Giangi's Kitchen

Circle of Life.

Today’s blog is not about cooking but about my circle of life.

Last night I went to a phenomenal “Disco Fever” fund raiser hosted by the school that our son’s attends. I was a teenager in the 70’s so it sure touched home for me as I do remember the music, the clothes, and all the events in my personal life.
As fashion is concerned, I do not like to revisit certain eras of our past. Well the 70’s is one of them. The screaming colors, wide collars, jumpsuits, bell bottoms, platforms shoes, the hair and last but not least the makeup….
So here I am trying to figure out what to wear. As I ponder upon that question, I do remember that I still had the clothes that I wore in 1978 New Years Eve. Here, I want to share with you one of the most fun night of my teenager years.

I was 16 in 1978 and somehow I did manage to convince my mom and dad that they had to take me out dancing on New Year Eve. My mom and Dad loved to dance, so there was not too much of an issue on that matter; however the dancing I had in mind and theirs, well… we were not speaking the same language (but who does at 16 with their parents). Needless to say I won and my job was to found a discotheque and make all the plans for the evening.

I made reservations for this place called “New London” in the quartier Latin in Paris. We are all set to go. Well until the idea of what to wear. As a student I wore day in and day out jeans, sweater, boots, and sneakers or wooden clogs, after all we are in the 70’s. Shopping we went and I feel in love with this tunic dress and cigarette pants, that was the big craze in Paris that year. Taking my mom shopping was fun, however I never found the color or the perfect style that I liked, and therefore my mom, which she is a great pattern maker, decided to make it the way I like it and also let me choose the material I wanted. Dress and pants made, I only needed shoes…

At that time I had great designer shoes because my mom loved shoes, but not because they were my priority. My mom looked for style, I looked for comfort. Shoe shopping we went, and to mine and my mom surprise, I must say, I decided that I wanted to wear high heels, gold sandals. I never seen a happier smile on my mom and dad faces as of the day I told them that. Thinking back I drove my parents to at least twenty different shoe stores to find the perfect pair. My mom was so happy to oblige as she was finally going to see me in heels, and my dad could care less how much we paid from the moment he saw me in regular shoes, and heels to bout.

We get ready for the evening. My new dress tunic and shoes looked great and my mom wore a very pretty pair of designer palazzo pants in dusty rose with a crochet lame top in the matching color. Quite revealing as her top showed her sides and part of her belly. She looked pretty amazing for a 40 years old woman.

At the car and ready to leave, we could not open the car door. Frozen shot. We were having a wonderful frozen Parisian winter night with winds from the East, or from Alsace – Germany to be exact. Buckets of hot water were put on the key hole and the door frame to melt the ice. I was not going to let a small thing like a freezing night spoil my wonderfully planned evening. Finally the car door opened, here we go.

Once at the discotheque, my parents were having a change of heart and wondering if they made the right decision to let a 16 years old make all the plans, but too late now, we are in and the music is blaring and cannot leave. We danced all night until 2 in the morning. My mom and dad took turns dancing with me and soon realized that they just had about enough and choose to return to our table and keep an eye on me as they were trying to figure out how to not have a brain damage with the music blaring at them.

I had FUN. At closing we went bar hopping because the Metro was not working until 5 am, and it was COLD. We closed two bars down before being able to get into the warmth of the metro and go home. At our car, cover with wonderful ice, we had to enter from the trunk door that my dad left a bit ajar or we could have never gotten in. Wearing high heels and try to get in your car from the trunk, well, I am going to leave it up to your imagination.

I will always remember the 70’s by that night. It was magical for me and will always have a special place in my heart.

Fast forward 32 years. Last night. Disco Night, wear you finest 70’s clothes. Here is 4 pm and in 30 minutes I have to put my clothes on and makeup and leave. As I am on the phone to my mom I am explaining to her my dilemma of what to wear. I still have my dress tunic with pants that she made for me 32 years ago. Even though I still fit in them, the pants are a bit snug and I will only be able to stand and walk in them, but I will need to sit sooner or later and chances are, I would have a bit of a problem.

My mom laughing at the idea that I still have those clothes, after all these years, and I was seriously considering wearing them, says to me: “Too bad you do not have my palazzo pants with the top nonna crochet for me”. A light bulb came on and I directly went into my closet, right behind a bag full of knitting yard, and there nicely folded and stored away was the famous pants and top that my mom wore that night in Paris 32 years ago. Quickly I put them on and they fit like a glove. Prada high heels stiletto on my feet, I am ready to go. And no, they are not gold.

As I was looking around to all the beautiful ladies at the party last night, it was nice to see that I was not the only one that hang on to something for over 32 years, but quite a few outfits had a history. Moms, mothers in law, friends mom… we all had that one piece that had to stay in our closet.

The Bee Gees, Hearth, Wind and Fire are calling us on the dance floor. As we are dancing the night away and look around me, I am thankful to be at this fund raiser and to be surrounded by all those wonderful moms and dads having a fantastic time. I just giggled internally to the fact that, maybe not with my clothes, but with my mom clothes, I felt the same happiness that I felt so many years ago.

Now, I do not remember those songs to be so darn long….