Road to Orlando: Part Three – Dressing The Part

Road to Orlando: Part Three – Dressing The Part

 

 The end of October/beginning of November have been spent getting ready for my big dress rehearsal: the final selection of my competitions was last week; the final workshop for Orlando, this coming weekend.  It is a two-day event, and all of our outfits for all of our competitions have to be finalized.  So since last week, I’ve been doing a little more scrambling for clothes.

The clothing requirements for the showcase are very specific, because everything is geared for the agents to be focusing on the talent/model, and not on the wardrobe.  All of my acting categories require khaki pants and polo shirts, neither of which I previously owned.

These clothing requirements have been in the back of my head since August Orientation, but I hadn’t devoted the energy to shopping for them yet, or rather, I was preoccupied with the monthly assignments for the different workshops.

But last Wednesday, the day before Halloween, I went to Goodwill. 

And there I found 4 cotton polo shirts (men’s size J ) , a pair of khaki pants, and a denim skirt (for the photography competition runway).  The denim skirt I wasn’t crazy about; I knew that I would probably need to get it altered before December, but it would do for Final Workshop.

Three days later, I returned to TACOL, the thrift store in Lindsborg.

There I found a second – BETTER – pair of khakis.  These are in a “long” length for tall girls like me! The Goodwill pair is now my backup. 

I also at some point during the week realized that I would need “interview” clothes, and overall some nicer stuff to be wearing all week in Orlando, as I will be staying on the resort with the agents and casting directors, in the same building with them at all times.  I also need to look presentable every time I’m down in the ballroom as an observer for any of the competitions I am not in.

So, luckily (actually, by the grace of God), I found several tops at TACOL that I deem Orlando-worthy.  J

Today, just today! – I got a second denim skirt – one that fits much better, and will not need alterations.  It is perfect, and I bought it from a lady here in Salina, whom I found on a local Buy-Sell-Trade page on Facebook.  It was 5 dollars.  Perfect.

I can’t help but be utterly grateful for the fact that I am a hippie.  I love thrift-shopping not just because of the lower costs, which for a Human Services worker like me, are AWESOME! – but I love thrift-shopping because it encourages us to use the plethora of things already in existence, instead of contributing to the energy costs and usage that are needed in order to make NEW stuff.  In the last several years, my eyes have been opened to the gross unfairness in the way people across the world live in comparison to us here in America, and I’ve been redefining my parameters for “acceptable” and “necessary”.  Shopping second-hand makes me proud, because it reminds me of my resourcefulness and my refusal to give in to societal pressures that demand that I purchase more, more more.
I will look amazing in Orlando, in mostly second- or third-hand clothing.  I will walk that runway in a dress my sister mailed me from Arizona, a hand-me down from one of her sorority sisters.  I took pictures in clearance-priced and thrift store finds, things no one else wanted.  Well, I thank those people who passed these pieces by.  I will be wearing them as I audition for and receive my first TV or movie roles.

It’s been such a journey and a test of my creativity and resourcefulness to find the clothing I need for Orlando.

I tried to stress, but all the necessary clothing was provided for me, if only I was creative enough to think outside the box and think about where to get it.

I will definitely post some pictures later on.  J