Easter Dresses

42 comments
Eileen and I have been talking about great Easter memories including gloves, purses, hats and new dresses. We thought we would show some pictures from our childhood and bask in the memories. It would be fun to see your pictures too, so play along with us. Go to Eileen's blog post and sign up with us through Mr. Linky and add your blog name to the trail of vintage Easter pictures.

My first pictures are all black and white. I have some color pics to show later this week. Growing up, Easter was a big Holiday second only to Christmas followed closely by Halloween and Thanksgiving. My mom, Freda, always made our clothes and Easter clothes were a special part of the day - something new to represent the resurrection.
I look kind of shy here. I was 3 here I think. The most important part of the picture to me is my natural curls that my mom would form into ringlets. The picture was taken with my cousin, Sonny. He was nearly my dad's age and we were very close to him and his mom, my very special Aunt Julia that we called Auntie. At the time this picture was taken we were neighbors. We moved soon after this was taken. You can see it was in an old part of town and this street doesn't even exist now. It was a humble neighborhood. But when you are a kid, home is a wonderful place, especially on a Holiday. I can actually remember the slip I wore with the itchy tulle, more than I remember the dress or hat.
Now this picture shows my true personality - the bratty baby of the family. This is Easter Sunday taken outside of our church building in Reading Pennsylvania. My mom, Freda, is middle back. Two of my 4 sisters, Polly (left) and Michelle (right) are with me. I think I was around 7-8 in this picture. I can remember the fleesy white coat. I remember I lost a button that went to the coat and I couldn't find it.
This was taken the same day, obviously. It was with my Sunday School class. I grew up with these kids from birth through 11th grade and then my family moved to Utah. The kids all grew up to be great people. My sister Michelle was our teacher at that time. She couldn't have been more than 15 or so. Our congregation was quite small at the time and at a young age we were all given responsibilities. I was the Junior Sunday School secretary when I was 13. Seems strange to think that now.

Don't pictures from your childhood make you smile!

-nanette
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42 comments

Browndirtcottage said...

Love the pictures...brings back those memories of Easter Sunday..'Stand Still Now'.. pictures!!

Purple and Paisley said...

lol...love the pic with you sticking out your tongue! i bet your mom could have strangled you! the pics are fabulous...such wonderful memories...☺...

Jodi Nelson said...

Oh I love the pictures! I'll have to see if I can find mine. ooxx`jodi

rachel griffith said...

awww nanette.
these pics are perfect.

thanks for sharing them.
i LOVED reading about them.

Sandy said...

Thanks for sharing your great pictures! The one sticking your tongue out is precious...I bet your Mom didn't know until she had them developed!

Kaaren said...

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. B & W photos...I have a lot of those from my childhood. As a matter of fact, Nanette, I think there's one of me sticking out my tongue as well!

Darlene said...

The memories have come flooding back. LOL! I shared with Eileen that my mom would make my dresses and dye socks to match my dress. Even sewing ruffled lace to edges of the socks. And, let's not discuss the itchy petticoats we wore! LOL

Annette said...

Loved your pictures. It makes me want to go find mine. What great memories you have. And a very talented mother. ..Oh and I was Jr. Sunday School secretary when I was 14 and living in Washington.

Thimbleanna said...

So cute Nanette -- love that tongue sticking out LOL! I don't remember many of my easter dresses. I do remember having a new one every year though!

Messy Karen said...

black and white photos are the best. so so cute. can't wait to see more.

Rachel said...

So cute...I told the kids in Sunday School that I'll be wearing an Easter Bonnet on Sunday (jokingly but I think I should just for fun and old times) but none of the kids knew what an Easter bonnet was!

Blakely said...

I loved looking at the pictures and reading about your childhood memories.

Cathi said...

What wonderful old pictures!! I remember Easter Sunday always being the beginning of warm weather -- and people all looking so wonderful in their spring coats and hats.

Abby and Stephanie said...

Fun. My mom has boxes and albums full of childhood pics. I only have one and it's not Easter, it's Christmas. I didn't seem to smile in pictures either.

Gayle said...

I got such a kick out of this post! Thank you for sharing the photos. :-)

Momoo said...

Thanks for sharing your photos and memories. I was just thinking today that no one around here (MI) dresses up for Easter. When we visit my brother-in-law in SC for Easter, a lot of the women still dress up.
I used to make my girls a fancy dress for Easter, of course that was before they had a lot of say about wearing lace and ruffles. They did look really cute.
When I was a girl we always got a new hat for Easter. Catholic women had to wear hats to church back then. I still have some of the hats from my parent's estate.

Rebecca P said...

Wonderful pictures, thank you for sharing a part of you.
How I remember fondly those past Easter Sundays all dressed up. Makes me want to go look in my photo album & find my photos.
Rebecca P

Lynn said...

darling - but ooh I can feel that itchy tulle like it was yesterday. Some things just stay with you.

