One of the best things about having published a graphic memoir is being asked to host other graphix creators at local events like last weekend’s Wordfest, where they basically gave me carte blanche to ask both Mariko Tamaki and Johnnie Christmas about their long and inspiring careers in comics. Both were incredibly generous in sharing their experiences, and I felt privileged just to be on stage with them. Then later, Mariko invited me out for a quick meal together with her co-creator (and cousin) Jillian Tamaki. (!!) So I did my best to impersonate a cool cucumber while dining with two of my biggest comics heroes.
One of the worst things about having published a book is being invited to anxiety-inducing and sartorially fraught events like the “pool party” Wordfest threw for authors and hosts on Friday night. For years, I’ve lived by the policy “go where you’re invited,” mostly to force my introvert self out of the house occasionally and to remember that new experiences, though scary, might also be good for me.
The event was actually a poolside party at the Hotel Arts outdoor pool (only tolerable in subzero temps thanks to patio heaters and an inflatable roof), and it made deciding what to wear really difficult. My outfit would have to be: warm enough for the walk from the car, but cool enough for the “balmy” poolside; fancy enough for a party that had its own signature cocktail, but not too fancy because it is CanLit after all; and stylish enough to exist in the same room as Claudia Dey without drawing too much attention to itself. Luckily, my friend Kat came to the rescue and told me to wear this J. Crew dress. She was right.
What neither Kat nor I accounted for, though, was my lack of a “grown-up coat,” a term coined by my date, Abby, who also wore a very chic outfit that was somewhat diminished by the big parka she threw on over it. We laughed at ourselves, both women in our forties who have never gotten around to buying proper coats that prove we are actual grown-ups, possibly because we are not grown up inside.
What is a grown-up coat? I don’t know exactly, but I am guessing it shouldn’t be made of technical fabric or have a two-way zipper and a hood. As we walked several blocks to the hotel against the biting wind, however, I took comfort in the fact that I was at least dressed appropriately for the weather, if not the occasion. Plus there was a coat check, so Abby and I could hide our shame and do our best to impersonate grown-ups at the party.
We stayed an hour and a half, which is twice as long as I would’ve lasted alone, and then collected our coats in relief. But as I was zipping mine up, the zipper got stuck partway, catching on the front of the dress. I pulled a little harder and somehow worked the delicate silk fabric entirely through the zipper slider and teeth. There was no undoing it.
So I went home half-zipped and put my husband’s problem-solving skills to the test. We attempted various manouevres to get me out of the coat and dress with dignity, but nothing worked. The only option was to raise my arms like a Barbie doll, slide both up over my head at once and let my husband fight the battle alone. At one point, tightly encased in several layers of unforgiving fabric and suffocating myself a little on the dress lining whenever I inhaled, I thought, “I guess they’ll bury me in this.”
Alas, I am still here—and we were even able to extricate the dress from the zipper with minimal damage. A Friday the 13th miracle!
:) Teresa
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"Well, I guess they'll bury me in this." 😂
I know what you mean about a "grown-up coat" though. Even in San Diego we need one! I bought a wool-blend pea coat in my late 20s and still have it. The wool isn't the best quality so it scratches the back of my neck, but I've taken that coat everywhere and it does make me feel like a grown up.