...But Be Cool To Your Grandparents

Your grandparents are really cool, and you should be cool back to them. If they are white, then they used to say things like, “Are you telling me that loan was illegal, Stan? Well, the State of Louisiana will have no part in the repayment of an illegal loan.” If they are black, they are the only people alive who know how to say “motherfucker” correctly. If they are rich, they had to face union guys by themselves, which meant the only chance they had was to make their workers love/fear them, which meant that they would end a “get out there in that rain” speech by rolling around in the mud like “It’s just mud, are you men or are you women? Do your fucking jobs.” They tell their wives when to go to bed and drink 20-year-olds under the table and say things like, “In my opinion, you would do well not to get involved in that. That, to me, sounds like bad business. But that’s just my opinion, you can do with that what you will. If you ask me, you get involved with that, you’re likely to regret it along the way. Course, that’s just my opinion. Do with that what you will.”

ANDI ALESSI

Ingegerd, 2 daughters, 1 son, 7 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren

: There was a gap between my second and third kid, so I got an education and started working as a youth probation officer. I just monitored young people who had gotten sentenced to probation. But my grandson works as an illustrator, and he just finished seven years of education. That’s how long it takes for people to become a doctor you know.

Cardigan by Hope, boots by Wedins, top, skirt and jewelry model’s own

Ingrid, 1 daughter, 1 grandchild

: I stayed at home with my kids, I guess that’s what you did back then. But I have been photographed once before you know, when I was young. I was on ten pictures in a foreign magazine called Life, but my husband got invited to the dinner too, so it wasn’t any funny business or anything like that.

Dress by Paul & Joe/Skindeep, top by Calida, clogs by Knulp

Sören, 2 sons, 5 grandchildren: I worked as an engineer at a lab, and I’ve been a bellboy too. My motto is “I’d rather take a walk in the woods, than have a beer in my ‘hoods.”

Shirt by Canali, bag by Gant, shoes by Clarks, trousers model’s own

Stig, 3 daughters, 4 grandchildren

: I worked as a healthcare coordinator at a big company, helping people staying in shape and so on. It felt like we made a difference.

Cashmere sweater by Gant, shoes by Tiger, trousers model’s own

Joan, 1 son, 2 daughters, 6 grandchildren: After I had my children I became the first ever stewardess for the flight company where my husband worked as a pilot. I’m still wearing the pin they gave me.

Sweater by Diane Von Furstenberg, cape by Cacharel/Skindeep, trousers and shoes model’s own

Christina, 2 sons, 2 daughters, 5 grandchildren

: I stayed at home when the kids were small, and then got an education and worked as a technical biomedical analyst at a lab.

Dress by Whyred, turtleneck and shoes by La Redoute, tights by Twilfit

Nils, 2 sons, 3 grandchildren

: I used to work as a teacher at the Librarian University. If I have any advice it would be to not pretend to know something when you don’t. You’ll just get found out, and then nobody will believe you.

Suit and shirt by Filippa K