Jo and her Housedresses

One of the reasons I began this Housedress business was because I was inspired by a woman I had never met. I never met Jo in person, anyway. I don't even remember seeing a photo of her, but I have a unique connection to Jo through my friend, Grace. Her family had been neighbors with Jo in Poughkeepsie, New York for 30 years and ended up caring for her in her old age. Grace's mother would bring food up to the house, Grace's sisters would check on her periodically, and help her with errands or chores. I often heard stories about Jo, or perhaps they were more like recollections, and envisioned her standing with her fluffy white hair in the bright yellow grass of her front yard, asking Grace how her dogs were doing or thanking her for stopping in to say hello. She loved to give Grace little gifts, trinkets that Grace would always show me so excitedly, explaining what they had meant to Jo. She eventually passed away about two years ago at the age of 97. 

Jo’s sister and a friend on their front porch in Poughkeepsie, NY

Since Jo and her husband didn’t have children, Grace and her family were the ones tasked with cleaning out the house after her passing. They wanted to honor her, so they began finding “homes” for Jo’s things, placing the items with people they knew would cherish her belongings. As Grace cleaned out Jo’s closets, she started slowly bringing me dresses she thought I would like. I didn’t appreciate the importance of it at first; I was just honored that Grace entrusted me with things that once belonged to Jo. But the funny thing was that all of the garments reflected my style exactly, and as Grace began to sift through them, I gained a wardrobe from this woman I knew very little about. I felt deeply connected to her every time I would wear something Grace brought to me. It was like they had come to me from my own grandmother, from beyond. Even though Jo didn’t know I ended up with them, somehow, I was thanking her out loud whenever I left the house wearing something she had passed on to me.

Jo around age 20-22 in Florida with kittens

The most important pieces I got from Jo were her housedresses. I have long been anti-sweats and pro-muumuus, and the housedresses Grace brought me were the perfect additions to my collection. The fabrics were so soft, comforting, and flowing, and they became some of my favorite pieces. I wore them day after day throughout 2020 as I worked on my little hobbies or around my house in quarantine, each time silently sending up a thank you to Jo.

Jo on vacation in Florida

Eventually I became inspired, particularly by Jo and the housedresses she left behind, to start my own business entirely dedicated to the Housedress. From Jo's garments arose an entire business, This Is My Housedress, uniquely designed for all ages, including women like Jo. I saw a need to create a dress like this for every body, every age, every gender or non-gender. They needed to be colorful, exciting, unique, exactly like the ones Jo used to wear; the ones that I now wear. Jo may be gone but her style lives on through me and this new business. She may never have known how influential she was to me, but I thank her every single day.

Jo’s brother wearing one of her housedresses on their porch in Poughkeepsie

Jo and with her sisters and mother in front of their home in Poughkeepsie