'It's like Aladdin's Cave'

(with apologies for the overuse of the word 'fabulous' in this blog)

It’s Cat’s first visit to Costume Hire, and like everyone, at first sight it’s all a bit overwhelming.

‘What are you after?’, P asks. ‘Brideshead, 1920’s, Oxbridge chic’ I explain. I already know where the 1920’s dresses are. She looks at me. ‘Judith Bliss, Hay Fever… and she wasn’t a stick insect’. She fishes out a vivid pink floral number, and I give it a try. Sadly, whilst she may not have been a stick insect, it’s unforgiving around the hips. I might get away with it, but it doesn’t feel right. I try another, it’s from Cabaret, and it’s silver lurex. It fits, and I’m swooshing around in it, but I know it’s not really picnic wear. I go for my next option, a black and gold pyjama suit, which fits. I put it on, and immediately I’m creating a character. I find a hat which isn’t really in period, but it looks much better than the cloche hat that I try on, so I go for it.

Cat meanwhile has a selection of day dresses, and settles on one which is ‘sailor inspired’ teaming it with a blue beret and a fabulous pair of blue character shoes. Meanwhile, P and I catch up on a bit of theatrical gossip.

Once we’ve decided, it’s playtime, and I fish out a fabulous blue silk gown from Amadeus for Cat to try. As I waft into the changing room with it, P calls, ‘Val, that’s not 1920’s’, ‘I know’, but you can’t let these opportunities go to waste. She puts it on, and P adds a mask. It looks fabulous, but you couldn’t wear it to a picnic!