There's a story behind this dressed-down look. A piece of history, even.
The coveralls I’m wearing here belonged to my great-grandmother Millie. During WWII, she worked in the wiring department at the Northwest Airlines’ factory in St. Paul. While the men went off to war, many of the women stepped in to take the jobs that the men had vacated.
When I first began digging into my family’s history at the factory, I had no idea what I was in for, but a quick Google search turned up quite a fascinating article from the Minnesota Historical Society about what eventually became known as the Northwest Airlines’ Modification Center at Holman Field in St. Paul. And I'll say this...it’s quite a read.
In the article, author and local historian, Johannes R. Allert, describes how the city of St. Paul played "a crucial role in achieving victory."
The "Mod Center," was in operation from 1942 to 1945. During that time planes were modified in order to be used as bomber aircraft in the war. More than 5,000 workers, including my great-grandmother Millie (a St. Paul native) were brought in from all over the Upper Midwest, to accomplish this mission.
How did these coveralls end up in my possession? A number of years ago, my aunt, Lynne, found them hanging underneath the basement steps at the old family farm. She wanted to make sure they stayed in the family, so she gave them to her daughter, Julie, who eventually “regifted” them to me.
To my surprise, they are a near perfect fit! My great-grandmother was about 5 feet tall, and I'm just beyond that at 5' 2".
While I don’t have a photo of Millie in her coveralls, I’m willing to settle for one of her in her wedding gown instead. And here she is, standing so elegantly on her special day…
Before this photo of her came into my possession, I was playing around with the camera, looking for some creative ways to showcase my newly acquired coveralls.
A thought crossed my mind that, at first, seemed strange to me. I began seeing visions of her old uniform alongside my wedding dress. Unsure of where this story was heading, I started laying out the pieces…
And, that's when it dawned on me. Millie's coveralls paired with my own lace-covered wedding dress created the most stunningly beautiful and fantastically feminine photograph!
I mean, who can resist the timeless flair of old glamour?!
While we’re at it, why not take a closer look at the back of Millie's uniform, where the words “Northwest Airlines” are sewn in thick, red cursive. Awfully pretty, if you ask me…
Let’s title this next photo, Something Borrowed, Something Blue.
My wedding ring pictured below is a family heirloom that comes from my husband's maternal great-grandmother, Betty.
And so it seems, everything has come full-circle and has turned into quite a lovely story.
Who knew an old pair of blue-gray coveralls could bring on so much creative inspiration?!
I’ve only just begun, but I’m looking forward to learning more about my family's history at the Northwest Airlines' Modification Center in St. Paul. Stay tuned….
☀️Wilderness & Wildflower Wisdom:
You never know when your life could be, 'history in the making.'
Comentarios