We at Recollections would love to take the opportunity to remember Billie McKernan, a loved member of our community who passed recently, and to highlight the joy she created for her family while enjoying history-inspired clothing. 

We first got to know Billie in 2015, the year she decided would be her last to dress up for Halloween. She wanted to “go out with a bang” and came to us as she created her ensemble. She chose an Anastasia Fancy Victorian dress (complete with petticoat), lace gloves, Merry widow hat, and black parasol. We enjoyed hearing from Billie as she called our team to ask questions about putting everything together and it began a relationship with her and her family that has lasted since. 

Loving her Anastasia dress, Billie decided to share Recollections with her daughters, starting with gifts of Victorian caroling outfits and then skirts, suits, velvets, calicoes, casual outfits, and gowns so fancy her daughters said they “felt like princesses.” 

Billie eventually became homebound but delighted in continuing to share Recollections items with her daughters, often basing entire trips and outings around outfits she would find. While she didn’t attend, she reveled in seeing the photos of history-themed adventures such as a Memorial Day lighthouse picnic in Patriotic Plaid, tea parties in Edwardian style, a Flapper Food Tour, and Car Shows in full-skirted Audrey dresses.

Besides her Anatasia dress Billie also wore an Allie dress that she had made to match one she bought for her granddaughter, creating a priceless memory for the family and photos that we adore. 

Over the years we enjoyed hearing about the various fun the family was having in our clothing as Billie called to speak to our team about making sure she had “the perfect fit” for each piece. She was regularly creative, coming to us with ideas for different fabrics to be used for various items or calling with the measurements of one of her girls in the hopes of the perfect finished product. 

Says her loving daughters: “Recollections clothing has become a part of our everyday wardrobe. We have dresses for every time period and possible occasion. And each one makes us think of our mother: her taste, her wimsey, her excitement, and her love for us.”

Billie McKernan will be greatly missed by the Recollections family, and it warms our hearts to know that her daughters will be continuing her creative and classy memory.