My sweet daughter, Cake, who is 7, and in 2nd grade, was in a class play last week. The play was "Friends Around the World", and she chose to be from Argentina. She portrayed a vaquera, which is a female gaucho/cowgirl. In searching for inspiration for a costume for her, I asked one of my Brazilian friends to help. He immediately sent me many links to Argentinian sites.
Cake was at first thinking she would be a tango dancer, but I sort of guided her away from that, just yet. I was thinking that perhaps 7 year olds didn't wear the traditional tango outfit...
We did find, thanks to Leo, some "cowgirl-ish" costumes, which looked sort of like what women and girls wore in the wild American west, and even a little like colonial times. Then the lightbulb went on for me! I had the perfect solution, and I would hopefully not even have to sew! (even though I would have...)
My Mother is an extremely talented seamstress, and in 1976, she created for me an awesome bi-centenial costume. I was also in 2nd grade. And, yes, she saved it! It fit my precious cake, and with the addition of cowgirl boots and some flowers in the hair, she was as authentic as could be!
Here, you can see the photos from 1976, as well as the ones from last week. (I'm the one with the nerd hair, and yes, my friends and I are riding in a helicopter - one of many special bi-centenial treats in my small hometown!)
GO MOM!
3 comments:
no way!
i ALSO had a bi-centennial dress that my mom, who also happens to be an incredibly talented seamstress had made. AND my baby sister had a MATCHING one. and with our dresses, we both had BONNETS. and ALSO in our small town there was indeed helicopter rides that were somehow tied into the 1976 celebration. but why????
oh anyway; i'm so going to dig for those pictures the next time i'm with my parents. would be a FUN book eh? pictures of people in bicentennial clothes along with a "where are they now" kind of update...aah, something to ponder. LOVED seeing this. LOVED seeing you as a wee one. and cake couldn't look cuter.
OHHHHH MYYYYY GOOOOOOOSSSHHH! I am laughing! Not at Cake, of course - she is gorgeous as a gaucho. The flower is definitely the crowning touch. But the 1776, er, I mean 1976 shots! The ruffles! The buttons! The yards of fabric that must have gone into those costumes! Again, THE RUFFLES! And your dad's beard. Oh my goodness.
Your mother, indeed, is a phenomenal seamstress. How great for you and the girls!
Thank you so much for sharing these photos. What a treat. And the helicopter rides!
The only thing I remember from the bicentennial era is (via an old photo) our car had a special red license plate with a flag on it. My family really knew how to celebrate.
Libby I remember this just like it was yeterday! My parents have a pic. of me in my outfit along with my grandmother from the MC paper. I can't believe how time has flown and now we are all grownup with our own children
Kimberly
Post a Comment