1979 Ice Capades Jacket
Like any day where you manage to put together a sick OOTD you must recruit your mom to take some photos of you in the backyard next to all the dog poo and beautiful scenery (yes I still live at home like any true artist). Continuing with my current obsession with statement pieces I decided to pull out my moms old Ice Capades letterman to wear to this years Mode Made fashion event. And yes, if you were wondering, she was basically an ice skating celebrity princess in 1979.
So I go to this fashion show alone because why the hell not I’m an independent woman and I run into this girl I haven’t seen in a decade (Sarah) who is also alone. Perfect because no matter what you tell yourself it’s always awkward to go to fashion shows alone. I would know because I’ve been to one… this one.
I was actually a lot less intimidating than I had expected and I was running into some familiar faces. Two of which were people I knew separately but seem to be on a date together. Well truthfully I didn’t realize that I knew the guy at first. They approach me and the girl I know is introducing her date, “Ariel, have you met so-and-so?” As I went to shake his hand while also shaking my head “no” it suddenly hit me that I do know him… “Oh wait YES!” to which she replies “Oh how do you two know each other?” Followed by an extremely awkward silence where nobody said a word and just simmered in panic and hot air. It was a very sweaty venue by the way. I normally would just let the cat out of the bag because it would make for a hilarious story but this is a fashion show. One must be classy at fashion shows. Luckily she changes the subject to some other embarrassing gossip that has been circulating about me, “Is it true what they say happened between you and [un-named person who was very helpful in me being fired from my last job]?” It obviously was true because I’m a sensational person leaving chaos in my wake, but I didn’t want her to know that. “What have you heard????” She must be well read in the topic snitches get stitches because she suddenly vamoosed leaving me on a cliffhanger wanting more. “Come back!” my heart yearn after her wanting the juice. Sarah, who I knew from church, has questions.
Several minutes pass while making dead end conversations with people I don’t know until the show begins. Beautiful people who you’re afraid to be attracted to because you know they’re probably all underage strut across the stage like stars passing in the night sky. The beauty. The end. It’s over already? This being my first fashion show I was very impressed and also surprised at how quickly it all happens. After the show I try to socialize with one of the organizers that I know from email correspondence. There is no natural way to say “Oh by the way you already know who I am but incase you have absolutely no idea my name is Ariel” so I just talk to her like she knows me but her face is clearly saying otherwise. I eat my cotton candy and leave before it gets worse. One person points out my shoes to her friend. They’re holographic and sexy.
I suddenly realize that it’s Tuesday and they have live music at my friends bar Accent Lounge on Whyte Ave so I head that way. At a red light some girl starts jumping around and waving at my car. OMG it’s my friend Adaire from university I haven’t seen in years! And her husband! And my other friend Anna! And more importantly a dog!!! It was an exciting 20 seconds before the light changed. I was starting to feel lucky that I had run into so many past acquaintances today. Those types of coincidences always make me feel like I’m heading in the right direction. Probably because that’s what happens in movies. So I get to Accent and another girl I knew from uni and haven’t seen in years is there. How magical. So the music playing is a live jazz jam sesh with real saxophones and boop dee dahs. I feel extra classy in my red satin letterman draped over my shoulders while sipping on …soda water. I used to have a painting hanging in this lounge of a naked woman lounging on a sofa with her head all spray painted in pastel colours. The painting sold (thank the Lord!) after only three years of being up here and in it’s place was a new painting by Nick Davies. This new painting is sort of a collage style featuring a woman's head. Clay, the owner, very astutely noticed how the old painting was a woman with no head and the new one has only a head. Mind blown. After I finish my soda water and leave I’m driving through the alley waiting for pedestrians to get out of the way when an old coworker of mine [from job mentioned earlier] runs right past my car kind of jumping and waving crazily like Adaire had earlier in this exact spot. What a strange day.
Well all of those chance encounters made me feel like I was right where I was meant to be in that moment. Or feeling like Edmonton is small. Either way - if you managed to read through this entire post perhaps you also are right where you are meant to be today. And if you’re also feeling like I left you on a cliffhanger earlier and you’re wanting the juice… my mom reads this blog so too bad.