WINDFALLS

Time stands still inside the old Pullman passenger car. Step through the creaking wooden door and you can almost feel the slow, rocking motion of the train as it pitches from side to side, almost hear the heavy chugga-chugga-chugga of the huge iron wheels as they turn around and around inside the worn steel grooves of the track. Step inside and you enter a time warp- it’s 1916 and you’re on your way to Aunt Adelaide’s in Idaho. The journey back is a long one- back to the Age of Innocence, the days of the steam engine and the horseless carriage. It’s light-years away from here, from the days of supersonic jets and underground subways. It’s a time and a pace we’ve all but forgotten. But whenever we need a little reassurance that the Age of Innocence has not altogether passed us by, we can look to children in the spring. Their eager anticipation of the first budding tree, their wide-eyed wonder of flowers in bloom, their captiva-tion with each cool raindrop remind us that there are certain simple pleasures that cannot be improved upon-even by modern technology. It’s not surprising, then, that fashion trends, even in children’s clothing, have returned to the simpler, softer styles of the turn of the century and earlier. And, logically enough, it is not the men’s nor the women’s but the children’s vintage styles that are the hardest to resist. What better time to emphasize innocence and naivete than in childhood? It is with this in mind that we have assembled some vintage children’s apparel that we think is worth remembering.

The dining room. Left: white linen pants, $16; white linen blazer, $37.50; from Petit Amis. Pink and white striped shirt, $13; white bow tie, $3; from Lord & Taylor. Right: suit from Miss B; antique pillbox hat from Lulu’s.

The sleeping car. Left, above: yellow and blue cotton pajamas, $12, from Lord & Taylor. Left, below: white pajamas with lavender, peach and aqua satin bows by Christian Dior, $32, from Monday’s Child. Right: nightgown with appli- qued pink and baby blue satin parachutes by Christian Dior, $32, from Monday’s Child.

Last stop. Left to right: white linen shorts and shirt, $24.50; navy cardigan, $23; from Kid’s World. Navy suit from Trouve. White pique dress, $62, from Monday’s Child.

The layover. Left: white cotton dress with lace trim, $61.50, from Petit Amis. Pantaloons, $12, from Lord & Taylor. Right: black chemise from Miss B; antique black straw hat from Lulu’s.

Teatime. Left: antique Edwardian pique and lace coat from England, $120. Right: Antique hand-sewn lawn (similar to batis) dress with blue satin sash, $175; hand-embroidered antique slip, $35; all from the antique collection at Momma Please.

The midday nap. Left to right: navy and white cotton pincord sailor dress, $75; navy and white pincord knicker suits, $72. From Sally Memberry Children’s Designs (made in England); available at Momma Please.

The smoking room. Left to right: navy linen suspender suit, $13; navy and white striped Peter Pan collar shirt, $9.50; from Petit Amis. Blue oxford-cloth dress by Ralph Lauren, $62; white cardigan, $14; boy’s bow tie, $3; all from Lord & Taylor. Blue and yellow oxford-cloth dress with ruffle sleeve and smocked yoke, $84 from Monday’s Child; cardigan sweater, $12, from Lord & Taylor. Khaki pants, $15.50; blue and white striped oxford-cloth shirt, $17; navy blazer, $37.50; all from Petit Amis. Antique bow tie from Lulu’s.