Happy Graduation Day

"Lower School Graduation. I swear my mom made me wear that dress. I HATE IT" (via)

On the verge of teen

Body set to grow up soon

Mom still picks your dress

You look like you are

Terrified of seventh grade

Now that Six is done

Shell Shock on your face

No room for you to smile

Teacher peeks around

Ronald McDonald Liked it!

Really, what better praise could there be for an outfit? Especially since Ronnie Mc D is such a fashion icon!

"I hated that dress, but my grandma bought it for me so mom made me wear it. Ronald McDonald liked it though. :)" (via)

I am disturbed by the strategically, and tragically, placed bow. Or, is it just that the dress is friggin' enormous on her?

Also, I always think pearls for a child's birthday party, don't you?

An Ode To Bandana Girl

"me, 3rd grade. my mom made me wear this land's end dress i hated, so i sabotaged the picture with a side ponytail, red bandana and clip-on earrings. i don't remember cutting that chunk out of my bangs, though. her best friend loves this picture so much, she still has it framed in her living room."

Oh, Bandana Girl, you've won my heart

With your little bit of art.

Your fashion choice is so perplexing

I'm sure your mother found it vexing.

Bandana shawl, a fashion no-no.

(But you're right-the Land's End has to go-go.)

The clip-on-earrings--ouch, those hurt.

That side ponytail--what a flirt!

Fun with scissors on those bangs.

No telling where this photo hangs!

Coy smirk that tells us where to shove it.

I look at this photo now, and man, I love it.

Stripedy Stripes

Poor "Valerie," stuck in an outfit that should have been on the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

"I hated this dress...It was Mom's favorite." (via)

I think my mom probably had a blouse like this. The era was big on the pseudo-bow/tie for girls. And the fabric was so breathable!

I hated this dress

Sometimes, that's really all we need to say. I hated this dress! (And it doesn't matter how cute everyone else might have thought you looked.)

"pretend you like each other...ooo I hated that dress." (via)

"I hated my dress." (via)

"I hated my dress." (via)

Okay, I've really got to agree with her about that one. Lace, ruffles, the hat--that's a lot of look.

"My sister and I used to hate wearing the same clothes as each other but my mother still made the same clothes for us anyway. I was exceptionally proud of wearing this though because I had two additional straps and my sister didn't. Back then, I felt that Ma used extra cloth to make my set so I felt that I've won." (via)

You showed her! Ha!

Of course, big sister did get the red shoes, so who really won here?

"...in March of '58, the school had a formal awards banquet and dance. Mama and I went to Wichita Falls to shop for a formal. It took us an entire exhausting Saturday on sidewalks from one shop to another, in and out of fitting rooms. There was a strictly limited amount of money available to spend, and Mama had strict ideas about what was appropriate to wear.

She wouldn't approve, or couldn't afford, any of the dresses I wanted. I wanted floor length. She demanded street length. I wanted strapless. That was out of the question for her. I wanted white, pink, or black. White showed stains too easily, she said; redheads just don't wear pink; black was 'too old for me.' She liked stiff, rustling organza, and I wanted soft satin or velvet, or at least crepe de chine.

Mama picked my dress over my objections and I hated it. The shoes were hand-me-downs from her boss' daughter who had gone away to college. The nylon stockings had seams in back, opaque reinforced toes that showed in my sandals (i watend seamless sheers, of course), and were held up by a white garter belt.

Mama even bought my corsage, from a florist who was one of her regular customers...Our landlady wanted to take a picture of me in my 'pretty dress' before I left for the dance. Or maybe she wanted to get a picture of her new color TV and her grandson's portrait. She didn't even get all of my dress in the shot." (via)

As far as I am concerned, all this woman had to say was "OPAQUE REINFORCED TOES THAT SHOWED IN MY SANDALS." A fashion crime against nature. Of course, I could argue that just the concept of the stockings with sandals at all is the real crime, but when you add the double offense of the reinforced toe, it simply not right.

The final dress-hater for today is also not a fan of pink.

"As a young girl, I was forced to wear pink. I had pink receiving blankets, pink hair accessories, pink ballet clothes, and pink dresses. Just by being a girl, everyone assumed I liked pink.

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!
I HATE PINK!

I am in the back row of this photo looking miserable, bored, and humiliated. Calgon, take me away!" (via)

Strangely, she does not mention the ridiculous hair bow, which I find the larger issue-badumbum.
And is that a Raggedy Ann and Andy theme on the recital dresses? When I took ballet, I seem to remember a dance called the Rag Doll, but no costumes as spiffy as these.

Have a dress you hated? Send it along to myparentsmademewearthis at gmail dot com.