O/T Can I just take a moment to say that a package of size 12 underwear, tights, longjohns, or anything resembling the same, is an incredibly lame gift for a niece, particularly when one considers how wealthy the R's were/are. Ranks right up there with socks! It's one thing if that's what they could afford, or if the niece was running around on her last pair of underwear. But I don't think so, on either count. And just because they've got Bloomingdales slapped across them, they're still underwear.
He may have been an expert at business and she an expert at pageants, but gift buying? Ughgh!! Okay, I feel a little better now. Thank you for letting me rant. I've been wanting to share that thought for 25 years!
Lol. Let it out.
Having worn the underwear from Bloomingdales I will mention that they were a somewhat special status symbol. Good quality. Like $26 for 7 pairs. Particularly if you traveled to THE NYC Bloomingdales, like THE FAO Schwartz, it was a special souvenir. I have clear memories of that toy store in the mid 90s. The stuff wealthy moms could bestow upon Princess daughters and nieces. There may have been a cosmetics sample or something else to go with the underwear.
From a cultural standpoint, this was all in the same privileged 90s little girl category; pink Skip it in the Ramsey yard, iron on perla beads mistaken for pineapple/popcorn in the bedroom, American girl dolls, bloomies, the creative crafts brand had a paper bead twirling kit I remember distinctly.
For sure, it is a stupid gift, but one that nostalgically makes sense, at least to me. I don’t even recall where mine came from.
Also when you shop in NY you have to carry the purchases with you. Compact gift, easy to carry into Barney’s and to lunch.
I’ll add about Pam nabbing Molly doll and possibly a catalogue during her crime scene raid, it’s possible she didn’t need one. At the back of each and every American Girl Doll book (that Pam was said to have read to JonBenet) there is a tear out order form for a catalogue along with customer service telephone number for ordering! You could call and order a doll by phone this way, wouldn’t need a catalogue.
Also, tonight I decapitated my Molly doll. I triple knotted the rope as a child and the duct tape piece from 94/95 was not very sticky anymore. There were synthetic white fibers, tan fibers, and brown synthetic hair all over the tape. There was a large handful of synthetic stuffing, but no animal hairs found inside. It seems to match the picture in the wine cellar, but Christmas is bursting with synthetic Santa beard fluff, fake snow, and similar stuffing- type material.
Perhaps the unmatched animal hairs on JonBenet’s hands and clothing were from one of the perpetrators’ clothing during touch transfer, so the question would be, which of her playmates/ neighbors had pets? She was on the floor of the Whites, as shown in the final photo taken of her at the party. This was not the last photo of JonBenet though, was it? The cutesy one was? What does “cutesy” mean? She was posing. I don’t like that word.
Alternatively, the hairs could be from the leather jacket with the fur collar hanging on a chair by the kitchen island in some crime scene photos. It seems Burke walked out wearing hiTecs, Patsy walked out wearing beaver boots, and John walked out wearing a jacket with a fur collar? It seems we will never know. RIP JonBenet. And what a ride it’s been trying to unravel your mystery. <3 if you only knew how much the world still cares, RIP baby girl.