50 minute read
BAYOU ICON
BAYOU ICON LIVING LEDBETTER
Dee McDonald Ledbetter comes by her sense of style honestly. She literally grew up surrounded by dapper dressers. Both her parents (Carol and Jesse McDonald) and her maternal grandparents (Mignon and Arthur Emerson) had a certain style that was obvious at first glance. Dee remembers both her maternal grandfather, a dentist, and her father, an attorney, dressing “to the nines” every day wearing suits with a fedora hat in hand. The women in her family were equally stylish. Dee’s maternal grandmother’s matching shoes, bags, and hats for each outfit left a lasting impression on Dee – so much so that she has a collection of those hats on display in her closet. And everyone who knew Dee’s mother, Carol, knew that she was a style-setter in her own right! Because of her own personal style that is reflected not only in her clothing and accessory choices, but also in her approach to life, Dee McDonald Ledbetter is our September Bayou Icon.
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ARTICLE BY GEORGIANN POTTS PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY MOORE CLARK
Dee McDonald Ledbetter’s childhood was a happy time – with one notable exception (more about that later). She grew up on Lakeside Drive in Monroe, the home in which her parents lived for almost 52 years of their marriage. Her maternal grandparents lived only about half a mile away, so Dee saw them daily while growing up. She adored them both, but perhaps has a special spot in her life for her grandfather. Grandfather
Emerson would come by after work and take Dee and her two sisters away while their mother was preparing supper. “He would take us to see my grandmother, grocery shop, eat ice cream, or skip around the neighborhood singing songs,” Dee remembers with a smile.
“Every day with him was a fun adventure. He was a hero in my life!” Dee’s father, Jesse, was born in Bernice, Louisiana, and was reared by his grandmother. Because he was the only child in his grade, he went to Jefferson Military Academy in Washington,
Mississippi. At 16, he entered Louisiana State University and then completed law school there. Her mother grew up in Monroe. She attended Neville High School briefly, and then – as her mother had done before – went to Ward-Belmont School in Nashville, Tennessee.
After graduation, Carol attended Southern Methodist University in
Dallas. She transferred to LSU after falling in love with Jesse. When they married, Dee’s parents made Monroe their home.
Jesse established a very successful law practice with Hudson, Potts & Bernstein. Carol ran their home, happily rearing their three daughters, Molly, Dee, and Ainslee. She did not work out of the home until they were in high school and her father needed her help at his dental practice. When the girls were in college, Carol fulfilled a dream and opened her own business – a business centered on style that surely influenced Dee. The company, Backward Glance, featured accessories, clothing, and home goods – all representing Carol’s sense of style.
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
Dee loved her early years at St. Christopher Day School. A favorite memory is of singing “Onward Christian Soldiers” -- a hymn that remains special to her today. When she was attending Lexington Elementary, she and her family would often eat breakfast out on the patio when the morning weather allowed. One morning, they saw a large black streak across their lawn. When they investigated, they found an enormous snapping turtle. “It was mammoth! Guess what I took for Show and Tell?” Dee says with a laugh. “Our principal, Mrs. Roosevelt McDonald, almost had a coronary when she saw him and made me take him home. I guess the old saying is true – ‘Go Big, or Go Home!’ I did both!”
While she was 7 years old, Dee had a terrible accident while trying out Mark Anderson’s new bike. She landed quite literally on her face – with her mother watching! That was about the only unhappy time she had as a child. The injuries were severe – she knocked out 2 of her permanent teeth and broke her maxilla bone. Her grandfather and Dr. Jack Davis, an oral surgeon, “. . . put me back together again” according to Dee. Her full recovery would take years.
Ironically, that bike accident likely played a part in igniting Dee’s interest in fashion. “I was left with a mouth full of metal and an additional apparatus to secure my front teeth,” Dee remembers. “I will confess that I felt very self-conscious. Looking back, I think I probably put more effort into my clothes to distract from my mouth.”
Dee loved weekend mornings in the winter, sitting by the fire in their den. Her mother would be making a “farmers’ breakfast” while her father (aka “Papa”) typed his notes for his Sunday School lessons. “The combination of the glowing, crackling fire which Papa adored, the rhythm of the typewriter, and the aroma of bacon and eggs coming from the kitchen made those mornings very special,” Dee says.
HOLIDAYS WERE MAGICAL
Growing up in a home filled in equal parts of faith and family love meant that holidays were always very special times. Because both of her parents were only children, they celebrated in a big way. They both wanted every Christmas morning to be special for their children. One motivation for this was that when Dee’s father was a child, he had opened and then rewrapped all of his gifts from under the tree days before. Then on Christmas morning, things just weren’t the same – there was no surprise. That lesson was never forgotten.
The magic of the holidays did not end when their children grew up or when they married. “We still kept all of our family traditions such as the Easter Egg Hunt even after we married,” Dee explains. “Our husbands were very intense about the egg hunt. There were yellow eggs with money and finding the nests required strategic planning on the couples’ part!” To help, Dee remembers that the Easter Bunny left an elaborate poem giving clues and directions about the meaning of Easter and the hunt.
PAPA KNOWS BEST
Dee attended River Oaks School for both junior high and high school. She loved the small classes through which she established tight-knit friend groups – many of whom she remains close to today.
A special time during the summer was attending Camp Waldemar for girls just outside of Hunt, Texas. For six weeks each summer from the time they were 7 until they reached 16, Dee and her sisters would go to camp. One summer, something happened that required all of Dee’s beloved Papa’s ingenuity!
The Waldemar tradition is that on the first night that campers arrive, they draw to discover which tribe they will be a member. The three tribes – Comanche, Aztec, and Tejas – are (Left to Right): A family portrait with Carol, represented by a different color. During Field Molly, Ainslee, Dee and Jesse McDonald Days campers wear their tribal colors --- and when their families come for Field Days, they are asked to dress in the tribal colors of their campers. “By the luck of the draw, all three of us sisters belonged to a different tribe,” Dee explains with a laugh. ‘This provided a unique opportunity and challenge for my parents.”
