15 March 2010

"When I was thinking about how right tonight might be" --Carly Simon


We went to the art deco style Carlyle Club Friday for an early celebration of my birthday.* We had a reasonably good dinner but the main draw was Doc Scantlin and the Imperial Palms Orchestra--big band, people! They performed great music from the 20s through the 40s. The show also included a charming chanteuse named Chou Chou** and four young ladies (Moxie, Sweatpea, Sugar and Angelpuss) who provided the Andrews Sisters-style harmonies. It was a hoot! Plus, a number of folks in the audience actually knew how to dance. Yowza!

I spent two weeks looking for the right dress for this. I could have worn a cocktail dress I had but I wanted to get into the spirit of the evening. After trying on dresses in many, many department stores and boutiques including some dresses in excess of $400, I found the dress I wanted at Lord & Taylor. The price was reduced and reduced and reduced. That plus a 15% off coupon got me the perfect dress for $48 and change. For real. It is cocktail length, teal with shutter pleats and bugle beads, looks like something out of the 30s, and it fits me like it was made for my exact dimensions. I have the right heels for it. I even have a vintage necklace that works with it beautifully.

The people at the other tables Friday were clad in everything from evening-wear all the way down to jeans. Sigh. Really? Jeans? That's the best you could do?

The Husband, who is always a fan of comfort over style, chose to be a sweetheart and suit up. He looked quite nice, indeed.

Which brings us to the questions du jour: Do you enjoy the process of dressing for a special evening and the anticipation of the impact you'll have on your date? Do you like it when your date dresses up for you? And, finally, Is anyone else completely over little black dresses?



* Speaking of being another year closer to death, I got my hair cut Saturday and am actually flaunting something "age appropriate" for the first time since I was five and decided to cut my own bangs super-short. So, yep, I, once again, have an "age appropriate" haircut. *narrows eyes* You're picturing Barbara Bush, aren't you?

** Say that three times fast.

25 comments:

Liebchen said...

I love getting dressed up for a special evening/dressing up for someone. And finding the perfect dress (like you described) is its own little thrill.

Alice said...

i LOVE getting dressed up, and love it even more when my boyfriend dresses up! boys just look so darn CUTE in dress pants with their adorable little man butts :-) i've never really had a LBD, sadly. so i guess i'm over it before ever being.. um.. under it?

brad said...

Absolutely. I even like suiting up for no reason at all. And not just because Barney does it on How I Met Your Mother. Though, NPH did make it a whole lot cooler, somehow.

The Bug said...

I used to like to dress up, but now that I'm OLD & creaky it's not as much fun. My feet die. I'm too fat. Blech! Maybe when I lose weight all of these problems will magically go away (shh! don't tell me arthritis doesn't disappear at your goal weight!).

Titania said...

Yes, yes, and yes... If it is special, please make it special... and I must confess I am not over the LBD, still love it! (and will say Happy Birthday tomorrow!)

Kate said...

I love, love, love to dress up. But I'm still partial to black. Unless it's fire engine red. Then I go that route.

Maya said...

I occasionally like to dress up. The older I get, however, the more I'm finding I'd rather just be comfortable (especially if eating dinner is involved).

Sounds like a great dress and a good time. The little black dress is always a good fall back option, but I usually try to find something more colorful (say red).

Maya said...

Oh, and Happy Birthday!

Anonymous said...

I can't believe you didn't include a pic of you in the dress! Please remedy this immediately.

I actually still love the little black dress. And yes, I enjoy dressing up for special occasions. But, I must ask, what is a date?

ErinSlick said...

I've been trying to dress like a professional lately. I don't even know what an age-appropriate hair cut is anymore!

I love getting dressed up. Since The Scientist only ever wears jeans and tshirts, when he does wear khaki's and a sweater, I'm like a giddy school girl. I think dressing up is fun for me since I rarely do it.

I will never be over the LBD though... I love it so!

Dmbosstone said...

I love to dress up- I may not be the most comfortable but I feel like I look my best in a suit.

Mike said...

Q1 - no - I hate suits
Q2 - yes
Q3 - yes

Hey, that's the way it should be.

Tania said...

