The “Fashion through the Decades” style show held as a fundraiser for the quasquicentennial of the Townsend United Methodist Church on April 5 was a huge success with over 100 people in attendance. Guests were able to view “decade-themed” displays featuring antique quilts, vintage hats and dresses, photographs, and memorabilia, as well as vintage baby and children’s clothing and dolls. 
After Co-chairs Cheryl Russell and Mary Froelicher greeted guests at the beginning of the fashion show, Rebecca Kelch Mitchell began the narration. As she stepped to the podium, she sang, “Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but inside it’s so delightful” in reference to the snow storm in progress. However, inside the church and fellowship hall, spring had bloomed as forsythia sprays and spring flowers were everywhere.
The show featured fashions from the estate of Alvena Hooper, a lifetime member of the Methodist Church, as well as dresses and accessories from the collection of Betty Smith (Clark) Mockel and others from the church and community. Models walked down the aisle showing off each outfit to Zelda Diehl’s piano accompaniment.
Each decade in the program was introduced with a historical commentary about the world around us, the Townsend United Methodist Church, and women and fashion. To represent and honor the original inhabitants of Montana, Harla Gillespie opened the show wearing a traditional Native American dress that she made using sinew and bone needle to sew the wool. She entered to “Home on the Range” by Daniel Kelly.
 Models for the 1880’s and turn of the century entered to “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin. Models included Nancy Marks (Queen Victoria-styled black dress and cape originally worn by Mary Maples Marks, the grandmother of Alvena Hooper), Rubie Cox (reproduction white cotton and lace afternoon dress owned by Chris-Robison-Cox), Sharon Foster (reproduction pioneer dress owned by Rebecca Kelch Mitchell), Emma Russell (reproduction gabardine skirt and blouse owned by Betty Mockel), and Betty Mockel (black coat from Uzbekistan worn by Veva Marks in 1886).
The Roaring Twenties was known as the Jazz Age, and calf-length hemlines rose 14-16” in 1925. The models for the 20’s included Sherry Scoffield (navy wool ski suit), Teddi King (black velvet evening dress), and Emma Russell (rose crochet over taffeta dress). All were from the estate of Alvena Hooper.
The 30’s brought a more conservative approach to fashion, and women saw the return of longer hemlines, waistlines to their normal position, and a more feminine appearance. Augusta McDonnell swished in to “The Charleston” wearing a stunning black fringed dress and hat owned by Doris Hossfeld. Other models showed off the glamorous styles of the 30’s to “Star Dust” by Hogey Carmichael and “Once in a While” by Tommy Dorsey.
Thirties Models included Linda Reeves (black crepe dress), Grace McDonnell (brown mink fur vest and “mad bomber” hat), Teddi King (red wool swimsuit and bag), Jamie Moudree (mauve satin dressing gown), Augusta McDonnell (sea-foam green Baccalaureate dress), and Linda Reeves (magenta lounging suit). All outfits were from the estate of Alvena Hooper.
What women remember most about the 40’s was that during World War II, every type of cloth was rationed. Nothing was wasted; parachute cloth was often used to make baby clothing. The models for the 40’s entered to “Dancing in the Dark” by Artie Shaw and “Moonlight Serenade” by Glenn Miller, two of America’s favorite bandleaders during the War. Models included Emma Russell (black taffeta evening dress owned by Betty Mockel), Charlotte Watson (a 1916 white batiste graduation dress remade in the 40’s as a child’s dress owned by Cheryl Russell), Carol Lorz (gray, wool gabardine suit from the Alvena Hooper estate), Sherry Scoffield (lilac evening gown owned by Betty Mockel), and Sharon Foster (classic shirtwaist from the Alvena Hooper estate).
The “Nifty Fifties” was a time of poodle skirts, drive-in theatres, and chromasaurus cars. Fifties music included “And This is My Beloved” by Robert Wright, “At the Hop” by Arthur Singer, and “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” by George Cory. Models included Linda Reeves (black wool gabardine suit and fox fur hat and collar owned by Betty Mockel), Carol Lorz (navy blue dinner dress from the estate of Alvena Hooper), Teddi King (reproduction pink poodle skirt, white sweater, and saddle shoes, from Rebecca Kelch Mitchell), Linda Reeves (copper and olive cocktail dress from the estate of Alvena Hooper), and Carol Lorz (teal and black shantung dress owned by Betty Mockel).
An “anachronism” is when something is out of time sequence in a play or drama. Thus, Jamie Moudree’s choice of a 1950’s Eisenhower jacket paired with WWI-era jodhpurs and boots (from the estate of Alvena Hooper), and a 1940’s Stetson to create a unique military look was anachronistic. John Williams’s 1981 score, “Raider’s March” enabled one to imagine her as a modern-day Indiana Jones heroine.
The 60’s was a decade of troubled waters, and most people over 50 remember where they were the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The 60’s models walked in to “Moon River” by Henry Mancini. Catie Watson entered wearing a butterfly print shift owned by Cheryl Russell. The 60’s prom girls included Augusta McDonnell (yellow prom dress owned by Nancy Marks) and Teddi King (pink georgette) and Chiara Warner blue georgette) wearing dresses owned by Dorothy Hahn.
Women in the 70’s chose their fashion: a maxi one day, a mini the next, and perhaps a peasant dress on the third day. The models entered to “Evergreen” by John Williams. Sharon Foster wore a black and silver spaghetti strapped gown, and Augusta McDonnell wore a red and white dotted Swiss party dress, both owned by Betty Mockel. Emma Russell wore a rust colored trench coat with a white mini polyester mini dress worn by her mother, Cheryl Russell, for her graduation in 1972. Jamie Moudree chose a traditional A-line dress owned by Nancy Marks.
Although the decades ended with the 70’s, the finale for the show was the wedding attire. The first wedding performed at the Methodist Church was in 1888, and the most recent was in 2007. On the dais were three beautiful gowns: an 1888 gown owned by Helen Turcotte which was worn by her grandmother, Helen Cross Carson; a silk dress originally worn by Mrs. J.N. Johnson of Toston in the 20’s for her wedding and remade into a graduation dress for Eleanor Hargrove Marks in 1930; and Betty Mockel’s 1951 satin gown which was worn by her cousin, as well as her daughter.
Rebecca Kelch Mitchell presented her mother’s 1941 wedding gown and explained how it had changed through the years from floor length with a 10’ train and veil to tea length with a lace overlay.
Then came a flurry of models entered wearing ivory wedding gowns to “Forever and Ever” by Franz Winkler: Augusta McDonnell wore Gerry Kimpton’s 1952 satin and lace gown; Chiara Warner wore Lillian McCammon’s 1953 lace and crinoline gown; Teddi King wore her grandmother’s (Maxine Olsen) 1958 tea-length gown; and Emma Russell wore a peasant-style gown owned by Betty Mockel’s daughter-in-law in 1970.
Some fashions are timeless. The final model for the show, Betty Mockel, presented “yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” Entering to “The Way We Were” by Marvin Hamlisch, Betty wore a mix of decades from the 30’s, forward to create a unique fashion style. The “Fashion through the Decades” style show can be summed up by a quote from Anglican clergyman, Charles Caleb Colton: “Time is the most indefinable yet paradoxical of things; the past is gone, the future has not come, and the present becomes the past even while we attempt to define it.” Thanks to all who helped make this show a success.

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