Sunday, February 5, 2017

What Would Mary Wear?

I'm very saddened by the recent death of entertainment icon Mary Tyler Moore.  When I went to college, I enjoyed having cable TV for the first time (my parents were too cheap to ever pay for it, can you imagine that?  Yes, I grew up having only 4 channels!) and I made the most of the opportunity to watch The Mary Tyler Moore show almost every night on Nick at Nite (when I should have been studying or sleeping).  I had some vague memories of it from when I was a small child, but since it ended in 1977 I didn't really have the chance to appreciate it.  But as an 18 year old, I loved it.  I loved Mary's apartment, the fact that she was a strong, single gal, and I loved the seventies styles she wore with such aplomb.  So as I was sorting through some of my vintage pattern stash, I selected several that I thought only Mary Richards could do true justice for.  So I thought I would share a small, lighthearted tribute to the effervescent gal who really could, and did, turn the world on with her smile:

Simplicity #6842, copyright 1966:  Mary would have rocked any of the versions of this sweet  mod dress, perfect for one of her many disastrous dates.


McCall's #9332, copyright 1968: This falls in line with the simple lines from the early years of the series, similar to the pleated skirt Mary wears in the first episode during her interview with Mr. Grant, when he accuses her of having spunk--which, of course, she did!


Simplicity #9889, copyright 1972:  Young contemporary fashion perfect for the career woman of the 1970s, similar to much of Mary's wardrobe in the newsroom.


Simplicity #8092, copyright 1969: Mary could wear this to work and then out on the town, with or without the jacket.


Simplicity #6621: Copyright 1974, this is similar to the pantsuits Mary wears during the later years of the series, after she's moved into her fancier apartment.  Her style evolves from the first season to the last, just as Mary does.  But she is always the same in essentials: spunky, strong, sweet, caring, and yes, still single.  I'm so glad the writers didn't marry Mary off.


Thank you, Mary Tyler Moore--thanks for the laughs, the memories, for all the laughter and tears you provided to generations throughout your career.  You will be greatly missed by your fans.






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