Growing Up With Victoria March Fashions

A rare collection of late 80s / early 90s couture clothing from Chicago designer Victoria March is now available for purchase after hanging in a Skokie closet for twenty years! I did a whole write up on it a few weeks ago that you can find here.

Victoria March was the fashion label created by my aunt, and it loomed large in my formative years as it was essentially the “family business”.  

Me and Victoria, c.2013

If you’ve read enough about the history of that collection, STOP HERE and just note the day, time and place of the event in the flyer and show up!

However, if you’re curious about my experience as a teenager
having a fancy-shmancy fashion designer aunt, read on!

One of Vicky’s many fashion illustrations of her collection

During Winter and Spring breaks from school, I would go over to her loft space in the city and hand-cut lace panels that would serve as inserts in jackets and skirts.

Upon turning 15, I was recruited (or did I volunteer??) to be a photography model. Every family member had to do their part, and free is free, no matter how short the model! All the clothing was clearly too big on me, and I “did” my own hair and makeup, but I was absolutely thrilled to do it.

It’s interesting for me now to reflect how purely fun and not the least bit weird it was for me. I was told to just show up with sheer black tights and black high heels and GO!    And I did.  It never occurred to me to feel inadequate, self-conscious, shy or critical about myself.

I am lingering on this a bit here because I work with teenage girls all the time
and I directly witness how:

a) seriously they take themselves

b) they can’t see themselves without comparing themselves to others

c) how anxious they are about not how they look, but how they might “appear” to others (online of course, which is “realer” than the real world for many)

And, sad to say, that is often the case with many women in a wide range of ages. Yes, I do blame the combination of smart phones and social media, and I trace it back to the invention of the front-facing camera. Looking back, it is incredible how one new, l seemingly little option in your camera app had such wide ranging consequences.  I am not saying anything new here, of course.  I’m just grateful I was a teen without it.

I never expected myself to look particularly gorgeous or sexy. It was the process itself and not even so much the finished photos that helped me feel (almost) grown up and glamorous. It was exciting to learn about fashion, taste, and style, while contributing to someone I loved. Overall, it was a beautiful privilege to have grown up during that time, and with the people I did.

And if Vicky thought I was good enough, it was good enough.

This dress and pic was always a favorite, and I got my own in a sample size to keep.  
I wore it well into my thirties

Now, this one - not so much. I look way too young to pull it off, but appreciate the chutzpah of the pose - like I’m about to give The Board a piece of my mind. It looks Iike I am just playing dress up with my mom’s clothes!