This past weekend was The Cotillion in Evanston.
Gabrielle was invited and attended. This event was another one of those moments where I felt VERY OLD!
Unfortunately for Gabby, I save photos and mementos from my past, so I headed to the basement to dig out Cotillion evidence from my senior memory book (this book has caused be much embarrassment, as when I was writing in it almost 30 years ago, I never imagined my children reading it. WARNING....hide all incriminating high school evidence from your children!!!!). With some eye rolling and "I know, you told me this story already" Eric and I shared with her our Cotillion adventures from over 25 years ago.
Eric and I remember how much of a big deal it was for us to both be invited and attend Cotillion. Eric went Senior year. I went Junior and Senior years. I thought I was a happening girl, Eric was a happening guy (I had a serious crush on him in high school).
I attended both years with a group of girlfriends, no real (boy) date for me. My dad let me drive his 1969, turquoise, Fleetwood Cadillac both years. Boy, was I hot stuff:) My mom made a huge dinner for me and my friends before the dance, my dad took pictures and off we went. Back then, the Cotillion was held at the Women's Club of Evanston. I remember walking up the staircase my Junior year to make my "entrance". If you knew me then, not much has changed, I clean-up pretty well for special occasions, so in my opinion I was quite a stunner for my entrance. Junior year I wore a backless, royal blue, sequined dress with black patten-leather pumps. Senior year, my aunt Constance crafted a purple velvet and lace strapless dress with matching lace, fingerless gloves (yes, it was the purple rain era). I was not allowed to go to the "after parties", that was where all the mischief happened...you know, the stuff you heard about at school on Monday morning (no Facebook back then, so you had to wait to get the gossip).
Anyway, as Gabby got all dressed up and headed out with her date, I held back my "I'm so old" and "my baby has grown up so fast" tears. Just like her mom, she cleans up well!
No Cadillac for Gabby, I didn't cook a big dinner for all the friends, but of course took plenty of pictures. She did get to go to the "after party". Someday, she'll have these pictures to pull out for her kids.
p.s. I'm not sure if I owe my mother an apology, but if our cotillion shopping experience was anything like the past few weeks I just endured with Gabby shopping, then "I am so sorry mom!"
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