17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, February 23, 1913: Went to Sunday School this afternoon. Initiated my new suit by falling down. The wind blew my hat off and in racing after it, I fell when I went to pick it up.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
How embarrassing! Poor Grandma– I can almost picture a couple cute guys standing on a street corner in McEwensville laughing as Grandma chased after the hat and then fell.
The previous day Grandma wrote about buying the new gray suit in Milton.
Poor girl!
OOps, what a thing to happen in a lovely new outfit and then the hat to top it all off! I love the picture of the suit…so stylish.
Ohhh Miss Muffly… how very embarrassing but am sure you picked yourself up, dusted yourself off and started all over again… ❤
I totally understand – having been there and done that myself but never because of an errant hat–only because I trip over my own feet
Aw…..how awful. Reading the other comments made me wonder exactly HOW Grandma handled that fall…? Did she make light of it or did it make her hang her head with embarrassment?
I want for her to have made light of it–but my gut feeling is that she hung her head in embarrassment.
Everybody has those days…some things are just timeless…ie miserable embarrassments for teens
I would like to think some gallant gentleman helped her up. Wouldn’t it be nice to wear hats every day and have hat shops in town with the latest fashions?
What a wonderful way to picture the scene! . . It’s much better than the way I’d envisioned it.
I can remember how much fun it was to try hats on when I was young. Hat were starting to go out of style when I was a teen–but there still were hat departments in stores.
Oh dear, sounds like something I’d do. Mr B is always collecting me off the ground.
Oh, dear. We’ve all “been there.” The suit you chose to illustrate is stunning–love the 3 buttons at the bottom. But I wonder too how Helena ran–these narrow, long skirts are not suitable to kick up your heels in! And I am sure decorum would not allow hoisting them up:)
I also love the suit it in the picture–but I wonder if teens in rural areas, wore suits that had skirts that were a bit more practical. Of course, social norms a hundred years ago didn’t really encourage girls to kick up their heels. 🙂
Helena, I understand.
Must have been a pretty hat for her to run after it. That suit you have pictured is beautiful! Maybe it’ll come back in style? 🙂
What a cute story. Great image you found too.
Precious suit. Makes me want to dress a little bit better. haha! You always post such interesting photos.