One of my favorite memories is coming home from school to find my mother watching the Dialing for Dollars 3:30 Movie. She would sometimes have her ironing board set up with her big heavy silver iron and the spray bottle in action. At other times, she would be enjoying her afternoon housewife break with a Hershey bar and a Pepsi. Mother would carefully break off each chocolate square and slowly savor each bite.
I came across an item in a thrift store in Mississippi that brought this memory back to me in a flash.
Can you guess what it is? It was at least 50 years old with a Rose Marie Reid label on the inside. Metal zipper and buttons and fabulous print all pointed to old Hollywood glamoury goodness. (By the way, Rose Marie Reid's life is quite the story! She was also quite a beauty.)
She became a famous designer of swimsuits quite accidentally...
Aren't the colors in this advertisement for her suits beautiful? Lots of sweet pink, which is why I linked up to play Happy Pink Saturday with Beverly. Go check out other amazing ladies who love some pink in their life! I also have linked up to this great blog:
So have you guessed the item I discovered in the thrift store? Yes, it was a swimsuit, but my family always called them bathing suits. Isn't this one a beauty?
When I saw the color and style, it transported me back into time when I would be thrilled to discover the Dialing for Dollars 3:30 movie was featuring one of my very favorite ladies. She was beautiful and athletic. She was so very unlike me as she was a graceful mermaid in the water. It was only later I learned what a true swimming world class champion and athlete she was! I was mesmerized by:
by disneyphilip on Flickr
Esther Williams! She could flip and flop and dive and swim and instead of coming up with matted hair in her eyes, sputtering and snotty...she looked liked this:
by disneyphilip on Flickr
As Mother sipped her Pepsi, and my sisters and I chomped on our Doritos and hot sauce, the Dialing for Dollars 3:30 movie was surreal delight. How can all not be well with the world, when for an hour and a half the world is one big blue clean swimming pool of flexible, happy beautiful people, whose makeup and hair stays in place as they splash around all day, and they all get married and live happily ever after by five o' clock?
Someone loved the Rose Marie Reid swimsuit and purchased it in my Whimsy Daisy Etsy Shop. It is making its way to Australia from Texas, and I enjoyed the little trip down memory lane it provided me!
The END...
I love the old movies especially Esther Williams. They sure made prettier clothes back then. Cute post.
Posted by: Donnie | February 19, 2011 at 05:28 PM
That was a gorgeous swimsuit! I remember Dialing for Dollars, and I remember Esther Williams. I loved her movies, too. :-)
Posted by: Renna | February 19, 2011 at 10:16 PM
Melony,
I enjoyed hearing your memories of Mother. She was so cute, fun, and had her own unique zest for life. I decided yesterday to get some 3 or 4 year old videos out of her and watch them. They made me happy. We have been blessed with her in our lives all these years!
Love, Jill
Posted by: Jill | February 22, 2011 at 07:58 AM
Oh my gosh - you took me back! My mom had Dr. Pepper and Fritos to while her time away watching old movies. She just loved the old movies - and maybe that is why I do, too. So many good memories and good laughs, too. Love the bathing suit, too - my sweet mom would have looked adorable in that suit. She was always so slim and pretty.
Posted by: Patti | February 26, 2011 at 06:32 PM
Oh my gosh, what a gorgeous swimsuit!!
Thanks so much for stopping by the Vintage Blog Link Up and for adding my button!!
Posted by: In the Hammock Blog | March 13, 2011 at 09:11 PM
THAT IS AMAZING! Sorry I yelled, it really is gorgeous! Glad to hear you might join in if I announce a blog hop swap! You never know what you might swap- not just clothes. I would probably mug someone for that suit you know.
Posted by: Marie | March 14, 2011 at 02:23 PM
The swimsuit is fabulous and you are an amazing writer.
Posted by: Patsy | March 21, 2011 at 04:36 PM
It's a beautiful swimsuit but for '50s. Today I prefer little tiny swimsuit. I could wear this pattern and color but adapted for this modern time. :D
Posted by: Lasik eye surgery miami | March 22, 2011 at 07:31 AM
This swimsuit is too beautiful
Posted by: Abby@moncler pas chere | November 06, 2011 at 06:14 AM