Today’s style icons aren’t just wearing clothes — they’re wearing chapters of family folklore, finding sustainability in the timeless threads of the past.
Beneath the mothball scent and faded colors, these garments whisper with an intimacy and history that no new trend can emulate. To wear a grandmother’s lace-trimmed blouse, a father’s weathered leather jacket or a mother’s embroidered scarf is to step into an unspoken story woven over generations, celebrating fashion that’s both environmentally conscious and deeply personal.
These pieces carry the weight of secrets, heartaches and joys, holding within their stitches the alchemy of time and memory.
In a world of fleeting fashion, these heirlooms become relics of familial reverie, each article a vessel of identity, a sartorial keepsake that invites wearers into a personal ballad as old as the fabric itself.
Chengetai Dziba’s Leather Jacket & Red Scarf
When Chengetai Dziba, a second-year in strategic communications and fashion and retail studies, steps out in her father’s leather jacket, it feels as if she’s wrapped in his wisdom, resilience and the adventures he wore into its worn seams.
Paired with her mother’s vibrant red scarf — a flash of warmth and elegance — she’s carrying pieces of home on her shoulders, transforming every step into a tribute to the style and spirit of her family.
Dziba said these aren’t merely fashion choices — they’re keepsakes that seamlessly blend her parents’ Zimbabwean heritage with her contemporary style.
“I honestly loved having the jacket and the top together because, to me, it gave kind of modern edgy, because it's honestly not even my style personally until I put it on,” Dziba said. “I love having [the scarf] as a top, just to kind of give a more modern spin on it. Just having more pops of color, and making it a more complete outfit and finally showing that the simple things can be really cool too.“
Dziba said her father received his leather jacket as a gift when he first arrived in America in the early 1990s. Staying with his aunt in Minnesota, Dziba said she believed he would need something warm for the harsh winters and for his upcoming college experience in Kentucky.
“He's literally had it ever since, and he just got it rewind, like, two or three years ago,” Dziba said. “He had the lining redone and everything, so now it's literally as good as new.”
Dziba said whenever she wears the jacket she feels an unmistakable connection to her father’s spirit, as if each stitch and crease echoed with the stories of his adventures and dreams, allowing her to honor his journey while forging her own path.
“Iit felt really special, especially for my dad, because my parents are divorced, and I have a relationship with my dad and everything, but I feel like I don't do as much for him and give him credit and recognize him,” Dziba said. “It just was really meaningful to do something like that for him.”
Dziba said raiding her mother’s closet has become a cherished ritual, yet styling the vibrant red scarf offered her a unique glimpse into her mother’s life and the stories woven into each thread.
“I stole it from her years ago, so it was like nothing, but it was so cool to share that with her and just also make it something that I would do,” Dziba said. “My mom, she's always really loved fashion, pop culture stuff, so I think seeing it in a more modern way is really cool.”
Meredith Whitaker’s Midi Dress & Costume Jewelry
As Meredith Whitaker, a third-year in architecture, twirled in her mother’s elegant midi dress, the fabric billowed around her like a whisper of the past, each flutter echoing the grace of generations.
Adorned with her grandmother’s shimmering costume necklaces and earrings, Whitaker said she felt an enchanting connection to the women who came before her, each piece a sparkling testament to their stories and style.
Whitaker said when wearing the pieces fashion transcended mere aesthetics — becoming a canvas of heritage and allowing her to walk through the corridors of her family’s history while making a statement of her own.
Whitaker described her grandmother’s jewelry as "cheapo" but irresistibly charming, with a gaudy flair that feels both playful and timeless.
“So much of the stuff I wear jewelry-wise is my grandma’s,” Whitaker said. “I feel like it's almost like unconscious at this point because 90% of the stuff I go to put on is hers.”
Despite her grandmother's traditionally conservative views, Whitaker said she treasures wearing her jewelry, seeing each piece as a bridge between their contrasting worlds and a reminder of the elegance her grandmother cherished.
“I just remember when I was younger hearing her say things about women's bodies on the TV and stuff,” Whitaker said. “But she's a collector and keeper, which is like me, and that's the complete opposite of my parents, so that's where I get it from, and obviously she was amazing to me.”
While Whitaker said her knack for holding onto treasures is a gift from her grandmother, the cherished midi dress was a lucky rescue from her mother — a true minimalist who was ready to let it go without a second thought until Whitaker stepped in to claim it.
“I keep everything that has little to no sentimental value, and she's the complete opposite,” Whitaker said. “She throws away or donates everything. So [the dress] was one of the ones that she actually had and actually liked. She's very understated and just clean and classic, and pretty much only wears black.”
Whitaker said donning her mother’s dress was like stepping into a cherished piece of her own guiding constellation. As she slipped into the familiar fabric, Whitaker said she felt as though she was wrapped not only in her mother’s style but also in the quiet strength and grace she hoped to emulate, as if each stitch held a piece of the legacy she aspired to carry forward
“She's definitely the most influential role model I've had in my life,” Whitaker said. “Everything I do I feel like is from her. When I see other people's relationships with their parents, or just how they were raised, it just makes me very appreciative [of] my mom.”
Whitaker said her prurience for vintage clothing stems from a combination of practicality and sentimentality.
“I don't know that makes it so much more fun when you're out and someone's like, ‘Oh, where'd you get that?’ and then it's like, no, you can't have it, and it just makes it more sweet,” Whitaker said. “It's a plus you're keeping things out of the landfill [and] you're not spending nearly as much money.”
Amelia Reedy’s Shawl & Black Dress
Amelia Reedy, a first-year in mechanical engineering, donned her mother’s woven shawl and elegant black dress.
Each time she wraps herself in the shawl or smooths the dress’s fabric, Reedy said she feels a grounding sense of connection to her roots — a stylish reminder of her relationship with her mother.
