N is for...

Nightgowns.

I have a few.

Almost all of them are cotton.  Some are new and some are very, very old.  I was wearing the one pictured at left while pregnant with Katie.  That's 21 years ago -- I don't know what that translates to in nightgown years.  It's a soft, old faithful, and I still wear it.

Apparently, I favor long and white, buttons and ruffles.  There are a few florals, some blue, a shocking pink!  Most of them are missing the tags because I have an annoyance with those irritating things that seems to only get worse.  Many of the sleeves are whacked off because I can't stand anything too tight around my wrists.  If it was easily accomplished, I simply removed the elastic, but most of the time, it required a whack job to make the thing wearable.

I often spend a good deal of my day off or a Sunday morning in my nightgown.  Having no neighbors on the east side, none in back, and mostly hidden from view in the front, I can have coffee on the patio in my nightie or hang out the wash or pull weeds or water my tomatoes.

I suffer comparison to pioneer prairie girls gladly.  ; )

Comments

[Gretchen]

Ooh- I have nightgown envy! I love, love, love nightgowns! Especially well-worn, soft cottony ones! I love your bricked patio- perfect for sun-drying the cotton lovelies. I was Queen of the Prairie when younger- Laura Ingalls Wilder was my hero- and I love that style of nightie. I would wear one all day if I could, too. I've already gotten my soon to be 6 year old infatuated with nightgowns, and can't wait till my twins are a little older to wear them too. The shocking pink does stand out- I favor whites and blues myself, with butter yellow thrown in. Have a nice holiday!

[Cara]

This is almost too good to be true. Please. It's too much. I almost can't make fun of you anymore!

Fantastic pictures!!

[Carole]

I wear nightgowns, too, and have a few that are quite similar to yours. Cotton in the summer, flannel in the winter. And mine were on the clothesline yesterday, too.
Yours are gorgeous and I'm envious.

[Kathy]

Yup. Me, too! Mine are the tanky-kind, but nightgowns nonetheless.

[Norma]

OH.MY.GOD, that is the most wonderful photo EVER, the ones on the line. I don't wear nightgowns except when I'm freezing in sub-zero weather or sick. I still do have the one I was wearing when I was in labor with Abigail, too, it's still in wonderful condition (a Garnet Hill flannel that I bought at their tent sale 23 years ago) and I wear it when it's the above-mentioned conditions. I simply can't sleep in them because they tangle all up around me and drive me nuts. I sleep in t-shirts. But I LOVE your nightgowns! AND I wish I lived in a place where I could go out in my yard wearing what the hell I WANT (which would often be my night t-shirt and no underwear). That is the way life should be -- NO NEIGHBORS. I just want to be a hermit. With DSL. :)

[Julia]

Great pictures! What a creative "N"!

[Susan]

Oh, Vicki, what a beautifully photographed and written ABC post, so very personal and delightful! And, since so many others have indicated in their comments, I'm a pajamas girl, for exactly the same reason that Norma doesn't wear nightgowns.

[ann]

it's like laundry day at the convent! I knew you loved nightgowns, but never guessed you had a friggin collection!

great pictures Vicki!

[Liz]

Oh this entry is SO neat! what a wonderful thing to know about you. I enjoyed your photos a lot. :D

[Birdsong]

I just love these photos! Especially the first one, looking down on your entire collection... what you go through for us. I want to rush right out and buy a few, even though I have been the tank top and flannel bottom type for the past five years.

[Elizabeth]

These are beautiful! Lovin' the nightgowns on the line! I love the idea of nightgowns but I'm really a nightshirt sleeper. I do envy those who can stay in sleep clothes all day, I can't seem to do that, either. I do know the luxury of all that cozy soft worn-in cotton, though.

[margene]

You have a way of bringing back great memories for me. My mother made each of us grrls a new night gown (flannel) every Christmas. I still remember the smell of them fresh off the clothesline. I've given up night gowns as I find myself wrapped up with them twisted around and around my legs and I'm way to warm. What a wonderful N, Vicki!

[Mary in Boston]

What a wonderful collection. And such great pictures. Especially the rooftop one. Staggers the imagination, what you must do for your pictures!

I like nightgowns, but have gravitated more towards pjs for the last few years. Doesn't stop me from coveting your collection though.

;-)

[sandy]

Holy cow, woman! You've got yourselves lots and lots of beautiful nightgowns! (Can I REALLY be THAT far behind on the friggin abc's?????)
Can you tell me your source? That is my favo kind of nightgown and I can't seem to come up with any. Of course, I'd probably have to go IN to many stores to say that I've searched.
I hate to shop.
xo

[Celia]

OH MY GOD. You are my hero. A plethora of nightgowns. Just as good as an abundance of pajamas. Let us have a pajama/nightgown day to beat the band. But sometime in the fall. It's just too, too much right now...

[Lisa]

What a fabulous picture! I must go and purchase a nightgown to wear now.

[Liz]

GREAT photo of all the nighties on the line, in the sunshine, an inspired and wonderful tribute to the letter N. It makes me wish I wore nightgowns, but as a restless sleeper, I have put my foot right threw (as in ripped) many a nightgown that my mum made for me (whilst sleeping), thus t-shirts are the way, but not as romantic and beautiful as your gowns.

[Lynne]

This is a wonderful post, Vicki...and I'm not even sure about all the reasons why!

[christine]

Oh. major nightgown envy.............in my opinion, there is not much better than a soft white nightgown.......great picture!

[Jan]

What a wonderful post! I always wore nightgowns years ago and have somehow drifted away from them. Your fabulous photos are making me nostalgic...not only for my nightgowns, but for a clothesline! I miss the smell of wash fresh off the line.

[Kathleen]

Fabulous pictures Vicki. But you are a freaking Nut! How many do you have? I like a well-worn t-shirt.

[heather]

those are the best kind. I have a shorter version and I have spent many a rainy day or playing hookie sitting and knitting in mine.

:) fabulous!