My mother has always been my grounding force, in life and in style.

She’s one of those classic beauties, the kind who could wear anything and still be striking. But she happens to also have timeless style, evidenced in photos and snapshots from my memory.

My cousin remembers my mom coming to visit their family in California. She describes her as cool, independent, and fun. She traveled, worked in the big city, always chic.

When I was growing up, she imparted a few style rules. Navy, black, and brown are not to be worn together. Pick gold or silver jewelry, not both. She never went to town without her hair done and her face on. Of course, there were the times when she rushed out of the house too quickly and discovered she had one black shoe and one blue or that she had only put mascara on one eye. We would giggle in the car.

There were also the unspoken style rules that were more subtle. She tailored her clothes if they didn’t fit just right off the rack. She wore mostly monochromatic outfits. For winter in Idaho, she always had a beautiful coat and a silky scarf. She found a lipstick shade that is perfect for her complexion, so she sticks with it.

She’s always there, with a wise perspective on my problem, with the right way to handle a situation. And with the perfect outfit idea.