The expression Bad Hair Day is now part of our culture, but we should also have a Bad Clothes Day. Here are some people who despite their best efforts had a Bad Clothes Day. Has it ever happened to you?
The woman sitting next to me in a concert fidgeted with her shawl. She seemed self-conscious and kept wrapping it around her body. Being perpetually cold myself, I commented that my top was thick cotton and I was wearing a jacket so I understood her wanting the warmth of the shawl. She also kept playing with her hem. During intermission, she spilled her secret: in her rush to get to the concert after playing tennis, she donned her dress inside-out. I hadn't noticed her dress blunder even though she passed in front of me to exit to the restroom.
The next day my friend texted me, “You didn’t notice but hubby had two different shoes on. You probably didn’t notice because they were both black. I checked and he has on matching shoes this morning.”
My friend was right I didn’t notice his mismatched shoes, just as I hadn’t noticed the woman’s dress was on inside out.
I’ve made similar dressing mistakes over the years. One at an event I felt like my top was choking me. Another time, looking at the restroom mirror at intermission, I noticed the neckline on my top seemed different. In both cases, my top was on backward.
In another clothing blunder, I was walking and felt a lump in my pant leg. Turns out, a sock had clung to the inside leg of my pants and was hanging out from the hem. At least it wasn't toilet paper.
I hopefully no longer make the clothing faux pas this executive made. I was on the escalator behind a distinguished man in an expensive navy suit. Everything was impeccable – crisply starched shirt, perfectly knotted expensive silk tie, suit tailored for a perfect fit. The suit was so flawless, I’m guessing he systematically ran the lint roller over every part of his navy suit. But he forgot one area – his butt. Right at my eye level on the escalator, I was staring at the bottom edge of his jacket and the top of his pants; both covered with long white dog hairs. That taught me a lesson. Having a cat, I run the lint roller over my clothes before I leave the house. But until that day on the escalator, I most likely didn’t think about my butt. I wonder how many impeccably dressed people are walking around with furry butts. If so, I applaud them: it means they have a beloved pet in their home.
We all have our clothing style. I’m a pretty simple dresser. no ruffles, very little jewelry and light make-up., And we seem to know our style at a very young age. When my six-year-old niece removed the top and pants over her bathing suit to jump into the pool, she took minutes to meticulously fold them and put them in a safe place. We chuckled at someone so young being so careful with her clothes. At that age, I probably would have just let them drop to the floor and left them there. Meanwhile, when shopping with his mother, her seven-year-old brother vetoed a shirt, proclaiming, "That doesn’t say Chet to me." At seven, he already had an image to uphold.
We've got our styles figured out early, and sometimes it takes a furry butt or an inside-out dress to remind us that perfection is overrated,
More on Llamas
After reading my blog “ Who Can Resist a Llama Costume Contest?” a reader and friend shared the following story about a Chicago alderman. Chicago is known as the Windy City because its politicians are “full of hot air.” Read the story and judge for yourself.
Llama Drama from Chris C.
Many years ago, I was doing a tank inspection for a 600,000 gal. oil storage tank along the Sag Canal, Rt. 55 in Chicago. The tank farm was guarded by what I originally thought was a Portuguese Water Dog but as it got closer I could see it was a llama.
Knowing about how llamas spit, I steered clear and went about my business. After completing my work, the Plant Manager talked about llama security and we had a few laughs over coffee. I learned that, in addition to spitting, they are also good at headbutts.
Months later, someone noticed the llama. The City of Chicago allows domestic pets but does not allow "animal husbandry". The Dept of Animal Control wrote up the plant and it was given 30 days to get rid of the llama. While not affectionate, the llama had achieved something like mascot status with the plant staff. They prevailed upon the Plant Manager to do something. The Plant Manager contacted his alderman. The issue ended up in the lap of Ed Burke who was the unofficial historian for the City Council. Mr. Burke noted:
The Tank Farm was well secured and well setback from any residential neighborhoods.
The Sag Canal connected with Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River and thus was involved with interstate commerce.
He concluded that the plant had been zoned incorrectly and should have been zoned as a farm all along.
He recommended that the Zoning Dept be directed to rezone the property to Agricultural and inform Animal Control so that the llama could be saved
A reporter from "The Chicago Tribune" got wind of this. He visited the Tank Farm, saw my name and Project Resources affiliation on the register, and gave me a call. I told him what little I knew without embellishment. A few weeks later, I saw an article in the Chicago Tribune (1).
It all had a happy ending and I thank you for triggering a long-forgotten memory. (2)
Chris C.
Finally, check out this adorable story about escaped llamas Llamas frolic in snowy Colorado neighborhood — and get police escort home. Be sure to watch the cute video of the llamas being escorted back to their home.
References
City could play heavy in llama drama, Chicago Tribune, April 25, 2001. Note, you won't be able to read the article without a subscription.
Chris Collins, Llama Drama from Chris C., Project Resources, January 29, 2024
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