While parents get the brunt of the ear-shattering tantrums and our turbulent teenage years, our grandparents can become the much-needed loving port in the storm. Mine certainly offered an abundance of love in many classic forms: generous homemade meals with enough for seconds (and thirds); endless cups of tea offered at the rate of Mrs. Doyle; the odd under-the-table tenner when I needed it most.
When we lost our beloved grandmother, Catherine Stuart (but known to everyone as Frankie), our family was devastated. But as well as our shared memories, one way I’ve been able to work through the grief has been through the belongings that mattered most to her: her amazing fashion finds.
Because my fabulous gran left behind a bursting-at-the-seams wardrobe. Clothes, belts, bags, hats – Frankie Stuart had something for every occasion, including some incredible vintage pieces. And it’s through our mutual love of fashion that I’ve found myself still connected to her.
Rediscovering Frankie
Alongside a creative flare and love of trinkets, I inherited my gran’s borderline obsession with fashion. The way my mum had to cover my eyes as we passed Claire’s Accessories from a very young age is exactly the strategy my grandad used when passing glittering boutique windows with gran in blustery West Cork. Some serious damage was done on Schull high street, let me tell you.
Frankie was always one for upcycling and ‘borrowing’. She customised simple straw hats with crochet flowers and added chunky charm necklaces and belts to jazz up plainer looks. She refused to look pedestrian. Much to my mum’s frustration, ‘glam-ma’ still refused a walking stick at the tender age of 82 for fear of appearing old.
With nostalgic fashion increasingly popular (as we seek comfort from the scary news cycle), there’s been a resurgence of capri pants, kitten heels, and even crime-against-humanity skinny jeans of late. I’m a big vintage fan (for both cost and eco-friendly reasons) and love mixing in unique pieces, so inheriting a wardrobe that's been built and loved over decades has completely transformed my wardrobe.
Plus, every item feels special. And as I’ve integrated the pieces into my wardrobe, I’ve been learning more about the younger Frankie. Here are just some of the looks I’ve been sporting in the office – cue fashion montage.
Look 1: The graphic jumper
Out of all the items of clothing I’ve worn of Gran’s, this vintage Eighties Tabasco jumper has captured the most attention from my friends and colleagues. I asked my mum where it came from and, turns out, it was actually sent to her as part of a promotion by the brand during the days when she ran a restaurant. But it somehow found its way into Gran’s wardrobe, where it became a staple of her casual ensembles. The irony is that her traditional Irish tastebuds would have found even ketchup spicy.
Handily, the slogan sweatshirt is definitely having a moment. I like to wear this to work paired with a dress to match the typography and my nan’s slouchy Balenciaga-esque handbag. The oversized fit also makes it a perfect pairing with shorts, à la Lady Di.
Look 2 - The Burberry trench
The funny thing about this Burberry trench is that neither my mum, nor any of her four siblings, know when or where my gran purchased it. The suspicion is that, as with many of her more grandeur purchases, it was kept under wraps (from Grandad especially). It certainly arrived in pristine condition to me, although on my second outing, I managed to spill coffee on it (sorry Gran). I’ve got GH’s household advice editor on it though, don’t worry.
I suspect it was bought a while ago, which makes it even more of a special piece, and it’s the kind of designer classic that never goes out of style. With Burberry’s latest campaign starring the Gallagher children, Alexa Chung and Cara Delevingne, it’s clear the brand is going through another golden period, which is why this has been the envy of my colleagues. Even if it wasn’t so iconic, the sentimentality attached means I'll be wearing this number with pride for many years ahead.
I love wearing it with a simple all black ‘fit – this poncho was one Frankie knitted herself (among hundreds of other pieces). It would also go well with simple jeans and a top, letting the trench and its swishy tartan lining do the talking. As one of the only designer pieces I have, it's one I’ll treasure.
Look 3: High/low dressing
I’m not sure whether Frankie would have paired her pretty blouse, cardigan and leather bag with Adidas tracksuit bottoms, but this combination is the perfect example of how I’ve been able to blend my own personal style with hers, something I know she would have loved. Business at the top, party at the bottom.
However, maybe I got the high-low look from her, as she did pair this fabulous blue Reebok sports style jumper with some classic chunky beads. This just sums up how she always managed to upgrade any look: a subtle lace cuff here, a colourful brooch there. Style queen.
Look 4: The silk scarf
“That’s your gran’s?” is a frequent question I hear from colleagues, friends and even from Mum, and I’m sure Frankie would have got a kick out of how I’ve reimagined her clothes. That said, I doubt she would have thought that her collection of silk scarves would make their way to Glastonbury, to be worn as headscarves and paired with an equally as chic Wigan football jersey and oversized black shades. This look was even complimented by one of the performers at the famous NYC Downlow.
Gran's scarves are also the ultimate holiday accessory, adding an elegant touch to plain maxi dresses and protecting my hair from those strong UV rays too. Trés Old Hollywood Aubrey Hepburn.
More than just clothes
Another outcome of exploring Gran’s vast wardrobe is that I’ve taken the plunge and invested in a sewing machine, and I can see now why it was one of her most treasured tools.
Frankie was the one who originally taught a younger me how to sew and knit, and I so wish I’d kept it up. My advice? Grab your talented family members and absorb their skills while you can – it’s fun, useful and, more importantly, it’s incredibly valuable bonding time; there's lots of time to chat as you thread your bobbins together.
Her ‘make do and mend’ attitude saw Gran create everything for her five children and her home. Curtains, clothes and even wedding dresses were all a product of her incredible seamstress skills and imagination – take the outfits she created for her and my grandad to wear to a Victorian-themed party. She looks fresh from the 1800s with the puffed shoulders and extravagant hat, which was crafted by pinning feathers onto an old hat. The woman that you were, Frankie Stuart!
As for my less ambitious efforts, being able to rework straight-out-of-the-Seventies ponchos and Eighties pinstripe shirts has both changed up my style and made me further appreciate the value of reusing and recycling vintage clothes. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the disposability of modern fashion, ordering a new dress in the evening and having it delivered before breakfast. But you don’t value something that comes so easy and too much of it is still ending up in landfill.
Gran’s incredibly garms are fun to wear, but for me, they’re way more than that. They make me feel so close to her despite her no longer being here. Wearing her knitted jumper is the closest thing to one of her oh-so-missed hugs – she’s still managing to keep me warm. I recently donned her smiley-face love heart pin in my work headshots as a tiny nod to one of the amazing women who gave me this glorious life.
These clothes are so much more than pieces of fabric; there’s a whole life and hundreds of brilliant stories behind them. What a joy it was to reach into a pocket and pull out a few old Euros along with a forgotten, and slightly outrageous, coral lipstick – just small reminders of a wonderful live lived.
