I am so dead. i'm about to go to sleep, and i have been up for almost 40 hours straight. Because, of course, my friends and i decided to watch the sunrise with champagne and big coats a la marie antoinette and not go to sleep... this has resulted in complete deadness today as i rushed around to a reunion, a film, a congratulatory drink and then a driving adventure (thought not me in the seat, of course) until now, finally, at 12:04 i am about to sleep easy.
But first i must tell you all about my night. And unfortunately, it will be tell, because i didn't have a camera. However a friend of mine did, so i am going to post her pictures, with her permission. Of course, there are therefore not that many images of me, and rather a lot more of her, but oh well. it's my own fault for not having a proper camera that works.
15.NOV.08
8:00 AM.
formal diet was scrapped when i saw my dad had bought croissants from the french bakery. Me and my sister sit around eating them smeared with butter and cherry jam and sipping tea. I mean, it's not as if i was going to lose any weight between now and formal anyway. At least, that's what i tell myself.
11:15 AM
my hair was curled in a very dynasty-esque manner by a lovely hair-dresser armed with a ghd. having never had curls before, iron straight hair is my thing (unfortunately), i was most pleased and excited (and even surprised) by the result. However they would eventually drop from their more bouncy corkscrew phase to a wavy state, which i rather liked. the top strands of my hair were plaited and braided into a crown/headband thing. I skipped back from the hairdresser to my house a very happy camper indeed. Onwards and upwards!
1:00-3:00 PM
i supped on a turkey and camembert roll and sipped on a glass of french champagne before painting my nails an inky black. the chill relaxant effect of MGMT helped to calm those errant nerves of mine.
3:00-4:00 PM.
smoky kohl rimmed eyes with purple in the corners. a dash of bronzer. fake eyelashes glued on. deep purple lipstick. slink myself into the dress. the itunes has now moved onto some slow jazz, and i swished my skirt around a little. Isn't silk just the most divine fabric? it moves so beautifully.
4:00-4:30 PM
the car towards pre's was spent with me wrestling my shoes onto my poor little feet. i knew they would suffer, and i have the blisters and aching arches today to prove it. like i said though, beauty is pain!
4:30-6:00 PM
more champagne at my friend cat's gigantic house. small talk around the pool. parents flitting in and out, looking proudly at their children. more champagne. the wind kicks up and i almost lose the flower in my hair, but luckily my friend grabs it just before it soars over the fence. we find some extra bobby pins and fix it back in.
6:15-12:00 PM
the formal begins. photographs in the studio with partners, a long shot of the dress, friendship groups, and the whole year. Then the presentation, walking up an aisle, 'i present X into society', a big close up of our faces on the screen... not my thing at all. But after the presentation there was the glorious, glorious food! lovely tartlets with goats cheese, roasted tomatoes and basil, almonds honey-roasted with rosemary and thyme, small sushi rolls, and other little tasty things for entree. Then there was salmon with a hollandaise and chives sauce on a bed of roasted spinach YUM YUM YUM! i love salmon so incredibly much. And there was a beautiful rocket and parmesan salad to go with it. Desert was my favourite part, there was a creme brulee and a sumptuous macaroon for everyone. i got a boysenberry one, my friend got the yummiest chocolate one (i had a little bite). White wine and champagne with everything. dancing to girl anthems and old-school favourites (respect and YMCA anyone?). Girls changing out of their long dresses and into their party dresses for the after's. Hotel guests all staring in wonder and amusement at bevies of beautiful (and some very orange) girls stride down stairs in search of taxis, flat shoes, and the rest of the night.
12:30-4:00 AM
dancing to thumping music from huge speakers. cigarettes in the crisp night air with raspberry vodkas and the odd beer. lots of friends, both from school and out of school. Watching gleefully as the match that i totally called comes to pass. giggling with friends about silly, unimportant things. Not one single call from my mother asking where the hell i was and when i was coming home.
4:30-5:30 AM
back at my friend's huge spread right on the beach, leaning on the balcony and swigging from champagne. Watching the sun rise! photos of the survivors (10 of us, 7 girls, 3 boys) who managed to stay awake, more pictures of the other 8 people collapsed on couches, floors, armchairs and stairs. finally i kick my shoes off and massage my blistered feet. ah the pain! but then, about 40 people said how fierce they were on the night. And there's the silver lining....
6:00-7:00 AM
breakfast on the beach from a picnic basket. the remnants of the champagne are consumed, we all nibble on muffins and pastries. We swap war stories, apparently one of my friends jumped into the HARBOUR in her formal dress as they were leaving. Another of my friends kissed a security guard at the after party. I smile knowingly and nurse a double shot cappucino in my hands. a lady never tells! We finish the food, and decide to run into the water, splashing each other. Some of us (me included) still have our dresses on.
8:00 AM
i turn the key to my house and tiptoe in, although i'm fairly sure i can hear my brother in the kitchen. home again! And hitting 24 hours without sleep i head to the kitchen, where i see my brother has made coffee. Oh sweet brother, how do i love thee? let me count the ways.
X
me and my dear friend B... i'm searching for more photos now of my friends, although as you can imagine, we all forgot to take photos at the actual presentation ball, so there are loads of before and some of after.
oh and B, my aspiring designer friend, made her dress herself. isn't she marvellous?
Edit: oh, and since i couldn't find any picture of me with the full length of my dress i'll describe it for you all. The top was, as you see, this lovely purple chiffon, cut on the bias, really floaty and fun, the dress cinched in at the waist where the skirt began, which was flouncy purple silk, lots of tiers and frills, there were little bits of the top material worked into the flounces as well, it was just lovely. very romantic and pretty and totally counterpointed by the fierce wittner SATC gladiator shoes. love it!
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