Speakeasy style

I've only had this dress for almost a year. A year sitting in my closet, getting rejected every time I have a chance to get dressed up, just waiting for the right moment. I'm glad I saved it, because this weekend, the right (no, perfect!) moment finally arrived.

The occasion was the DC Craft Bartender's Guild Annual Repeal Day Ball, which we discovered at the last minute after I professed a need to go someplace fancy because I had too many unworn dresses in my closet. The Repeal Day Ball was just what I had been waiting for—not only was it a formal occasion, it was also an event where the attendees are encouraged to dress in 1920's/30's fashions (it celebrates the repeal of Prohibition in 1933).

Sweet! (I mean, nifty!) I could not think of a better occasion to finally wear my fringed black dress!

Accessorizing it was a dream. Being black, it would go with just about anything – but in many trial runs over the months, I learned that the fringe gets easily caught on spiked heels, so I went with my only pair of winter wedges, in gold glitter.

Once I had decided on a gold theme, I just layered on a couple of gold-toned necklaces I happened to have lying around (I never realized how well they went together) in that extra-long flapper style.

Of course, an Unfashionista never goes halfway when it comes to an opportunity to dress in costume, so I quickly whipped up a little flapper headband out of a piece of T-shirt sleeve, and ornamented it with some gold leaves which I cannibalized from a necklace.


I experienced some minor difficulties with tangling on the way to the event (extra-long fringe, a walk of several blocks, and the added complication of heavy rain are no one's idea of a blessing), but I managed to get it all straightened out and was pleased to receive several compliments from other guests. One even told me I won the award for the best flapper outfit! Sigh. Let me just bask in that while you gaze upon my masterpiece.