The Saddest Thing I Own A collection of life's saddest objects, their sad stories, and our reasons for holding onto these sad things.

Prom Dress And Mom

Posted On Monday May 1, 2006 By Jody

The closets in my parents’ house are a bizarre time warp- nothing ever gets thrown out, clothing and magazines from decades ranging back to the 40’s can be found with stuff purchased at Walmart last week.

When I was 19 or so, I found my old junior prom dress hanging in my closet. My junior prom experience wasn’t the best- I went as a sophomore with someone I didn’t particularly like, just so I could get the dress and the hair-do. Yes, I had one of those strange poufy French twist braid type hair arrangements, it added at least 5 inches to my height. The dress had an empire waist, acres of chiffony white skirt, and a green bodice with a white lace overlay. I don’t remember loving it, it was kind of in the category of my date- a necessary means to an end.

By the time I was 19, I had become an iconoclastic hippy type, always wearing the same pair of much patched blue jeans. I was insufferable. When I found my prom dress on a visit home, I put it on and ran downstairs laughing.

My mother saw me in the dress, looked horrified, and then burst into tears. Even my cruel adolescent self knew I had gone too far.

Here is a picture of my mom as a young teacher.

Tags: dress, mom, mother, prom

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