The Parish Magazine March 2024

FASHION BY HARRIET NELSON
Fashions throughout generations
In honour of Mothering Sunday, I
decided to write and dedicate this
month's article to my Granny and
how the changing fashions during
post-war period influenced her
generation, as well as how she has
impacted the way I see and adore
fashion today.
I've been very fortunate to have
grown up knowing both sets
of grandparents. I will always
remember how my maternal
grandmother, Barbara, dressed.
Whenever I saw her, she
looked like a classic woman of her
generation, well put together, even
when she was casually at home,
always looking presentable.
CLASSIC
Granny had her hair beautifully
styled and the outfits she wore were
always very smart.
The outfits I mostly remember her
wearing were a classic maxi skirt and
a long-sleeved blouse.
She always dressed smartly,
especially when she had family or
friends visiting; whether it was just
a quick afternoon tea on the veranda
or an extravagant dinner in the
evening, she always dressed the part.
Her generation grew up expecting
to always have to look their best,
and I always appreciated this type of
fashion and etiquette.
Dressing up for an occasion has
always been exciting for me, as I have
grown up so differently from her and
I think it was because of her I grew to
love this smart style.
FASCINATED
I have always found the 1950s
fashions exciting and did a lot of
fashion-based projects at college and
university around this era's fashion
and beauty standards.
I became interested in textiles
from watching her sew and
embroider. She always had a hoop
on the go and her sewing box was
always open in the living room. I was
fascinated by how she created such
detailed pieces.
For my christening, she continued
the tradition of giving each of her
grandchildren a beautiful unique
embroidery panel with a childhood
Granny Barbara with Grandad Ray
nursery rhyme on it, which we still
treasure to this day.
She inspired me to start my
embroidery hobby in my spare time,
learning the techniques myself and
creating pieces for my family.
This started me on my fashion
journey at school, with textiles and
fashion GCSE, then Art and Design
concentrating on Fashion at Reading
College, and finally, a Fashion
Marketing degree at Falmouth
University.
Sadly, she only saw me begin my
fashion journey before she died in
2018. However, I hope she knew that
she was my inspiration for wanting
to begin a career in fashion, and I'm
very thankful for that.
VIBRANT COLOURS
My Granny grew up during the
war; she was 8 years old when it
started. At this time, the fashion
choices and styles must have been
challenging due to rationing, and
they would have had to refashion
existing items to create new looks.
When the war finished, she was 15
years old, so the explosion of vibrant
colours and new pattern designs
in the 1950s must have been very
exciting and inspiring for her.
In the late 1940s my Granny
started at the University of Reading,
studying Agriculture and Dairying
and worked at Sonning Farm as part
of her studies.
She met my grandad during this
time, when they both joined the
university's sailing club.
I look back at old photos and love
seeing her fashion choices during
The Parish Magazine - March 2024 29
Granny Barbara Crookes
Granny holding Uncle Charlie and Grandad
with Uncle Richard.
this post-war period. She looks so
different in photos I have seen with
her wearing trousers and wellies
when working on the farm, compared
to the elegant older lady I knew. It's
incredible to see what she looks like
in photos of her as the same age I am
now, growing up in the same area,
but at such different times.