Thanks to Caroline of the blog beautyisasleepingcat (fantastic book reviews!) I remembered some photos I took before we moved.
While sorting stuff, I was trying to decide if I should finally sell a couple of my mother’s dresses, and thought I’d photograph them for keepsakes. My favorite is this simple black dress with pink appliques:
Couldn’t believe the pink in the dress matched my stepdaughter’s bedroom walls.
I come from a line of tall women: my mother and both grandmothers were 5’8″ tall! I’m an inch taller.
Here’s the lovely back:
Yes, that’s my faithful assistant, Rocky. 🙂
A closer look:
I don’t know what the fabric is. It’s kind of like satin and rayon combined–a bit heavy, but it drapes beautifully.
Here’s a close-up of the front:
I’ve carried this dress around for almost two decades, keeping it in a garment bag at the back of my closet, bringing it out from time to time to make sure it’s still intact. I’ve let go of the red satin taffeta ball gown (it wasn’t in good shape at all) but this one I’ll keep. I wish I’d asked my mom where and when she wore it. It must have been special, because she saved the dress for years and years too.
“Sharing tales of those we’ve lost is how we keep from really losing them.”
~Mitch Albom
Hope your week’s going well so far. . . .
{carole}
Pearls & Prose 
I think I would get a dressmaker’s dummy and keep that dress out where it could be seen – it’s very decorative!
I’ve thought of doing that, but the California sun fades everything so quickly!
It’s true – too much dust as well.
I don’t remember so much dust when I lived here before. We do have new construction near us, so I figured that was it. But when you go for months wo/ rain, you’re gonna have some dust. That’s OK.
Such a beautiful post. And a beautiful dress. I have still a lot of dresses from my grandmother she was the same heigth and size. It’s hard to let go. People always think it is because of the object as such but that’s not it, it’s about the memories. Making a photos is a good way to keep the memory.
Thanks, Caroline. I’m so glad you jogged my memory.
Perhaps one day your stepdaughter will want to wear this beautiful creation.
It’s a lovely thought, but I’m afraid she’s not tall enough. My sons will probably have tall children, so maybe a granddaughter one day.
This gown is so timeless, I bet if a granddaughter did want to wear it someday it would be as fashionable in the future as it was in your mother’s day.
Rocky looks like he was being very helpful. Hopefully he wasn’t getting too much of his white fur all over the gown. 😉
Ha ha, luckily Rocky doesn’t shed! He also tends to stay away when he sees the camera come out. 🙂
You just don’t see dresses like that anymore, unless it’s haute couture.
True. I don’t think I’ve ever seen fabric like this.
I bet C. was simply stunning in this – so my vote is to keep it forever !
I so wish I had a photo of her in it, Susan.
Pretty dress! I see why you’ve kept it!
Thanks, Thoughtsy. 🙂
I think that is a very lovely dress and you have captured its beauty in the photos!