How My 99-Year-Old Mother Is Inspiring Me Today
Her style is ageless — and so is she.
(Originally published in The Ethel)
Seven months shy of her 100th birthday, my mother finally decided to part with her cherished collection of high heels.
“Hello, everyone,” she announced to her fans on TikTok, standing next to the boxed display of 50 pairs of shoes. “At 99 years old, I can no longer wear heels. I have every color. I have name brands like Charles Jordan, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Ralph Lauren and every Italian designer. Whenever I went on a trip, it was my pleasure to buy shoes in every country. I hope you get a good look at all these shoes. I am going to donate them to a charity so someone else can enjoy them.”
In a torrent, comments started streaming in, and soon this nearly centenarian mother of mine had been viewed on TikTok 18,000 times. Some of the notes read: “She’s the real Imelda Marcos.” “This rivals Carrie Bradshaw’s collection!” “There is probably a story to go with each pair!”
And I was thinking, Yes, if only shoes could speak.
Mom has always been a fashionista. Back in 1959, for my eldest brother’s bar mitzvah, she decided to dye her hair green to match her dress. She has, and had, a flair for putting herself together from top to bottom in original…