LIFETIME FAVORITE DRESS

As a little girl, I loved to go shopping with my mom and help her pick outfits to wear to upcoming parties and events. Every morning she woke up and, before she left her bedroom, applied her make up, perfected her hair style and put on an outfit that matched to a tee. Whether that particular day called for working in her office, helping my dad with his business, volunteering at a hospital or our local aquarium, doing household chores and caring for my sister and I, or a fun once-in-a-while lunch date and golf with her girl friends, she always had the perfect outfit.

When I think back about my mom’s outfits, one in particular has stayed with me. One afternoon she took me shopping at our local indoor shopping mall, at a store called Judy’s. I was about seven years old, so I was too small to wear any of the clothes, but because it was my mom’s favorite store, it was also mine. The walls and floors were covered with clothing in a variety of colors and prints. Fun pants, tops, dresses, purses, shoes—Everything a girl could want!

On this day my mom had a dinner party to attend, so she was searching for a cute dress and, of course, we found it; a white sixty’s style number with bright orange polka dots. The sleeves were short, barely covering the top of her shoulders and it was layered with one inch pleats that ran from the dresses neckline to its hemline. It was a mini dress and my mom looked great in it. 

I remember that dress hanging at the end of the rack in her closet for years after. After mom’s passing I went looking for our favorite dress, but could not find it. So it I cherish the memory of finding it with her, a favorite dress now a favorite memory.