Archive for January, 2009

I have a kept a dress for more than forty years, it has travelled across the Atlantic with me, survived all our moves and even the ransacking of my cupboard by my girls in search for “something different.”

Of itself, it is not so spectacular. My wedding dress, my ball gowns from the 80s are all much more flamboyant. But this dress I wore to a garden party at Buckingham Palace which I attended with my parents in 1965. Thus it has become a tangible relic of my childhood, of life in England, of the prime of my parents, of a beautiful day in a palace garden – a different life and world.

It is a knee-length peach silk/linen mix, fitted, sleeveless with a boat neck in front, low square neck in the back. There are two rows of applique embroidery of large stylized flowers and leaves in the same fabric down the front. I wore a pale blue silk coat over it. This was also my dress for summer parties and weddings (always held in the afternoon then) that year, and no doubt for the next few years, too!

Frances Price, Toronto, Ontario

I was born during “The Depression.” Those words shaped my childhood – one knew there were people much poorer than my family, but one learned not to ask for too much – not to be seen to be greedy, not to waste, and to use everything to the very last drop. I was the youngest of four girls and I always wore my sisters’ hand-me-downs. So did all my friends who were younger sisters, so it was not discussed.

The big rage in my youth was Shirley Temple. She was a huge star and I adored her in “The Good Ship Lollypop” – the first movie I ever saw. I was “Shirley” for weeks after that. I think I memorized the whole movie and I yearned for a Shirley Temple doll. My wish came true; that Christmas I received a Shirley Temple doll. She had on a blue and white checked dress and a white Peter Pan collar edged with the blue and white check. Shirley was carried everywhere and I tucked her into bed beside me every night.

My next Christmas, I received a Shirley Temple dress – the same as my doll wore! It was my first own dress – brand new – not a hand-me-down and I matched my doll! Such glee, such happiness, such pure joy. I am smiling as I write this! That dress was the most loved. I wanted to wear it every day and I never tired of it.

My best dress? Of course, and the one most appreciated.

Carol MacNichol, Toronto, Ontario

I bought my favourite dress in a small, exclusive boutique in a village in England. It had a lightly boned bodice of black crêpe, shot through with gold thread. The neckline was made of pleated black satin worn off the shoulders with a large, black satin flower in the centre. It had a two-tiered satin flounced skirt which fell to just below my knees.

At the time, 1990, it was extremely fashionable and worn with a pair of high-heeled black suede shoes with diamante bows and a chiffon stole. I felt very elegant.

The reason this dress is so special to me is because it marked a profound turning point in my life. On my return from England I was greeted at the Toronto airport by John. At this time, our relationship was in its tentative early stages and we were spending two days together to get to know one another better.

As a surprise, John had bought tickets to see “Phantom of the Opera” at the Pantages Theatre. That evening we both dressed to the nines and rode down the elevator to the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel. As we proceeded through the lobby a sudden hush descended and all eyes to turned to us as the crowds fell back, rather like the parting of the Red Sea.

Now, I already knew how distinguished John looked when formally attired, so I assumed the admiring glances were aimed at him. Apparently though, John said he had fallen a pace behind and all eyes were upon me in my stunning dress.

From there, we took a cab to Centro. Unknown to us, this restaurant was frequented by actors, movie stars and the like, and the staff were accustomed to all sorts of glamorous personalities dining there.

As we entered the restaurant, the maître d’ came to greet us. Her reaction was quite spontaneous. “Oh my,” she exclaimed, “don’t you look beautiful this evening!” We were treated like VIPs the whole time and you could see the waiters trying to work out who we were. From the restaurant we went to the theatre where we received the same reaction as people made way for us wherever we went.

That evening was the most exciting, magical and glamorous that I have ever spent. I truly felt like a princess, something I had never before experienced.

From then on, that dress has held a special place in my heart as my “Cinderella dress,” the one I wore when I found my prince!

Elizabeth Illingworth, Thunder Bay, Ontario