Thursday, February 24, 2005
Guess Who's Coming to... Costume?
Costume can be a verb, right? ;-)
And the answer to the title question is... JennyNYC!
I hadn't seen JennyNYC since C and I had our Commitment Ceremony [gasp] over seven years ago! Girlfriend is even more beautiful and more fun to hang out with than ever before. We have known each other since we met in college back in [gasp] 1992!
To quote Jenny, some of our most memorable times included "trips to thrift stores for wigs and leotards covered in orange feathers; constant angst-ridden crushes; and cat-fights over vampire transvestites in hand-cuffs."
Both of us having a love of being dramatic, costumes - although in those days we just called them clothes ;-) - were a quick and easy common ground.
So during her visit, when I saw the Piedmont Boutique from across Haight Street, I had us jaywalk to make our way there as quickly as possible.
While we perused the racks of neon psychedelic print dresses, black PVC maid outfits, wigs, pasties, and bustiers, Jenny told me about the time she and her friend Esperanza shopped at the Piedmont Boutique.
Esperanza had been interested in possibly buying a pair of funky pantyhose. All of the hose have models on display which hang on hangers. Esperanza pulled the hose-on-a-hanger off the rack and took them back to the group-style dressing room to try them on. While in there, a salesgirl stormed in and hollared out, "She *tried on* the pantyhose!" Jenny said the saleswoman's indignant, horrified, ridiculing tone of voice suggested she might call in security for such a shamelss breach of the unspoken, unposted rules of retail etiquette for their store.
In the midst of this story, Jenny and I spotted a black, stretchy, crushed velvet dress. Turquoise ostrich feathers created a thick, single feather-width band around the bottom hem of the dress.
ME: Oh, Jenny, you *must* try that on!
Jenny: You think?
ME: Oh, definitely.
Jenny: Okay, well, you try something on, too.
I found a fun, sheer, purple polka-dotted teddy with a handful of purple feathers covering each breast and a trim of purple feathers around the hem and we headed off to the dressing room to try on our goods.
My teddy looked okay, though I was distracted by the fact that the underwear I was wearing did not fit the outfit asthetically. I was also distracted by how stunningly sexy Jenny looked in her dress.
ME: Wow! You look *so* good. How much is that dress?
Jenny had clearly already glanced at the price tag, as she answered without even looking: $325
ME: Ouch! Well then, I must at least get a picture of you in that dress!
I bent over to find my camera in my bag when I felt a breeze as the dressing room curtains were thrown back.
Saleswoman (in the same scornful tone of voice Jenny had described): You aren't going to take any photos, are you?
Okay, what is with this new societal fear of photography? It's like photography is suddenly the new communism!
The style of customer service at the Piedmont Boutique was a major turn off and sent me flying out of the store. Though Jenny was still considering going back for that dress despite the militant keepers of the secret retail rules.
But no worries. Even scary saleswomen can't keep me from my costuming! (See, it really can be a verb). :-)
And the answer to the title question is... JennyNYC!
I hadn't seen JennyNYC since C and I had our Commitment Ceremony [gasp] over seven years ago! Girlfriend is even more beautiful and more fun to hang out with than ever before. We have known each other since we met in college back in [gasp] 1992!
To quote Jenny, some of our most memorable times included "trips to thrift stores for wigs and leotards covered in orange feathers; constant angst-ridden crushes; and cat-fights over vampire transvestites in hand-cuffs."
Both of us having a love of being dramatic, costumes - although in those days we just called them clothes ;-) - were a quick and easy common ground.
So during her visit, when I saw the Piedmont Boutique from across Haight Street, I had us jaywalk to make our way there as quickly as possible.
While we perused the racks of neon psychedelic print dresses, black PVC maid outfits, wigs, pasties, and bustiers, Jenny told me about the time she and her friend Esperanza shopped at the Piedmont Boutique.
Esperanza had been interested in possibly buying a pair of funky pantyhose. All of the hose have models on display which hang on hangers. Esperanza pulled the hose-on-a-hanger off the rack and took them back to the group-style dressing room to try them on. While in there, a salesgirl stormed in and hollared out, "She *tried on* the pantyhose!" Jenny said the saleswoman's indignant, horrified, ridiculing tone of voice suggested she might call in security for such a shamelss breach of the unspoken, unposted rules of retail etiquette for their store.
In the midst of this story, Jenny and I spotted a black, stretchy, crushed velvet dress. Turquoise ostrich feathers created a thick, single feather-width band around the bottom hem of the dress.
ME: Oh, Jenny, you *must* try that on!
Jenny: You think?
ME: Oh, definitely.
Jenny: Okay, well, you try something on, too.
I found a fun, sheer, purple polka-dotted teddy with a handful of purple feathers covering each breast and a trim of purple feathers around the hem and we headed off to the dressing room to try on our goods.
My teddy looked okay, though I was distracted by the fact that the underwear I was wearing did not fit the outfit asthetically. I was also distracted by how stunningly sexy Jenny looked in her dress.
ME: Wow! You look *so* good. How much is that dress?
Jenny had clearly already glanced at the price tag, as she answered without even looking: $325
ME: Ouch! Well then, I must at least get a picture of you in that dress!
I bent over to find my camera in my bag when I felt a breeze as the dressing room curtains were thrown back.
Saleswoman (in the same scornful tone of voice Jenny had described): You aren't going to take any photos, are you?
Okay, what is with this new societal fear of photography? It's like photography is suddenly the new communism!
The style of customer service at the Piedmont Boutique was a major turn off and sent me flying out of the store. Though Jenny was still considering going back for that dress despite the militant keepers of the secret retail rules.
But no worries. Even scary saleswomen can't keep me from my costuming! (See, it really can be a verb). :-)
Comments:
How funny again! I just read this post after having emailed you that I bought the dress AND A MATCHING BOA! It's HUGE with a plethora of blue and black ostrich feathers!
My girlfriend noted the sign saying, "Don't play in the boas!" How lucky we weren't reprimanded for that yesterday, Sk8rn. I just read this post outloud to my girlfriend, and she was cracking up thruout, particularly about communism and your creative reference to Esperanza :-)
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My girlfriend noted the sign saying, "Don't play in the boas!" How lucky we weren't reprimanded for that yesterday, Sk8rn. I just read this post outloud to my girlfriend, and she was cracking up thruout, particularly about communism and your creative reference to Esperanza :-)