Dee remembers that her mother had no trouble with it – she just adjusted her accessories to represent all three tribes. Dee’s Papa had the bigger challenge, and after some thought, he had a tailor make him a custom pair of pants. One pant leg was orange and the other, purple. “Papa wore those pants with a green shirt and white belt,” Dee says. “To this day, Papa’s pants are on display in the Waldemar Hall of Fame and are often worn in camp skits. The outfit was a hit!” FINDING TRUE LOVE
After graduating high school, Dee visited an older Waldemar friend who was attending Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. After that visit, Dee knew that Trinity was the university for her. At the two-year mark at Trinity when the career path to become a dental hygienist would have meant a change in schools, Dee decided to remain at Trinity and change her major to Elementary Education. The summer before her senior year at Trinity, Dee broke off an engagement and returned to Dallas to begin healing. She went to summer school at SMU and lived with her older sister Molly and her husband. Shortly after Dee moved in, Molly and Bob left for a week to attend a convention. After classes that entire week, Dee would cook (a passion of hers). By the end of the week, the refrigerator was full so she called all the people she knew from Monroe who were living in Dallas at the time. “I wanted them to help me empty that refrigerator,” Dee explains. Her 6thgrade sweetheart, Lee Ledbetter, was doing a summer internship there so she invited him to join the group. As fate would have it, his older brother John – whom Dee did not know – was there. She told Lee to bring John along.
Although Dee had known John’s family all of her life, she didn’t know John. Her siblings were the same age as John’s siblings, but John was four grades ahead of Dee. The evening was a success, the refrigerator was empty, and Dee enjoyed being with her Monroe friends. She wasn’t looking for romance, but romance found her.
Two weeks after that get-together, John asked her to a Rangers baseball game. She thought that it sounded like fun, but turned John down because she mistakenly thought he was dating a friend of hers from Waldemar. John quickly corrected her misunderstanding, and she agreed to go to the game with him. “To be frank, I was not excited about the date. I knew he was a nice guy, yet I perceived him to be very quiet and reserved,” Dee says. “I was still on the mend from a wounded heart so my guard was up. I thought I would have to carry the conversation all night.”
Dee’s preconceived notion about John couldn’t have been more wrong. They doubled with another couple and had a wonderful time. That night, the Texas Rangers set a team record for hits. Later, John’s wedding band would have the score of that game engraved inside his wedding band to honor that first date.
The next week they had a second date, and from that point on they saw each other every day for the rest of the summer. Dee was crazy about John, but she was returning to San Antonio to finish at Trinity and John was beginning his first year of medical school in Dallas. Dee was also still “guarding” her heart and she thought that distance and school business would keep them separate. She believed that this was just a summer romance that would fade.
John had other ideas – and a plan. He told Dee to go back to Trinity, date, and have fun. The two of them would stay in touch by phone and see each other every other weekend. “I dated like crazy my senior year, and John and I would have late night phone conversations after all my dates,” Dee says. “We did get together every other weekend and thank goodness I had family in Dallas. We spent our days in the library studying and had fun in the evenings.” After graduation, Dee moved to Dallas and began her teaching career in the Richardson School District. The next January they became engaged, and on June 20, 1981, Dee became a June bride. They were married at Covenant Presbyterian Church and their reception was at Bayou DeSiard Country Club. Dee’s mom created a sophisticated Fiesta for the reception in honor of Dee’s years in Texas.
A FAMILY OF THEIR OWN
After four years of marriage, Dee’s first child -- a son -- Mac was born. They were living in San Antonio as Dee supported John through medical school. They moved “home” to Monroe when John accepted a position with Anesthesia Associates. Dee was expecting their second son -- Land -- when they moved. They purchased Dee’s grandparents’ home and settled in with their growing family. When the boys were 7 and 9, the family welcomed a baby girl they named Rachel. “I loved being a boy mom, but God knew that this family needed a girl to mix things up!” Dee says.
Not surprising considering how much of their life together was spent in Texas, the Ledbetter family’s favorite cuisine is authentic Mexican. Dee especially loves Mexican restaurants (she collects them like some people collect jewelry and has favorites in every city) – the atmosphere, décor, colorful lights, fresh ingredients, and Mariachi bands!
Their children are grown now, with families of their own, but the same spirit of faith and family love that Dee experienced keeps them together. With two granddaughters, a grandson, and a new blessing on the way, Dee and John are enjoying the special joy that grandchildren bring as they watch that part of their family grow. “We just play with the grandchildren and do what they want to do,” Dee says with a laugh. “We read books, cook together, and play board games. The older they get, the more there is that we can do together.”
As one would expect, holidays remain major highlights each year. At Christmas, whichever children are home for the holidays will join John and Dee in volunteering to deliver Meals on Wheels Christmas dinners. “We pile into the car with coffee or cider and make our rounds,” Dee explains. “We have met, prayed with, visited, and sung with some very dear people. Each stop we switch up the two people who walk to deliver the meal. That way by the end of the route, we all have different experiences to share.”
MENTORS AND INFLUENCERS
Dee has been blessed by a number of special people in her life who have served as mentors and influencers when she needed them most. Her parents are at the top of that list. From them, Dee saw examples of a living faith, an unwavering work ethic, and a love for the community.
When Dee was in high school, she would go to Papa’s law office after supper to do her homework just to be near him. There she saw his devotion to his work and his love for the rule of law. On occasion she would get to see him litigate in the courtroom. When her mother started her own business, Dee saw her transformation from homekeeper and mother to successful businesswoman.
