Over the years one dress has sprung into my memory many times. I bought it in 1962 for my trousseau (an old-fashioned word!). It was a sundress, made of cotton, in the most magnificent colours – no particular design but flowing into each other in splashes of hot pink, red, blue-pink (purple) and gold. The waist was slender, the skirt gently flared, the back low, the front in a V. Maybe it was the sheen of the cotton, the daring design, the strong impressive colours, but I felt attractive, empowered and happy wearing it.

I remember on our honeymoon in Nassau, on a hot July evening, walking on the beach carrying my shoes (probably hot pink sandals), and wearing the sundress. Tom and I were returning from having dinner at a nearby hotel and playfully enjoying the beautiful setting.

I also recall wearing this dress to a garden dinner-dance in our honour before the wedding. The hostess was so impressed with the dress that she gave me a magnificent silk stole in hot pink – it matched perfectly. She had had it and never used it.

Why have I remembered that dress? Maybe it was because it was part of a new life for me. Or, as a shy, quiet girl I was wanting to show that I could be strong and successful – part of my road to maturing. Whatever the reason, it is good to look back and appreciate it all.

Theda Deacon Toronto, Ontario