60s Christmas Ball Gown
Growing up in New Orleans in the 60s, clothes to wear to elegant parties and soires were a must. New Orleans may be the Big Easy today, but in those days fancy parties and balls were the way we celebrated. I didn’t have a lot of money, so I learned to sew. This was the most expensive fabric I had ever sewn with, a silk brocade! The sash was a silk velvet. Given I made it “oh so long ago” I don’t remember much more detail other than I’m pretty sure I used a Vogue pattern. I couldn’t resist entering my “walk down memory lane” in the contest!
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Hello,
It's too bad that people hardly dress up anymore. It truly was lovely.
Sandisewsandsews
Hey, Dawlin. It's still fun dressing up in the big easy. I still wear hats and gloves to church, but I always make sure to remove my gloves before I go to my mom and dem's and suck the heads. For those of you who don't understand 'yat speak, or who-dat talk, I'm referring to the celebrated and sacred act of eating crawfish at my family's home. Loved your entry! If you don't have any balls to go to this year, please host one. I'll be the first to arrive with Mimosas, Bloody Marys and oyster stew a-plenty and we'll watch dem Saints (who arrived on the scene right about the time you created this divine dress) go marching in all the way to the SUPERBOWL!!! 13-0; way to go! Thanks for taking me down memory lane with you. May your present and future provide you with new memories with which to gladden the old and gone. It's sad to see what "ain't dere no more" but great gowns don't have to be one of them. God bless and keep you and your family from one who-dat to another.
Whoops, there was supposed to be a period before "from one who-dat to another. I didn't mean to imply that we need protection from each other. And I'm truly serious about wearing hats and gloves to church, even today. God bless.
What fun to read your comment, Clarasita. Alas, I haven't lived in NOLA in 37 years (married a Navy man and left), but I miss the food and fun a lot. When I tell people the correct way to eat crawfish, they cringe. :) I'll be watching the Saints' beat the Cowboys tonight (I was at their very first game in Tulane stadium) as the snow pounds the state of Virginia! Thanks for adding to my walk down memory lane. Blessings to you and yours as well.
It's gorgeous!!! Thanks for sharing your walk down memory lane with us!
Reply: sandisewsandsews
I whole-heartedly agree. I think people should dress up more than they do. It's a matter of respect for where you are or who you are seeing.
I have also always felt like I was born about 100 years too late. I love fancy dresses. I have made some really full skirts and have worn puffy crinolin under them. I also bought a hat this past summer from Kohl's and I wear that to church despite the odd looks I receive! My next quest is for lace gloves! I am going to make some when I get the time.
EBay is a great source for nice gloves and hats, both vintage and current. If someone gives you a funny look while you're wearing your hat, grace them with your widest smile and the teensiest tip of the hat. I used to be the only one in church wearing a hat--now I see a few at every mass. On Mother's Day and Easter, I see even more worn.
And to luvstosew, I heard the 1st game on my transistor radio in the driveway. My biggest thrill was meeting and getting an autograph from John Guilliam, (hope I spelled his name correctly), the player who ran the opening kick-off back for a touchdown. Back down memory lane, my dad used to take me to the Loyola Fieldhouse (ain't dere no more) to see the N.O. Buccaneers (ain't dere no more) basketball games. They were always preceeded by a charity event: a Bball game played by the Saints vs. DJs from local radio stations.
Clarasita - I went to those games too! Only I was old enough to go with my friends without my Dad as a chaperone!!! LOL :) So much has changed about NOLA. When I left, no one ate blackened red fish (yuck), or had heard of Emeril Lagasse; Compagno's was still the best place to get po'boys uptown. We ate creole food, not burning hot 'cajun' food, and red beans and rice was the Monday house special!!! :)
So true, so true. I had an autograph book with the autographs of all the original Saints and Buccaneers, which I treasured for years. Unfortunately, my parents moved while I was away at LSU (geaux tigers!)and movers packed my belongings. The only items that did not make it to the new house were the autograph book and my mint in box blonde ponytailed Barbie in her zebra strapless maillot. I could send my son to grad school by selling those, which I would have done in a NOLA second for such a purpose.