Seeing as I don't even have a job outside of the house, I love any opportunity to wear something other than jeans, so yes, I love dressing up for an occasion. I also enjoy making the huz do a double take of me once I'm ready. I do tend to gravitate to black.

lbluca77 said...

I enjoy dressing up. I don't like though when I have an idea of what I want to wear and I can't find anything even similar to what I want. Or when I find the perfect dress and it only comes in black. I'm not a big fan of wearing black.

And a man in a suit, meow!!

And also have a great birthday!

Barbara said...

I love the challenge of finding just the right thing to wear, but I confess it's been a while since I had such a challenge.

I would love to see your age-appropriate haircut. My husband keeps wanting my hair to be as long as it was when he met me, but I opted for age-appropriate a long time ago.

Cyndy said...

That sounds like a gorgeous dress and a great way to celebrate your birthday! Teal is one of my very favorite colors and a very retro-appropriate for your night at the Carlyle Club.

My husband was there Friday night too and he was wearing both a tux and a trombone. I was elsewhere. We both enjoy playing there - it's so pleasant and civilized. Unfortunately I haven't had a gig there is a while - not since New Years Eve.

I think I like dressing up but my perspective has been extremely warped recently by various circumstances to the point where I don't think about it very much anymore. I'm also starting to kind of be over wearing black all the time but it's required for most of the things I do so I'm sort of stuck with it.

Bilbo said...

#1: Happy Birthday!

#2: Thanks for the loan of your hubby last night for happy hour.

And as for your questions:

Q1 - Yes.
Q2 - Yew betcha.
Q3 - Heck, no! Little black dresses rock! Of course, I look silly in them, but you can't have everything.

rachaelgking said...

YESSSSSSSSSSS.

We are Couch People, so it's definitely nice to put on pants every once in a while.

Pauline said...

I like dressing up once in awhile, although I'm not a big fan of high heels. As for "my date" (ie. my husband), I love it when he dresses up! I am a sucker for a well dressed man! :)

Brutalism said...

I have wanted to go to the Carlyle Club forever...and would totally dress era-appropriate for it, as you did.

We saw Richard Cheese last year at the 9:30 Club and a group of us all dressed in our 50s lounge-y garb. It was so much more fun to get into the spirit.

Happy Birthday!

lacochran said...

Liebchen: We take our thrills where we find them.

Alice: They do, don't they? And thanks for the Friends reference. :)

brad: He is legen-wait for it-dary.

The Bug: Maybe so? (This is cheerful to read on my birthday.)

Titania: :) (Thanks.)

Kate, Maya: 90% of my wardrobe is black. It *is* fun to rock the red.

Maya: Oh, and thanks!

emmajames: I include a picture of myself and next thing you know my head is Photoshopped onto Gary Coleman's body. Hm, that might be an improvement.

ErinSlick: It makes us so happy, you'd think men would catch on...

Dmbosstone: I'll bet you look nice.

Mike: You don't see the disconnect, I'm sure.

Mac and Cheese: The double take. ExACTly.

lbluca77: Right? MEOW!! And, thanks! So far it's been great. :)

Barbara: I don't so much love the challenge as finally getting the successful result. Thanks for weighing in.

Cyndy: OMG! Small planet! He and the whole band were terrific!

Bilbo: #1: Thank you! #2: He enjoyed it. Q1-3: Thanks for weighing in.

LiLu: You *are* fancy. :)

Pauline: It's hot, no?

Brutalism: Do it!!! And, thanks. :)

Cyndy said...

And now it turns out that I'm going to be playing with them there on April 2nd. No Foolin'!

lacochran said...

Cyndy: How cool!

Alyxmyself said...

I am team cochran on thsi one, both love getting dressed up, love planning that perfect outfit, and am OVER the LBD. It should stand for lovely boring dress.

Kate said...

Oh, how I loathe getting dressed up. Like I always say, if I can't wear sneakers to it, I don't really want to go. That said, I loved getting dressed up for my wedding day (in my black Nicole Miller cocktail dress :)) and seeing how happy it made my husband -- who, incidentally, also hates getting dressed up, but looks damn fine when he does.