Backwards with Aplomb

Occasionally there's a costume glitch. And there was the one time, with the house half full and the program soon to begin, that I forgot my cordless mic was live as I walked to the restroom and began singing Tea For Two as I took care of business.

Other than these rare occurrences, I don't expect much of the unexpected with most of my programs. 

But I quickly learned that The Stories My Clothing Can Tell is a different animal. It's always lively and entertaining, but it's also "cloaked", if you will, with an unavoidable degree of volatility.

My models are always different and there's rarely time to seriously work with them. The gowns are unfamiliar to them and the fastenings - which are often many - can be less than obvious. 

And, despite my best efforts at instruction, once the show begins there'll inevitably be a model who shoots from the gate early and yet another whom you fear has disappeared via a rear exit rather than step into the room.

As I'm used to all this, I also work with the models during the show if need be and that seems to work well. But even I was nonplussed for a moment this past weekend at Old Florida Days in Naples.

My last model, wearing a 1920's sea green ballgown, had just entered the room. I'm smiling and talking... 

"Of course a flapper had to 'park' her corset while dancing. You can't do the Charleston, the Shimmy, or the Black Bottom while wearing 'old ironsides'... 

But I'm thinking... 

"What on earth is wrong with that dress?!"

Once she was at the front of the room and had spun a graceful pirouette, I could see the problem. Ms. Georgia H____ had put the gown on backwards!

I debated on whether or not the situation even needed handling since the audience had no idea, but it was too priceless a moment to let pass.

I waited until Ms. Georgia H____ had exited and began laughing. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, I cannot keep this from you. The lovely Ms. Georgia H___ was wearing that 1920's sea green ballgown...backwards." 

The crowd roared. Within moments all my models entered for a final walk down our "runway" and Ms. Georgia H___ had already slipped the ballgown on "forwards". For a moment I thought the crowd might now give her a standing ovation!

I believe the lovely Ms. Georgia H___ stole my show right from under me! You know you're a beauty when you can wear a 1920's sea green ball gown backwards and still pull it off with aplomb.

But it's all copacetic my friends and I'm wondering if I should make that bit of costume glitch a permanent part of The Stories My Clothing Can Tell.