Uncategorized

The Secret Histories of Dresses, pt. 1

ErinLeave a comment


ebay item 8367312434I knew there was trouble when I saw the grocery store. I mean, look at me, I'm not a grocery-store kind of dress. I mean, maybe now you'd wear me to the grocery store, kids today and so on, but when I was new — no. But there I was, in the grocery store, with house slippers, no less, and her husband's windbreaker. No one said anything. We bought three cabbages, five bags of marshmallows, and beef bouillon cubes. The cashier rolled her eyes, but I didn't know why that was unusual–for all I knew that was a week's shopping. I was more of a cocktail-party dress. I knew weiners on sticks, and little cubes of cheese, and crudités.

After the grocery store, we went home, and lay on the sofa, watching television, until the man got home. There were a lot of nice dresses on the television. "Where are we going?" he asked. He didn't notice the house slippers, or the lack of makeup. He just saw me.

"Hell!" she shouted, and threw her drink at him. None got on me, not even a spot, and I was thankful, because bourbon stains.

He just stood there for a moment, dripping, and then walked into the other room. I heard him dialing the phone, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. He didn't come back in the room, even though she was sobbing. She wasn't watching the television, although it was still on. Soon she stopped crying and then she was asleep. I don't like being slept in. It makes creases. When she had been asleep for a while, the man came back in with a nightgown, and took me off her. He was pretty gentle. I'd heard stories of men ripping dresses, but he didn't. He was upset that she wasn't wearing anything under me, not even a slip, but he just sighed and went off for a minute. He came back with a bra and panties, though they didn't match. I guess he hadn't noticed that hers always matched, or maybe he didn't think it was important. Then he put a coat around her and carried her out.

I didn't get hung up until the next day. It was odd to spend so much time off a body but not hung up. She always hung me up right away.

He hung me up, but put me way in the back of the closet, not near the other dresses I'd been by before. That felt strange. And then no one opened the closet for weeks and weeks. When the door opened again, she looked in and said "Oh! None of these will fit now, I've lost so much weight." She didn't seem happy or sad about it, either way. Her voice seemed kind of flat, not bubbly like it was before. Anyway, she never wore me again, and I was given away a few months later, to her sister who lived in Tucson.

0 thoughts on “The Secret Histories of Dresses, pt. 1”

  2. Lydia, I was thinking the same thing. At least this lovely number doesn’t end being cut up for a quilt or some such thing…Or maybe this frock would like that and would feel more useful.

    Like

    Reply

  4. A mini novel about the secret life of dress! How deliciously divine! What a creative concept!I think this arena deserves to be explored on a more serious level.Who knows, a publisher may soon be knocking at your door. ;-)kitschkittie

    Like

    Reply

  5. There really is no home for this dress it sits in my store waiting… hoping…. for another trip to the frozen food aisle.

    Like

    Reply

  6. Of the four stories this one is, by far, my favourite. It is sad but I think the beginning is funny. Mostly that’s what I like about it. But I really liked this one the best.

    Like

    Reply

  7. Truly wonderful. It’s sentimental and it pinches your heart. Short and simple, and yet it has the most amazing effect on anyone. It’s a story which poses a lot of questions to the heart, although never in a bad, hopeless way. It’s an unrequited love…..

    Like

    Reply

  13. Her husband sent her away to “Rehab”, where they fired her brain with electroshock therapy so she would “behave”.

    Like

    Reply

  16. Oh my God this is too weird, I just posted this bit about my Granny and my Mom and included links to my Flickr site (jacquiscloset on Flickr) and the discussion about their fashion history going on over on the vintage fashion forum at eBay and then I was browsing your site and saw this. Does this dress have a label? Because if it doesn’t say Peggy Hunt, and it’s silk and well made, I think my Grandmother designed it because I have one very much like it in my collection. Too weird.

    Like

    Reply

  24. I too think this should be a series of books published. I loved the story. Not only connecting to the dress but also the people around the dress. It shows how an article of clothing would see life around it.
    I can’t imagine a publisher has not by now picked this up as a book.

    Like

    Reply

  25. Wow wow wow! You are a wonderful writer! I just found your blog through a link on facebook to the You Don’t Have To Be Pretty post. Loved that post, love this post, bookmarking now.

    Also, I used to have a very similar dress. 1950s vintage, fuller skirt, background silver, not pearl, But the same neckline and sleeves, and very similar big blue roses. I loved it.

    I assume you have read Love Loss and What I Wore by Ilene Beckerman? If not, you must. Wonderful book, you are certain to like. She tells her life story entirely through what outfit she was wearing when each significant event happened in her life. http://www.amazon.com/Love-Loss-What-I-Wore/dp/1565124758/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1295223144&sr=8-1

    Zab, a new admirer

    Like

    Reply

  30. the dress is stunning. i want it, i want it, i want it! i’ve just starting reading these stories, and i can’t wait to read the rest! so creative!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment