I adopted mum’s dress, now I hope my girls will wear it, too
– Mum-of-two Julie Hannah
When Julie Hannah was younger and frantically searching for a dress for a special occasion, her mum Helen would always offer the little black number at the back of her wardrobe.
Julie would offer a polite “No, thanks” but years later it became one of her go-to pieces for everything from black-tie events to days at the races.
“Mum bought the dress for a Caribbean cruise for her 20th wedding anniversary. I was a teen at the time and it was my parents’ first holiday on their own since having children,” said Julie.
“The dress is by Caroline Charles and she bought it in House of Fraser. She said it was expensive at the time, so I would imagine a couple of hundred pounds.
“Every time I had a special occasion, she would ask if I wanted to borrow her wee black dress.
“I always said no. It just wasn’t my style. But when I got to about 28, I changed my mind.
“I borrowed it and then kind of adopted it. I think I just never gave it back!”
Julie, 45, a fashion blogger and events organiser, has worn the dress countless times over the years. In fact, it became one of her favourites.
“It’s just a beautiful dress,” she said. “It’s boned inside so nips you in at the waist and pushes up your cleavage. It makes you feel very sexy but at the same time it’s knee-length and has lace so it’s quite demure.
“I’ve worn it so many times…on holidays in Spain and Dubai, to the races, black-tie events.
“I’ve dressed it up with pink belts and gold belts but to be honest it doesn’t need much. It’s just a gorgeous, classic dress.
“If ever I was going anywhere and I didn’t know what to wear, I would pop it in the suitcase as an ‘in case’ but it always ended up being the dress I wore.”
Mum-of-two Julie, from Glasgow, says she can still slip into it – but has wrapped it up in tissue and added to a collection for daughters Mollie, five, and Mia, seven, when they are older.
“My mum always gets a thrill when I wear this dress because it was hers, and I hope one day the girls will want to wear it, too,” she said.
“It’s such a lovely dress and has so many memories, I can’t bear to part with it. I think it will stay in the family for a long time to come.”