Friday, April 10, 2009

Easter Dresses from the Past (and my 200th post!)


My friend Betty told me about a fantastic blog that is linking posts of past Easter dress photos in her blog. Please visit: Eileen's Attic for the Easter dress parade!


Easter was and is my favourite time of the year. Of course I loved it when I was a child because my Mom made it such fun! She always managed to buy us a new dress and new white patent shoes, with an Easter bonnet to match. Her favourite store to shop at was Simpson Sears bargain centre! I think she only paid $2.00 or $3.00 for each dress. Of course mine were always passed down to my younger sisters, although once in a while they got a new dress of their own.

My Mom always hid our baskets the night before Easter Sunday, and we were up bright and early to hunt for them. I remember finding mine in the kitchen cupboard, or on the dining room chair, hidden under the table, and sometimes even in the coat closet in the living room. My Mom patiently assembled our baskets very artistically, and put plastic wrap over everything to hold it in place. My basket smelled wonderful for days afterwards. I loved jelly beans, malt eggs, and anything chocolate! I remember once I got a Matchbox car with a trunk that opened; I played with it for hours, with my Easter chick going for long rides in the trunk!

After breakfast we scrambled to get ready in our Easter best. After the picture taking, we were off for Sunday School and church. The true hope of Easter still remains in my heart; the lovely Easter story I learned as a child still brightens my outlook of life, and I know that Christ is risen indeed and that is what makes Easter so special for me.

In this photo, Leona on the right is wearing a pink straw hat, and I'm wearing a white one. I still have them both, and yes, I have my Easter basket too! This photo was taken in our living room on Monmouth Street. My Mom made the drapes. EASTER 1966



My Mom, with Marlene on her lap. Easter 1967



Easter 1967: I loved this purse! Yes...I still have it! I was wearing a pink lace dress. (see close up picture of purse down below) I think Leona's dress was white.



(Easter hats; click on photo to see detail)

My parents took a lot of pictures this Easter! Maybe we were too cute to resist!



Easter 1968. My Aunt Frieda (my Mom's older sister) made Leona and I matching sleeveless dresses with a jacket; a turquoise colour, with tiny flowers scattered across the fabric. Leona is standing in back and looking ill, as she had eaten most of her chocolate rabbit, and refused to hold it or get near any more chocolate.



Easter 1970; we look better in colour! I loved this turquoise dress; it had a sheer fabric over a pretty cotton print underneath. Leona had a brand new dress in matching green, and Marlene also had a brand new pink dress. Look at our knee socks!


I love this photo. I was 10 years old, Leona was 8, Marlene was 5. I loved my sailor coat too; it was given to me by someone at my Dad's work. It seemed that no matter how cold Easter was, it didn't matter; out came the thin spring coats, spring dresses, and summer shoes!


I hope you've enjoyed this tour down memory lane! I'll have to visit my parent's home and see if I can find any more Easter pictures. In 1971 I had another sister, so she needs to be added to the blog album!
Loretta Houben

19 comments:

Dawn said...

Very cute photos of you and your sisters. Happy 200th post and Happy Easter!

Linda said...

And NO Marie...poor left out Marie...I am going to post a lovely picture of her on my blog after Pink Saturday...I will give her a day all her own...LOL

Linda

Eileen said...

Oh these are beautiful photos. And you still have your dress, hat and purse! I almost squealed out loud. The little bluebirds and the eyelette.. that is just so precious! Thank you so much for joining in on the parade and sharing your memories with us. Happy Easter!

Celestina Marie said...

Hi Loretta, Happy Easter. You and your family sure look cute dressed up for Easter so many years ago. I lovfe your darling little purse too.
All the family dinnner pics are such wonderful memory makers.

I loved how you displayed the plate your purchased from me in my etsy shoppe. It looks terrific with the little chicks below.

Hope your Easter is special and thank you for stopping by and entering my giveaway. BIG CONGRATS on your 200th post.
hugs, Celestina Marie

Ulla said...

No wonder your mother and you kept those lovely hats and purses! Congratulations on you 200th post.

Sandy said...

Wow, you have a lot of memories and how wonderful that you still have some of your wardrobe. Sure wish I had my favorite wicker purse.

jeanne said...

Hello Loretta, thank you for your visit today. I loved your post and Easter parade through the years. You were the prettiest little girls. I think your navy coat was adorable. You made a very cute sailor girl. The photos took me down my memory lane too. There were six of us, five girls and one boy. We too dressed up each Easter. One photo we had hats AND ribbons in our hair. A little much. LOL.

Blessings to you and your family this Easter.

Hugs...Jeanne

Messy Karen said...

thanks for sharing your pics. love the knee socks.

Marjorie (Molly) Smith said...

Hi, I really enjoyed taking this trip down memory lane. My kids would have been just about your age, my oldest was born in '63. All 3 boys, so I never got to dress a little girl in frills.

Carrie P. said...

Love your Easter photos. I can't believe you still have the purse. It is so sweet.

Susan said...

You looked so cute all dressed up for Easter. Your mother did much planning and made wonderful memories for you. Absolutely love that you have the outfit complete to display--wow!
I have also visited your posts on Chatty Cathy. I am beyond words for your pictures tell an incredible story. I have my very old and worn Cathy with me still but my Chatty Baby didn't survive my childhood. I do have her undergarment as a reminder.

sweetmemorymakingmom said...

Thank you for stopping by my blog and inviting me to yours! I love your Easter tribute! I am amazed that you have your pretty dress and that adorable purse! That is so awesome. What is even better is that you have a picture to go with them! hugs, Ellen

Anonymous said...

Love all the old Easter pictures. They look so much like some of our old ones. Our daughter was born in 1960 and our son in 62. Our daughter sent us a SmileBox Easter greeting that had some of those old photos included. Our daughter was commenting yesterday how we used to get new hats, purses, and even gloves to go with our Easter outfits. Times have sure changed.
I'm glad you let me know about your Easter past post.
Charlotte

Nanette Merrill said...

Love the pictures of your easters and the memories. I wish I had that many pictures. But your Easters sound like mine. Great memories. So special.

Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) said...

Loretta...what cute pics! Little girls do love their new Easter dresses! When I was growing up, we used to always wear hats back then, too. :-) Thanks for bringing back memories of fun Easters. Sorry you can't get any Target birds. :-( Wish you could join in. I think Target needs to come to Canada! Susan

Stephanie ~ Angelic Accents said...

Congrats on your 200th post!

What adorable siblings you all were!! Love to see the Easter photos of the past!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog & leaving such a kind comment. Please visit again soon!

Hugs,
Stephanie
Angelic Accents

Unknown said...

great Easter dresses and photo's, too! Four girls...wow!

Betty said...

I've been so busy and I didn't realize you had decided to participate. When I saw that blog I knew you would have pictures! I should have realized you'd also still have some of the things shown in the pictures. Where do you keep it all? Loved the pictures and congratulations on your 200th post.

Amy said...

How fun to see these old photos. I agree with the point that no matter how cold Easter was, we always brought out the thinner coats and such!
It is wonderful that you still have so many of those Easter clothing items. The purse is adorable. I do not haver any of my many easter hats or purses....I sure wish I did.
Thanks for sharing. I remember the first Easter I was grown up enough to wear panty hose. I thought I was just about IT!!
Amy