prom dress….thank god because one year I went to 3 different proms! LOL

She was not so much of the bargain shopper, but she taught me to love the glitz and the glam for sure and most importantly, taught me how to dress for my petite frame and my shape in the most flattering way.

 

Ok…..ready!!! Here is their take on this subject!

First up is dad….since he was done basically the next morning after asking him by 8 am…..

 

“Memories of Saturdays with my Daughter

When my daughter Tiffany was six years old, I began taking her into Boston with me. This began our father/daughter time together. We regularly made three stops: Filene’s Basement, in downtown Boston, followed by Castignetti Brothers and lastly, the Pushcart Restaurant, both of which were in Boston’s North End on Endicott Street.

Our first stop was the famous Filene’s Basement where you could buy designer brands at discount. I taught Tiffany how to read the tags and explained their automatic markdown policy on already discounted merchandise, I.E., an additional 25% off if the item was still in the store after 30 days. An additional 50% off after 45 days, and the jackpot! and additional 75% off after 60 days. We purchased many designer brands for a fraction of the original cost. I once bought a designer suit originally selling for $995 for $125!

Our next stop was Castignetti Bothers, a family owned clothing/tuxedo store, as mentioned earlier, in Boston’s North End. I was introduced to the brothers by my father when I was twelve years old and I purchased clothing and rented tuxedos from them until the store closed in 2001.

Our final stop was a father/daughter lunch at the Pushcart restaurant, which was right next door to Castignetti Brothers. There we enjoyed lunch and discussed the day’s finds.

On other occasions, I would take Tiffany with me shopping for presents for Mom. She would quickly choose an appropriate gift, which usually was the most expensive for her mother!

I guess you could say that I started Tiffany on her “Thrill of the Hunt” journey!!

 

And now we have Ma…..

 

My Memories of Tiffany’s Early Fashion Sense

Fashion memories for me with Tiffany began on the day she was born! Choosing the perfect coming home outfit was very important; mint green of course!

Holiday shopping for her velvet and lace dresses always took place at The Little Folks Shop in Stoneham, Massachusetts. Satin hair ribbons and shiny black shoes were always a big part of accessorizing her outfits.

These memories continued into her school days where her ensembles always had to be completed with Tiffany’s input; colors of accessories or which type shoes to wear with dresses or pants. Sometimes we would shop at Lad and Lassie Boutique in Medford for just the right piece of complementary clothing, such as, a sweater or a jacket.

Searching for beautiful dresses continued into high school years during prom season. These looks were filled with sparkle, beading and glitz!

Tiffany could always somehow style a “look” which was certainly unforgettable.

So even in her formative years she could always find style that suited the occasion.

 

Well there you have it….this is why I love clothes and became a stylist and fashion blogger. In my opinion, I like to say I got the best of both worlds 🙂