Our Presentation at Textile Study Group of New York

Last Wednesday, we were guest speakers at the December year-end meeting of the Textile Study Group of New York (TSGNY).  After an amazing amount of preparation and rehearsal, we arrived an hour before start time to make sure everything was ready. All the hard work had already taken place, so we could just kick back and relax and greet the arriving members and guests.

Jean did a final run through on the 53 power point slides in our presentation.

Photo courtesy of Denton Taylor

As the witching hour approached, photographer Denton Taylor and several of our friends appeared to root for us. With cheerleaders like this, how could we go wrong? Here's the lineup: Denton's wife Teresa, Valerie, ArtfulCityStyle, Jean and Sue Kreitzman.

Photo courtesy of Denton Taylor

We started almost exactly on time and miraculously, everything came off as planned and within our estimated time. Asked to talk about how, when and why we started the blog, why we dress the way we do, how we put ourselves together and other secrets of the universe, we divided our presentation into five distinct areas (with titles that all ended in "us", since we're a team): Famous, Glamorous, Humorous, Custom Tailored Us and Individual Us.

Photo courtesy of Denton Taylor

Getting together five or six times over the past couple of weeks at Valerie's apartment to select the photos to create our power point presentation, we then had to edit it down from 76 to 53 slides, so we could fit as much as possible in our 60-minute time slot.  We rehearsed a few more times in person and then again on the phone for an hour each of the three nights before the meeting.

Photo courtesy of Denton Taylor

And of course, on the big night, we had to dress the part.  Jean wore her new Ignatius hat (purchased last month at the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Craft Show) atop a navy blue Issey Miyake coat (with an opaque pleated layer covered with a transparent organza layer) with lots of red bakelite and resin jewelry, Deca skirt and Trippen boots.  Jean now admits that she does talk with her hands!

Photograph courtesy of Denton Taylor

The slide of us appearing in the AARP Bulletin got a big laugh.  True, it's not exactly Vogue, but it's an important acknowledgment that just because you pass 30 or 40 or 50 or 60 - or even 80 - doesn't mean you lose interest in the joy of self-presentation

The pine scent of the Christmas tree in front of the stage was an added treat.  Harking back to elementary school years, after the slide show we did a bit of show and tell for audience.  Knowing we were working with a tactile, visual and technically skilled group, we each brought several accessories and articles of clothing we thought would interest this particularly discerning group. Jean displayed an orange Issey Miyake honeycomb weave hooded coat.  She also brought a Victorian black silk children's folding parasol; tiny linen parasol; black and white reversible wool coat from Korean designer Chunghie Lee; black Yohji Yamamoto for Puma futuristic neoprene and perforated polyester coat; Patricia Fields leather-winged goggles she'd hand-painted gold; red plastic Barbie doll shoe necklace from the Brooklyn Museum's Killer Heels show.

Photo courtesy of Denton Taylor

In a tricks-of-the-trade moment, Valerie took a high-volume two-tone black and purple crimped silk Krizia dress and showed that it could be worn as a face-framing scarf if the two sleeves were pulled inside.  Valerie also showed how to make a hat out of an African sisal basket in under a minute, and how to make a bracelet out of a child's toy.  She brought in the octopus hat worn in one of the slides to show how easy it was to make,  wore a Jorie Johnson felt coat that glows in the dark for felters in the audience (below), put out her beaded squid earrings for beaders, and showed a felt hat that she reshaped from short and round to tall and cylindrical.

Photograph courtesy of Denton Taylor

Then, it was time for a bit of Q&A, and sharing information.

Photograph courtesy of Denton Taylor

Among our friends who joined us were Richard Cramer and Carol Markel, the most colorfully stylish artist couple we know.  Carol designed the fabric and the dress that she was wearing, along with her hand-painted handmade necklace.

Photo by Denton Talor caption

Charlotte Thorp wore a felt cap ending in a humorous tube, with a yellow colored stem to match her wool topper.

Photo courtesy of Denton Taylor

Teresa and Dayle posed for a photo.

Photo courtesy of Denton Taylor

Designer Mary Jaeger joined us for the evening.

Photo courtesy of Denton Taylor

Here's a better view of Mary's coat from her Designs in Textiles Atelier.

Valerie in gray (vintage velour hat, Issey Miyake jacket,  H&M camisole, Oska pants), sandwiched between with Sue and Carol, resplendent in eye-popping colors.

Photo courtesy of Denton Taylor

Marsha, Antonia and Elke provided moral support and lots of good cheer!

Photo courtesy of Denton Taylor

Now that we've got a show, here's hoping we can take it on the road! Who knows, maybe we'll be the new and improved Bing Crosby and Bob Hope!

Photo courtesy of Denton Taylor