On My Soap Box

This morning I was searching for a tv station that had Gospel Music when I happened on to a channel that was all big band music. I closed my eyes and I could see myself dancing in a big ball room. I mean I looked really good. My dress had a full skirt, it was chiffon overlay of taffeta. I had high heels on and my hair was perfect. Then I closed my eyes and I saw Melanie come down stairs all ready for her first high school dance. She was wearing a sweater and blue jeans. I told her that I thought she was going to a dance why wasn't she dressed up. I got the traditional answer I was soon to find out was, "all the kids dress like this to go to a dance." I can remember that I was disappointed, but kept quiet. Proms are about the only dances that kids dress up for now days.
As I listened to Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, and of course, Harry James, my very favorite, I wondered what happened to those wonderful ball rooms. It really didn't take me very long to figure it out. The answer: blue jeans. Yup, those things used to be for women to work in. Not too long ago I found a pair of blue jeans I really liked. My husband about had a stroke. They were $385.00. I told him I wanted two pair. Of course, I was joking, but the blue jeans have taken over the chiffon ball gowns. How sad. Those days were so much fun. I can still hear the clarinets, the trombones, and the expertise of the drummer using his brushes more than the drums so that you could hear individual instruments. I never went home with a headache from listening to that dreamy music. Long live chiffon!