What does Memorial Day mean to you? Was it the unofficial start to summer, bbq, beach and bathing suits? Was it spent cleaning out your closet and putting away your winter clothes and pulling out your white pants, shoes and accessories? Or did you go shopping for the kick off of summer fashion? No matter what you did, I hope you had fun, incorporated all of these activities and also thanked a service member for their commitment!
Memorial Day and Fear of Fashion…how do these go together? With MD (Memorial Day for short) being the ‘break free’ holiday…most kids are out of school, weather is warm and we want to hit the beach, the pool or sprinkler, days are longer and the moon appears to be a bit brighter, we find ourselves outside more. I remember as a child growing up in Pennsylvania, we would go ‘Down the Shore’ each MD and that was something we looked forward to all winter! Atlantic City Beach, the boardwalk, Steel Pier and so much more! Long lazy days at the beach and late nights on the boardwalk…who could ask for anymore. But there was prep, a lot of prep, before you would go down the shore. Had to find the right bathing suit (you would be seeing friends and family you had not seen in months), the perfect sun dress, sandals, shorts and so much more. It was the time of year you could wear white and it was perfectly acceptable!
If Memorial Day was when you could officially wear white, what was Easter? How did Labor Day effect your style? What about…well, there are so many holidays and so much fashion! Let’s think about tradition, Easter was the first big spring time holiday and all the girls are looking for a spring dress and I believe this is where my addiction to shoes started, with Easter. Specifically, black patent leather Mary Jane Shoes. Easter meant a new dress and new shoes. Since it was Easter you could wear patent leather shoes with your pretty spring dress. Then came Memorial Day which meant bathing suits, summer dresses, shorts and tanks but most importantly, it was not official, you could wear white! White Jeans. White Shoes. White Anything. White is now ok but only until Labor Day. Once Labor Day arrives, summer is over. No more patent leather shoes, no more sandals and we better put away the white (at least until next Memorial Day).
As I become melancholy for “the shore” I have to admit, not only did we go down the shore but the family lived there for several years…so, yes, we lived down the shore! Your sleepy town during the winter increases 4 times during the summer. You have family & friends visiting and so much more happening between Memorial Day and Labor Day. A life time of teenage fun was crammed in those few weeks. How do you explain what these holidays mean from fashion to family. What do these holidays represent to you? Are they markers on your calendar on when to accomplish a task, celebrate an event, be thankful for freedom, or just to remind you when you can wear white pants? No matter how you celebrate your holidays, always remember to be safe!
