My Mother's Wedding Dress

The dress on the right is the one my mother chose in 1951 for her wedding in August of that year.  She made it herself and her two sisters had matching dresses in different colors.  She had wanted a white wedding gown but was coerced by her mother to make a more "practical" dress that could be worn again.

Here are my grandparents and parents outside the church after the wedding.

Her dress was of dusty rose nailhead taffeta with a nylon taffeta inset and pearl buttons according to this comprehensive newspaper account.  In the background you can see her older sister in her matching dress in light yellow.   Her younger sister wore orchid.

I remember this dress hanging in our downstairs hall closet during the 60's and I think it went to Goodwill when we moved in 1970.  I was in high school and not yet into vintage clothing or I would have saved it.