Teen angel

One of the most impressive things about vintage mom style is how much of it homemade.
Susie Mutschler, 34, submitted these photos of her mom Trish as a high school student in the late 60s. "The pictures were taken in my one of my mom's many childhood homes (she was an army brat and moved around quite regularly) in Elmhurst, Illinois. My mom was the oldest daughter (and third in line) of eight children. She was incredibly crafty and sewed both of these outfits herself. She eventually took her sewing to a whole other level and made award winning quilts. As children we appreciated, and consistently wore, her home sewn outfits until she branched off into underwear and swimsuits!"

The first photo was just before she left for prom. The second could be any day during her teenage years. Look at that exasperated what-do-you-want now expression. Amazing. "My mom was an incredible woman. She was endlessly creative and artistic. Later in life she worked as an educator and many of my memories are of my two sisters and I teasing her about the teacher clothes she wore (some with matching pins) and the mom jeans she sported. She was always up for a shopping trip to update her style - mostly because she loved spending time with her girls. These pictures remind me that my mom was beautiful, creative and a style icon I can only hope to emulate."