My favorite dress, 1955 version
Obviously, I don't have patterns for the dresses my mother made. Actually, I'm not sure she did either. The blue dress with the purple dogs did have a pattern, because I couldn't have made a dress without one. But, I have another dress in that pattern that my mother made for me for the Christmas dance of 1955 when I was a junior in high school. It looks completely different--but it has mother's signature style. Coverage. I never had a strapless prom or dance dress, although they were all the rage when I was in high school. Mine might be scooped, or plunging or sleeveless, or halter, but never, never strapless. Same for my sisters. This dress is a lovely heavy white satin faille, and it was so luxurious, you can hardly see the hoop skirt underneath. The big red bow was mother's own seasonal touch. I removed the bow in 2000 to have the dress dry cleaned and it too was a beautiful, heavy fabric cut on the bias. My boyfriend of the moment wasn't much for d...


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