Tags
1930s, Black Widow spider bite, bridal shop, Chihuahua, embalmed, Fad, La Pascualita, La Popular, life-like, mannequin, Mexico, saint, store window, urban legend
La Popular (Mexican bridal shop)
Let’s look at another popular urban legend. In Chihuahua, Mexico is a famous bridal shop. Not because they sell bridal gowns to celebrities by the boatload or anything like that. The shop is home to La Pascualita. Who is that? A mesmerizing life like mannequin, rumored to be the embalmed body of the daughter of a former store owner named Pascuala Esparza, to whom the mannequin bares a striking resemblance. According to the urban legend, the daughter died from a Black Widow spider bite on her wedding day. Grief-stricken, Esparza had her embalmed and stood her in the store window. Though she denies it, the story has taken on a life of its own. Observers say La Pascualita shifts positions during the night. And her eyes follow customers around the store. Only the owner and a very few trusted employees are allowed to undress her. She is changed twice a week. Some locals and brides-to-be actually pray or leave gifts for her with the shop owners, considering La Pascualita to be a saint. One thing is certain this is an incredibly detailed, amazingly life-like, probable wax dummy. La Pascualita has been at home in La Popular since March 25, 1930.