Trending now from the 1980s’ fashion world are the colors: poppy-red, pumpkin- spice, emerald-green, golden-yellow, and toasty-brown; the fabrics: plaids, tweeds, gray denim, furs, and leopard prints; the accessories: fringes, scarves, suede purses, and shoulder pads. Even flared jeans are back—So tout the experts, and women from all socio-economic backgrounds hop to scrutinize their apparel in hopes of salvaging something wearable for the season. I know. I was among them.

However, my penchant for clothing had a hiatus when I entered the convent. After eschewing two closets of clothing, stitched by a seamstress, and drawers of cashmere sweaters, I wore one black habit for everyday and another for Sundays. I was content for years, or so I thought until I left.

Then it was back to scrutinizing the slicks. Women’s fashions in the 1970s and 1980s, colorful, tailored, feminine, drew me like a magnet. Each season saw me thinning my closets. Each season also saw me attending sales at Helen Wolff’s, Best’s, Garland’s, and Famous Southtown—all in St. Louis. And I found another “little black dress” for those special events.

Over the decades, the Miriam Switching Post and Goodwill have received armloads of unsuitables: my polyester dresses from The Tall Shop in New Orleans, my bell-bottom jeans from Houston’s Palais Royale, my ivory lace sheath-wedding gown from Montaldo’s, my plaid pants suit from Sak’s, etc.

Today, jeans and sweaters serve me in cold weather; shorts and shirts, in warm; SAS sandals, all year long.

And my 1980’s poppy-red sweater still works for holidays. That, I did keep!

 

 

(My toes got in the way!)