I have a brother who I have been in constant contact with since the day he was born 18 years ago. I absolutely adore him and have always felt so fortunate that I had a brother with the ability to hold long deep conversations and yet be silly and laugh with me as well. I never expected that I would also be blessed with a sister relationship…let alone two.
Just like the March sisters, the Doss sisters are also very different. I was able to learn this during a Waffle House breakfast served by a waitress named Mary Sue (can you get more Southern than that?), on a quest to find my lost cell phone (found in a cowboy’s truck at the rodeo), while vintage shopping in Nashville, and during a walk where we all got soaked in the pouring rain.
My sister Rachel is 20 years old. She loves riding horses, wears very little make-up if any on days that she doesn’t have to dress up, and wants to someday marry a cowboy. She is conservative in her political and religious views. If asked whether she’s excited about something, she says, “I really am. Just keepin’ it all inside.” Vocal monotony is her trademark…and a dry sense of humor.
Whitney, my other sister, is 18. She loves photography (I felt like a celebrity as soon as I walked into my brother’s rehearsal dinner with her flash constantly going off.) She’s full of smiles and poses. Her free spirit has caused her to have quite a liberal outlook on life. Curiosity envelops her being, and this excitement at what life has to offer is intoxicating.
I was so interested in really experiencing my sisters as the adults that they now are. Listening to their vastly different opinions. Chatting about philosophies. Views. Dreams. Family. Past hardships. Interests. Telling stories. I even discovered that they also love vintage. Rachel loves the Victorian era and Whitney prefers the 1930’s. All of this made vintage shopping in Nashville such a ball.
Rachel drove us to the stores until she got nervous and had me take over the wheel. Luckily we found our way to The Hip Zipper, Antiques and Art, Fanny’s, and Goodbuy Girls. With a rich history in both country western music and rock ‘n’ roll, these Nashville vintage shops carried clothing from the rockabilly period of Elvis Presley, the western wear of Conway Twitty and then everything in between. All of the store owners, managers, and employees were ultra friendly (as I would have expected in the south), and were willing to not only help and chat about vintage, but they also initiated negotiations on prices of pieces I was already going to buy. This affable shopping experience made for a wonderful outing with my sisters, and the beginning of what I hope to be a March sister type bond.
Breakfast with my sisters.
A detour to the rodeo in search for my lost cell phone that was dropped in my step-mom's cowboy boyfriend's truck.
Our 1st stop: The Hip Zipper.
My apparel: Thrifted peach and cream floral linen short sleeved top underneath red sundress with gold snaps from Urban Outfitters; vintage 1940's brown purse; camel colored brogues from Nordstrom.
My sisters (Whitney and Rachel) and I deciding which hat would work best for Easter Sunday.
Our 2nd Stop: Antiques and Art
This place had so many great mid-century pieces of furniture and accessories fro the home...and free tootsie rolls.
Our 3rd stop: Fanny's.
This was a vintage store/music studio, but it looked more like a house.
The shop girl playing an autoharp.
The sparkly gold top I took home...It will look awesome with skinny jeans and heels!
Our 4th stop: Goodbuy Girls
The girl working at this shop was so sweet! She was from Philadelphia, but was loving and embracing Nashville.
This shop is small, but had some great purses...
...and some beautiful boots. I almost bought a pair of burgundy 1970's 3" heel knee high boots until I realized there was no way they were going to fit into my carry-on luggage.
