A Little Black Dress

Recently I came across a piece I'd written as part of an exercise in a writing class. The instructor's objective for the class was to be able to recall and write about a memory. The memory I wrote about was actually from my mother's childhood and was prompted by an article of clothing that is in my possession. So, I decided to reproduce that short piece of writing along with photographs of a little black dress and a picture of my mother. The picture of Mom was made in April, 1944 and she would have just turned 24 years old.

"My grandmother made a little black dress for my mother when she was 2 years old. It was hand-stitched with little yellow flowers embroidered around the neckline. (on the bodice front) I didn't even know this little dress existed until my grandmother gave it to me after my mother passed away. (in 1993) Every now and then I take it (the dress) out of the drawer to look at it. I imagine my grandmother stitching and sewing. I visualize what my mother looked like as a toddler wearing this black satin dress in the 1920's. Then, I touch it and feel my mom and my grandmother that both touched that dress."

Not exactly great prose, but it did make me take the little black dress out once again and look at an article my own mother wore more than 80 years ago. The black satin fabric is beginning to fray and should be placed in a display of some sort to preserve it. I don't possess many items from my parent's past. To glimpse back to an era before my time, a time when my mother was 2 years old, provokes many thoughts. It bridges the past with the present. My mom's little black dress is a precious treasure I hope to keep until it can be passed on to the next generation.