One hundred and fifty years of gala fashions will be featured in an upcoming fashion show at the Ridge Meadows Seniors Centre.
Fashion historian Karin Edberg-Lee has put together a collection of dresses and gowns starting from the 1860’s to the present era.
Eight models will be modeling the fashions that will include ball gowns, wedding dresses and grad gowns.
The show will be in honour of Canada’s 150th celebration.
Some fashions will be hand-made replicas made by Edberg-Lee and some will be actual vintage pieces.
“I haven’t found a model slim enough to wear the actual vintage clothes. But they will be displayed on mannequins,” laughed Edberg-Lee who will be trying to connect the clothing pieces to particular events in Canada’s history.
“Such as the Charlottetown Conference, they were the preliminaries to the British North American Acts meetings,” said Edberg-Lee.
“There was a banquet and a ball held after the Charlottetown Conferences were finished and the first gowns will be fashions of that time,” she said.
It doesn’t take Edberg-Lee long to make a replica gown, maybe a couple of days, but finding the right fabric is the challenge.
One gown that will be worn in the fashion show is based on a photo that a friend gave her of her grandmother’s wedding dress from 1907.
“So it has a powder-pidgeon boddice, a slight A-line to the skirt, a short train,” explained Edberg-Lee.
It took her a long time to find the fabric to make the dress but when she did find it, it was on a 70 per cent off clearance table.
Another wedding dress that will be in the show will be a 1913-15 style dress.
“Most ordinary people (at that time) could not afford to wear a white dress once. So their wedding dress usually served as their best dress for their formal evenings out,” she said.
Edberg-Lee is planning to have a 1937 50th anniversary dress and jacket made of lace and satin, a 1943 evening dress with beading and a pleated skirt and a 1955-57 graduation dress displayed on mannequins on the stage.
One of Edberg-Lee’s favourite pieces is an early 1960’s peach satin beaded evening dress.
“It’s an empire-line design with the waist seam under the bust and a very simple skirt on it,” she said.
“Very simple and elegant,” continued Edberg-Lee.
Proceeds from the fashion show will be going towards Seniors Helping Santa project.
Every Christmas 100 giftbaskets are given to seniors in the community who are alone or maybe struggling to make ends meet.
The giftbaskets are assembled at the centre by eight volunteers and delivered through the Meals on Wheels program and other community organizations that recommend the individuals for the baskets.
In the past they put donation bins out but this year organizers decided on this fundraiser to purchase items for the baskets instead.
The giftbaskets will include baked goods, personal hygeine items like toothbrushes and toothpaste, clothing items like scarves and gloves and a box of chocolate and tea.
The Christmas in July fashion show takes place at 1 p.m. on July 22 at the Maple Ridge Seniors Activity Centre, 12150 224th St. in Maple Ridge.
Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door.
Tea and refreshments will be served.
Everyone attending is encouraged to dress up.
For more information call 604-467-4993.