Wardrobe Malfunction

Last week, I went to something pretty glamorous.

A magazine launch in NYC.

That's right.

I was even invited.

The magazine, Eco-Beautiful Weddings, is an e-zine about, well, green weddings.  It's really beautiful, and you can check it out here.

Anyways, everyone who went to the launch from DC got to ride on a party bus to NYC for the event.  All kinds of awesome people were on it, including Robin Fisher from Polished Image and Style along with her team of stylists. I was excited about that since I have hung out with Robin before, and she is not only very smart and down to earth, she's also FUNNY. Very important on long road trips.

Robin and her team

I had no idea how lucky I was that I had Robin, the best personal stylist around, on the bus with me.

We had just arrived outside of the city, the New York skyline and all its promise glittering in the dusk before us, when Ashlee of Documentary Associates (another amazing person and professional) suggested she and I change into our cocktail clothes at the back of the bus.

That sounded great, since I had spent many years as a kid changing into horseback riding togs and ballet gear (really) in the passenger seat while my mom shuttled me to after-school activities.

Since I don't often go to fancy pants parties, I had spent the last two weeks creating the perfect outfit. My theme was "Catholic Schoolgirl Gone Wrong" or "Pin Up Secretary."  I had my sassy dress with a bustle in the back from Trashy Diva, a white oxford shirt, funky tights, killer shoes, and my lucky sparkly, chunky Betsey Johnson necklace queued up and ready to go.

I wiggled into my clothes, then asked Ashlee to zip me up. Which took doing, since we were being catapulted up and down by the jostling of the bus.  After finally accomplishing that, I sat down.

That's when my zipper broke.

I froze.  Gathering my courage, I reached around back and, sure enough, the dress was gaping open.

I remained calm,and called/cried out for Robin, who became a woman MacGyver in a split second, calling out for needle and thread, safety pins, nail clippers, you name it.

Whipping it off, I handed my poor garment to her.

I was almost in tears but, since my mom raised me not to make a scene in front of strangers (i.e. most of the people on the bus), I maintained my composure. Barely. Especially when after the first two or three tries Robin couldn't fix it.  She began coaching me, explaining how she could make my white oxford shirt, grey bra (it wasn't gonna show with my dress on!!), and jeans look fierce. Ashlee chimed in, sweetly offering her gorgeous black satin peeptoe slingbacks to replace my brown boots.

When she saw I was about to lose it, she tried again.

What happened next was magic. I am not lying.  That zipper was busted. I had seen this before in my bridal shop. I was already plotting an emergency trip to H&M.

Robin sat down, completely serene as the bus rocked and rolled, while I fought off a meltdown and watched.  In a snap, she bent that zipper to her will and it was fixed! It was cosmic.

So, I went to the party not looking like a hobo and feeling like I wanted to tell everyone I saw how amazing Robin is and how they should all have her as their personal stylist. STAT.

Me not looking like a hobo

See? Here is me and Robin and my zipped up dress!

Dress zipped! 

I met some really neat people, and saw some "weddebrities" too!

I should mention that the band, provided by Elan Artists, got everyone moving, the dresses from Cotton Bride lovely, cocktails from Tru Vodka and Honest Tea delicious, and Katie Martin, the person behind Eco-Beautiful Weddings fairly levitating she was so happy (see how happy she is below?).

It was awesome.

Katie Martin and her FANTASTIC necklace by Marlaina Stone