Both Dee’s father and mother were Christians devoted to their faith and their church, Covenant Presbyterian. Both served as elders and on the Session in a number of capacities. Papa taught Sunday School for decades, and her mother served on the flower guild until she was in her 80s. Papa had a mantra that Dee has adopted for her own life: “Work as if everything depends upon you, and pray as if everything depends upon God.”
Many teachers have also influenced Dee’s life and faith. A high school teacher, Donna Underwood, was a major influence then and remains one – as well as good friend – today. Lia Cannon, Dee’s Yoga and Classical Pilates instructor, has increased Dee’s knowledge of the importance of exercise and fitness in one’s life. When she was young, two Sunday School teachers – Glen Gore and H.D. Touchstone – impressed her as champions of their faith and committed teachers. Recently two others – Billy Foster and Pat Williams – have helped her grow her knowledge of the Bible. Barbara Thomas and Selene Rae lead a weekly Bible Study through which Dee’s life and faith have been enriched.
ON MATTERS OF STYLE
Three places influenced Dee’s awareness of fashion – two children’s shops in Monroe and a department store in Dallas. Dee Dee’s and Kelso’s were wonderful children’s shops when Dee was growing up. There Dee Dee Kirkland and Vera and Johnny Kelso offered a combination of classic children’s pieces as well as the latest fashions. Dee loved going to both with her mother, selecting just the right outfit.
LOVE OF FLORALS A hobby -- and talent – that Dee’s mother loved is evident in Dee’s own life. Her mother loved arranging flowers, studying floral design, and creating lovely floral tributes for others. Dee laughs that she developed her love for flowers “probably by osmosis” because she watched her mother’s passion for it.
Neiman Marcus in Dallas was the third place that offered a window into the world of fashion for Dee and her sisters. Her grandmother would take her mother to shop at Neiman Marcus. When she had daughters of her own, Dee’s mother continued that tradition. The family made a weekend of it.
Dee remembers the excitement of lunch at The Zodiac Room at Neiman’s during which models would stroll around the room, modeling the latest offerings. Afterward, Papa would sit as his daughters modeled their own choices for him. If he approved, the clothes came back to Monroe.
When Dee started developing her own personal style, she coined the term “Classic-Forward” to describe it. She loves classic lines, yet Dee also likes a piece to have an unexpected interest or detail. “I usually keep it simple with clean lines, yet there is usually a subtle twist either in the design or the accessories,” she says. Adding the right accessory can help to pull together future outfits. They are her favorite fashion pieces to buy.
Dee does not have a favorite designer; instead, she adheres to the old saying “Variety is the spice of life”. If something catches her eye and fits well, she will add it to her closet. Known in the past for an impeccable, clean look – often monochromatic -- today Dee adds pattern and bold colors to her wardrobe.
Not all of Dee’s style depends on the “newest” thing. She loves vintage clothing and has a number of her mother’s and grandmother’s pieces that she often wears. She also adores estate jewelry. “I wish those pieces could talk and tell me about their adventures,” Dee says. ‘Where have they been? Who wore them?”
TRAVEL, HOBBIES TAKE THEIR PLACE
Dee’s earliest travel memory is of a family trip to St. Louis. The family drove to Jackson, Mississippi, and then boarded a train for the trip to Missouri. The train trip was as exciting as the St. Louis Zoo. “The conductor, the coal engine, sleeping on the train, dining while moving with the views zooming past us --- it was all a big deal in our eyes!” Dee says. “The most fun was standing out on the caboose, waving and experiencing the wind and movement.”
Since that introduction to train travel, Dee has enjoyed many trips. Travel is a love that she and John share. There have been moments, however . . . one time her plane missed the runway; on another flight, her aircraft was struck by lightning that caused what Dee describes as “dramatic effects.” Another time while traveling by bus in Europe, the bus had to be diverted to a road off the main highway so that Yugoslavian President Tito’s motorcade could come through. The time that she was traveling on the Orient Express and crossing the border into Hungary was among her most interesting experiences. The train was stopped and all of the passengers were ordered off the train by military in full uniform and fully armed! They searched the train before allowing the passengers back on and the train to continue its journey. In spite of that scary adventure, Dee would love to travel to many more places. The south of France, Croatia, Paris, Africa, Alaska, and Israel are on her wish list.
A hobby -- and talent – that Dee’s mother loved is evident in Dee’s own life. Her mother loved arranging flowers, studying floral
design, and creating lovely floral tributes for others. Dee laughs that she developed her love for flowers “probably by osmosis” because she watched her mother’s passion for it. When Dee began arranging flowers, her mom (a floral design judge for The Garden Club of America) taught Dee about the mechanics of floral arranging, conditioning flowers, and Dee and John with children and grandchildren at the wedding of Lauren the elements of design. Along with and Land Ledbetter. Photo courtesy of Mary Dawson her mother, Dee was also influenced by the talents of Georgie Touchstone, Joy Marshall, Dot Breard, and Julia Trichell. Her affiliation with The Monroe Garden Study League for the past 25 years has aided in honing, defining, and growing her skills. Whether playing with grandchildren, traveling with John, learning a new floral design technique, or just floating around the lake “chilling” – one thing is certain, Dee Ledbetter will look pulled together and ready for anything! “I think your style should reflect your personality, not only in the way you dress, but also in your home,” Dee says. “Since I come from a long line of close family members who were steadfast in their style and enjoyed it as I do, I believe it comes naturally to me.” So do we.
Fall Into Specials
Upcoming Specials at The Medical Spa
SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER, WHICH MEANS cooler weather and shorter days as fall draws near, and we could not be more excited! After a long hot summer, we are ready to help you turn over a new leaf here at The Medical Spa this season. This September we have falling prices to help lift your look. • Juvederm Syringes - $100 off • Geneo Facials - 25% off • Radiofrequency Treatments - 25% off • Laser Hair Removal - 25% off
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Skinceuticals has added yet another fantastic product to their top-selling Phyto line. Phyto products are gentle and hydrating, yet contain active ingredients to reduce redness and even correct uneven skin tone. The botanical blend provides a refreshing and soothing scent that everyone loves.
