Sometimes, where you end up is right back where you started. In the case of what you and I wear day in and day out, this seems to be true and these photos are evidence for my case.
These are my grandparents, circa 1925 (see any resemblance?). During the year, they lived in Souix City, Iowa, but from late May to early September, they traveled to their second home near Okoboji Lake. I have only the foggiest memory of this house – my mom, brothers, and I made a short trip when I was younger, and the seclusion is the only portion of the memory that stands out. A legit corn field sat across from the house and the closest convenience store was, well, not very close. My mom used to tell me stories about her childhood there – she even told me about her first kiss and the lucky boy who got to smooch her one summer. It fascinates me to think about spending an entire summer away from your normal life. Hell, I’m lucky that I get a four day weekend for Fourth of July.
Fashion has changed a lot since then. Silhouettes and fabrics have been blacklisted while other have been added to the popular list. The same goes for designers. I sound like a broken record when I say that our mothers and grandmothers were right when they preached about the importance of having a timeless wardrobe, but just like a Frank Sinatra song, that statement is worth repeating one more time. Raise your hand if you’d wear that monogrammed sweatshirt below (my hand is raised up high). What about that long dress my grandmother is wearing? I have a very similar dress in my closet that I’ve worn many times over the past couple of weeks.
So, is it possible to have a wardrobe that is timeless to the point of lasting a century? Boy that’s a grand statement, but Newton sounded just as absurd when he claimed that the world was round.
