Okay, so yesterday afternoon, I’m having a crazy day at work when the phone rings. It’s Bro. She asks if I reeeeaaaally want to go to the ball.
Backstory: Her office has a really swank ball every year and the Powers That Be allow employees to bring their significant others. “You should protest!” I said defiantly. “They should at least let you bring a friend. Why the hell do the married people get to bring guests?!?!” Okay, so maybe my rant was like 3% Single Rights / Single Pride and 97% Selfish Ambition to Get Glammed Up and See Semi-Famous People. But, who cares? The battle with her company went on for weeks, but it turns out that they are, indeed, going to let her (and all other single people, I presume) bring a “+1.” A guest. A friend. Moi.
I am sooooo excited!!!!! I can’t figure out if Bro invited me because I’ve known her for so long or because she knows that I’ll really really get into it. I’m a such a sucker for celebrity stuff. I once chased George Wendt down the streets of London yelling, “NOOOOOOOOORMMM!!!” And, then there was that time that I met Madeleine Albright at a book signing and I called her “Mad dog.”
I. Have. No. Couth.
Anyway, here’s the dilemma … What should I wear? It’s a Black Tie affair. So, I have two choices. The first, is a black cocktail dress. It’s the kind of dress that Jennifer Connelly would wear to the Oscars. If it could talk, it would introduce itself by saying flatly, “hello. i am the cocktail dress. i am appropriate,” when it walks into a room. The second option isn’t any less sophisticated, it’s just the type of dress that Beyoncé would wear. It’s a snazzy, strapless, sparkly dress. When it walks into a room, it says, “Whoa! Did I miss something or did the invitation say that there was a par-TAY going on tonight?!”
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
ooh, go sparkly. it’s the only way. our company won’t let anyone bring a friend to our ball. this extends to my gbf being excluded from bringing a twink (should he be able to find one – bit of a drought, bless him). not fair.
You crack me up–I stand by my decision. The sparkly dress!!!
Beyoncé all the way! If it was for your work – where a certain amount of professional decorum would be expected of you and you have a reputation to uphold – I’d say go with the black dress and limit your “adult beverage” consumption. But this is someone else’s office party and semi-famous people will be there! Be flashy, drink too much (but not so much that Bro won’t take you with her next time) and chat up a semi-famous person or two! I do hope that you will post a pic of you in your snazzy dress (fine, we’ll take a pic of the “appropriate” dress if you insist on wearing it) and tell us who you meet or who you see at this shindig.
I saw a bumpersticker once that said, Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History.
You keep being uncouth.
Go for the glory… you know you want too…
Girl Beyonce’ aint got nuthin on YOU!! Don’t you know this? You wear that dress and from now on she will be-a-blogging… Hmm Should I wear the dress that Tina Turner would wear that says: hi i’m Tina… or HELLO!! Should I show out like Stolie???
The choice is obvious… We want photos of you on the red carpet.
don’t forget to wave for the cameras! : )
Sparkly, sparkly, sparkly!!!!!
Why wear a cocktail dress? It’s not a coctail party.
As long as your friend doesn’t mind, go with sparkly.
surly girl: yeah, companies suck.
mags: welcome! :)
mamachristy: VERY good point. *I’M* not working. Though, when I brought this up to Bro, she warned me, “YOU WILL **NOT** EMBARRASS ME TONIGHT!!!!”
raymond: I want that engraved on my tombstone …
mitch: I feel like you know me! ;)
ms peculiar: next post, voila photos ( … although sans red carpet)
hanuman: Thanks for the vote! I went with you and the crowd, sparkly all the way.
johnjenright: Oh, but it’s New York. You can wear a cocktail dress everywhere. :)