A woman says her grandmother's passion for fashion "keeps her young" - and she "slays" when trying on her granddaughter's skimpy outfits.
- last year
A woman says her grandmother's passion for fashion "keeps her young" - and she "slays" when trying on her granddaughter's skimpy outfits.
Stephanie De Pena, 30, and her grandmother, Mariah, 85, who has dementia, are exceptionally close and the pair love shopping, dressing up and dancing together.
Mariah used to work in a factory making clothes and retired in her 60s before being diagnosed with dementia four years ago in 2019.
She now uses a walking frame to get around, but it doesn't stop her from swaying her hips.
Stephanie dresses her grandmother in outfits from her own wardrobe - and says she "slays" the looks which she shares on social media.
She claims her grandmother's doctor even encouraged the pair to keep making fashion and dance TikToks to keep Mariah's mind active.
Stephanie has her own boutique and her grandma helps her as her assistant - picking and packing clothes.
Stephanie, who lives in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, US, said: "Our love for fashion has always kept us going.
"She's always been there for me through the good and the bad.
"She doesn't remember things and sometimes doesn't know who people are, but it's amazing to see how when we're recording she remembers everything.
"Her doctor said to keep it going as the videos seem to be helping."
In 2021, the duo uploaded their first TikTok video and it blew up and they now have 176.3k followers.
The pair have continued to create dance and fashion content and Mariah even dresses in Stephanie's clothes.
"She absolutely loves it," Stephanie said.
"Before dementia, she always had her nails done and there was never a single wrinkle in her clothing.
"She doesn't care as much about her appearance now but she definitely loves any bright colour.
"She doesn't like to be neutral and has to be bright. She often wears blues, pinks and yellows.
"Even when she's in her grandma clothes she has to be bright.
"Her favourite outfit is a three-piece blue set but she realised the top is a little shorter than she thought."
The family discovered Mariah had dementia when she kept leaving the cooker on by accident in 2019.
After the diagnosis, the family decided they wanted to care for her.
Mariah hasn't moved away to ensure she sees her grandmother every day and her mum, Maribel, 48, is her full-time carer.
Stephanie added: "We're a big loving family and we keep her busy.
"Just seeing her smile makes things so much better - she's always laughing."
Stephanie opened her own clothing boutique, Denver, in September 2020.
She said: "I've always loved fashion and creating content with grandma gave me the confidence to start my own business.
"Growing up I was a tomboy, but grandma always wanted me to wear dresses.
"I got into fashion in high school when I realised it was a form of expressing myself and art.
"I would say I'm not very conservative - I like tight and bright clothes and I'm colourful like my grandma.
"We have the same sense of style, she loves when I'm all dressed up."
When they're not making videos, the pair like to go shopping and spend hours dancing.
"She dances with her walker - she just holds on and moves her hips," Stephanie said.
"She doesn't speak English so I translate the lyrics into Spanish and, of course, she loves Spanish songs too.
"Right now, her favourite song is 'Flowers' by Miley Cyrus."
Mariah is also grandmother to Stephanie's siblings - Leslie, 20 and Luis, 20.
Stephanie said: "My favourite thing about grandma is her heart - she is the most loving person I have ever met.
"When you're with her you can feel the love - she's just an inspiration to me."
Stephanie De Pena, 30, and her grandmother, Mariah, 85, who has dementia, are exceptionally close and the pair love shopping, dressing up and dancing together.
Mariah used to work in a factory making clothes and retired in her 60s before being diagnosed with dementia four years ago in 2019.
She now uses a walking frame to get around, but it doesn't stop her from swaying her hips.
Stephanie dresses her grandmother in outfits from her own wardrobe - and says she "slays" the looks which she shares on social media.
She claims her grandmother's doctor even encouraged the pair to keep making fashion and dance TikToks to keep Mariah's mind active.
Stephanie has her own boutique and her grandma helps her as her assistant - picking and packing clothes.
Stephanie, who lives in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, US, said: "Our love for fashion has always kept us going.
"She's always been there for me through the good and the bad.
"She doesn't remember things and sometimes doesn't know who people are, but it's amazing to see how when we're recording she remembers everything.
"Her doctor said to keep it going as the videos seem to be helping."
In 2021, the duo uploaded their first TikTok video and it blew up and they now have 176.3k followers.
The pair have continued to create dance and fashion content and Mariah even dresses in Stephanie's clothes.
"She absolutely loves it," Stephanie said.
"Before dementia, she always had her nails done and there was never a single wrinkle in her clothing.
"She doesn't care as much about her appearance now but she definitely loves any bright colour.
"She doesn't like to be neutral and has to be bright. She often wears blues, pinks and yellows.
"Even when she's in her grandma clothes she has to be bright.
"Her favourite outfit is a three-piece blue set but she realised the top is a little shorter than she thought."
The family discovered Mariah had dementia when she kept leaving the cooker on by accident in 2019.
After the diagnosis, the family decided they wanted to care for her.
Mariah hasn't moved away to ensure she sees her grandmother every day and her mum, Maribel, 48, is her full-time carer.
Stephanie added: "We're a big loving family and we keep her busy.
"Just seeing her smile makes things so much better - she's always laughing."
Stephanie opened her own clothing boutique, Denver, in September 2020.
She said: "I've always loved fashion and creating content with grandma gave me the confidence to start my own business.
"Growing up I was a tomboy, but grandma always wanted me to wear dresses.
"I got into fashion in high school when I realised it was a form of expressing myself and art.
"I would say I'm not very conservative - I like tight and bright clothes and I'm colourful like my grandma.
"We have the same sense of style, she loves when I'm all dressed up."
When they're not making videos, the pair like to go shopping and spend hours dancing.
"She dances with her walker - she just holds on and moves her hips," Stephanie said.
"She doesn't speak English so I translate the lyrics into Spanish and, of course, she loves Spanish songs too.
"Right now, her favourite song is 'Flowers' by Miley Cyrus."
Mariah is also grandmother to Stephanie's siblings - Leslie, 20 and Luis, 20.
Stephanie said: "My favourite thing about grandma is her heart - she is the most loving person I have ever met.
"When you're with her you can feel the love - she's just an inspiration to me."