Now, introducing Phyto Corrective Essence Mist, a hydrating facial mist that is clinically proven to strengthen the skin’s barrier and immediately reduce visible redness. A botanical blend of cucumber, thyme, olive leaf, and rosemary extracts soothes and calms the skin, while a blend of hyaluronic acid and glycerin helps draw and retain water in the skin. This essence mist can be reapplied throughout the day, even over makeup, for all-day hydration! This month receive a free SPF when you purchase a Phyto Corrective Essence Mist.
TREATMENT SPOTLIGHT
Are you starting to notice more fine lines and wrinkles? As we age, the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid slows, causing an increase in skin laxity and wrinkles--not to mention all the environmental factors and stressors we experience each day that speed up the aging process. At The Medical Spa, we want to help you slow this progression and get you looking your best! Botox and dermal fillers can provide quick and effective results. How do you know which is best suited for you and when to begin? Both injectables are used to achieve different results, and our expertly trained staff will help you choose the best option during a consultation by discussing your desired results.
Botox is considered a neuromuscular blocker. When Botox is injected into a muscle, the signals from the nerve to the muscle are blocked, meaning the muscle is unable to contract, therefore relaxing the wrinkles and lines. Botox injections are FDA approved to treat lines in the upper face, such as, frown lines, forehead, and crow’s feet. Botox provides a smoother, refreshed look, with results in 7-14 days. Depending on the dosage, results can last 3-4 months.
Dermal filler is used to replace volume loss and smooth out wrinkles, and we proudly use the Juvéderm XC line at The Medical Spa. Juvéderm is made from hyaluronic acid, a natural substance found in the body. Fillers can be used to soften creases, such as the nasolabial folds, marionette, and vertical lips lines. Fullness can be added to your cheeks and lips as well. The results are seen instantly with dermal fillers with the best results seen after 2 weeks and lasts for 12 months or longer. You may experience some bruising and swelling afterward. Before the injection, topical numbing cream is applied to minimize any discomfort experienced. The Juvéderm XC line also contains lidocaine to numb the inner tissues during the injection as well. If you are considering Botox or filler, we would love to help you choose the best option for the results you are looking to achieve.
MEET A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM
Simone McMillon, FNP-C, earned her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and is a boardcertified Family Nurse Practitioner and member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners. She specializes in Aesthetic Medicine at the St. Francis Medical Spa. She is thankful to have been called to a profession of service and takes great pride in seeing her patients full of joy and confidence. In her spare time, Simone enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Be sure to come by The Medical Spa this month to take advantage of our specials and events, and to find out more about the medicalgrade skincare products offered here! We are in the James R. Wolff Building (also known as the P&S Building) in downtown Monroe. Our address is 312 Grammont Street Suite 406, across from St. Francis Medical Center. Also, be certain to follow The Medical Spa by St. Francis Medical Group on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on our specials, sales, promotions, and giveaways. For additional information about our services visit stfran.com.
Remembering Andre’s Style
Fashion Genius Broke Many Barriers for People of Color in Fashion
BY ROBERT WRIGHT
IN JANUARY, THE WORLD OF FASHION LOST AN ICON with the death of Andre Leon Talley. However, he would not depart this life without leaving us an incredible memoir of his rise to fame and success in an industry that was not created for people like him. In 2020, Talley published his memoir The Chiffon Trenches. It was named one of the best books of the year by the New York Post and NPR. The pages are filled with his freedom of expression, unfiltered and gives the reader a look inside a world closed off to many, especially people of color. The runways and magazine pages are filled with African-American models, however the power that controls these industries from the designers, creative directors, magazine editors, and fashion journalists is still closed to a select few. Talley found himself a lone man of color in that world, the first to break into it. Talley sets the stage for this literary masterpiece discussing the September 2018 issue of Vogue Magazine with Beyonce on the cover. The fashion genius spares the reader no mystery as to his recognition of his race and the role that played in his journey to the top. He injects the legacy of white sheets and their connection with America’s racist past of slavery and life on plantations. He wrote that the white sheets (like Beyonce is holding on the cover) represent a life servitude in the south and that Beyonce holding it up freely is a testament to their struggle to make life better for future generations. He attributes his love for fashion to his grandmother and the church. While reading or listening to the audiobook, one can sense the intimate connection to his grandmother and how much her non-verbal teachings of fashion inspired him into that life. He watched her get dressed for church and was inspired by the attention to detail that she and many other women of color paid as they joined together at Sunday worship. Talley threw himself into the world of fashion, seeking magazines and watching First Lady Jackie Kennedy on television. He thought the world of her and said that she was fashion to him in every way. One of the hallmarks of Talley’s rise to prominence was his attention to the craft. He studied French literature and majored in the field in college. Before he took on the world of fashion, he earned a Master’s Degree in French Literature from Brown University. He spoke fluent French and knew his way around Paris as if he was a native. As he reads his book, one can hear the French dialect roll from his lips as he pronounces many of the luxury fashion brands like Yves Saint Laurent and Oscar de la Renta with such ease and distinction. He speaks of the popular hotels and venues in the great city of style, culture, and beauty.
As he tells his story, Talley makes it known that he was not the object of Affirmative Action and that he wasn’t chosen to be at the table because of his race or some corporate diversity campaign. He worked hard at his craft, sleeping on the floor in friends’ apartments, working over during holidays when everyone else went home, and taking jobs with low pay only to get his foot in the door. He was a brilliant man and his fabulous nature made him very desirable to be around. The fashion world became attracted to him and he became its muse.
He not only told about his successes in fashion, but in his memoir, Talley opens up about his childhood difficulties which led to personal problems in adulthood. He was openly gay and talks a bit about his sexual escapades in his youthful days in Paris. However, many of his hangups came about from members of his own family back in North Carolina when he was just a youth. He attributes his inability to love and hold genuine relationships to the treatment he received as a boy.
Talley enjoyed lasting friendships with many of the designers and creative leaders of the fashion world post Civil-Rights era in America. For a time, he even worked at Johnson Publishing Company in Chicago along with Eunice Johnson. She, along with her husband, produced the Ebony Fashion Fair show that traveled to over 190 cities in America annually. Johnson would travel to Europe purchasing the fashion of the ages to bring back to the United States, showing mostly people of color a taste of the world that many never had a chance to see.
He was fashion. He lived it. He breathed it. He even said in an interview that fashion is not what you wear, but its who you are.
Talley was said to have picked up his first Vogue magazine when he was 9-years-old. This was 1957 in Jim-Crow South. Going to public libraries was still not allowed for African-Americans. However, one can only imagine the world we would have if a young African-American boy in North Carolina would never have set eyes on a magazine filled with the fashion of whites and dared to dream bigger than the racist environment of which he lived. While many were fighting for Civil Rights in the streets, Andre Talley was inside, reading books, analyzing fashion in the magazines, and learning new languages. Fashion was his ticket out. France was his destination. He would show the world that he was to be judged by the content of his character and not by the color of his skin. That was Andre’s style.
Talley, Andre’ Leon. 2020. The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir. New York: Ballantine Group.
Historical Impressions
by Guy Miller, Vice Chair Emeritus, Chennault Aviation and Military Museum
One of my major hobbies is living history- recreating how people lived and worked in the past for present day people to see and to learn. Although I have and still can portray characters in any general time period over almost 300 years of history, the majority of my living history for the past 20 years has been 18th century military and civilian portrayals. Some years ago I was at one of my regular annual events talking to one of my friends when he referred to the two of us as “metrosexuals.”
“Say what?” At the time I had never heard of that word. My friend kind of chuckled and said “It means we are masculine men who can go to the fabric sutler’s tent and be very choosy about the fiber content, texture and color of various fabrics and can also have a discussion about the appropriate use of lace trim on our clothing.” Oh. He was right. In our living history circle of friends the two of us had the strongest reputation for dressing well and having a variety of clothing to suit our respective needs or desires for the particular day. In short, yes, I have and continue to do a lot of research about historical clothing, period fabrics and dyes, when and where certain male fashion trends were in use and I have an extensive closet of period clothing, shoes, boots, hats and accouterments for use as I need or desire when I go to an event. The interesting thing about all this is how male fashion has evolved over the centuries and how things I would not be caught dead wearing today I will happily don for living history purposes and take great pleasure in being seen and photographed. I love answering questions in great detail about buckles, lace trim, ruffles, covered buttons and the bow tied into my ponytail.
When I first moved to Louisiana I became interested in French Colonial history and began portraying a French Marine of the mid-1700s. The French Marines were the military assigned to protect the colony, especially at its frontier forts. After I couple of years I was elected an officer of the Marines and continue a similar kind of portrayal today within the umbrella group of likeminded living historians who participate at events all across the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada.
Colonial French Marines: wooden or masonry forts, cannons, flintlock muskets, swords and lots of testosterone. Also fine linen shirts with ruffled cuffs and ruffles or a lace-end linen cravat at the throat, dress hats with a white feather boa around the rim, a coat that has a long pleated “skirt,” fancy gold or silver shoe buckles, a fancy brass and silver plate worn around the neck (called a gorget) and either hair braided or tied with a bow or a powdered wig. At least all in the previous sentence being appropriate and expected for an officer of the French Marines of the mid-18th century.
Marine officers were chosen from well-respected local men of prominence so they also wore civilian clothing at times. Embroidered vests were popular among the well-to-do, mostly floral designs. Very well off men might also have an embroidered coat and maybe even embroidery on the matching breeches. If you owned embroidered clothing it was expected your shirt would have lace cuffs showing at your wrists and a lace jabot adorning your throat.
Silver-topped Malacca canes were a must for a gentleman and often they were held with a perfumed lace hanky between the hand and the knob. Or the lace hanky could be attached to a cuff button and left dangling to show beneath the coat cuff and hand. Colonial times were very odoriferous and a gentleman might want to raise the perfumed hanky to his nose if there was a particularly egregious odor nearby.
A gentleman was always dressed to at least the level of a vest if not also a coat in the presence of ladies or when out about the town. For comfort at home a gentleman might remove his coat and don a silk banyan. A banyan is a robe with a Chinese or other patterns woven into the silk. A soft silk cap would replace the hat and wig when a banyan was worn. Of course the gentleman was still wearing shirt, vest, breeches, cravat or jabot and shoes and stockings under the banyan.
Women also had their own versions of elegance and high fashion but in the mid-18th century men who could afford it could be clothed in ways that might seem more effeminate to some people in today’s world. If you were of that time, however, there is no doubt that a man dressed in the ways I’ve described would be thought of as every bit as manly as a soldier in full battle gear or a rodeo cowboy about to ride a ornery bronco or a bull.
So I guess for those of us who take living history very seriously and want to be as period correct as possible, we men who are historical gentlemen of means might be considered metrosexuals. There is no doubt that masculine gentlemen of the mid-1700s were metrosexuals even though that word had not yet been invented.
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“Heavy: An American Memoir” by Kiese Laymon
Ifirst heard of Kiese Laymon’s work in a book review podcast and was immediately drawn into his discussion of revision. He is known for buying back the rights to one of his books to change some of the essays previously published. Unlike the publishing industry, Laymon does not view published work as ever really being finished. He believes in revisiting the past with the perspective of the present. He dares to say he was wrong.
