I found a pair of my mother's antique lace gloves today and with them sweet memories of time gone by. My mother was of a generation of women who wore white gloves to
church, their very best Sunday dress, a hat (especially on Easter), stockings, high heel shoes.
It was a time when men wore hats, dressed in suits for church.
It was a time when men opened doors for women and women were proud they did.
It was a time of modesty and yet a time of the almost nude pin-ups.
I reminded of women and shirtwaist dresses, tiny cluth purses, a hanky in their hand.
It was a time of actresses like Audrey Hepburn.
And pin-up girls like Betty Page.
And actors like Charlton Heston.
Television shows like I Love Lucy, The Lone Ranger, Father Knows Best ...
Singers like Elvis.
And a Democrat actor who saw the light and became Conservative Republican politician like no other- Ronald Reagan.
Oh what memories triggered by a small pair of lace gloves.
Lace Gloves... nostalgic memories of a different, less complex time, before 9/11/2001. - reb
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Posted by: Snake Hunter | February 09, 2013 at 06:06 PM
It was a different time for sure. People live in blue jeans today, even at church. People don't dress up like they did then.
My parents were not rich by any means. They came from very poor beginnings. They worked very hard for every penny they earned as adults.
Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, but always dressed in their best for church out of respect for God.
When they were children, they felt lucky to have clothes, any clothes, hand-me-downs, but they worked hard and had comfortable lives.
As children, my brother and I learned valuable lessons. We tried to teach our daughter those same lessons and also our grandson.
Posted by: Debbie | February 09, 2013 at 08:12 PM
I remember getting new clothes at the beginning of the school year, a new dress and shoes at Passover, and new clothes for the summer.
Now kids demand a new wardrobe every month.
Posted by: Mystical Time Traveler | February 09, 2013 at 11:09 PM
I had a pair of gloves just like that which I bought in a resale shop. How I long for a little modesty, elegance and style in the way people dress.
Each of us who cares and remembers needs to start putting a little more effort in the way we look - it won't bring the past back, but we might just influence the future.
Posted by: Susan Benton | February 10, 2013 at 12:19 AM
I still have my great-aunt's lace gloves. A family treasure as far as I'm concerned.
Wonderful memoir post, Debbie.
Posted by: Always On Watch | February 10, 2013 at 06:04 AM
Question: Are those gloves crocheted?
Posted by: Always On Watch | February 10, 2013 at 06:05 AM
AOW, yes. And they are so small and delicate looking. I must have put them in my dresser drawer after my mother died in 2001, and forgot about them. I was cleaning out drawers yesterday and there they were.
I will give them to our daughter.
Posted by: Debbie | February 10, 2013 at 09:10 AM
Susan: I'm sure these were not expensive gloves, my mother never bought anything expensive, always saving and thinking of others.
MTT: Yes, I remember getting new dress and shoes at Easter when I was little, maybe a new dress at Christmas, and the necessary school clothes.
Nothing designer, only the essentials.
When I learned how to sew in Middle School, I started making most of my clothes myself. Fabric was cheap then.
Posted by: Debbie | February 10, 2013 at 09:13 AM
I sure wish we could go back to those days.
I remember going to K-Mart in Minot and getting 3 pairs of new Wranglers for school.
They were only 10 bucks a pair with the Blue Light Special...remember that ?
Posted by: PALADIN | February 10, 2013 at 10:51 PM