Thursday, September 11, 2014

White Pages ... and Frederick's Of Hollywood!

White Pages ... and Frederick's Of Hollywood!
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka #Granny Gee


Photo is of me as a young woman who loved to dress in the most beautiful clothes ... I loved myself ... I may have been a little vain ... but, I was a 'good' vain;  I cared about others, not just myself .... Photo is of me, owned by me... Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee.

 

 

The old, brown, wooden floor felt cool to the back of my naked legs. I sat in front of Grandma Alma's wooden bookcase. Oh, the many books she had! They all had ... white pages ... in them!

I looked down beside my crossed legs, saw my crayons, pencil. I would be here for some time. No one would miss me at all!

I sat cross-legged, my favorite way to sit. I still do that as an adult; I feel it in my knees ... but, I still make me do it.

I pulled several books out to examine them. I looked only at the white pages this time. Sometimes, I would read.

I saw drawings on some of the white pages. They were my drawings. I loved to draw clothes on women. I wanted to be a fashion designer when I grew up! I was only a child at this time.

There! I had drawn a girl with pretty, curly hair. I drew a beautiful dress on her; colored it. I'd never seen anyone wear a dress like that! I would even made paper dolls, draw ... color the dresses, cut them out ... place on my dolls. In my eyes, they were beautiful ... I remember people liking them.

Later in life, I was a teenager ... married, living in the mountains of North Carolina. I received a catalog one day ... I stood there with my mouth opened wide.

I had been drawing some of those clothes as a young girl! I loved the beautiful women, clothes in that catalog! It was a ... Frederick's Of Hollywood, of all things!

I didn't go to fashion design school. I had married too young. I had a young child. My Grandmother Lola was going to send me to fashion design school. I 'messed that up'... by the choices I made.

I sometimes, look back ... see the little girl sitting on that old, wood floor. I can still feel how cool that floor was on the back of my legs. I can see how she sat there drawing, coloring ... forgetting the harsh world around her. Colors, dreams occupied her mind. Oh my, what that little girl would have done if she'd only lived her dream! White pages ... one day to see my style was like Frederick's Of Hollywood!


Photo Credit/True story are both owned by me ... Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka #Granny Gee

1 comment:

  1. I have seen some of your drawings. They are worth so much more than dollars! You could still design patterns for women's clothing or anyone's clothing! You are so talented! Keep up the good work! Love, Ms. Nancy

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