Remembering Prairie Dresses
“We are celebrating a very spartan (Little House On The Prairie-style) Christmas this year (everyone gets an orange, maybe a button). I am hoping that on the bright side it will make me remember, as Charlie Brown says, what Christmas is really all about.” (December 9, 2011)
— From Heather Browne and her amazing blog, I Am Fuel, You Are Friends.
Back in the Days of Running Water
When We Wore Prairie Dresses | I pixelated my friends’ faces so they won’t unfriend me on Facebook!
Certainly, you remember the prairie dresses from the 1980s. They were one of many popular fashion trends of that era. Boy, did I get my fill of them along with everyone who knew me.
I actually had dozens of prairie dresses in the 80s. Prairie skirts, too! My mom made most of them for me. I’d wear them over ruffled, eyelet slips that peeked out at the bottom. Sometimes, I was really hip and wore them with granny boots.
It was all the rage, my friends. The whole look was very Little House on the Prairie. Although the prairie dress style evolved throughout the decade, the pastels and peekaboos remained a feature.
About a year ago, I came across the above vintage 80s picture on a friend’s Facebook page. It was taken in 1987 at my Alma Mater’s junior-senior banquet. I can’t believe all the white shoes and pantyhose.
Prairie Dress Barbie via Puppi17
80s Fashion
Me in a Prairie Dress, 1983
Prairie dress fashion began in 1978, just as the first Gen Xers were entering college. That was the autumn Ralph Lauren introduced the prairie skirt in his Western-themed collection. Thanks, Ralph!
I thought for kicks I’d share a picture of me in a prairie dress taken in 1983. I was never much one for pastels, but hey, I made up for it with the tiny calico prints.
It’s hard for me to believe sometimes that the 80s began 30 years ago! Man, life is short.
Did you wear prairie dresses in the late 70s or 80s? What did it look like?
Thanks, LBC! I thought I was the only one who thought this was hysterically funny!!! FLDS connection. I think it might impact the revival, but you never know. Wow, lots of puns here and someone else’s expense. Yikes. I can’t help it. Their hairstyles – just wild.
OMG–the pastel prairie dress/FLDS thing just about knocked me out of my chair! Hilarious!
I was just slightly too young for the height of the prairie craze, but I wore a lot of hand-me-downs so I did have some nice prairie dress (mine were mostly earth-tone calicos. Mom was not a fan of pastels). I was also an avowed costume freak, so any time I could sneak something costume-esque into my everyday wear, I did it. OK, I still do it.
@TERRITORY – I’m waiting for your series. LOL!
@ROSE – I can see not wanting to look like Scarlett if you live in Georgia. Hoop prom dresses were also the rage during my early h.s. proms.
@ANDI Pictures, please. Lots and lots of pictures. haha!
Guilty, so guilty of having many, many prairie dresses!
That last picture COULD NOT be you, could it, Jen? Tee, hee! That particular fad was never in fashion in Georgia, where I was living at the time. (too much akin to Scarlett in Gone with the Wind, don’t you know!) Bless you for this enjoyable sharing!
I love this! Okay I had so much so say that I just did a post:
http://www.newterritoryco.com/2011/12/prairie-dresses-are-my-life-curse-of.html