I, for all my inner yearnings, have not an iota of Artsy Cousin in my personal style. Oh, occasionally I think about it. I consider what it must be like to throw together a creative outfit, possessed of je ne sais quoi, dripping panache. But therein do not lie my talents. I’m better at the appropriate. The luxurious. And comfortable shoes.
(Audi? At Fashion For Nerds? Yeah, absolutely. She has Latvian socks. Jill has Global just about everything…)
The closest I ever came involved a cultural imperative. Otherwise known as the teen years. It was 1972ish. We were post-hippies. We had been too young to March on Washington, too young for any Summer of Love unless it was the Monkees we were loving. That didn’t stop us from buying Mexican maxi-dresses. We had long hair. And worried about boys. What else is new?
I’m not sure I ever wore mine. I think it I put it on once. Maybe twice. But I do not believe that I ever left the house. My acts of bravery reserved for other areas. Making today the first time this dress has ever seen the light of, well, virtual day. I don’t know if I kept it because I love the periwinkle blue color, or because I love the idea of myself with a wreath of flowers in my hair, muddy feet, arms outstretched. Never happened, of course.
Have a wonderful weekend. With flowers in all the appropriate spots. Appropriate, of course, broadly defined.
*This dress resembles Slynnro’s header, no?
20 Responses
I have one of those dresses…surprise, surprise! But, I had it taken in. So it's not so blousy and I can wrap a belt around my hips without looking like the Michelin Man!
Oh, my – I had one of those too. Like you, I don't think I ever wore it out of the house, but it was damn comfortable to lounge around in.
I remember my mom and aunt refer to this type of dress as a "duster." And no, they never wore it outside the house either.
I love it! I always wanted to be that free too!
Still love Mexican dresses and blouses, as well as other folk embroideries. '72 was toward the tail end of the time when hippie chick was a current look, as I recall. Eventually resurrected by Euro kids as "baba cool". It is a strange sensation to see young parents dripping beads and embroidery, fringed suede jackets, baby in a sling in the streets of Paris, and realize they were not born the first time around!
I had this dress and wore it out of the house, even though it is totally Not Me. But I lived in Austin at the time and this dress was the summer equivalent of jeans and a t-shirt.
I need to borrow your chairs! LOL. Pretty dress but I'm short. It reminds me of Greece (don't ask me). xoxo
SC
I remember my mother buying my sister and I maxi dresses in 4th and 5th grade. We were the first to wear them to school and I was sooo nervous. But then, of course, all the girls started. I loved them. But yours is much cooler.
I never worn Mexican clothes in the 70's. They always reminded me of nightgowns or maternity clothes. I did learn to do crewel embroidery about that time. It is what the ladies did in the parlor, while the men watched sports in the den.
Many reactions to the mexican maxidress. I didn't know it was a shared cultural phenomenon rather than a personal quirk. Fun.
My mom had one of these. She took it out of the bag and tried it on and asked my dad how it looked (Hello Dad! He reads your blog and comments), anyway! So he put down his book and thought about it for a minute (I remember this, even though it is now family legend), and then said in measured tones, "It makes you look like a clown."
And she never wore it out of the house. Ever. But it was a stylish house-dress for most of my childhood.
The rule now is, "Do not ask Daddy how you look. He will tell you."
I think it's very interesting that you've kept all these clothes – some of them which you've never (or maybe seldom) used… Hmmm….
I was looking through homes online and saw this – and thought of Artsy Cousin:
http://www.livingetc.com/houses/Eclectic_New_York_loft_article_264190.html
-maria
My Mother had a closet full of travel gear appropriate for different locations. This dress reminds me of the Mexican hat and pocketbook to match that she kept for trips to the coast of Mexico.
maria – that's definitely where the artsy cousin could live, especially since she doesn't lose the basic High WASP imperative of clean style at home. Now that I think of it, High WASPs are most themselves in their housing decor, I realize, since no one but an inner circle is going to see.
Mrs. G, My mother doesn't have geography specific outfits but she does have a travel bathrobe…
One of my most memorable outfits was a Mexican dress with a pair of turquoise beaded Unisa sandals. Dolled up with lots of gold jewelry and an elephant hair bracelet just as not to stray too far from the preppy fold…XXOO
Love this dress! I'd wear it with a well-worn leather hip-slung belt and tiny flat sandals.
This dress and the blog title "summer of love" make me want to say "flower power."
At 51, I am so feeling this post. High wasp or not, we were in a funny time. The sounds of the sixties was the music of our childhood. We were too young as you said, to be caught up in the middle of it, but we were influenced by it. Did you know we have been renamed the "Jones Generation" instead of being lumped in with the Baby Boomers?
Sorry, I wrote it backwards – it's Generation Jones.
I feel a tremendous amount of lust for that dress, though I fear it would make me look pregnant. I'm a girl who needs a waist. But that embroidery is so cheerful.
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