Dresses For Special Occasions

I do not have many memories of watching my Mama as she dresses for special occasions like those glamorous images from 1950's movies. I cannot even think where Mama might have gone in a formal evening gown in our small community. I certainly do not have any photographs of her in a vintage evening dress.

But that does not mean Mama did not dress me up. One of my earliest memories is Mama promising she would let me wear her mustard seed pendant if I would not cry while she combed out my hair. I did not cry but I remember really wanting to as she unwrapped those rags from my now tightly curled hair.

Having your photograph taken in the mid fifties was a special event. In this picture of me and my little brother, I am wearing the typical fifties little girl puff sleeved blouse and flower-printed full skirt outfit. But why did Mama always cut my bangs so short before picture time?

A baptismal or christening gown is usually our first need for a special occasion dress. I don't have a photograph of me in one but they are usually a long, white linen or soft cotton garment that is sometimes handed down from generation to generation. It may have elaborate embroidery or lace trimming and often comes with a matching bonnet and blanket. I made my daughter's dedication gown out of scraps leftover from my wedding dress.

Scenes at Ladera Park Baby Show, Los Angeles and Antioch (California) Diaper Derby.

Although not as elaborate as today's baby pageants, this 1950s Baby Pageant and Diaper Derby is evidence our moms were eager to show us cuties off back then as well. Don't you love the bonnets?

First Communion Photo Brian Harrington Spier

Another cause for fancy dress is the Roman Catholic tradition and family celebration of First Communion. The girls 1st communion dresses are usually white frilly affairs that are commonly passed down from a sister or maybe even their mother and worn with a veil or a flowered hair wreath.

Except for the occasional holiday party dresses or any other party dresses for girls need, the next reason for dressing up is the high school prom. As my mama was married at age sixteen, I do not have any vintage prom dresses photos of her. By senior prom time she would have probably been wearing maternity evening dresses anyway. Most of the photos of fifties proms show very elaborate, fluffy, frilly, hoop skirted, and cancan slipped creations.

Peter Stevens Illustration for December 1953 Family Circle

Debutante balls were very popular during the fifties with the upper class ladies introduction to society necessitating the selection of perfect cotillion dresses for the occasion.

Cotillion Dresses

But what does all of our dresses for special occasions dreams culminate in? While it may be true that we imagine ourselves in a Dior New Look design or even Grace Kelly like Oscar gowns, our more attainable dream is our wedding dress.

Most little girls believe in fairy tales and dream of storybook weddings. This Cinderella Fantasy wedding gown most definitely qualifies as one of the more spectacular dresses for special occasion.

1950s Wedding Dresses

Except for the aforementioned Easter dresses I may not have had reasons to wear a special dress but I sure did love to look at the glamorous gowns. I still love those magazine stories and photos from the fifties.

Dresses For Special Occasions Pin Board
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