Out and about....mother of mine

From Fashionistable

Here is the reason for my trip to Belfast. My mum. It was her birthday. Her 70th. She looks amazing. We cant believe she is 70 already. Mind you neither can she. Mum has always been stylish. I have very early memories of her all dressed up and ready to go out for the night coming in to kiss me goodnight before her and dad headed out, wearing sparkly dresses, hair dressed and up, fab make up and I remember orange earrings for some reason. I also remember a story where her and dad were going out to a dinner dance and mum wore a pant suit with gold top and white trousers. The guys on the door wouldn't let her in because she was wearing trousers..... Luckily the top was on the long side (mini dress length) so she went back to the car took off the trousers and carried on with the night. I always loved this story.
The bag she is carrying is also steeped in memory - for all of us it is the memory of another similar bag she had, had which we all loved. It was so loved I think it fell apart over the years but was missed by us all (I have 3 sisters). Mum found this replacement recently in a vintage shop and I have to say I am envious. I want one. It reminds me of a poem I read once by Ruth Fainlight  called Handbag - or the other way round actually the poem reminded me of the bag when I first read it on the London underground. Here it for you all to enjoy too -
"My mother's old leather handbag,
crowded with letters she carried
all through the war. The smell
of my mother's handbag: mints
and liptsick and Coty powder.
The look of those letters, softened
and worn at the edges, opened,
read, and refolded so often.
Letters from my father. Odour
of leather and powder, which ever
since then has meant womanliness,
and love, and anguish, and war."

Happy Birthday Mum. Love you xxxx