The Circle of Fashion

On Thursday, a BFF and I will be heading to Nashville for a book signing. But this is not just any book signing. It's not a random horticultural author or writer of rules for couples. This is Jen Lancaster...Queen of Sarcasm, Lady of Lacoste. I was made aware of Jen last year when Queen Elizabeth (not her real name, but may as well be at this point) loaned me Jen's first memoir, Bitter is the New Black. I think it had something to do with a pit of despair and a deployed husband. Anyway, for about 4 days I totally forgot that I was living alone with a great big house and roof shingles that kept blowing away in mighty winds. Then came Bright Lights, Big Ass, which is extremely hard to request in a public library while still maintaining your class and dignity. I read that on the trains across Italy during Neal's R & R. And while running for a plane in the Atlanta airport from Italy to Lexington via Boston then Cincinnati then Atlanta, I had just enough time to swing in to the Barnes and Noble and pick up the 3rd and last memoir, Such a Pretty Fat. Well, it was the final memoir until last week when Pretty in Plaid hit bookshelves. So, when BFF and I found out that she was doing a book-signing in Nashville and that was the closest she was going to be to us (unless we found some reason to hit the ranch in Montana), we booked our hotel and put in our vacation requests.

Pretty in Plaid is all about Jen's time in high school, which just happens to be encapsulated by the 80's. So, she has requested that those who attend her book-signings do their best to come in 80's attire. I was all about it. BFF: not so much. But I put my thinking leg warmers on yesterday and headed to Goodwill to assemble outfits for both of us. An hour later, I had one belt and one shirt. Not the greatest start, but a start nonetheless. I had to pick up some things at Target so I headed over there with absolutely no intention of doing any clothing shopping. At all. But then, while walking past the women's clothes, on the way to Scrubbin' Bubbles, I found 80's Mecca...complete with fishnet shirts, purses on chains, and lacy tights. It was as if the skies opened and Madonna had smiled down (the Material Girl, not the Holy Virgin). Admittedly, some of this was on the clearance rack, meaning that they could not sell it for one reason or another. Perhaps the general public in Lexington, KY is not ready to wear finger-less gloves, arm-warmers, or 20 bangle bracelets on each arm again. Maybe they shutter at the idea of banana clips and lots of horizontal stripes with a smattering of slutty short skirts. But for my purpose, it was heaven. Not as cheap as Goodwill, but the amount of money I saved by not having to wash all of the Goodwill stuff twice in scalding hot water means it all works out in the end. Even BFF is in the game. She found jelly shoes at Walmart for $1.00 last night and is on the search for an oxford shirt with a tie. Yes, boys and girls, fashion truly does come around. I can't wait. 2020: the year of the 90's. Get ready for it!