The Boyertown Area Times

Clothes make the memories

- Carole Christman Koch Welcome To My World

I’m sure most women, when browsing through their photo albums, will find certain clothes they loved at one time. Perhaps something worn as a child, or even now as an adult, are still cherished. Some clothes can jog the memory of a fun time or an embarrassi­ng moment. Isn’t it funny how clothes can make the memories alive once again?

I don’t have too many photos as a child. With ten in the family, me being the youngest, my parents couldn’t afford to buy too many films for a camera. But, I still loved “dressing up” in Mom’s clothes, and later my older sister’s clothes, and parading in front of the large bedroom mirror.

As a teenager, in the ’50s, we wore starched crinoline half slips or a hoop skirt underneath a flared dress, to hold it extended. They were awful on hot summer days. I had an embarrassi­ng evening in a green and white flared dress with a hoop underneath. My date and I went to play miniature golf. Upon swinging my golf club, I somehow got it caught in the hoop. It flustered me enough to never wear hoops again!

I still have a blue T-shirt my five sisters and I purchased, on a whim, when our parents were still living. The sister’s t-shirt read CHRISTMAN GIRLS. Mom and Pop’s t-shirt read CHRISTMAN GIRLS MOM or POP on them. On the photo I can’t tell who is the proudest of those t-shirts---my parents or the sisters.

Once our children were raised, each of my sisters and I traditiona­lly celebrated our birthdays together, at each others homes. No men were allowed. (It gave us a chance to discuss their attributes.) We all had a great sense of humor, inherited from our mother, and loved to make each other laugh.

My first party was a “cocktail party.” In order to get a good laugh, the children helped me carry a cot and a small table to the front porch. The cot was propped up and had a beautiful bed cover on it. I was clad in an evening gown, lounging on the cot, awaiting my guests. They arrived. I quickly leaned over to pick up a glass of wine from the table. Immediatel­y, the cot collapsed with me in it. One hand was outside dripping wet. The other was stuck inside. Can you believe my ungrateful guests walked by me and into the house? My children had to rescue me.

One of our last parties (Three sisters are living and three have died.), in our ’60s and ’80s, we decided to arrive at Anita’s party pregnant. We had forgotten what a big belly felt like.

I love the clothes in patchwork. I did have a few patchwork outfits, but one of my favorites was bought on a vacation in Florida. My husband and I were walking along Main Street, in Naples, Florida, when I spotted a pastelcolo­red patchwork bib overall on a mannequin. My hubby, knowing I love patchwork, said, “It’s on sale. Go in and buy it.”

“It’s probably still too expensive,” I insisted. “That’s you,” he said, “Get it!” I did buy it and I still have it. I adore it, even if some people don’t. My one daughter commented, “Mom has her clown pants on!”” My own sisters, who are pros in the sewing field, told me they could do better. Recently, I found another neat bib overalls. I call them my painting pants. At 72, I still wear them. They’re my fun pants!

Remember the all in one jump suits? I wore them in the early 80s. I once had an accident with a jump suit. It was Friday night and I was going to have a hot and heavy date with my husband. He was volunteeri­ng at a music fest and would be finished with his shift at 6 p.m. I was going to travel by bus to the fest and meet him there. That way we’d only have one car. I ended up missing the bus. I walked back to my house and called a taxi. I assumed a ride to the town nearby wouldn’t cost that much. I was wrong. When the taxi driver told me the price, I said I didn’t have enough money. I hadn’t taken much cash because I figured my date would be treating. Luckily, I did have my checkbook along and he accepted a check. Koch Soon I found my date and told him he better be worth the money I just dished out to the taxi driver. He laughed, but our next laugh came after I used the port-o-pot. When I use a port-o-pot, anywhere. I prefer to squat. I had on my all-in-one jump suit so it wasn’t easy. I had to squat and at the same time hang onto the bib part so it wouldn’t touch the floor. When I pulled the suit up again, I felt wet. So I did what any allAmerica­n woman would do. I walked out of that port-o-pot proudly. I figured, since the wet part was only at the upper back, people would think I sweat heavily. Anyway, I still had a great date, went home later, and took

my shower. No more jump suits for me though.

I found several photos of myself and my sisters in PJs or a bathrobe. They liked PJs just as much as I did. After having dinner at a restaurant, and arriving back at the party girl’s home, I was the first to put on my PJs for a long night gab fest. My sisters followed suit.

I love the two piece flannel PJs best. I never liked nightgowns because the cold air swooshes up your legs. In bed, they move up the body. They just don’t stay where they belong, like PJs. I even keep my PJs on to do my weekly cleaning. Sometimes, even when I’m not cleaning, you’ll find me in them.

A few years ago, my husband and I were roaming the stores prior to Christmas, when I spotted the perfect bathrobe. It had a particular feature I loved. It was enclosed in the middle section at the bottom and had only two feet openings. I told my husband, “This could be my Christmas present this year!” Knowing how much I love warmth, I received two that year. Since I’m 72, I decided they’re going to be my “forever” bathrobes. I haven’t found that style in the stores since. Maybe I was the only person who liked them.

I guess I’ll close my photo albums for the night. I’ll get my PJs and go to bed. Who knows, maybe my clothing memories will come alive again in a dream.

 ?? SUBMITTED PHOTO ?? Herb and Mary Christman
SUBMITTED PHOTO Herb and Mary Christman
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