by Thelly Reahm - Tidbits of Time
1959
Growing up, I’d never had a formal gown, except to be part of a wedding. I longed to have experienced the feeling of going to some exquisite occasion with a long dinner gown.
When the opportunity came up to go to a dressy dinner dance, short cocktail dresses were the in thing to wear. Finally, I would get to go to something really ‘up-town’ as we called it. Never mind that a long gown was out and short fluffies were in.
The invitation came from a very unexpected source: The Fish and Game Department
They were having a fundraising dinner dance for Ducks Unlimited. Finally, something to include the wives. That was an unusual thing for the hunters to do.
I ran down to Evelyn Wigton’s on Garnet, but there was nothing in the way of dressy dresses. So, off I went to downtown San Diego. I searched in every store from Lion’s to Lerners, trying to find something that suited me and was also in my price range. I went from the chain of Fifth Avenue shops on up to C Street where Montgomery Ward was located. I was about to give up. My expectations were not great for Wards…they never had anything that was really in style!
Wherever I went, I always checked the sale racks first. That was a habit long-standing from the Great Depression years, and old habits die hard. Today was not any different.
Off in the corner of Women’s Wear, there it was on the sale rack. It was Green chiffon, with a small figure in it of spring flowers. It was gorgeous. I could feel my heart quicken. There were three of them all in a row. An 18, which was way too big, a size 5 which was too small and, lucky for me, a size 10. The price was $15.95! It was half what it had been. Wow! I could afford it and still have enough in the entertainment fund for the dance tickets. I probably wouldn’t be big enough in the bustline for the 10 as I usually took a 9, but I could stuff my bra! I had been known to do once in awhile, since I’d lost my voluptuous breasts after nursing two children.
I took the 10 into the bare closet they provided for a dressing room and tried it on. It had a tiny waistline with criss-cross self belt. There was no mirror, but I knew it looked good. I could feel it!
Curt and Doris were going with us. I knew Doris would be dressed to the nines, and probably sporting her mink stole. That mink stole always intimidated me, but this dress I’d found was going to run a close second. I felt really swishy in it! It showed off my small waist and had a bit of gathers in the bustline. Doris had gotten a boob job by this time and I felt intimidated by that too! Oh, well! I was much younger, by ten years than she was. That must account for something. And my hair was not grey yet.
When we got to the dinner dance, we checked our jackets and found our places at the long banquet tables. It was the usual fare of rubber chicken and tired peas, but I was out among ‘em (as my mother used to say) for the first time in my married life. This was pretty spiffy. Even the Mayor was going to be there to give a short speech. I was feeling good!
Then she walked in and I was aghast!
I didn’t know her, but she was wearing my dress! My eyes followed her to the far side of the room. With any luck at all the people at our table would not notice, but it would be a different story when we got up to dance. She could dance right past me…our twin dresses might even touch! It would be noticeable then, for sure!
That was the trouble with buying something at Wards. They bought many of the same items. They probably got car-load prices. That’s why I’d been able to afford the dress.
I longed for my jacket, but it was hung in the coat closet. I couldn’t hide.
All through dinner the food was sticking in my craw like a wad of Kleenex.
“What’s the matter with you?” my husband said, “you look like you lost your best friend.”
“Well, see that lady…over there…at the far table…she has my dress on!” I could feel the hot tears start to spring into my eyes. That familiar twitch in my nose that preceded a good cry was happening right there in the middle of the San Diego Athletic Club. Good Grief! How I wished I were dead, or at the least under the table.
The music started playing but I was not anxious to dance.
I excused myself and went to the powder room.
After splashing some cold water on my eyes and touching up my lipstick I picked at my hair a bit I decided to bluff my way through this fashion faux pas. I re-adjusted the belt line of the dress to make it tighter and walked out of the rest room with my head held high. This was the only way to handle it.
When I came out she was heading for the powder room, I didn’t even have to walk over to her table.
“Hi,” I said, my voice quivering, “You don’t know me, but I’d like to compliment you on your cocktail dress…it’s beautiful…you have great taste!” and I moved on toward our table.
I glanced back over my shoulder and winked. She was just standing there at the side of the ballroom with her mouth wide open!
I knew exactly how she felt!
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