Mary Watkins '73

Mary Watkins, 1973 Graduate

Black and White dress, Hollins Abroad Paris, 1971 

“I was impressed by Parisian fashion, but living on a student budget, I was unable to afford haute couture. I loved this full-length dress when I found it, and I thought it was very fashionable. I did not wear it in Paris but did wear it once or twice upon my return.” (Watkins)

This dress was purchased during Mary Watkins's 1971 Paris study abroad trip, near the Left Bank in the St. Germain area. She was on a tight budget, as were the rest of her peers, but she wanted to bring home a piece of the fashionable clothing she saw in the city.

—Novie Hartman ‘28

Mary Watkins, 1973 Graduate

Georges Moustaki record, Hollins Abroad Paris, 1971

“[M]y roommate Marty Eskridge Arscott and I listened to [this] ALL the time. Georges Moustaki…was remembered in death as a citizen of the world who was in love with liberty.”

This is a record by George Moustaki, which Mary Watkins and her roommate Marty Eskridge Arscott listened to on repeat during their trip to Paris in 1971. Moustaki is an Egyptian-French singer and songwriter who, in Watkins’ words, was “a complete heartthrob.” Allow yourself to imagine the young women’s room in their Parisian homestay. Two twin beds, two desks, and a record player that played 33 RPM records. Given the year, the women have no access to computers or cell phones. Their environment was simple, with few options for entertainment other than the gentle melodies of George Mustaki filling the air.

—Kerrie Noble ‘26

Mary Watkins, 1973 Graduate

Postcards to friends and family from Paris, Loire Valley, and the Summer Tour, 1971

These eight postcards document Mary Watkins’ tour of Paris in 1971 from the Chateau d’Angers to Notre Dame Cathedral. Some, addressed to her parents, showcase her homesickness in the early days of the trip and her later cheer and interest in the tours of various sites. Others written to her friend boast slightly more scandalous stories, such as the one in which she stole a workman’s hat from the Abbey of Fontevraud and wore it throughout the weekend.

—Kerrie Noble ‘26