 |
| Such a pretty petticoat |
There was a time when I would come home from school at lunchtime and iron my skirts to get rid of the wrinkles from sitting at a desk all morning. It's almost inconceivable to me today, to think of how important it was to me. I had a pink crinoline much like this one, and I have a memory of starching it in the bathtub and hanging it out to dry on the clothesline.
There are not many people who remember the days when it was not okay for a young lady to walk around without a girdle, either. Oh, I remember so well pulling that awful torture device up my legs, wiggling my teeny-tiny little derriere into it, all for the sake of fashion. I am so glad that they are gone, long gone.
A young woman gave me a pedicure yesterday and I asked her where she was from. She was born in Vietnam, she said, as most of the young ladies who work there were. I told her I had visited Vietnam twice. She asked me when, and I told her it was in the early 1990s. "Oh, so long ago," she exclaimed. I realized that to her, it was ancient history. She wasn't even born until 1994! To me, it seems like just a few years ago. We looked at each other and marveled. Me, that she could be so grown up at 22, and her, well, who knows what she thought of the old lady in her chair?
:-)
Your comments about the girdle made me giggle. I was thin and thought I needed one of those and tried a Playtex. Working in a non air conditioned Wards catalog department was not the place to try it out. Soon, moisture was running down my legs. I got rid of that thing at lunch.
ReplyDeleteThe things people do for fashion.
ReplyDeleteFortunately I escaped girdles. Isn't it insane that you had to wriggle your invisible butt into one? And you were definitely not alone.
ReplyDeleteBorn in 1994 strikes me as a baby - but of course I am wrong.
Unfortunately I remember girdles too! But I have not worn one in over 40 years.
ReplyDeleteGirdles: a bad word!
ReplyDeleteYes, I remember girls with crinolines. The clothes were certainly different. Now do a post on guy's clothes for 1960.
ReplyDeleteYes, I did crinolines and girdles. We needed the girdle to hold up our nylons. It was before pantyhose.
ReplyDeleteYou were a slave for fashion. I hated girdles and the starched petticoats were scratchy on my legs. I had a yellow one I really liked.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Jan. Girdles were the worst! And nylons. I was thrilled when pantyhose became the thing!
ReplyDeleteThere was a journalist on the news last night who was let out of junior high to do the reporting I am sure. Everyone seems younger and younger as I get older.
I remember those days, too. And my nail salon is staffed by Vietnamese, also.
ReplyDeleteThe crinolines were not around anymore when I was old enough to wear them, but girdles--yes. You had to wear one to hold up your nylons. And those pointy bras! (And the dreaded sanitary belts.) You had to wear a dress or a skirt and blouse or sweater to school. Boys had to have dress pants and a button-down shirt. You wouldn't think of going to a restaurant or church without being dressed properly. Boys had flat tops or buzz cuts. Girls were tortured with perms or brush rollers or pin curls. Ratting your hair...tons of hair spray...and those taped spit curls made with Dippity Do!! I have Mrs Maisel saved but haven't watched it yet. Sounds like fun! A trip down memory lane like Mad Men was.
ReplyDeleteI remember the starching and the drying of those things, getting into a car was a hazard trying to push it all down and not showing the suspenders that attached to the girdle. I am so glad our clothes are more relaxed now tho some of my younger friends endure the torture of spanx for those skinny pencil skirts and dresses.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
I do remember all those things... however, I was never very clothes conscious and wore mostly jeans (rolled up at the knee of course) and bobby socks. And I've always hated pantyhose!
ReplyDeleteI do remember girdles but only when I worked at the bank where they were mandatory. We even had a designated fanny pincher who if she thought you were trying to sneak comfortable into your day would pinch your behind, then scold you. Do ya suppose that qualifies as harassment??:)) They ran a tight ship.
ReplyDeleteI was skinny as a rail, but still wore a girdle, everyone did !
ReplyDeleteNowadays, it all flips and flops, no pantyhose, bare legs and all :)
I watched a program the other night about English air hostesses, glamour and complete poise, not so much these days :)
~Jo
I've seen the first season of that show and loved it! I love the look of those petticoats but knowing me, they would have NEVER been ironed or starched...so I guess it's a good thing I wasn't born then.
ReplyDeleteHow time flies!
ReplyDelete