In his memoir Heavy, Laymon recounts the heartbreaking reality of growing up with a mother who loved him ferociously and broke his heart daily. As a young boy, Kiese is the overweight black kid who buries his feelings in food and seeks acceptance from his mother and peers. As a successful, yet poor, academic, his mother struggles to balance the pressures of being a black woman in academia and supporting a son she doesn’t quite understand. She demands perfection and employs upon her son society’s insistence that a black boy be superior intellectually and morally to even have a shot. Even as she demands excellence, she fails to provide the structure and support her son so desperately craves. Often left in the care of his maternal grandmother, Kiese navigates body image issues, social acceptance, romantic confusion, and his love of reading and writing. He must find for himself what defines success. Laymon tackles themes of race, education, weight, violence, and family. The throughline in the novel is his intense love of his mother despite her shortcomings.
Laymon’s writing power exists in the simplicity of his narratives that unpack intense emotional turmoil. While the memoir is a story, it unfolds in parallel perspectives, Kiese as a boy and now as a man. Some of the most compelling sections occur in his exchanges with his uneducated, black grandmother. She is the root that tethers him to Mississippi soil. In one discussion about his mother, Grandmother says, “Ain’t nothing in the world worse than looking at your children drowning, knowing ain’t nothing you can do because you scared that if you get to trying to save them, they might see that you can’t swim either.” Laymon balances the weight of the narrative with the lightness of words. He instinctively knows that heavy phonetic patterns work against his universal messages of love and family. Heavy is a heavy read, but a beautiful, melodic weight to carry. I immediately told everyone who cares to grab this book. Admittedly, I am a sucker for a well-written memoir, but Laymon’s work is beyond exceptional. Heavy was published in 2018. Laymon’s previous books include Long Division and How To Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America.
“Every time I sat down to write, I imagined sitting on that porch with layers of black Mississippi in front of and behind me.”
REVIEW BY MEREDITH MCKINNIE
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“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie
Alexie’s semi-autobiographical young adult novel provides an intimate and heartbreaking, yet humorous, glimpse of life on a modern, rural Indian reservation. Through the voice of 14-year-old Arnold Spirit (Junior), Alexie explores themes of poverty, alcoholism, violence, and budding sexuality. Junior dares to believe he is meant for something bigger than the poverty-stricken Spokane Indian reservation where his family has lived for generations. A nerdy oddball, Junior relies on his friend Rowdy to defend him against class bullies. Rowdy’s alcoholic father abuses the young boy, and Rowdy stays anxious for a fight. When Junior decides to transfer to the predominantly white school across town, he struggles to fit in and endure the jealousy/hatred of his former classmates on the reservation. Junior recognizes the hopelessness that slowly eats away at his people who barely get by: “Reservations weren’t meant to be prisons, you know? Indians were supposed to move onto reservations and die. We were supposed to disappear.”
Alexie explores the delicate balance of pride in where you come from compounded by the reality of confronting the bleak outlook of staying put. Alexie does not shy away from criticizing the privileged students who don’t understand the new Indian boy in their midst, the lanky outsider with a stunning jump shot. Alexie also delves into the humanity that inevitably surfaces when people of different backgrounds are forced to come together. Junior is the underdog a reader roots for, though it’s complicated by the underdog only succeeding when separated from the community who raised him - the ultimate underdogs still surviving on the reservation.
The memoir is ultimately readable and uproariously funny. Published in 2007, the terminology showcases the ramblings of a teenaged boy, oblivious to political correctness or tact. The novel has been accused of capitalizing on racist and homophobic undertones and outright profanity. Some American high schools have gone as far as banning the book. While many lines are cringeworthy, the heart of the novel beats loudly, radiating a warmth that makes Junior and his plight hard to ignore. With so few recognized indigenous authors, Alexie’s writing humanizes Native Americans by presenting a complicated, yet realistic picture of the hardships they face. While the novel is classified as young adult reading, its themes and subjects are intriguing for adult readers. Regardless of cultural differences, the high school experience is universally filled with highs and lows, moments of intense triumph and mortifying gaffes.
“Poverty doesn’t give you strength or teach you lessons about perseverance. No, poverty only teaches you how to be poor.”
REVIEW BY MEREDITH MCKINNIE
BAYOU PROFILE KAM BUTTITTA
This fall, the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City will welcome one of Monroe’s own - recent Neville High School graduate Kam Buttitta.
ARTICLE BY MEREDITH MCKINNIE PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY MOORE CLARK
Kam recognized her passion for fashion early on. A self-described creative, Kam was always enamored by aesthetics. She made clothes and furniture for her American Girl dolls as a child, leaning into the impulse to do it herself. During quarantine, Kam taught herself to sew and began making her own clothes. She derives inspiration from Pinterest and social media. Her personal style is trendy and girly, like a model off duty. She prefers neutral colors and is most comfortable in a minidress and a shoulder bag. When Kam designs, she leans into her personal style, relying on basic silhouettes and simple pieces. Even before attending Neville, Kam set her sights on fashion design school. She viewed traditional school as a means to end, a foundation from which to soar to new heights. Kam always imagined living and working in a metropolis where fashion and diversity merge.
In high school, Kam joined the cheer squad and dance team and immersed herself in art and graphic design classes. Focused on building a resume worthy of a top design school, Kam worked at the local boutique Hemline as a sales associate and stylist, mastering interpersonal skills. As a self-professed introvert, the impulse to engage strangers did not come naturally, but Kam knew the importance of fostering conversation, especially in a new place far from home. She handled social media accounts for local businesses, perfecting the art of marketing and promotion. Kam interned with Sue Sartor, a local dress designer. Job shadowing with the online brand allowed Kam to explore the digital market and its broad scope. In a digital media class at Neville during her senior year, Kam ran the school’s social media accounts and added a TikTok page for the school. All these avenues of experience solidified Kam as a worthy candidate for a top design school across the country.