Unknown said...

Such priceless photos and it is so vintage that everyone looks incredibly stylish!
~Emily

em's scrapbag said...

I love your old photos. Thanks for sharing your Easter memories. Hope you have a great one.

Anonymous said...

V. here...
These photos are great!! They bring back memories...I remember white gloves at Easter, white shoes with white socks, and a hat and purse. My Mom always made my dresses too. But I only remember once-I think I was in high school that we ever got an Easter basket with candy as a surprise on Easter morning. V.

Mary said...

Thanks for spurring memories. Easter Dresses were also a big deal at my house. One year my dress was 'store-bought' (a rarity) and was made of "polished cotton" which must have been a big deal since I remember that to this day. I also remember my mom making a pill-box hat out of a Quaker Oats box for my sister. Obviously during the Kennedy years. Aah.

Susan said...

Sweet pictures! Especially like the tongue sticking out (from one who understands--another baby of the family with four older sisters). I love old pictures and the memories.

Carrie P. said...

That is so funny, the picture of you sticking out your tongue. Thanks for sharing.

Dawn said...

I do love looking at old pics!! Recently we have been doing it a lot! Most crack me up!! Thanks for sharing yours...

Jane's Fabrics and Quilts said...

Oh they are so sweet, my mom did the same thing, she made our dresses but we always got a new Easter Coat and Hat. Easter was one of her favorite holidays too!

Sherri said...

I love your pictures..what treasures! And I love your story and explanations! I only have one...but I think I might post it anyway!

Unknown said...

What wonderful photos...You were/are adorable and I am so glad that you shared this special part of your past with us!!!!

Jodie said...

I love your photos Nanette, especially the cheeky brat one!

Calamity Jane's Cottage, Bonnie said...

Hi Nanette,
You have brought back some good memories. I need to dig for some of our old pictures and post about them. Since Moms passing, I will have to Dig... So much to sort through. You looked to have a personality that stood out from everyone...
Keep Stitchen'
Bonnie

Val said...

Oh how precious! I remember where the little white gloves with little white patton shoes and pocketbooks and a sweet little dress that my Mom made. I love your pictures.

Unknown said...

Great pictures! I don't know if I ever knew you lived in Reading. My hubby grew up in Kutztown and my mother-in-law still lives there. We go to Reading quite a bit as it is a stones throw from Kutztown. What year did you move?

Lori Holt said...

Hi Nanette-
I loved seeing these photos of you. I am partial to childhood pictures as you can tell whenever you visit my blog!
I'll have to pull out a few of mine and share them, as soon as I get past my busy time with deadlines.
I'd sure like to see more of your photos:) Thanks for sharing them.

I didn't know that you grew up in Pennsylvania! Another thing we have in common, I lived there for two years during 4th and 5th grade in Lancaster County, a little town called Landenburg. My dad was transfered there for two years and we all went with him.
We all have wonderful memories of that gorgeous area!

It's been fun getting to know more about you:)
Lori

Nedra said...

Oh Nanette. The pictures are wonderful, especially the one with you sticking your tongue out! When I was young I almost refused entirely to have my picture taken, ( I thought I was too ugly) so I'm having a hard time coming up with Easter pictures. I'll keep hunting.

randi said...

These pictures are too fun! I do love that second one!

jen duncan said...

I'm sure many people think this, but I do believe that you and I grew up in the very best of times. The hard times were over, VietNam wasn't yet known, mom's still stayed home, WE STILL DRESSED FOR CHURCH (for heaven's sake), we could play freely outside all day. I'd give anything for my grandkid's to be able to experience what we did.
Thanks for the link idea. I think I will play along. :-)

Eileen said...

hah! That is hilarious. I could hardly believe that you stuck out your tongue. SO funny!!
And I love the picture of you with your cousin. I think he quite resembles your father..doesn't he? Those brick streets.. we used to have them in the larger towns here too.. and I always remember wanting to drive on the "chimney streets".. that's what we called them as kids. Wonderful memories.
Now I'll go look and see who else signed up to play!

Ulla said...

Lovely pictures! I think my mother would not have a) taken or b) kept a picture with someone sticking out her tongue. I'm glad you have this picture to show us.

Hillary said...

Those are fantastic pics you looked great then and now! I sure hope I can make great memories for my own children as holidays and everydays come along. :)

Candace said...

Wonderful photos, Nanette! I wish I had some of mine - they're probably packed way away for now! I know there is one almost identical to the first - only with my stepfather....and we had an Aunt Martha that we called Auntie, too! Great memories!
Cheers!

happy zombie said...

You and Pam and Jona have me wanting to search for my early Easter pics... and pics of my kids. Loved, loved, loved reading your memories. Love you!

Nan said...

What wonderful memories, Nanette! I have so enjoyed looking at your photos, especially the one with you sticking your tongue out! I have a few pics of myself that way........