Yesterday afternoon Caroline wanted to go swimming at Mimi and Bop’s house. I dug through the drawer that contains all my swimsuits and decided to wear an old tankini that I’ve had forever. So I pulled the bottoms on and they were huge. Without a second thought I began an internal congratulatory speech to myself on my incredible shrinking bottom.
And then I realized I had on the bottoms that went with my old maternity bathing suit.
Good times.
But for a fleeting moment in time, I was queen of the world. With an impossibly small rear end.
So, based on the questions it would seem that this summer is the season for twentieth high school reunions. I actually have one more year until my high school reunion but for some reason it doesn’t make me feel any younger to say, “Well, I just graduated from high school NINETEEN years ago.”
It seems like just yesterday that I was curling my hair with a teeny-tiny curling iron and dancing to Erasure.
Of course for all y’all know that may actually be how I spent yesterday. While wearing my maternity swimsuit.
Here are the questions.
1. Heather asks: “My 20 year high school reunion is next month and I want to buy something special to wear. I am approx. 5 foot 6 inches, blonde hair and have recently lost alot of weight…going from a 12 to a 6. The Friday night “mixer” is at a trendy nightclub downtown and the dress is casual. The Saturday night dinner is “business casual” at a fancy dinner restaurant.”
You are so lucky to have graduated in 1988 because I bet fifty dollars that your senior t-shirt used the word “great” to rhyme with eight. I was the class of ’89 so we were stuck with using the word “fine” which works but doesn’t really convey the true awesomeness of being a senior in high school.
Anyway, I think what you wear Friday night depends on your personal style. I would probably wear some really great jeans with a fun top, cool jewelry and heels. I also really like this tunic top. Or you could do something really fun and summery like this.
But you could also do a casual shiftdress or halter dress with some cute sandals if that’s more your style.
As for Saturday night, I’d go with something classic and sophisticated like this. Or if you want something a little more fun you could wear something like this dress. I also adore this dress although it is pricey, however I’d never wear it with those shoes they have on the model. WRONG. ALL WRONG.
I think the important thing is to make sure that you feel cute and comfortable in whatever you choose and that if an Erasure or, even better, some Debbie Gibson or Lisa Lisa and The Cult Jam song comes on you’ll have the mobility you need to dance.
Have fun!
2. Jennifer asks: “My 20 year reunion is this summer. I live in Washington state and August will be anywhere from 65 to 95 degrees. I love structured things (vests, jackets, etc…) Little larger on the top and the “girls” are quite shy. There are three events. 1. Dressy casual event for grads only. 2. Nice dinner for spouses too. 3. Family day at one of the grad’s house with swimming, boating, etc… HA! Will not be caught dead in a bathing suit at the ‘ol 20 year – but would like to wear something fun.
Okay, first check out some of my above suggestions to Heather. Some of them may work for your dressy casual event and the nice dinner. Oh, but I will tell you that I think this dress is a really cute dressy casual look.
I think the Family Day is the tricky part. I am willing to bet that you won’t be the only one not wearing a swimsuit because why would a person want to do that to themselves? Unless you’re Heidi Klum. I would totally wear a bathing suit to every event at my high school reunion if I were Heidi Klum, plus I’d have my husband, Seal, get up and sing “Kiss From a Rose” because hello! COOLEST PERSON AT THE REUNION.
Anyway, I think what you wear for Family Day depends on the level of activity you think you’ll engage in. If you just want to hang out on a lounge chair and look great, then I’d wear something like this cute dress from J. Crew or this maxi dress which could always be worn over a swimsuit. Gap also has a really simple linen dress.
Of course you may want to go a little more casual and comfortable because, unlike me, you may be the type of person who might like to participate in something more strenuous than lying in a chair. In that case you could wear some dark denim bermuda shorts with a cute shirt and some summer sandals.
Or you could go even more casual with these shorts, a good white t-shirt, and flip-flops. This dress would also be a really comfortable, practical option with flip-flops.
I hope that helps!
And on that note I’d like to wish the entire class of 1988 my best wishes for their twentieth reunion. In the immortal words of Whitney Houston, “Oh! Wanna dance with somebody. I wanna feel the heat with somebody. Yeah! Wanna dance with somebody. With somebody who loves me.”
Now those are lyrics that really meant something.
One last thing because I am curious and nosy, who attended their twentieth high school reunion and if so, did you have fun?
And if you’re younger than thirty-seven, I realize you haven’t had the opportunity yet, unless you were some sort of child prodigy. In which case, what’s it like to be a child prodigy?
Y’all have a great Friday!