Fashion in the family

My mother, Mary Hampton, Kara's great-grandmother, was a very unusual woman especially for her generation.

She grew up in the early 1900's in America. After receiving a journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin, she worked at the San Francisco Chronicle for many years. Combining her talent for writing with her interest in fashion she became known as 'Ninon', with a daily column as a fashion adviser.

As a young girl she found that it was very hard to find clothes to suit her so she spent a great deal of time figuring out what looked best for her individual shape. Her mother dressed her in very elaborate outfits but she was determined to escape that situation and so she designed plainer, more tailored styles for herself.

Over the years as a columnist, she advised thousands of women what to wear, both as to current styles and applying them to their person's needs. She answered all her mail personally, as well as giving advice generally.

She was very active in San Francisco as a compere at fashion shows and in giving talks at functions. Later, in the late 1930's, she left the Chronicle and syndicated her column all over California under the heading "Mary Hampton Says...." which was her real name. This column was very popular and opened all sorts of interesting situations, meeting actors, musicians, politicians, and sometimes advising them on their selection of clothing.

In other words, she led a full life dipping into other fields as well,
as she was unstoppable!

Barbara Smurthwaite, 2008

Great grandmother Mary with hundreds of letters seeking fashion advice. I wish she was still around!

My thoughts

My Nana (Barbara Smurthwaite) and Mum (Beth Buchanan) have also been in the rag trade since time began.

Nana sold children's clothing for a long time. She'd carefully clean
up second hand items and have them carefully placed in plastic sleeves. She also made clothes but said it was so hard as everyone wanted a bargain and didn't understand the time she'd taken to make it all.

After Dad left, my sister Ingrid and I traipsed the markets every weekend with Mum. She has sold second hand clothes for over
25 years in the markets around Sydney. It was always great fun to pull out fabulous vintage clothing (you could get great dresses in the 80's) to wear when everyone else was wearing boring things.
I remember Surry Hills markets being fantastic to pick up cheap mohair cardigans, hat boxes and furniture. Rockdale markets were great for bargains when you had a handful of change in your hands.

Mum is usually at Bondi Markets every Sunday with Kirribilli, North Sydney, Manly and Orange Grove on alternate Saturdays.

Mum has done tremendous community work in Sydney for over 10 years, establishing native plants in the area. She was awarded an Order of Australia medal for service to conservation and the environment in 2005.

Kara