Shopping in my closet

Reason No. 1,340 why it is fun to be me:

Because I am going Christmas caroling tonight I finally began thinking today about what I would wear. And I had completely forgotten that I own an authentic Victorian coat!

OK, actually it is worse. I had completely forgotten that I own TWO authentic Victorian coats! Well, they might not be authentic but they look it. They are floor length, both of them. One of them trimmed in fur. The other one with a belt with a silver buckle. We have several gentlemen who have put together Victorian outfits so these coats are most welcome.

Only I could forget completely that I owned these coats. Here I had been thinking of wearing my medieval cloak. At least I did not forget I owned a medieval cloak.

I remembered the coats when I was driving home from Valu Home Center where I went to get flashlights so I could see the Latin words to "Adeste Fideles" which, not having a photographic memory like Leonard Pennario, I am still sketchy on the second verse. First I remembered the one coat, with the fur, and then I thought, don't I have another one, too?

Yes!

Now that I see these coats I remember where I got both of them.

The one with the fur came from Ed's Warehouse up in Toronto. I went there with my friend Jacquetta and other girlfriends and they were selling off costumes for some historic Toronto theater. Technically this could be a costume but it is heavy enough to work as an actual coat. When I got it, this was a long time ago, I remember what I did was, I wore it to Midnight Mass at St. Louis Church. I made my entrance while the choir was singing the pre-Mass concert and it seemed to me that everyone in the church turned to stare at me. Which I loved. I was about 25. I sashayed up that aisle in my Victorian fur-trimmed coat and ostentatiously took a seat.

So that is one coat. The other one, with the silver buckle, I got at the dear departed Trinity Episcopal Church White Elephant Sale. They had them twice a year and I was so ubiquitous that I was named an Honorary Trinity White Elephant Worker even though I am a Papist. It is an honor I still treasure! Anyway, one year, when all I bought was this coat and an evening dress and a string of pearls. I walked out of there saying to myself, now I am set. This is all I need in life.

The Trinity coat, which has a Bloomingdale's label, is a little snug. It always was, I remember that now. But if I wear a sleeveless top underneath and a skinny skirt and don't eat I can get away with it. The fur trimmed coat is easier to wear but with all this water and slush, I do not want it dragging around. It would be great in snow but not in puddles. I would not want to put that coat through that.

Luckily, being the shopper I am, I have options.

Venite adoremus, Dominum!