I Have Nothing to Wear!

Recently, I attended a new off-Broadway show called "Love, Loss and What I Wore," an intimate collection of stories by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron based on the book by Ilene Beckerman.  The performance that day starred Tyne Daly, Rosie O'Donnell, Natasha Lyonne, Samantha Bee and Katie Finnernan (the cast will rotate for 12 weeks).  Ironically, the day of the show, I couldn't find anything to wear.  That's the crazy thing about getting dressed for a special occasion.  You go into your closet, try to find something that fits, start flinging items across the room and the next thing you know, you pull out the same black dress you've been wearing the last several months since it conceals the fact that you've put on an extra five pounds.  (Thank goodness for stretch lycra.)

I arrived at the theater and as I looked around the room, everyone was wearing black.  And then, as the show started, all the actresses came out on stage wearing, you guessed it...black!  In New York City, black is definitely the uniform of choice for all special occasions, not because it looks great on - well, actually sometimes it does - but because it covers all of our imperfections.

The show began with a reading by Tyne Daly - who portrays the same character throughout the show who shares the memories of her life through the clothing she wore.  The other actresses joined in with hilarious, bittersweet, powerful and poignant readings that all centered around articles of clothing that created a lasting memory in their lives.  Whether it was an awful pair of striped socks or a plaid outfit your mom dressed you in as a pre-teen, or the bathrobe that Rosie O'Donnell talked about as the one article of clothing her character remembered her late mother wearing - the stories had the entire audience in stitches and in tears.  

"Love, Loss and What I Wore" will be playing for three months in New York City with a cast of rotating performers.  It's the perfect show to attend with your mom, girlfriends or co-workers....okay, and your spouse too - but he probably won't get it so better to make it a mom's night out!  If you don't live on the east coast, have no fear, you can buy the book by Ilene Beckerman that the readings are based on.  Either way, I'm sure you'll be able to relate to the stories of women who have loved and loathed their clothes.