The New Dress

I've been reading a wonderful book called THE ANGELS OF MORGAN HILL by author Donna Vanliere. The book is set in Tennessee in 1947. Reading one passage brought an old memory to the forefront today.

The passage: "I'd been wearing the same dress to church for two years. Somebody made it out of a flour sack (even women's dresses were made out of flour sacks) and handed it down to me when I was seven and it was way too big then. Now it was way too small, riding up above my knees."

I'm probably one of very few who actually remember or had a dress made from a flour sack. These flour sacks were floral prints and offered an economical way to stitch new dresses. I had quite a wardrobe full of these practical dresses when I lived with my grandmother for a few years. I knew the rules. After school, I would hang up my dress, take off my socks, put them inside my shoes and put on "play clothes." I would wear the same dress and socks for two days, then they would go into the laundry basket.

I came home from school and took off my dress, preparing to put it in the dirty clothes since I'd already worn it twice. My grandmother, who could be very stern at times, told me to hang my dress in the closet. I tried to make her understand that I'd already worn it twice. She insisted that I hang it in the closet. I cried. I didn't want to wear the dress for a third day. But I was taught to obey and respect my elders. So, with silent tears on my cheeks, I opened the closet door and reached for a hangar. To my surprise, I found a beautiful new store bought dress hanging inside that closet. It was the most gorgeous thing I'd ever seen. It was blue and mint green with tiny little flower appliques. My grandmother's face was lit with a big smile. She even allowed me to try it on and run across the street to show it off to my very best friend.

I can't picture what those flour sack dresses looked like, but I vividly remember that organdy dress.

Do you have any memories that stand out in your mind from childhood? I'd love to hear.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a blessed day.