The Saga Of The Launch Dress

Saturday saw the first day of the World Choral Symposium, and the first day of many with regards to my serious wardrobe issues.

Allow me to explain. You see, unfortunately recently my clothes have suddenly shrunk. This is a serious problem because I don't have enough free cash to go around now buying new clothes, but because this is a World Symposium, I'm not really sure what the dress code is, but I suspect I'm going to need something other than jeans and a t-shirt to wear. If I can make anything else fit, that is.

The problem with this though is that given my propensity and intense dislike of all things related to the skill of packing, I found myself late on Thursday night hurriedly flinging things in my bag in the remote hope that some of it might be vaguely suitable. I remembered Jessie's advice, which was - "Pack it. All of it. That way if you need it, you'll have it." Oh yeah. But I only have a 20 kg limit with the airline!

So I thought that the best compromise would be to bring school clothes - the sort of things I would wear to school. I mean, they're not very dressy there at CEBS, so that should be ok - fitting in with the super casuals, and being remotely respectable for those in suits. And then I realised the one very big problem - the opening night. The opening night is on the schedule as a 'ball'. You know what that means - ball gowns. Do I even own one? Of course not! All I have is a little black number that looks a bit cocktailly, and the 'launch' dress (the dress I wore to our big concert celebrating Music as our specialism). Now the 'launch' dress is pretty spesh, so I thought perhaps that would do.

Of course, all day long on the Saturday I seriously stressed about it. I hate being female for that very reason - if you're a fella, you just put on shirt and tie and a nice pair of pants, and get away with anything. But as a woman? You can be seriously over or under dressed - and really commit those fashion faux pas. And the thing is, it says "ball" on the programme - surely that means ballgown? Plus, that dress cost me £100 and I've only managed to wear it once! I would really like to get more wear out of it...

Well after much deliberation and consternation, I finally came up with a totally foolproof plan - wear the 'launch' dress (but keep it seriously covered up with cardigan and raincoat - it was raining a little) and have the little black number stashed safely in the handbag in case the 'launch' dress is over the top! Perfect!

We arrive at the venue but unfortunately due to problems with the bus we were a little late - so we were just quickly ushered in to the opening concert - and my worst fears were confirmed, as seated around me were hundreds of people in jeans, casual slacks, simple skirts - and I looked full on like Cinderella off to her first ball... Suffice to say immediately the intermission came, and it was hurried apologies to Art as I sprinted off to the loo lest anyone see me in my Trinny and Susanna-less state, and laugh... and quickly jump into the little black number (which in my mind was looking a little over the top too)! Hysterics, hysterics!

I did some quick deep breathing, and then calmly sauntered out of the loos as if I had been wearing that dress all the time, and made my way casually over to where Art was waiting. On the way though, I passed several women who looked like "Barbie Goes To See The Queen", they were that done up. And then I checked around some more, and realised that I could've got away with the launch dress after all...

Quick! Dash back to the loos, get the 'launch' dress out - but alas, it is now too creased to wear after all... I now have no choice but to remain in the little black number...

It was very hard then to really enjoy the rest of the evening when all I could think about was the missed opportunity with the 'launch' dress, but I put my best foot forward, my chin up - and soldiered on. The concert was very good, I particularly liked the comedic group Bardot (I think that was their name) and also the jazz choir Touche, not to mention the big band afterwards...

But I still wish I'd stayed in that dress.