The "Overheard" Blog

Overheard: Tales of Old Wives Dresses

By Brenna Moore, 5-23-06

While strolling around downtown, I stopped in Rainbow's End, a funky downtown boutique, and overheard a couple of friends discussing women that wear a certain type of dress.
After trying on a flowing white summer dress, a girl called in her friends to get their thoughts.

Girl in dress: I look like an old housewife.
Friend 1: It is kinda fritzy.
Girl in dress: I feel like I should be cooking or something. (Laughs)
Friend 2: In that dress? Who would do that?
Girl in dress: I don't know, old housewives.
Friend 1: (Laughs) No one would cook in that! Not even back in the day. Well, maybe I guess, if you wore a little apron over it or something,
Girl in dress: Yeah exactly. An apron that says "I love being a housewife and cooking for my husband and five children."
Friend 1: I don't think that would fit on an apron.
Girl in dress: Well that's what the apron would have to say if it was worn with this dress.
Friend 2: So that's a no then?
Girl in dress: I don't know, do you think it looks ok?
(Friends look at each other)
Girl in dress: No it's too frocky. Let's look for one less frocky. I need to look my age. [End of article]
Comment By Jill Kuraitis, 5-23-06

MWAHAHA! I can picture that dress perfectly. It WAS too frocky, and it's a relief to know that anti-frockiness is alive and well in another generation.

Comment By Patia Stephens, 5-23-06

Love it.

I used to have a couple of vintage dresses that I adored, but which everyone else referred to as "frumpy."

Comment By Greg Cohn, 5-24-06

I love this department!

Comment By Maureen Shaughnessy, 5-26-06

The definition of "frumpy" depends on your age and cultural background just like the definition of "old" depends on your age ... and "old" gets older the older we get. heheh.

Overheard is one of my favorite columns in NewWest. It lightens the rest of the NewWest news for me. This one made me chortle loud [grinning widely] Love the apron image!

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