The Whitney

Whitney has loved the same colors for as long as I can remember.

That sounds like a small thing. It is not. Classic, earthy greens and soft neutrals — they were her wedding colors. Then they became her first son's nursery colors. One continuous thread of taste, running from the aisle to the crib. (Little secret: I designed her wedding invitations and signs, which means I've been working in Whitney's colors since before CB Grey existed.)

So when it came time to design her scarf, there was no design question to answer. The thread just needed its next stop.

Whitney is my cousin by blood and my sister by every other measure — fierce, thoughtful, loyal, and raising three little boys. Her oldest was barely two when she found out the next one was actually the next two — twins — which is not parenting so much as running a very small, very loud franchise. She is the definition of a warrior mother: chaos on every side, grace anyway.

Her scarf is her thread, continued. Lush greenery for the woman who never stops nurturing, growing, giving. Birds for the free spirit that all that giving never managed to tame. And running around the border in script — framing the whole design like a vow — the words that are simply, factually true of her: she had a heart that was fierce, a mind that was brave, and a spirit that was free.

Some women pick new colors every season. Whitney picked hers once — for life.

One day her three boys will notice that the wedding album, the nursery, and Mom's scarf all match.

That's not a coincidence.