Anne took the dress and looked at it in reverent silence. Oh,
how pretty it was -- a lovely soft brown gloria with all the gloss
of silk; a skirt with dainty frills and shirrings; a waist
elaborately pintucked in the most fashionable way, with a little
ruffle of filmy lace at the neck. But the sleeves -- they were the
crowning glory! Long elbow cuffs, and above them two beautiful
puffs divided by rows of shirring and bows of brown-silk ribbon.
"I don't see how I'm going to eat breakfast," said Anne rapturously.
"Breakfast seems so commonplace at such an exciting moment. I'd
rather feast my eyes on that dress. I'm so glad that puffed sleeves
are still fashionable. It did seem to me that I'd never get over it
if they went out before I had a dress with them. I'd never have felt
quite satisfied, you see."
Antique photographs are my thing. Last summer while shopping at an antique shop, I found a beautiful photograph of a lady from the 1930's (my guess). The sweet expression on her lovely face drew me to the picture, and I had to ask the price. Five dollars! I couldn't pass her up. So I bought her and took her home with me.
Since then, I have bought eight other vintage original photographs online, each priced around five dollars. A Navy officer, his wife and their darling baby. Two poses of a lovely lady named Myra. A prim miss wearing her best straw bonnet whom I fondly named Becky. A serene young lady from California wearing a pretty corsage. A Northern, careworn elderly woman who lived through the Civil War (photo dated 1896). I study their expressive faces and wonder who they were, what joys and trials they might have faced in their lifetimes. All that remains of their brief lives are their photographs... and I feel honored to own those photos.
I have been so blessed by a sweet lady my family knows who offered to mat my photographs for me -- free of charge! I'm looking forward to displaying them in my own home someday.
Aren't these sisters sweet? I love studying period clothing; my very favorite dresses are from the late 1800's. The high lace collars, the puffed sleeves, the lovely shirtwaists, the long flowing skirts. It was an era when to be modest was fashionable. Ah, to have lived then!
Today I found an antique photograph that made me laugh. I suppose this is just another example of competing to be the most fashionably dressed -- sleeves the puffiest of them all. I declare, what we women will do for the sake of vanity! (chuckle)
I think I can guess what Marilla Cuthbert's pert remark would be. "Ridiculous-looking and a waste of material."
I think I can guess what Marilla Cuthbert's pert remark would be. "Ridiculous-looking and a waste of material."
5 comments:
Oh Naomi!
How absolutely *gorgeous* ! Anne of Green Gables is my favorite movie, and I laugh at how ridiculous her puffed sleeves. I had to giggle at the last photo. We have oodles of old family photographs lying around, some of them are picture-postcards with fancy italic script written on the back. I, too, wonder how they got to having their picture taken, where they came from, and who they were. The mystery of it almost... entertains me. :-)
One we have is of a lady in the late 1800's dressed up in a big fur coat with a frown on her face. It said on the back: "1881, to Bertha: This isn't a very great photograph of me, and my handscript is failing miserably, but at least you can know that I am still alive. Please call at (address)." How funny! Some others we have are love notes, and it's funny wondering how we got them- we have no idea who they are.
Yes, old pictures are so wonderful- I pull out the boxes we have full of them and sort them every now and then. Maybe when I return to blogging, I'll post ideas of how to spend the afternoon- look at old pictures will be on the list!!
Appreciating you and your like-minded spirit,
Laura(lea)
Dear me, this comment could be a book...
I love long comments, Laura! They make my day. =)
That is so neat that you have so many old photos! I'm sure it is entertaining to look through them. Antique photographs are just full of character and mystery.
Oh! That poor lady! Ha, ha, ha! She must have been having a bad day when she got her picture taken. That's very unfortunate. But at least Bertha got to see that she was still alive and kickin'! =D Oh, that is so funny. Isn't it neat how people a hundred years ago were just the same as people today -- embarrassed about a poor photo and all? =)
Take care! Praying for you.
Naomi
Thanks for sharing those old photos, Naomi! Mama and I really got a kick out of the last one!! Those are definitely PUFFY sleeves!!
Those will be very fun to have in your own home someday! Thanks for the laugh!! :o)
Have a lovely evening!
I'm glad you and your mother enjoyed the photos! Glad I could share a laugh, too. "Doeth good like a medicine."
I'm a random visitor who stumbled across your blog when I was looking for pictures of Marilla Cuthbert, and the antique photo of the lady with the puffed sleeves made me laugh! I think even Anne would have to concede that those are a bit much.
I think we have a lot in common, you and I. I might just have to subscribe.
~Brittany
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