Ribbon Cutting
Andrea Karlan and her two daughters-in-law, Rose and Jennifer, reflect on a shared piece of ’70s-era blue satin.
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(Photo: Hunter Studios) |
So where did this ribbon come from?
Andrea: Well, I got my dress at the Kings Plaza mall in Brooklyn in 1971. I actually had my eye on another dress, but my mother didn’t think it was appropriate for synagogue. When I found out this one could be customized with colored ribbon, I was sold. My husband’s favorite color is blue, and I picked it with both of us in mind. The ’70s were a different time�nobody wanted to wear anything too glitzy. This felt simple enough, but the blue gave it some individuality. Bruce and I were married on January 23, 1972, at the temple Shaare Zion in Coney Island. The dress really pleased everybody.
How did the idea come up for Jen and Rose to use the ribbon?
Andrea: Jen’s and Rose’s weddings were six months apart, so they were shopping for dresses at the same time. When the conversation turned to �something blue,� I thought, My dress! I didn’t know what condition it would be in because I hadn’t had it preserved, but there were parts of the blue ribbon that were still pristine all these years later. I had just enough to make two small bows for Jen and Rose. They were thrilled.
What did they do with them?
Rose: Jen and I both had the ribbon sewn into our dresses. My seamstress was really excited. It was kind of like our little secret. My own mother had passed away, and this gesture from Andi made me feel like I was her own daughter. It was really touching to have a piece of her walking down the aisle with me.
Jennifer: Before we got married, I had been with Andi’s son Mark for ten years. I already felt like a part of the family, but her giving me a piece of the wedding dress was beyond welcoming. I turned the lace from my own mother’s gown into little gloves, and having something from my second mom was the icing on the cake.
Andrea: I’m not a stickler about tradition, but I always tell the girls that blue certainly brought me a lot of luck. Bruce and I were married 43 years this year.