‘Fashion through the Decades’ comes to UD Senior Center Thursday
Who remembers the bellbottoms of the 70s? Did you rock a poodle-laden skirt at a sock hop? Perhaps you never attend church without your best hat. Whatever your memories are of the past, there is one thing that unites us all: the trends of our wardrobes.
The Upper Darby Senior Center will host a stroll down that memory lane with an upcoming program, “Fashion Through the Decades.” As part of its Women’s History Month celebrations, the program is scheduled for Thursday, March 5 at 10 a.m. at the senior center, 326 Watkins Ave, Upper Darby, Pa 19082.
The program will be complete with its own fashion memory runway. Presenter Diane McNitt will “bring the story to life” with her presentation as she explains far more than just the top picks of the decades.
According to a social media post by the Senior Center, McNitt shares a vivid collection “as she explores how women’s clothing has reflected changing roles, challenges, and triumphs across the decades.”
“From classic silhouettes to cultural shifts, this engaging presentation blends nostalgia with insight,” said the post, “showing how fashion tells the story of women’s lives, identities, and progress.”
Known for her collection that encompasses eras from the Civil War through the 1980s, McNitt displays dresses, shoes, purses, bridal gowns, aprons, and more during her showcase.
“I truly feel as if God led me to find this new calling of uplifting older adults, by a series of events that happened over these last five years,” McNitt told the Daily Times in a November 2024 article.
McNitt is a 1975 graduate of Cardinal O’Hara High School and an alumnus of Drexel University where she studied Fashion Design and Design Merchandising. In addition to the clothing of her own parents and grandparents, McNitt has also built up her collection of relics, searching area thrift stores for authentic vintage clothing.
“I need more closets to store all of this stuff,” she told the Times.
McNitt is a resident of Lansdowne herself and shares her knowledge with local programs such as these.
The program at the Senior Center will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 5.
