17 Christian Dior
Dresses?!?

Ever since I read a story about the Chicago History Museum's Christian Dior exhibit in yesterday's Chicago Tribune, I've been trying to get my head wrapped around the idea of owning 17 dresses designed by the most well-known haute couture designer in the post World War II era. Dior is responsible for introducing what's known as the "New Look" with teeny waists, full skirts, enormous hats, in another words, a full-scale rebellion of the lean look during the war. Apparently, the museum has more than a dozen dresses from 1947-1957 that were owned by choreographer Ruth Page. "At the time she was purchasing them, 17 Dior dresses were an enormous investment because each cost as much as a new car," the museum's costume curator he told the Tribune. Quite honestly, buying more than two weeks' worth of frocks from one designer seems extravagant even by today's standards, although surely they don't each equal the expense of a brand-new automobile now. Somehow, I'm trying to picture where Page wore all these dresses: the opening of The Nutcracker at the Arie Crown Theater, dinner at the Italian Village, a welcoming party for Rudolf Nureyev after he defected from the U.S.S.R, to the grocery store to buy a 1/2 pound of sliced ham for a luncheon sandwich at home, a day in the office going over book-keeping with the accountant. Where else? I'm trying to picture day-to-day life in post-war Chicago. Ok, maybe to Marshall Field's to buy more dresses? I've run out of ideas. Where would I wear these dresses? I honestly don't know. These frocks would probably spend more time in my closet gossiping with each other than on my body. What about you?