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Edvige Santangelo started planning her funeral outfit when she was 55 years old.
Its not that Santangelo was anticipating death.
She made her daughters clothing, then her wedding dress, and eventually, outfits for her granddaughters Barbies.
But more than anything, she was a devout Catholicand wanted to meet Saint Peter looking her best.
Overwhelmed with pain, she tried everything from physical therapy and acupuncture to cortisone shots.
Eventually, her doctor put her on morphine for two months, which made her sleep all the time.
There were no acceptable treatment options for her, says her daughter, Nadia Vakharia.
With Vakharias blessing, Santangelo took charge of her lifeand death.
Appearances were always very important to my mother.
She was embarking on a new journey in her life, and she wanted to be confident.
Despite the popularity of MAID in Canada, theres no standardized ritual around it.
Of course, Santangelo had planned the perfect send-off.
Before her MAID ceremony, she got ready.
She wore a dark rust blazer and black pants with matching rust pinstripes.
To tie the look together, she added a bronze-and-white floral silk scarf.
She wore her nails clean and manicurednot paintedjust like they were for her whole life.
Appearances were always very important to my mother, says Vakharia.
She was embarking on a new journey in her life, and she wanted to be confident.
She ate her favorite pastrya cannolo Sicilianoand sang her favorite Italian song.
The doctor injected her with a prescription lethal dose and she peacefully passed.
Dressing for the afterlife has been well documented throughout history.
Queen Victoria herself went to the grave wearing herweddingdress.
But restorative arts have since declined in modern-day practice.
People are axing expenses like embalming, which theNFDA reportshas a median price of $845.
A funeral is a major life event, just like a wedding.
Why wouldnt you invest in how you look?
However, people like Santangelo are finding cause for investment.
Meanwhile, stylistLaw Roachrevealed on the podcastFashion Radiothat he has been planning his own funeral for years.
Roach even went as far as styling his longtime clientZendayafor the occasion.
Ive told her the referencesCoretta Scott King at Martin Luther Kings funeral.
She was worried that the funeral director wouldnt apply her makeup correctly.
King says embalmers have used the same stage makeup on bodies since the early 20th century.
These outdated practices have not translated well to modern-day funeralsor beauty trends.
The light bulbs were built differently back then, King says.
Considering how makeup trends have evolved, it makes sense that clients and families are hesitant.
Our beauty standards today, everyone wantsnatural beauty, says King.
Youre not wearing makeup, youre just wearing a filter.
There are funeral homes that have cosmetic kits from the 1930s and 40s, King says.
In our field, no one has decided to change this in, like, 100 years.
A funeral is a major life event, just like a wedding.
Why wouldnt you invest in how you look?
For some, restorative arts go even further than vanity.
Things that are standard practicesuch as shampooing and conditioning for other raceswas not standard for us.
What was he doing cutting all of her hair off?
Maldonado intervened and educated the trainer.
He felt so remorseful and so embarrassed, she says.
For Black people specifically, our bodies have been disrespected in so many ways, she says.
This is particularly true if the decedent has undergone trauma.
King offers this option in her funeral home, oftentimes for parents who gave birth to a stillborn baby.
Planning how you look at your funeral isnt just for youits also for your family.
Yet very few people come to King and Maldonado with cosmetic instructions.
Both recommend that you follow Santangelos lead and write your wishes down.
You have a bit of autonomy in that.
So why not take advantage of it?
