Feeling Very Southwestern Today....

....because I've been reading the Mystery in Arizona over the Christmas holidays. So I took a little trip on etsy and discovered some lovely squaw dresses. This is what the girls would be wearing if I could make the Mystery in Arizona into a movie. ;)

This book constantly references the girls' matching twin sweater sets--Trixie in blue, Honey in yellow, and Di in the traditional violet. Unfortunately I couldn't find a blue sweater set (what are the odds???) but I found Honey's & Di's. Sort of.

Honey's gold twinset, found here

Diana's lilac sweater set, found here

Western-themed regalia was extremely popular in the 1950s due in part to John Wayne, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. Cowboy and southwestern styles crept into the clothing of the day and made brightly-colored squaw dresses and peasant blouses with dirndl skirts very fashionable for ladies. The book describes the girls' waitressing uniforms as "white blouses, heavily embroidered with all the colors of the rainbow and gay, multi-colored dirndl type skirts". So there you go. ;)

"It's lucky that they're the type of costume that fits practically anybody and everybody." 

--Diana

I wasn't able to find much in the way of real dude ranch clothes, except this lavender cowgirl shirt which would be perfectly perfect for Di.

sold here

Of course, they must have something pretty to wear at the square dance! So squaw dresses it is.

This turquoise blue dress with silver and black ric rac is perfect for Trixie--not too ornamented, not too girly.

Honey gets a lovely rust-colored dress with lots of petticoats--I'm sure the fall hues will enhance her coloring!

And for Di, a refreshing change--lipstick red, as opposed to the usual violet. :)

And finally, a glimpse at some real southwestern Navaho jewelry from the 1950s. This is what Rosita's father may have made; what she had to sell to Mrs. Sherman.

turquoise and mother-of-pearl---sold here

Next post? Perhaps some bullfighter costumes for the boys.... ;)