Wendy Lasuzzo, Kam’s mother, encouraged her daughter to think outside the box when choosing a career. The two share a close bond, frequenting estate sales and vintage stores. Also a creative brain, Wendy recently started selling antique and vintage jewelry. Kam’s social media expertise comes in handy, as she can help craft the business’s online image through photography and marketing. Kam keeps a keen eye on aesthetic appeal in social media posts, paired with catchy, yet brief, phrases. When marketing online, it’s important to know one’s brand and audience, cautions Kam. Venturing into different areas of the fashion business, even at the local level, provided Kam the experience to impact local commerce, a credible component to measuring one’s future success in the industry on a much broader scale.
Working primarily behind the scenes, Kam focused on the business side of fashion. She is interested in visual media and particularly the mechanics of creating a successful business. Working with Laura at Hemline showed Kam the unique business aspects of the fashion industry which steered her toward business management. At FIT, Kam will major in fashion business management, focusing on marketing and financials. She eventually wants to create her own fashion line and knows running a business is about more than just one’s creativity. Kam shares the desire for ethically made fashion, prioritizing good quality clothes with original designs. She wants to see consumers move away from fast fashion and embrace mindfully made, sustainable clothes. Like many of her generation, Kam values thrifting as it produces less waste. She loves repurposing vintage clothes from estate sales. Kam knows that looking good and feeling confident doesn’t have to mean wreaking havoc on the environment.
Never one to shy away from dreaming big, Kam applied to three design schools across the country - with FIT being her first choice. She composed admission essays on her experience with fashion, why she wanted to attend fashion school, and showcased her knowledge of resale apps like Depop, Thread Up, and Poshmark for more environmentally conscious shopping practices. Headed back from a senior trip to Europe, Kam received an email from FIT with the words “Congratulations.” She was stunned - not only had she been accepted, but she would be moving to New York City, a lifelong dream to live in a thriving metropolis. Born and raised in Monroe, Kam is anxious to step out of her comfort zone. She adores traveling to new places and experiencing different cultures. In big cities, fashion is more diverse, more intentional. It is easy to express oneself in a city that prides itself on diversity. Kam anticipates the friendships she will cultivate with people from
At FIT, Kam will major in fashion business management, focusing on marketing and financials.
all over the world - stepping well outside the box, per her parent’s advice.
At FIT, Kam will live on the Manhattan campus in the Chelsea neighborhood, a hub of the art world. The school offers a two-year associate degree, and then students have the option of continuing in the program for a bachelors. Living in New York City, Kam hopes to pursue internships and work with New York Fashion Week and the Met Gala alongside her peers. She has already used social media to interact with her future cohort at FIT. While laser focused on the fashion path, Kam remains open-minded about where this journey may lead. She wants to dabble around with different mediums, relish in her classes, and see where her passion takes her. The fashion industry is much larger than one might imagine, and the career choices are endless. Meeting the right people and fostering those connections will be key to landing in the right place.
With three older siblings, Kam is the last child to leave the nest. At first, Kam didn’t think she would be able to attend because of the high out-of-state tuition and New York City’s cost of living, but she has been saving up money and her parents are willing to do whatever it takes for Kam to pursue her dream. Kam imagines becoming a stylist, or creating her own fashion line, or even opening a vintage store. The possibilities are endless, and the path is wide open. Kam appreciates all the people in her life who have guided, encouraged, and supported her throughout her journey and she is grateful for their guidance moving forward. What is so remarkable about a recent high school graduate embarking on a major life change is that she had the courage to take the first step. She didn’t just dream big, but she acted big, seeking the experience to set herself apart from the rest. Kam is a testament to small town dreams becoming big city realities if one believes it’s possible.
Kam loves repurposing vintage clothes from estate sales. The designs above are two that she created. Like many of her generation, Kam values thrifting as it produces less waste. She eventually wants to create her own fashion line and knows running running a business is about more than just one’s creativity.
How Well Do You Know Us?
These Fun Facts About NELA Dental Dentists Are Sure to Keep You Smiling!
DR. VANCE COSTELLO
After graduation from Kilbourne High School and Northeast Louisiana University, Dr. Costello received his doctorate from LSU School of Dentistry in 2005. He is a member of American Academy of Implant Dentistry, Academy of General Dentistry, American Dental Association and Northeast Louisiana Dental Association. He completed the MCG/ AAID Comprehensive Training Course in Implant Dentistry in 2009.
He is a board-certified diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology/ Implant Dentistry (ABOI/ID). The American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry Diplomate (ABOI/ID) designation symbolizes the highest level of competence in implant dentistry.
Costello is driven by his desire to change people’s lives through dentistry. It’s rewarding for him to develop his patient’s outward and emotional confidence. Having the latest technology provides the best opportunity for care for his patients, and it’s one of the many things Costello loves about NELA Dental. Costello is known not only for his accomplishments as a dentist, but his endless supply of dad jokes too!
DR. DANIEL RAYMOND
Dr. Raymond grew up in Monroe, Louisiana where he attended St. Frederick High School and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He graduated from LSU School of Dentistry in 2009. Dr. Raymond is a member of the American Dental Association, Louisiana Dental Association, Northeast Louisiana Dental Association, and a Fellow of the American and International Dental Association.
Raymond has completed an implant fellowship with the International Dental Implant Association (IDIA). As a member of the IDIA, he continues to build his continuing education portfolio as he works alongside industry experts to learn about the latest practices and techniques to provide his patients top-level results.
One of Dr. Raymond’s favorite things about working at NELA Dental is his staff. They are like family to him. They laugh, cry, have fun, and share in each other’s successes and struggles. He truly values loyalty, hard work, honesty and leadership and gives all of the glory to God. One thing he said he would never do again, is to pull one of his own children’s teeth!
