Like Mother Like Daughter
As two extremely strong-willed women, my mother and I often butt heads. We were not always best friends. Growing up, I always thought I had more in common with my father than my mother. I became interested in fashion and makeup at a young age, and I felt like my mom was forcing me into boring, functional clothing that was not representative of who I was. I was strictly prohibited from wearing makeup until I was old enough to go out alone and buy it; my first tube of mascara was one my grandma snuck into my bag one day without my mom’s approval.
In high school, I designed my own clothing line under the guise that my dreams and aspirations would take me to a far different career path than my mother. Little did I know my relationship with her would evolve not only toward a place where we would get along, but also to one where she would become my biggest source of style inspiration.
Now, I look back at those days and laugh. Today, as my mother and her best friend (my own best friend’s mother) pioneer Last Resort Los Angeles, a resort wear store inspired by their travels, I feel overwhelmingly blessed to have her to look up to, and to be taking part in the process myself. The store opened this fall, and with excitement and even a slight sense of urgency, I have been able to help source brands, witness the buying process, sort inventory, and even model the clothing. My mom’s tireless work ethic has always been my biggest source of inspiration, especially now that I get to view it firsthand. Our conversations have shifted from arguing about what I’m wearing to deciding what our favorite pattern is for hand-painted Birkenstocks, or which leopard kimono best matches a shell-encrusted bucket hat. Of course, starting a business, particularly in retail, is no small feat, but I watch as my mother handles every setback with efficiency and grace. As I continue to fall in love with the world of fashion, I am beyond lucky to have guidance from my favorite teacher.
This new venture has brought out a side of my mother that I never thought existed before: one where she styles crochet cardigans over tie-dye skirts, curates extravagant jewelry pieces, and helps clients tie their bikini strings properly. My younger self neglected the fact that my mom worked as a graphic designer before I was born and founded a clothing store when I was a toddler called “Crankypants” (named after yours truly). Fashion was simply something she chose to fall in and out of at different phases throughout her life. Now, as she re-enters this world, I am the luckiest daughter in the world to be alongside her for this and for life. Follow the journey, just as I am, at lastresortla.com or @lastresortlosangeles on Instagram.
