My "Leaving the nest", dress....
This may be along rambling post...it is my 200th post!!!!!!
I'm weaving several threads of time and memories together with a bit of silliness and artistic possibility!
Where to begin...?
My lovely future daughter-in-law, Mary, was here at Christmas...I decided that she would enjoy seeing MY wedding dress! I went to the closet and got it out for the first time in 34 years! It was a bit yellowed with age, the candlelight satin was darker as was the French Alencon lace.
After we looked at it, I didn't put it back in the plastic (horrors!) bag it had been in for so many years....but I realized how covered and modest we were with our gowns in the early 70's.."pre Vera Wang"...lots of influence from the popular "Romeo and Juliet" movie of the era! See the photo above...an ad from a Southern Living Magazine from the month and year we were married, February 1973! [I found this magazine a couple of weeks ago in a Georgia fleamarket...one of my breaks on the drive to my daughter's! It was on top of a pile of Southern Livings from the past...I paid the original price, 50 cents!]
So the dilemma is how to either get rid of, recycle or preserve this dress.... I decided to try my Vintage Soak on the train of the gown...which is separate. Into the bathtub for a day of testing....it came out very nice! Clean and fresh looking, it will need a warm iron touch up...but what to do with it? maybe make an art quilt using only the train and embellish it like a scrapbook of memories?
This is the cleaned train hem with a photo of my mother helping me to dress for the wedding....
How important are memories?...we live in the moment, not the past......but with Mother's day coming....I do love having a moment to remember this time!
I had not lived on my own before marrying.....it was a big change!!!!! I was the first to leave her nest! (there is that nest image again!)
Meanwhile this week, on the Colette's blog, I found where she was being interviewed and the link led me to one of her beautiful and delightful images...called "My daughter's dress...." it has a bird and a Robin's nest
I think this is one of the loveliest things I've seen lately, simple but moving! Look at those mother of pearl buttons on the neckline! ( I wore a heart shaped mother of pearl necklace at my wedding, it was carved with two love birds...!)
So I was thinking of using this image in the art quilt I might make on the train from my dress..... the more I thought of it, it seemed right! The wheels were turning!!!!!
Meanwhile, Mary, called planning details for her wedding..she wants to display photos from the guests' own weddings at her wedding...and it occurred to me that my train, as it is, clean and uncluttered with more "art work" could be perfect for using under that display at my son's wedding this August!
So for now the train has found a purpose as it is.....
(BTW, I couldn't resist trying to get into the gown...LOL I couldn't even get my "linebacker" arms -thanks, Gemma--into the small fitted sleeves!)
More input....Gemma's daughter wore a vintage dress last year.....
With the wedding train cleaning and soaking the other day, I received an e-mail about the "TP" wedding dress contest.
Maybe this is a viable idea!
7 comments:
Lila...why don't you keep your wedding dress?? Maybe someday your grand daughter will be interested in a vintage gown. I don't know why it just seems so special when gowns stay in the family.
Yes, I have considered that...do you think they will ever be so modest again? I think I remember seeing your daughter in a vintage gown when I began reading your blog...I'm going to look it up...
XXOO
Do you know you wrote this lovely post with lovely images and what struck me was not any of them, but your reference to your "linebacker arms." Now why would that resonate you might ask. Well, I've always said I had linebacker shoulders! Still do. Just like my dad! And he was a state champion line backer!
I know....the humorous part usually catches true life!
did you go over and read Gemma's "linebacker arms" post?
Lila - Mary forwarded your blog. I am so anxious to meet you but feeling a little insecure about your talent and my lack thereof. I know we will get a long well, however, becuase I have those linebacker arms too - well, mine are a little more like Jello... I also had a long-sleeved wedding dress but not the popular high neck - wasn't I daring. Your picture made me laugh because I STILL have one of those coffee pots! This blog is wonderful - How nice to meet you - Melanie
It is hard to know whether to keep the wedding dress, isn't it. I kept mine for years thinking my only child would want to use it. She didn't. I never considered the next generation after. Now the dress is gone, passed on to someone; I can't even remember who. Maybe doing something artistic, like your ideas here, with it would have been the better choice. But, of course, I probably never would have "gotten around to it", unlike you I hope.
Lovely to have you stop by, Melanie!!!!
We will have a great time at the wedding!
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