My grandmother has the most stunning collection of vintage gowns and shoes. Old photos show a woman more beautiful than Marilyn Monroe (in my humble opinion), with a wardrobe to match. When she was about my age, she was in a Marimba band with four friends. They performed all over the USA and Canada, including two presidential inaugurations and the Ed Sullivan Show. Google has digitized versions of Billboard magazine going way back, and if you search them you can find several mentions of them. Fortunately for me, my grandma has an incredible talent for holding onto things for decades, and I’ve ended up with a beautiful, and only slightly musty, collection of 50’s era gowns, suits, and jewellery.
- Photo by Hannah P.
Today, I’ll be highlighting the dress she wore on the Ed Sullivan Show. It’s a beautiful gown now, though by all reports it was much nicer fifty years ago. According to my grandma, The Marimba Co-eds bought most of their dresses at the Kansas City American Royal, but these ones (and the matching shoes) in New York City.
Photo by Hannah P.
The shoes were sandals, with rhinestones the colour of the dress. I don’t know if I ever saw the shoes, but I do know they wouldn’t fit. My grandma worse a dainty little size 5, while I’m a more… robust… size 8½. Which is a terrible pity, because Grandma kept many of her shoes, and I’d kill to be able to wear them. They’re adorable.
Grandma Rayma, c. 1952
So, this dress. It’s as 1950’s as it gets. The bodice is princess seam, boned, and strapless, with a tuft of tulle at the bustline. The skirt is full, dipping at the back, with a tiered tulle overskirt. It rustles when you walk, and makes you feel like a princess. I love it.
The Marimba Co-eds had a reunion at the Calgary Stampede in 1998. My Grandma is second from the left in the group of be-sequined ladies, wearing a red dress.
Such beautiful dresses!
And your grandmother is absolutely stunning (and definitely more beautiful than Marilyn Monroe!)
My grandmother kept a lot of her clothing and shoes as well, but I’m a lot shorter and much curvier than she was, so my cousin will be getting those. Most of her dresses were very plain and homemade as was common in the area of Alabama she lived in. Raising four children (as well as her two brothers) meant little time for dressing up and going out.
I did manage to snag her old cashmere and mink coat! She saved her pennies until she could afford to take it off of layaway. My grandfather (along with their children and her two brothers) surprised her at Christmas by banding together to pay off the layaway so she could have her coat for Christmas that year.
I need to rip out the threading that’s holds the left arm on (it’s decaying) and replace it, but both the cashmere and mink are still flawless.
As far as the shoes go, want to trade grandmothers?
Mine wore between a size 8 and 10 (mostly 8.5). I’m a size 4.5 to a 6!
Just kidding- wouldn’t trade my grandmother for the world, and I have a feeling you wouldn’t either. 🙂
I’m impressed with your website! such nice comments about me. This Sullivan dress was purchased in New York. The dress had a sequinned (maybe satin?) necklace around the neck-over our shoulders.
Your grandmother was stunning and so are you. I so enjoy vintage clothing. My mother always said to hold on to the items in your wardrobe that you truly love because those styles come back around about every 30 years or so. The fashions today bear this out, although lots of it wasn’t that good the first time around!
Awww… shucks *blushes*. Thanks! And I definitely agree about today’s resurgence of the 1980’s—I have a feeling we will have another collective “whoops, what were we thinking?!” moment around 2017 😛 The 50’s are totally classic, though—they sure knew how to dress women back then!
I loved reading about your Grandmother and seeing the photos. My Grandmother’s name was Rayma also! I do not hear that name very often. I watched Ed Sullivan (with my Grandmother), I probably saw yours on there. My Grandmother was a preacher’s wife, no long gowns, but her “Sunday” dresses were wonderful. And the shoes…When I was in 8th grade, I wore her size and she was always glad to share. I miss those days, thanks for bringing back some sweet memories.
How funny! I’ve never really found another Rayma—I once saw a store called Rayma in Auckland, New Zealand, but that’s it. It is an oddly rare name, isn’t it? Thanks for reading and reminiscing with me 🙂
I just met your grandma yesterday! I went down the hall with a 97 yr old friend of mine to visit. She’s amazing! She played the marimba a bit for us. Came home & looked her up & found your site with the old photo! Thanks for adding that.
Wow, what a small world! If you see her again, tell her I love her 🙂
Was looking for your perfume recipes and you linked to this page.
What a stunning and accomplished woman. Thank you for sharing this. I’m feeling a bit welled up inside, maybe it’s the traditional Christmas music in the background. Frank Sinatra playing.
Thanks so much, Cristie 🙂 She truly was an amazing woman.