Sepia Saturday challenges
bloggers to share family history through old photographs.
This week’s Sepia Saturday prompt of men shoveling the walk following a blizzard in 1888 makes me
want to snuggle under a blanket and sip hot chocolate laced with
Amaretto. Instead my devotion to Sepia
Saturday takes me back to January 1965.
 |
| Mary Jollette and I are happy to play along. We have snowballs ready, but it looks like we've already been hit. |
I’m sure this
picture was my dad’s idea, as Momma looks totally annoyed and ready to go back
inside. I, on the other hand, look gorgeous! Stylin’ and Profilin’!
Royal blue stretch stirrup pants – the latest craze. A black overcoat with a velveteen Chesterfield collar – if it wasn’t a real London Fog, it was a wannabe.
But the pièce de résistance
was the cap. That’s my John Lennon
hat. 1965 y’all! I was 13 and would have been right there
screaming and crying had the Beatles come anywhere close to Portsmouth,
Virginia.
I purchased the
hat from Mary Quant in London, the same shop where John Lennon had purchased
his. What a dedicated fan I must have
been to navigate such a purchase in the days before online shopping. I was 13.
I managed to track down an address and wrote a letter inquiring about the price. Somehow I got the money together, converted
it to pounds, and placed the order.
And did I wear
that hat! EV.ER.Y. DAY! Keep in mind, these were the
days of big hair with lots of teasing and hairspray. So after walking to school in the mornings, I
probably had a bad case of “hat hair” to contend with throughout the day, which would have bothered me a great deal. But I was willing to sacrifice beauty, such
was my devotion to the Beatles.
When spring came
and the snow was no longer a threat, the hat came off.
 |
| What's left of my obsession: The original albums, John Lennon's book, Ringo doll, and the hat from Mary Quant's shop in London. |
I Wanna Hold Your Hand and walk down Penny Lane and Across the Universe
to Sepia Saturday, or we can Drive My Car or even get a Ticket to Ride. We Can Work It Out. Please Please Me. It’s a Long and Winding Road for a Day
Tripper. Sepia Saturday is open Eight
Days A Week, so stop by Any Time At All. Ask Me Why. Because. After a Hard Day’s Night, a Magical Mystery
Tour through some blogs will be like a Taste of Honey. Imagine.
©
2014, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
An excellent memory jolter, I'm sure, and a perfect contribution to Sepia Saturday, thanks.
ReplyDeleteYou had me singing away as I read the post. Full of humour and full of music. Love the hat.
ReplyDeleteOh boy, I was a Beatle fan in the 60's, too. I still have the albums but never did own a hat like that. I'm very jealous.....and impressed that you still have it :-)
ReplyDeleteYour Dad has such a fun idea of fun :) I'm looking at your happy faces. Snow fell when I was in England but I just watched it through the window, too afraid to go out, but I loved watching it. Next time I'll try to be brave.
ReplyDeleteThat hat really suited you!
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely happy photo.
Oh Yeah, I wanna tell you somethin'...your Mom looks cold...your sister looks like she's set to clobber the picture taker, and you...oh girl you look very Londonish! Did you see the Beatles first appearance on Ed Sullivan? OMG...I did...for less than one minute...a western was on THE OTHER Channel. That's what happens when one's Dad is a Texas cowboy and a Beatle is a bug!
ReplyDeleteThe Beatles! Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! Paul McCartney was my crush. Thanks for bringing back those memories.
ReplyDeleteI'd happily listen to the Beatles' music but would have drawn a line at screaming at them. Mind you a hat like that might suit me now that I have no hair left on top.
ReplyDeleteLove the picture of you in your hat!
ReplyDeleteOMG! That last part with all the songs made me laugh out loud!!! You are so funny, Wendy. I had a hat similar to yours that I wore for years, but it probably came from Pennys or someplace like that. When I wore it, my first husband always called me "Little Miss Bonnet."
ReplyDeleteWhat is funny about that top picture is that at first I didn't even notice your little sister, she blended in to the snow with all that snow on her.
Love this post!
Kathy M.
What a fun post! Yes, you were terrifically resourceful to get that Mary Quant hat - it looked great on you. Never seen a Ringo doll before. It must be quite valuable. I had those stretch pants too...they're coming back again.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your fun post! I kind of remember having some rust colored stretch pants with flowers embroidered on them. I hate all the 1960s fashions now.
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha! I'm thinking your creative ending took as long to compose as your post. Or are you so quick that it all just spilled out onto the page with no effort? I am also impressed by your initiative in securing that hat! Someday I'm posting my Beatle bubble gum cards.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful memory! I had also John Lennon hat, not from London but made by my self :) Still George Harrison was my favorite. I also have that John Lennon book, bubble gum cards and lots of Beatles albums.
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect ending to a very enjoyable post!
ReplyDeleteYesterday, all my troubles...
How very intrepid at you to coordinate the purchase of the hat at such a young age! I'd have worn it every day, too.
ReplyDeleteYou Were (& are!) a Real Groovy Chick!
ReplyDeleteWe're about the same age, Wendy (I am a couple of years older); those old Beatles tunes really brought back the memories! My parents, who were fabulous dancers, put a stack of Beatles' 45 rpms on the spindle and taught me and my brother how to dance...they were more fun than my high school dances! Thanks for a fun post.
ReplyDeleteWhat a story about your hat! From Mary Quant too. George was my favorite and I was too young to even think of concerts in 1965.
ReplyDeleteA lovely family photo and nice memories to go with it. Great ending to your post also.
ReplyDeleteYou do make me smile Wendy. What a tall 13 year old you were - or was Momma very small? lovely memories of a golden age.
ReplyDeleteLove the post. and when you said " Stylin’ and Profilin’! " in your blue stirrup pants, I sighed...yes I remember 1965!
ReplyDeleteThe Beatles did come to Seattle, but, sigh..I did not see them when they were here.
I am your newest follower!
Jan @ Jan's Place
Why is it that the smallest ones always take the most snowball hits! Ha Ha! I was smiling through your entire post- great fun, and it's just another part about Sepia Saturday that I like- the memories it brings us and we also get to learn a bit about our fellow blogger friends.
ReplyDeleteWow.. I forget that it was still possible to buy things from a distance before the Internet if you were resourceful
ReplyDeleteI recognize the hat, it from around the time they recorded Help. If you want to see them live there are some amazing videos on youtube, for instance their last appearance on the Ed Sullivan show (1965) and Live in Japan (1966).
ReplyDeleteGreat memories...weren't the 60s fabulous with all the music! And thanks for reminding me of stirrup pants....mine were green. I think I only had one pair. After wearing them a few hours, my feet started to hurt. We might have stunted our growth!
ReplyDeleteWonderful memories of a fab time; remember Mary Quant outfits and lipsticks, all the rage. Yes, John Lennon and his ideals, how young we were.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat way to revisit 1965! And your mom did look slightly annoyed but too pretty for it to show too much.
ReplyDeleteGroovy hat Wendy! I didn't go down the road of the Beatles craze. I think I was more your sister's age in that photo. And yes, your mom doesn't look all to happy to be standing there having her picture taken.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! A bit of blogger sunshine to brighten a grey winter weekend.
ReplyDeleteI remember Momma and Daddy thinking something was wrong with you because you listened to the Beatles' albums ALL THE TIME. HA HA! They finally decided you were o.k.
ReplyDeleteI admire your enthusiasm, and your style!!!
ReplyDelete:)~
HUGZ
Very nice hat! And a happy story! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete