My fashion conscious mom

O yes indeed! That she is! Extremely fashion conscious and I thank her for having instilled in me a willingness and readiness to take on the world of fashion.

Being blind and wanting to remain fashion conscious could be quite a challenge; especially so when you have to depend on others to tell you what matches, what does not, and what looks good on you and around you. When I had enough sight, it was great fun for me. Mom and I would burn up the paths to the stores where she introduced me to the world of colors. Then my dear friend Helena Nielsen came along and boy did we ever have fun. All of this was when I could see but with precious little vision now, mom has found a new way for me to enjoy fashion.

Whenever she describes things to me, she finds ways to give me reference points. For example, she would say something like, “This jacket is red, just like the one hanging next to your coat in the coat closet.” She is very specific, exact, and says exactly what she wants me to know.

She takes my hand and allows me to feel the styles of slippers and shoes, and when it comes to decorations for the home, mom is an absolute champ! She is the essence of patience, the book of explanations, and the cookbook of creativity. O yes! That’s my fashion conscious mom!

If you would like to learn more about how sighted persons interact with their blind family and friends then please visit www.nfb.orgwww.nfb.org. I’m Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and share my blogs with others.