DR. RYAN RACHAL
Dr. Rachal grew up in Monroe and graduated from high school at Neville High School. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe with a major in biological sciences and a minor in chemistry. Dr. Rachal then graduated from LSU School of Dentistry with his Doctorate of Dental Surgery degree in 2017. Dr. Rachal is a member of the American Dental Association and the Louisiana Dental Association.
Rachal’s favorite part of being a dentist at NELA Dental is the relationships he has with his patients. He treats all of them like family. Some of the most memorable moments he shares with patients is when he can pray and empathize with them. Sometimes letting the patient know that he understands their feelings and their previous experiences helps him to ease their fear. Also, prayer provides comfort for his patients and himself.
DR. MARY RACHAL
Dr. Mary Webster Rachal is placing her roots deeper into the community she grew up in! She is a Neville High School alum and former valedictorian. She attended the University of Louisiana at Monroe receiving her Bachelors of Science. She later obtained her doctorate degree from LSU School of Dentistry. Mary is a member of the American Dental Association, Louisiana Dental Association, and the Northeast Louisiana Dental Association.
As a mom and dentist, Rachal is driven by her desire to give patients and parents the best, positive experience possible. She enjoys pediatric dentistry and loves providing her smallest patients a home for their dental health needs. Her most memorable moment as a dentist came when a patient told her, “You have changed her life! We can’t get her to stop smiling and taking pictures.”
DR. MALLORY PRUDEN
Mallory Pruden is a graduate of LSU Dental School class of 2017. She then went on to receive her postdoctoral Advanced Education in General Dentistry from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2018.
Pruden loves having patients see how much the NELA Dental team cares for and respects each other. She says their team works together with love and appreciation. She strives to help her patients understand their individual dental condition and the options to best fit their situation. If you haven’t noticed yet, she loves silly earrings! Her collection is vast and began with holiday designs from Kmart. She has almost enough holiday earrings to wear a different pair each day in December!
Magnolias and Lace Boutique
So Much More Than Clothing
GRAB YOUR FRIENDS AND MAKE A QUICK TRIP TO downtown Rayville where you’ll find Magnolias & Lace Boutique and Tanning Salon located on the square. There are some fabulous finds not only in clothing but home decor and so much more.
Your home and wardrobe should tell the story of who you are and should be a collection of what you love. Magnolias & Lace has been a downtown staple in Rayville since opening its doors in 2017. Locally owned and operated by Jessica Clack, Magnolias and Lace offers everything from newborn items, shoes, home decor to Old South tees and hats for guys. We carry pieces from Judy Blue jeans, Umgee, Copper Pearl, Qupid shoes, jewelry, Myra Bags and so much more allowing you to find any piece to fit your style.
Get ready to tumble head over heals for versatile everyday staples, Magnolias & Lace has all the seasonal trends to keep your closet fresh and hip. You can complete your head-to-toe style with our collection of shoes and jewelry that will have you putting your best foot forward.
Stop by today to check out our storeroom. We carry sizes small to 2x in women’s apparel, newborn to size 14 in girls, boys up to size 8 and men’s tees up to extra large. With some of our items on sale, you are sure to fill up your wardrobe for the fall season. Consider these fall outfit ideas to help you transition between seasons:
Pair a winter piece with something summery.
Fall is the time to embrace cozy winter basics like turtleneck sweaters, jackets, and pants.
Wear cotton clothing.
Cotton is one of the most reliable fabrics in the textile industry and frequently used fabric for fall clothing. While cotton fabrics like flannel, corduroy, and denim can be too heavy for summer and too slow to dry for rainy winter and spring, they’re perfect for the windy weather of fall. Keep in mind that wide-leg jeans allow for more airflow, while straight-leg and skinny jeans prevent wind chill.
Choose striking colors.
Fall colors look great on trees, but the idea that you should color your wardrobe to fit the season is definitely outdated. You don’t have to wear burnt orange or dress in the color of a pecan pie—wear the colors that make you feel great. If you stuck to light colors all summer to beat the heat, consider bringing in bright hues and darker neutrals for fall.
Invest in a go-to piece of fall outerwear.
Whether it’s a denim jacket, a plaid flannel shirt, a cardigan, a versatile piece of outerwear is the most important part of your fall wardrobe. For easy layering, choose something lightweight enough to wrap around your waist. Your fall coat doesn’t have to be as warm as your winter coat, so take this opportunity to play with fashion trends.
Find the perfect pair of fall boots.
When the weather turns cooler, it’s time to swap your sandals for boots and booties, which signal the coming of winter. Pair suede ankle boots, heeled knee-high boots, or combat boots with a summer dress or denim skirt for a fall-ready look.
Pair a summer piece with something warm.
Most of your summer pieces can work for fall with a little layering. Try a slip dress over a black turtleneck and leggings, and wear your crop tops with high-waisted jeans and a cardigan. Almost any summer dress can be layered over a short- or long-sleeve top to keep you warm. Tank tops can work when layered under a long cardigan or oversize button-down.
Play with prints and patterns.
Fall is an especially great time to play with leopard print, plaid, and other patterns since you’ll be wearing more layers than you would in spring, but your look won’t be hidden underneath a big winter coat. Anchor your patterned look with neutral basics like denim and leather. For example, you can recycle summery, feminine florals in the fall by pairing them with black combat boots and a denim jacket.
Another perk to shopping at Magnolias & Lace is the tanning salon. Keep up your summer glow even in the winter months. Our maintained beds along with our friendly staff will help you choose the correct amount of time to keep that natural- looking tan gradually over time.
Magnolias & Lace Boutique and Tanning Salon is located at 715 Louisa 311 Street in downtown Rayville. Open Monday - Friday 9:30- 6 and Saturday 10 - 2. Follow us on Facebook for new in store items and all sale products!
