Songful Style Link Party | “Mama” by Beth Hart
My musically inspired friends and I are back with the seventh edition of Songful Style, a monthly style challenge that encourages us to use music as our sartorial inspiration. We not only learn about new (and old) songs which is so valuable for expanding our musical knowledge but we also have the opportunity to view our wardrobes in entirely new and creative ways.
Unfortunately, both Anne and Michelle had to leave this monthly group collaboration but Suzy, Marsha, and I will continue on sharing our Songful Styles. However, both Suzy and Marsha have some big life stuff going on at the moment, so they may both be late in sharing their posts this month. But definitely be sure to check back in with them throughout the week to see how they both interpreted my song choice this month, “Mama” by Beth Hart.
About Songful Style
Songful Style is a new ageless style challenge series hosted by Suzy of The Grey Brunette, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge and Marsha of Marsha in the Middle.
Each month we will share a song with the lyrics and video and we invite you to use whatever aspect of the song that inspires you to create an outfit.
It is similar to Style Imitating Art where we use artwork to inspire our outfit creations. Except Songful Style gives you lyrics, music, video, and album artwork to inspire your fashion creativity. You may even find inspiration in a memory triggered by the selected song. It is all open to your own personal interpretation and just a fun way to discover new music and get a little bit more creative with your wardrobe.
Anyone is welcome to join us on a permanent basis or you can just play along without any obligation to do anything other than feel inspired. We are flexible and fun and just want to find more ways to play dress up because it’s what we enjoy doing!
We will be posting on the last Monday of each month and will announce our song choice for the following month at the end of each post.
Be sure to check out my fabulous friends and how they have interpreted this song into style…just click their blog links for more songful style inspiration!
- Suzy of The Grey Brunette
- Marsha of Marsha in the Middle
I chose this particular song in memory of my mother who passed away on July 10, 2006, after a year and half battle with colon cancer. I remember the first time I heard this Beth Hart song and it reminded me so much of my own mother and my relationship with her that I quickly memorized all the lyrics so I could sing it to her. Keep in mind that I am not a singer in any way but mom still loved when I would serenade her with this powerful song.
“Mama” by Beth Hart
Mother may I, I would say Yes sweet baby take it away It won't be long, just remember that Powerful is the woman in you Stay true And she'd come to me when fire & water was gone To caress the empty with a song Saying why cry for anger that bullets the sky Just remember I'll remember & mama I'll get by... I know my face seems crazed & wild But I got her eyes A mama's child am I She's blessed with grace & is smooth as a line And when I shade she helps me shine And she comes to me when there's nothing I believe And holds me so high yes I am free Saying why hold the anger It won't let you fly Just remember I'll remember & mama mama I'll get by... Confused by my own illusions She said that it's only my pride And even the simplest solutions Still won't heal my mind So I'll remember I'll remember and I'll get by
For more information about this song as well as video performances by Beth Hart, you can read this post.
When it came to styling an outfit suitable for a song that has absolutely no sartorial references whatsoever, I looked to all the special things in my wardrobe that remind me of my mother. When I was a young girl, my mother made most of my clothing. When I became a teenager, I took advantage of her seamstress abilities as she would bring my ideas to life. She even made my prom dress with a matching cummerbund and bow tie for my date. She had a pattern as a guide but I kept tweaking things to make it more unique and mom made my vision a reality.
Here are a few of her creations…
And here is one of the few and the most recent photos I have of my parents. It was taken sometime between 1990 and 1995.
After mom’s cancer diagnosis, when I realized that her time with me was limited, I asked her to teach me how to sew so I could make my own clothing. This ivory tunic was our first practice piece which she made for me just a few months before she died. I recall sitting at my grandmother’s kitchen table while mom taught me how to cut out the pattern and pin it to the fabric. I did the cutting and she did the sewing. We also made a pair of cropped trousers in goldenrod that I still have but they are much too large for me now.
Around the same time, in April 2006, mom wanted to take the family to Las Vegas. It was a place she had never been and had always wanted to go. My father was an avid gambler and it was a point of contention in their marriage for as long as I can remember. I think she wanted to understand him better by visiting our country’s biggest gambling hotspot. My father had died 11 years earlier so mom wanted to take this Las Vegas trip in April right around his birthday to make it about dad as much as about the rest of us.
During that trip, mom bought for me this green bohemian skirt and the necklace I am wearing from a gift shop in our hotel. These are the last gifts she had given me before she passed away so I have held onto all of it even though I rarely wear any of it. In the early days of my blog, however, I did share the tunic in two different posts, Made With Love By Mom and Made With Love By Mom-Tunic Take 2. But I have never paired it with this skirt so I was excited to combine these two pieces into one coherent “inspired by my mom” look.
I added my green tie dye kimono just because I liked it with this outfit. Also, I am fairly certain that my mom would have gotten a real kick out of the quirkiness of this look. My earrings and sandals are old and I quickly discovered that the sandals needed to go. They were so uncomfortable that I threw them in the trash as soon as we got home from taking these photographs. They used to be favorite boho summer shoes but recently I cannot tolerate the thong between my toes. And the elastic around the heel was all stretched out so they kept sliding off. Into the trash they went, but they served me well. I have had them for years and literally wore them until they were unwearable.
And that’s all I have for this “Mama” inspired outfit. Our next song was chosen by Marsha, “Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, which we will be sharing on Monday, September 26, 2022. Check back tomorrow for more details about the next song choice and please join us below for a music and style link party.
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Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.
