91-Year-Old Woman Stays Busy By Doing Fashion Shows During Quarantine

A 91-year-old fashionista in Georgia is not letting her wardrobe go to waste. While Georgia is slowly opening up, Betty McDonald is in a high-risk group for coronavirus and she can't go out to socialize. But she's found a new way to show off her outfits.

"I've got three closets full of clothes ... and jewelry like you wouldn't believe," McDonald told CBS Atlanta affiliate WGCL. "I mentioned to my caretaker that I sure miss getting dressed up." Her caretaker, Kim Taylor, wanted to do something to help take their minds off the pandemic.

So they started holding daily fashion shows in the yard. "Every day she does a different outfit, and I take pictures," Taylor told the station.

McDonald's husband passed away in 2007 and she doesn't have any kids. She has Taylor send the photos and videos from their fashion shows to family, friends and neighbors to lift their spirits, WGCL reports. 

"She has lots of people telling her that it's reminded them that there's more to life than watching television, and hearing the latest on COVID-19," Taylor said. 

After Taylor put some of their videos on YouTube, she "received almost 200 comments and she loved sitting down and telling me what to type for her responses," Taylor told CBS News via email. "She is like a kid on Christmas Day opening up many gifts." 

The pandemic hasn't been easy on McDonald, who loves being outside, traveling and socializing. "It's a very sad time, it's heartbreaking," she told WGCL. 

She was anxious about the coronavirus, but the fashion shows have helped take her mind off of things. 

"At 91, she is in the high-risk group as far as if something should happen, and she told me once, I don't know how much longer I have to live, yet she can find joy in doing something for today," Taylor said.

First published on May 4, 2020 / 2:51 PM

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