my first apron dress

today macy discovered this dress in the sewing room closet and insisted on wearing it. i told her it was my dress because grandma cathy made it for me when i was little. her reply was, "gramma cathy made a new dress for me? oh thank you!" so of course i had to take pictures of her in it. i actually remember wearing this dress to miss ginger's preschool class when i was probably 4. i loved that it had an apron and thought it so appropriate to play kitchen in. i also remember that i always thought the pocket was too small to put things in. and macy discovered the same thing quickly! there's even a little tear above the pocket that my mom patched- probably from me trying to stuff the pocket.
it's funny how much i remember about this dress. there are lots of dresses i wore as a little girl that i will always remember little details about- the way the skirt twirled, the tightness on my arm, the zipper that got stuck, the collar i loved or hated. for each memory i can still picture each dress- all handmade by my mom. and while clothes can seem so superficial at the same time they can be so meaningful. we probably all remember what we wore on certain special days of our lives. at only two macy insists on wearing a dress or a skirt every day. it's so fun to see how a different outfit can transform her mood or encourage her creative play.
people often ask me why i like to put aprons on so many of the dresses i make and i didn't always know, but i think it might have something to do with wearing one as a little girl on this little dress and the feelings associated with it.