Lily Girls Magazine

By Sarah Blanzy

A couple of years ago my mom was planning her parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. We were in Bassett, VA, where my grandparents live, and my granny pulled her wedding dress out of the back of her closet. She and my papa got married in 1958 in a courthouse. She didn’t wear a white flowing gown, but rather a navy, 3/4-length sleeved dress that fit snuggly to the torso and had a pleated, full skirt that came down right below the knee-cap. It was adorable. I only wished I was a size 2 and could fit into the narrow waist. My youngest sister however, was slim enough to fit into it perfectly and received so many compliments when she wore my grandma’s retro wedding dress to church the next Sunday.

I’ve always been pretty excited about vintage anything and the idea that I could just dig into my grandma’s closet and find cute things that no one else might have (and for free, at that) was so exciting to me. So, the next time I was visiting granny and papa I asked her if she had any old clothes she never wore anymore. There are closets in all three bedrooms at my grandparent’s home and all three are filled with clothes, so that task of going through them will probably be one that I spread out over time.

That first search became a success when, in the back of the closet in what used to be my mom’s room, I found a cute yellow dress with a butterfly and flower print and criss-cross straps in the back. Along with that, I also found a cute paisley print, long sleeve shirt with a lace appliqué down the front. It looks like something that Urban Outfitters would try to replicate.

I hit the jackpot when I found some old boxes filled with jewelry. I found such gorgeous pins, earrings and necklaces with unique stones, designs and detail. I especially love one pin that I found that was a multi-colored butterfly. It’s such a beautiful little detail to add to hats, bags, vests or coats.

And clothes aren’t the only thing filling the closets, attics and basements of your grandparent’s home. I found an old portable record player in my granny and papa’s basement along with some really great old records. More than likely your grandparents will happily pass on to you any of these old treasures that they aren’t using anymore.

Next time you go visit grandma, instead of sitting on the couch watching TV or wondering what to do, ask her to show you some of her old clothes that she never wears anymore. Not only might you come away with some great new additions to your wardrobe, but it can be a great bonding experience. She can share with you all the memories that her old clothing brings back and you may learn a lot more about your grandma, all because of her closet.