I still hear stories of the family christening gown being called into service generation after generation. White has always been traditional for ceremony. And for children, holiday finery was almost always white.
All lacy and pin-tucked, they elicit tales of grandmothers and grandfathers alike, because babies of both genders formerly wore gowns indiscriminately.
But fine antique baby things don't have to have the baby to go with! They stand alone on display in a charming way. They are symbols of cherished memory. Of loving and being loved. Reminders of the sweet and brief moments of infancy.
Recently a beautifully ruffled gown turned up in a nursing home thrift store. Opening it's aged folds I found a small note tucked inside that read simply,"My baby dress." How tenderly that keepsake had been guarded over the years.
It isn't only the beauty that admirers respond to, but the residual joy woven into a gown's very threads.
I like to play dress up with my own grand-babies, and love to loan gowns for a romantic photo shoot. And what a happy occasion it can be to begin a new tradition with a borrowed story. Add a little monogrammed towel to tuck under a chin, or over a new mother's shoulder, and you have a truly original and priceless gift.
Little Eva napping in her everyday garb.Thanks for stopping by! AND. . .Thanks to Kathleen from Faded Charm for hosting White Wednesday!
