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Summer Style Note – Dresses

Summer sun dresses were staples in my wardrobe as a child.  Many were made by my grandmother who was a skilled seamstress.  Rick-rack, daisy chain trims, pretty buttons, and deep hems were some of the lovely features of those dresses.  And because I am a twin, Nana made two of each!

I still remember some of my little-girl dresses:  a white pique with a hem-full of bright flowers and verdant ferns, a soft sorbet seersucker in creamsicle.  My mother had excellent taste.  She knew that there is nothing prettier than a little girl in a sweet summer frock.  I knew that too, when I ordered a pink and grey Liberty print sundress from the iconic London clothier for my daughter.  It cost a pretty penny but it is lovingly and carefully stored in tissue paper and boxed alongside her Christening dress awaiting potential future inhabitants.

For years, I never wore summer dresses.  I simply couldn’t find many styles I liked.  But the last few seasons there has been a plethora of selections and I have been able to amass a new little collection. One of my favorites is a periwinkle blue number with coral blooms in crisp cotton broadcloth.  The ease of pulling on a perfect summer dress cannot be underestimated on a torrid summer day.  Of course, I no longer wear the traditional sundress but there are dresses out there for women of a certain age too.  And if one doesn’t want to show off arms, a fitted coordinating cardigan over a sundress can be very ’50’s elegant and tres charmant!

4 Comments

  • Pondside

    I smiled at your description of the dress packed away for future inhabitants. I did the same thing and have had the pleasure of seeing a granddaughter in her mama's dress – and I have a dress, bought in England in 1962 for me, set aside as well for the little granddaughter. After all these years the pink and white cotton stripes are still fresh and the balloon border is sure to make a little girl feel special. I thought I was the only one who did this!

  • Kay

    Oh, how I *WISH* I had some of the darling sundresses my mom sewed for me, Donna! My mom loved to make pretty dresses for her lanky little girl…fun prints, cute Raggedy Ann designs, clown-dot multicolored, yellow seersucker, often with rickrack trim or eyelet laced with ribbon. And you're sooo right…there ISN'T anything prettier than a little girl in a fresh summer dress! Thanks for sharing this…I loved reading it so much!

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