I hate shopping for clothes. I really, really hate it, and this is why I usually only have maybe 1 pair of pants that fit and look OK at any given time. I've been doing better than usual (due to post-breakup Retail Therapy) and am proud to report that I now have 3 pairs that look OK, and 3 that are only a little weird so I can still wear them to school. Anyway, I hate shopping for clothes. I even hate shopping for fabric now because all Portland has is Jo-Ann Fabrics. I'm going to have to go to Boston or NYC to find any interesting stuff.
Today, after braving horizontal rain to buy some things at the farmers' market, I went clothes shopping. I did not want to go shopping. I wanted to have tea and cornmeal-apple flapjacks on the couch while petting Bonita and writing a bass part for Romanza de Barrio. But I was under orders from L. to go find something appropriate to wear for Tango Mucha Labia's performance on Thursday night at MIT. I believe she said something like "You're playing this sexy violin and then I look over there and you're dressed like...a mechanic." (I didn't think this was quite fair, because I happened to be dressed much worse than usual, wearing a terrible outfit featuring a "Portland Arts & Technology High School" forest green polo shirt that looks horrible on every woman, but it was clean, so... and plus, our PATHS mechanics are hot! Anyway.)
So, off I went to find something that was 1) not black, 2) not white, and 3) not 2 sizes too large. I added 4) can play the violin in it, and 5) in a color that doesn't make me look sick.
I bought: one top in black beaded mesh over pink satin that, luckily, goes with the black skirt I got in the tango clothing swap, and one pair of black calf-length zip-up stiletto boots. Picture a lady in baggy red nylon warmups, a blue rubber slicker, and a brown plaid hat walking around trying on calf-length stiletto boots, and you'll understand why I was getting some weird looks.
Now I totally get why my friend E. has a gazillion different pairs of shoes. I'm all about these boots. These boots have flipped the switch that turns me into High Maintenance Glamour Puss. In these boots I totally feel like I am going to go out and kick some ass. These boots are going to make me apply eye makeup. Yow. On Thursday I will be in full costume.
It occurred to me, back home in my velour warmups and ratty-yet-comfy sweater, that I dress in costume every day, but usually it's the costume of Relaxed Computer Teacher or Heidi Of The Mountains Meets L. L. Bean. It's kind of fun to have another costume.