Outfit Details: Tunic-Made With Love By Mom / Skirt and Necklace-Gifts from Mom from a Las Vegas gift shop circa 2006 / Kimono-Torrid / Sandals-Payless / Earrings-Old / Bag-Teddy Blake
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
22 Comments
Suzy Turner
What a beautiful post, Shelbee! I love that we used our own mums as inspiration for our outfits. Yours, by the way, is gorgeous. I love the boho vibe going on…it fits the location so beautifully as well. I remember my mum sewing outfits for my sister and I when we were really little. If memory serves me correctly, I think I may have made outfits for my Cindy doll at the same time. Sadly, I didn’t inherit her talent for sewing. I can hem jeans and curtains and that’s about it. I have attempted various other things but they were a bit of a disaster, as I don’t have much patience for it lol!
I hope you’re having a fabulous Monday.
Big hugs
Suzy xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Suzy! I never developed a talent for making clothing either because I also lack the patience. I got rid of my sewing machine about 10 years ago because I never used it and now I kind of wish I had one just for simple repairs and hemming things. In fact, I have to hem a fabric remnant into a table runner so I am going to try iron on hem tape for this project. But with all my home makeovers I am doing, maybe I should invest in a small portable sewing machine of some sort. I am heading over now to check out your post!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jennifer
Aww, I love that the tunic is so special because your mom helped you make it!!
Jennifer
Curated by Jennifer
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Jennifer!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
I so enjoyed hearing about your mom. She sounds like a cool, talented lady. And I love this outfit composed of pieces your mom gave you or sewed for you. It’s beautiful and I’m sure she’d love it.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Michelle! She was very talented. She made me the most beautiful green velvet comforter with golden satin on the underside when I was about 12 years old. I think I spotted the green velvet on a fabric shopping trip to make clothing and I fell in love with it. She secretly made the comforter for me literally right in front of me, convincing me the whole time that it was a wedding gift for a friend. What a surprise when I opened it on Christmas morning! By the way, I just edited my post to include a photograph of my mom and dad.
xoxo
Shelbee
Nancy
What a beautiful story! And memmories! I have no relationship with my mother , so therefore can’t imagine what a mother daughter relation is like. But I do love that skirt! I once tried to make my own clothing…….I have no patience………it looked like shit.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Nancy, thank you so much! My relationship with my mother had its moments of being strained as well. I don’t want anyone to think it was all rainbows and unicorns! Because it wasn’t. And the few times I have tried to make clothing, it ended up looking like shit as well. Because I also have no patience. We could open a boutique called “Nancy & Shelbee’s Handmade Shit”. Nobody would buy anything though! Hahaha
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
So very beautiful. What a great story and your mom was a great person. So very nice.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Patrick! I just added a photo of my parents into the post. I should have thought to do that earlier. I hope your week is off to a great start!
xoxo
Shelbee
Tamar Strauss-Benjamin
I just love the greens!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Tamar!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lizzie
Aww I love this post so much!! This outfit is not only gorgeous, but I love that it’s inspired by the memory of your mother. Such a beautiful post and outfit. I also love the photos you included – I would have loved to see the back of that green sequined dress! It looks like she was very talented!
Lizzie
http://www.lizzieinlace.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Lizzie, thank you so much, my friend. I felt like I had my mom all around me the day I wore this outfit, too. I love how clothing can carry such special meaning. It’s like it becomes part of the fabric, woven right into it. I really wish I had a picture of the back of that dress, too. I wish I still had the dress! I did find the cummerbund in a box in the basement though! I just edited the post to include a photo of my parents.
xoxo
Shelbee
Emma Peach
I don’t know this song but the lyrics are beautiful. How lovely that your mom sewed her own tags in the clothes she made saying “Made with Love by Mom”, that’s so touching. She sounds like a wonderful lady. I wish I could sew, I should get my mother-in-law to teach me as she gave me her sewing machine. Your whole outfit is gorgeous, so calm and serene.
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Emma! You definitely should ask her your mother in law if she would teach you to sew! It really is one thing I wish I had taken the time to learn. But I get so darn impatient with it. Your comment prompted me to add a photo of my parents into this post. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it but I am glad that you made me think of it!
xoxo
Shelbee
Joanne
I love that inspriation for your outfit came from your mom! My mom made lots of my clothes growing up too and we worked together to make all my prom dresses in high school. My mom is a very talented seamstress and even wanted to make my wedding dress (though we ended up purchasing one when she cried both times I tried on the same dress). I nearly went into fashion design in college based on the fun I had sewing and creating wth my mom.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh my goodness, Joanne, that is so cool! I really appreciate learning this bit of information about you and your mom! I had briefly contemplated fashion design as a career option but I ended up at a college that didn’t offer such things. And I can’t sketch or sew so I was definitely better off studying English Literature, Philosophy, and Religion…the studies that required the most reading and writing, two of my favorite things to do! Bu I do wish I could make clothes!
xoxo
Shelbee
Carol
Your outfit is such a sweet way to honor the memory of your mother. My mother was also an excellent seamstress, and she taught me how to cut out patterns and sew a few simple clothing pieces. (I haven’t done it in years, now). I know you treasure the time you had with your mom while she taught you to sew.
Thank you for participating in Talent-Sharing Tuesdays Link-Up 31.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Carol! Making clothing with my mother to indulge my eclectic sense of style is definitely a very fond memory for me. I just wish I had paid closer attention and learned better! I think sewing skills are one of those things that we lose if we don’t practice them though. Maybe in my next life I will be a fashion designer or a skilled seamstress!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michele Morin
Your mum was a phenomenally gifted woman. Easy to see where your creative muse came from!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Michele! I definitely got my creativity from my mother! She made so many creative things for school plays and parties. Our homemade Halloween costumes were pretty awesome, too. One year I was the pot of gold at the end of rainbow. That was one of my favorite costumes ever! I wish I was just half as talented as my mother was!
xoxo
Shelbee