Even though I live just two New York City blocks from Bergdorf Goodman—the most storied temple to fashion this side of the Atlantic—curiously, my dress was unearthed in the small Dutch town of Roermond. (More on that later.) I found it online and, upon its arrival, reverently unboxed it like a relic.
It was perfect. Urbane enough for a Manhattan City Hall wedding, yet still dainty. A slender row of covered buttons ran the bodice’s length, stopping at the bow cinched across the hips; above, a V-neck collar framed the neck with a swan-like elegance. But it was the interior that revealed the true gem: a “Bergdorf Goodman on the Plaza” label in the retailer’s distinctive lilac hue. Handwritten beneath the store’s name were the details: July 6, 1957, and the names O’Keefe and Cath.
