A Love Like No Other: Honoring My Nanny, My Style Icon and Forever Inspiration

Growing Up with My Nanny: A Bond That Shaped Me

Some relationships are so deep, they become part of who you are. That’s how I feel about my Nanny.

We were incredibly close, every weekend of my childhood was spent at her house. We were birthday-week twins (she a Sagittarius, me a Capricorn), and as I got older, our weekends turned into shopping trips and lunch dates. Just being around her brought a sense of comfort, joy, and pure love that’s hard to put into words. She had this way of making me feel like I could do anything. She was proud of me, not just for the big moments, but for all the little ones too.

The Original Fashion Queen

If you’ve ever wondered where my love for style comes from, it’s her. Nanny had the best style. Every outfit was complete from head to toe with accessories, lipstick, jewelry, and always a matching handbag. She truly believed you needed to match your eyeshadow to your shirt, her style secret!

Even when she wasn’t feeling her best, she still got dressed. She suffered from Lynch Syndrome and battled five different cancers throughout my life, yet she always showed up looking put together even to chemo appointments. On her hardest days, she wore coordinating lounge sets. Her strength and style never faded, even when life gave her the toughest battle.

A Twist of Fate That Brought Us More Time Together

I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. When I was miserable at my corporate job and decided to quit, I had no idea that decision would lead to something so meaningful. That time gave me the chance to be with my Nanny more from taking her to doctor’s appointments, sitting beside her during chemo, and sharing lunches whenever she felt up to it.

One of our last outings together was at our favorite spot, The Refuge in Farmingdale. She wasn’t feeling well enough for dessert (her favorite part) but the manager must have felt the moment. Without even knowing, he packed up every dessert on the menu for us to take home. It was the most unexpected act of kindness, and looking back, it feels like the universe gave her one last special treat.

Turning a Shared Passion Into a Dream Career

I don’t think I would have chosen this path of owning a boutique without her. She planted that seed. I always admired her walk in closet and dreamed of having one like it (and now I do!).

When I started my business, she got to watch it bloom. She saw the tie-dye days, the custom orders, the start of something big. A year after she passed, I signed the lease on my storefront. I know she would have been in that store every single day, trying on clothes, helping customers, and bragging to her friends how proud she was of me. I wish she could’ve been here for it physically. But I know she’s still with me, always.

Signs from Heaven: A Ladybug

In our family, a ladybug is Nanny saying hello.

The week before my grand opening, while we were still setting up the store, a ladybug showed up on the wall. Even with the doors wide open, it stayed. It stayed every single day… until the night of our grand opening. Then, it disappeared.

I have no doubt that was her. Hanging out in the store. Watching everything come to life. Cheering me on.

I still hear her comments in my head—about outfits, about lipstick, about life. She sends little signs all the time, and I treasure each one.

Forever in My Heart (and in My Boutique)

Nanny was more than just my grandmother. She was my cheerleader, my style icon, my source of unconditional love, and my biggest inspiration.

She showed me what it means to be strong, to show up with grace even when life gets hard, and to always match your accessories. I carry her with me in every decision I make, every piece I curate, and every woman I hope to inspire through my store.

Thank you for letting me share a piece of her with you.

One of my favorite photos I have of my Nanny is her wearing the very first tie-dye shirt I ever made. Today, I have a picture of me in that same shirt, standing in my boutique. The business she watched me begin has grown into everything I dreamed of and so much of it is because of her.

With Love,

Christina