It reminds me of my days as a Christmas D.S. (Department Supervisor) at Bloomie's. In the Lexington Level depths of MIsses Dowdywear, some 20 years before Cathy, I was a stranded Seventh Avenue devotee, a mod dollybird, twirling in Mary Quant and Ossie Davis. Now I'm a retired academic frump. But this article inspires me to retrieve my pre-Covid flair! I know I left it *somewhere.*
From your lips, Elena! I'd love to expand this piece into a memoir. I wish I was a mod dollybird twirling in Mary Quant! I also wish I had my mom's old Biba clothing! You and I sound like kindred spirits!
Love the threads in this story: mothers and daughters, family business, the garment district, NYC in the eighties. I shopped in the NOW department. My mother and I loved Bloomingdales and had a fashion-adjacent business together, which was ultimately heartbreaking for both of us. So well written, thanks.
Oh, my...this is one of the most brilliant things I've read in years...thanks for taking me back to the days of Tahari and Adrienne Vitadini....And as another commenter said--please god, may this be the beginning of a memoir. I'll preorder it even before it's written!
I am hiring you as my manager! Thank you so much for commenting and saying all this. I would love to turn this into some sort of memoir so stay tuned!!!
Your mom would have loved reading this eloquent, evocative piece. Oh, the memories of fixing runs with nail polish! I worked a few blocks away, East 55th, when you were at Bloomie’s. Thanks, Cathy.
I completely agree with Elena Brunn! You had me at Pappagallo! Like “The Devil Wears Prada,” but with so much heart and soul. Hope to see it in long form very soon🤞.
What a great read! So nostalgic and funny and deeply moving. You conjure your mother so well; how heartbreaking to learn how radically her life changed (and yours too)
This is a wonderful piece, and I laughed out loud at the Peck & Peck reference (which I have to explain to students whenever I teach Didion's "On Keeping a Notebook). I'm currently wearing a vintage Peck & Peck cashmere sweater. I saw it at Goodwill (for $5) and gasped "Peck & Peck!" before I grabbed it.
I am so jealous you have a vintage Peck & Peck! That is amazing. I recently bought a vintage Bermuda bag. Will I use it? Probably not. But it's a total blast from my past.
I loved this piece and all that it reminds me of. I am a Garment Center descendant, having spent many hours in my grandparents’ showroom, and burst into a short lived career in book publishing in 1986. My favorite line — because it somehow captured so much about those times — is: “After a few months on the job, it became obvious that Mrs. Gold saw me as just another pair of legs in black DKNY opaque tights.” And having spent a lot of time and energy dealing with agent parent stuff in the last year, you reminded me that I need to take joy in the fact that my parents are still around. Thank you. And, having seen the comments above, I would love to see this expanded upon.
Cathy, I hope this is the seed of a memoir.
It reminds me of my days as a Christmas D.S. (Department Supervisor) at Bloomie's. In the Lexington Level depths of MIsses Dowdywear, some 20 years before Cathy, I was a stranded Seventh Avenue devotee, a mod dollybird, twirling in Mary Quant and Ossie Davis. Now I'm a retired academic frump. But this article inspires me to retrieve my pre-Covid flair! I know I left it *somewhere.*
From your lips, Elena! I'd love to expand this piece into a memoir. I wish I was a mod dollybird twirling in Mary Quant! I also wish I had my mom's old Biba clothing! You and I sound like kindred spirits!
What an engaging, funny, and touching piece! "Beginner's pumps!" I could smell the Clinique counter.
Oh, thank you for saying this!!
Love the threads in this story: mothers and daughters, family business, the garment district, NYC in the eighties. I shopped in the NOW department. My mother and I loved Bloomingdales and had a fashion-adjacent business together, which was ultimately heartbreaking for both of us. So well written, thanks.
I wonder if I ever saw you wandering through the NOW department! I was partial to the Pringles room.
This was so well written and a touching story. Thank you for sharing.
Oh, my...this is one of the most brilliant things I've read in years...thanks for taking me back to the days of Tahari and Adrienne Vitadini....And as another commenter said--please god, may this be the beginning of a memoir. I'll preorder it even before it's written!
I am hiring you as my manager! Thank you so much for commenting and saying all this. I would love to turn this into some sort of memoir so stay tuned!!!
Amazingly loving, detailed account of your mother - and the 80s. I’m transported back to the fashion show that was my work attire in my 20s!
Thank you! Better pull out your Tapemeasure stirrup pants today in honor of those days!!
Your mom would have loved reading this eloquent, evocative piece. Oh, the memories of fixing runs with nail polish! I worked a few blocks away, East 55th, when you were at Bloomie’s. Thanks, Cathy.
So nice to see you here, Judith! I wonder if we crossed paths on the streets back then. I would have loved to have gotten a Kir Royale with you!
I completely agree with Elena Brunn! You had me at Pappagallo! Like “The Devil Wears Prada,” but with so much heart and soul. Hope to see it in long form very soon🤞.
Oh, thank you for saying this! All of these comments are nudging forward to write that memoir!
What a great read! So nostalgic and funny and deeply moving. You conjure your mother so well; how heartbreaking to learn how radically her life changed (and yours too)
Thank you so much. I realized that even when I'm not writing about my mother, I am writing about my mother.
The 1980’s come alive through all the details- the brand names, the culture of sales”girls”, Bloomingdales. ❤️Beautiful writing.
This is absolutely wonderful!
❤️❤️❤️
Beautiful story, thanks for sharing it!
Great piece, thank you!
This is a wonderful piece, and I laughed out loud at the Peck & Peck reference (which I have to explain to students whenever I teach Didion's "On Keeping a Notebook). I'm currently wearing a vintage Peck & Peck cashmere sweater. I saw it at Goodwill (for $5) and gasped "Peck & Peck!" before I grabbed it.
I am so jealous you have a vintage Peck & Peck! That is amazing. I recently bought a vintage Bermuda bag. Will I use it? Probably not. But it's a total blast from my past.
I loved this piece and all that it reminds me of. I am a Garment Center descendant, having spent many hours in my grandparents’ showroom, and burst into a short lived career in book publishing in 1986. My favorite line — because it somehow captured so much about those times — is: “After a few months on the job, it became obvious that Mrs. Gold saw me as just another pair of legs in black DKNY opaque tights.” And having spent a lot of time and energy dealing with agent parent stuff in the last year, you reminded me that I need to take joy in the fact that my parents are still around. Thank you. And, having seen the comments above, I would love to see this expanded upon.
Thank you for saying all of this! You are so lucky to have both parents around. My dad is 91 and the most important person in the world to me.