My Mother could be described as living a bohemian lifestyle. This was at a time when other mothers are taking their fashion trends as well as lifestyle tips from the Donna Read Show closet. This was not the only unique thing about her lifestyle.

In addition these cultural oddity did spill over into her children’s lives to a greater or lesser degree. In fact we three were creative, artistic, musical, theatrical, and one highly successful businessman and college instructor.

 

My Mom’s Bohemian Wardrobe

In contrast to the typical mom’s everyday lifestyle, my mother wore Bermuda shorts, high socks, and loafer.

In fact when she wore her signature outfit and it was chilly out, she still kept the top down on her convertible. To keep warm, she just kept the heat on. When it was warm out the socks and loafers were replaced by Greenwich Village tie-up-to-the-knee-sandals.

Proud of My Mother

I remember a sense of pride in my mother’s unique wardrobe. Even more so, her youthful figure allowed her to look great in whatever she wore. In fact, other mothers looked more like grandmothers compared to my mother’s figure and fashions. She was only twenty two years older than me. At 28 my mother is still a youthful, slender, energetic mother with three young children.

Knit One/Pearl One/Smoke Zero When my mother needed to quit smoking, she took up the life long art of knitting. According to the woman who owned the local knitting store, her stitches were as even as a machine. But the results were 100% handmade for family only. And everyone of our growing family was a beneficiary of her talent.

Eating Habits There are many out-of-the-ordinary foods that my mother brings into the house that even we kids will not eat such as head cheese. Her eating habits are bohemian way beyond ours. But on the other hand we never would eat the ever popular peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. What I still love is the bohemian lifestyle olive and cream cheese sandwich.

Politics In addition, she was committed to liberal politics. In 1956 Long Beach NY starts a local League of Women Voters. Imagine who is the first president of our Chapter? None other than my mother. She resigns before the end of her four year term to make room for our year trip to Italy.

Not A Typical Mother

By now it is clear that one cannot describe my mother as a typical stay home mom. Due to the untimely death of my father when I was six, the life of my mother as a widow makes a dramatic turn. There is now plenty of room for her Bohemianism spirit to emerge. As tragic as my father’s death is, this singular event makes room for her bohemian lifestyle. And it did blossom in many directions.

A Bohemian Lifestyle Motherhood was never my mother’s strong suit or greatest joy. Therefore bohemian would describe her more accurately. She was able to express a her love of culture, endless curiosity and tireless adventure for at least the ten years she was a single mother. The fact that she had three children and a dog did not slow her down.

Travel From the photo above and two previous blog posts, my mother’s love of travel becomes apparent. For details refer to these posts, Trip Around the World in Six Weeks and Introduction: My Year in Italy.

Second Marriage When she remarries, she still is not a stay at home mom. But she becomes a business owner. At least this gives her an outlet for her bohemian lifestyle in a subtler manner. She funnels it into entrepreneurship for many years until her untimely passing at sixty five. But in those years she lived many lives compared to most stay at home moms. She definitely lived a bohemian lifestyle.