“When I was in high school, I did track and marching band, and she would always come to all of my meets and everything to support,” Reedy said. “She always made herself a part of my life.”
Reedy said bearing her mother’s regalia tore down her personal walls, effortlessly blending her own passions with her shining stars.
“It just felt like it was a part of me, like part of her came out because I'm part of my dad, I'm part of my mom, but it felt like I was like my mom for a day,” Reedy said. “I also felt like the clothes were really pretty, and it made me feel more important, more professional because my mom is a working mom. She's the head of the house, and she's who I look up to.”
Reedy said the clothes operate as a home away from home. She proudly hangs her mother’s clothes in the front of her open closet, serving as a constant reminder of her rock’s consistent support.
“Every time I walk past [the clothes], especially the shawl, I get to see that and I think of my mom and what she's done to allow me to come here and live on my own,” Reedy said. “It is also really comforting because I don't talk to her every day, so it feels like a part of her is still with me here.”
Reedy said styling the pieces in a way to accentuate the details rather than ensconce them was prohibitively epochal to maintaining the piece’s character.
“I was trying to stand out, instead of trying to hide away the shawl,” Reedy said. “I had accessories that accentuated it. It just made me feel more confident overall, instead of hiding, I guess.”
Reedy said it’s vital for people to pass down their clothing, as each piece serves as a tangible link to the past, sharing generational stories that connect us to our roots and shape our identities.
“I think it allows those memories and those stories to be passed on throughout generations so that your stories never go untold,” Reedy said. “If I ever pass it down to my kids, then the stories can keep going throughout the generations.”
Lexi Korff’s Overalls
Lexi Korff, a first-year student with an undeclared major, sported a pair of beige overalls given to her by her stepgrandmother, solidifying their connection through not blood, but clothes.
“I'm pretty close to her, even though she's not my relative. I see her really frequently,” Korff said. “She gives me a lot of old clothes that were hers.”
Korff said she has a deep love for overalls — not only for their family history but because they bring a playful charm that aligns with her personal style.
“Personally, I really like wearing overalls,” Korff said. “I usually wear some sort of baby tee underneath them or some sort of bandeau.”
Despite recent years filled with invasive surgeries and chronic pain, Korff said her stepgrandmother remains steadfast. Korff said each time she wears her clothes, she’s reminded of the resilience it takes to face adversity with grace.
“She's always thinking about her community and the people around her, rather than choosing to complain and think about herself,” Korff said.
Korff said she admires her stepgrandmother’s strength, shaped by a life of profound challenges — from giving birth as a teenager and navigating a strained relationship with her daughter to raising her granddaughter as her own amidst her daughter’s struggle with addiction.
“I think she's been through a lot in her life,” Korff said. “She bounces back. She always has a smile on her face and she always tries to make sure that everyone else is taken care of before herself.”
Korff said she treasures having the overalls adorned on a hanger in her closet, as they serve as a home away from home. Each time she slips them on, Korff said she’s reminded she’s wrapped in the love and support of those who care about her, no matter where she goes.
Lily Gray’s Cowboy Boots, Dress & Silk Robe
Lily Gray, a third-year in communication technology, slipped her feet into her stepmother’s well-worn turquoise, butterfly-speckled cowboy boots,wearing the shoes of those before her.
“My stepmom is the one who actually got me into fashion,” Gray said. “One of the main ways that we bonded and became close was through clothing.”
Gray slipped into a flowing white dress from her Aunt Sarah, the woman who Gray said first opened her eyes to the magic of art museums. Acquired through her aunt’s whimsical clothing swaps in Chicago, the dress radiates a playful spirit and modern flair, perfectly capturing her aunt’s bold influence and creative soul.
“She lived out in Chicago for quite a while, so she's always been like the cool aunt to me,” Gray said. “She was working at the Art Institute of Chicago and she had a position pretty high up there. She was a curator. And I thought that that was the coolest thing ever as a little dorky art kid.”
Completing the ensemble is a luxurious silk robe, a cherished heirloom that has gracefully transitioned from her grandmother to her mother and now to her, wrapping Gray in generations of warmth and wisdom.
“I like to put [the robe] on when I'm watering my plants,” Gray said. “It just makes me feel grounded and connected to the people who came before me.”
Gray said she finds herself drawn to pieces rich with sentiment, often adorning her outfits with vintage clock necklaces. For her, these delicate, non-ticking timepieces carry a whimsical irony — a reminder of time’s passing, captured in elegant stillness, even though their hands are forever frozen.
“Time is such an important part of everybody's story, and it's important to remember that you're not an isolated actor in your own life,” Gray said. “You're a piece of a puzzle. And those were necklaces that I was wearing that belonged to women before me. I don't know who they are, but it really reminds me that what you do today has the potential to make a lasting impact.”
Gray said she finds a quiet beauty in combining these treasured pieces, weaving together the lives of different people and moments into a single look that feels like a living collage of stories and eras.
“I never would have thought to put them together like that,” Gray said. “Just getting to see that on display was pretty cool, especially because it's from all these strong, powerful women in my family who I look up to for various reasons. I guess it's almost like putting some armor on.”
Gray said hand-me-downs aren’t just thrifted treasures — they’re bold statements against the fast-paced, wasteful cycle of fashion.
“You don't need to be ashamed of wearing a hand-me-down,” Gray said. “It's bad***. It has a story. Fast fashion is causing real harm to the environment [and] if you have something passed down to you, wear. Be proud of it.”
Read the Fall/Winter 2024 sustainability issue of Scarlette Magazine online at issuu.com.
SHOOT LEADS Jasmine Freeman, Paige McBane / MODELS Lily Gray, Lexi Korff, Amelia Reedy, Meredith Whitaker / STYLIST Riley Tho
