Working 9 to 5

Working girl: Did your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do? Describe her occupation.

Most of my working life I have spend in fashion retail. I have worked with clothing, sports and even greeting cards. I use to think that I just happened upon something that I liked and was good at but a photograph that I had forgotten changed my mind.

Every year my maternal grandmother would go out with her coworkers and march in the May Day Parade. They would wear this same pattern and they would strut their stuff and they had every right too. They where all seamstresses and darn good too. Matter fact I don't think that I wore anything that my grandmother didn't make until I was like in six grade. Believe me when I say that woman could sew. But she wasn't the only influence to my retail history.

My paternal grandmother also was involved in fashion. She worked for a women's clothing store located downtown and in my mind had to be one of the oldest in St. Louis. She had even worked there back in the sixties when it might have been difficult for a black woman to work in a predominately white frequented store. Still she was such a valued employee that when I was born they gave my parents a crib their shower.

Both my grandmothers worked hard and diligently. I can remember going with my father's mother to her store and all the ladies fussing over me and going on and on about how wonderful my grandmother was. And although I couldn't find the picture, I also remember my older cousin and I marching with my mother's mom in at least one of those parades and it was the same experience. Almost like having a room full of grandma's at any given time.

Sure my mother worked, my aunts and almost everyone woman I can think of in my family but those two I would say really influenced me. I'm not in fashion retail anymore but every time I go shopping I think of them.