May 25, 2005
Fashion show features true vintage attire
Grand Traverse Heritage Center hosts clothes of yesteryear event
By
Herald staff writer
Guests who attended the annual vintage fashion show at the Grand Traverse Heritage Center on Saturday took a walk through local history - in some very old shoes.
Once again, vintage clothing aficionado, Nancy Bordine of Traverse City created a visible history of notable citizens of the Grand Traverse area by presenting clothing from important periods in local history.
A hat once worn by Perry Hannah, considered Traverse City's oldest pioneer and founder of the city, was presented as a representation of the origins of Traverse City from the 1850s.
"Perry Hannah and Albert Lay purchased the Boardman mill and 200 acres of land in 1851. That land is now the area known as Traverse City," said Bordine as she began her presentation.
Dressed in a modest dark blue skirt and white blouse, model Rachel VanTiel portrayed 15-year-old Helen Goodale, the first teacher in Traverse City.
"Goodale earned $1 a week, and was not much older than many of her students," Bordine explained.
Other notable firsts illustrated by Bordine's extensive collection, was the contribution of Henry D. Campbell, who brought plumbing to Traverse City. Nightly trips to the outhouse, like the one model Sarah Huess would have made in her Victorian nightgown and nightcap, became a thing of the past.
Throughout the presentation, audience members were asked to open boxes that had been placed on each table to reveal an item illustrating a particular period of local history. One such item, a "bird hat" constructed of multi-colored feathers, is like the ones created in the 1880s by Traverse City millineress, Ada Sprague. From the 20th century, the decorative patterns on a 1922 beaded purse were influenced by ancient Egyptian design.
"The geometric design was directly influenced by the discovery of King Tut's tomb," Bordine said.
World events also played a role in fashion trends.
"This coat, though it looks like something from the 40s, had to come from the end of the decade, because of it's color," said Bordine, explaining that green was not used as a fabric dye during World War II because one of the key components was also used in the making of bombs.
"Lucky Strike cigarettes removed the green line they used in advertising," recalled an audience member. "Their slogan became, Lucky Strike Green has gone to war."
Bordine's collection includes everything from the sublime - like the 1895 wedding dress worn by a member of the Lay family, to the ridiculous - like the green vinyl dress with a hot pink appliqu‚d anchor from the mid 1960s found at the local Goodwill store.
The most personal and final piece Bordine included in her fashionable trip down memory lane was her own first communion dress, worn in 1968.
"I wore the dress first," Bordine said. "My sister never liked hand-me-downs so my mother had to change the lace on it to make her happy."
Five-year-old Jessie VanTiel modeled the dress and carried rosary beads that belonged to Bordine's grandmother.