Well not EXACTLY! One has to wear something to the bridge club but it’s optional what one chooses. On Saturday, a friend said to me, “That guy with the tight jeans is back again”. Shoot. When I was 30 or even 40, I wouldn’t have missed a guy in tight jeans. I am well and truly old at 65 that I had no idea which guy was the one under consideration. Finally, between rounds, the wearer was pointed out to me. Tight indeed but on very nice buns. He wasn’t one of our regulars but in from out of town for our sectional. My friend suggested that I should blog about bridge clothing. Never one to back down from a challenge, which is why I bid a bad, unmakeable 3 Spades in a Swiss game to the dismay of my dementor, here goes.
Fashion varies widely in our club. My dementor roars up on his motorcycle in his Madison High School booster shirt, black beard flying. The rest of the guys run the gamut from pullovers and slacks to shorts and tees. Boring except for dementor. Some of the women, however, flit around like bejewled tropical birds. One of our more gorgeous specimens was grazing a jewelry table when we were ready to start the round. She returned holding a new sparkly bracelet just in time to play . When I asked why she didn’t just put it on she replied, ‘It doesn’t go with the rest of my jewelry’. If I were a real woman, I guess I would have known that but, alas, I never learned girl stuff at the appropriate age and now, it’s too late. Learning bridge is hard enough. I can’t take any more lessons on anything else.
The late, lovely Darlene, just before she unexpectedly died, told me that she would “make me over”. She was always perfectly turned out in sparkly stuff, spandex, and more makeup than I have used in my whole lifetime. Every time we met, she would cluck cluck over my hair (needs a cut and rinse), makeup (none), jewelry (wedding ring doesn’t count although I do have my timex on most days – maybe that doesn’t count either) and clothes (too loose and dull, dull, dull). I miss Darlene. She lent flair to the room beside being one great bridge player.
Great player Ira shows up with a floppy hat on his longish, black kinky hair and professes that you MUST wear comfortable clothes at the table. I agree with that and usually wear a cotton shirt, capris and sandals. Sometimes, I remember to put my hoop earrings on. I have gained weight since taking up bridge (bad food at the club and less exercise but that’s another story), therefore I sometimes wear clothes which have mysteriously shrunk. I usually don’t notice though since, when I am playing, I don’t pay attention to much else. I find the red lines and chaffed areas when I get home and climb into my usual shorts and tees.
Great player Kim, always wears a fishing hat with a sports coat and pullover. I think he wears the hat to hide his face when he is making one his many mysterioso bids. Those are the two signature hat people along with great player Patty who always looks way cute in a pink baseball cap with her pony tail hanging out the back
I admire my fellow female players from Carolyn who always dresses well and looks regal to Jo, an actress, who always looks dramatic no matter what she wears – maybe it’s the British accent - , to Sally who looks like a model and wears gorgeous jewelry, and all the other ladies who dress well to play. I could do better I suppose, but I’m going with Ira’s comfort theory. Now, what to pack for the Nationals in San Diego?
