top of page
Writer's pictureSeanna Miriah

Memory Lane: Honoring a Childhood Photo




It's the 80's in San Diego. Baby Seanna stands in front of an old tv set creatively balanced on a hope chest with a doily tossed over...surely my mother attempting to give it a decorative flair on a budget. My father's prized boombox and record player chillin' in the background, likely playing Santana or Stevie Ray Vaughan through the house as the California summer breezed in through open doors and windows. Everything always smelled of sandalwood, patchouli, and coconut surfboard wax according to my memory bank. Now every time I catch a whiff of any of those things it sends me reeling back to this exact time. Perhaps, somewhere in the fabric of time travel to the past, smell is involved because it sure does have the power to take you there.


Mom snaps the pic and I take off outside to stick my hands in some dirt.

They were two parents giving their kids the best they could while they themselves were young adults, just a few years out of their teens. I'm guessing they chose to live next door to grandma for a little bit of help and support which was ideal for me as this is where I'd sneak over to persuade grams into making me french toast. I have on my "nice shoes", which leads me to believe we were heading to church where I was likely pumped for bible study to hang with my friends and sing hymns.






My mom always dressed me super cute.

Shopping was actually a big part of our bond growing up, having mother-daughter time while perusing thrift stores for school clothes. Pollyanna, Anne of Green Gables, Shirley Temple, and old 50's movies were very influential in my childhood outfits. Saddle shoes and Mary Janes still remain in my heart as nostalgic memories.


As I sifted through a photo album I dragged out of storage, I noticed a picture of me wearing a dress that was incredibly similar to one I had thrifted recently. It was actually for sale in my store and is a size too big, however, I could definitely pull it off for a photo. I decided it would be a fun project to recreate the image using this vintage Sears sailor dress. I popped on some white leggings, and some patent leather mary-janes, and did a little sunburn blush across my nose.


I also added a vintage scarf like "little Seanna" had on and then practiced some poses. Something about a sailor outfit had me instantly going for a pin-up pose but looking at the photo again, I knew I had to get my awkward kid, not-sure-what-to-do-with-my-hands pose down.



It was actually cool how the setup of my house currently with the tv and door behind me looked incredibly similar to our home layout back then. I also just so happen to still have bangs which is either cute or sad. How the hell did I keep the same hairstyle for so long? Especially considering how many times I've changed it throughout my life. How do I now have the same hair as four-year-old me? Maybe it is time {officially } to grow them out for the millionth time.


Ok so not to keep you waiting any longer, here's the result-







I think this came out super cute! If you want to see the making of this entire project I did a video/vlog of the process.






Thanks so much for joining me on a walk down memory lane.


xoxo Seanna








Comments


bottom of page