December 20, 2012

uma americana alentejana

Claudia small style fashion, Lily, Miami, Portugal 4 Comments

alentejo is the south central region of portugal where i grew up until i was almost fourteen years old

there is the alto alentejo (north. where my brother and his family live) and baixo alentejo (south. where i grew up)

alentejana is what we portuguese call a woman from the alentejo

the portugal i know is very different from the portugal it is today

the portugal of today is mostly up with the times and modernized and sure, the women are still called “alentejanas” but that no longer means that they wear head scarves, skirts and work in the fields

yesterday i was missing my old alentejo

i was missing its traditions, its folkloric chants, its blue skies, its ever flowing glowing fields of wheat

i was missing my great grandmother, my grandfather, my uncles and family i have not seen and will not ever see again

times change

and Lily will never know the alentejo i know

i thank my daughter Lily for letting me have my artistic outlet in which ever way possible and to let me get a piece of the old alentejo right here in miami florida

Lily wears: head scraf- h&m (a long lifetime ago). fur vest- traditional alentejano vest gifted by my brother and his gf when Lily turned one. blouse- the childrens place. skirt&leggings- old navy. booties- minnetonka, gifted by avo Hayes and avo Joao