Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: surprised
  • Music: Talis Kimberley, "Velvet."

When I have a brand new hairdo...

I am going to Australia.

I am going to Australia, and I have been nominated for the Campbell Award.

Because I am going to Australia, and I have been nominated for the Campbell Award, I am attending the Hugos.

Because I am attending the Hugos, I needed a dress.

Originally, I was having a dress made, but time got away from us, and now this year's fabulous pumpkin patch of a dress will be next year's fabulous pumpkin patch of a dress (which gives me something to look forward to in Reno). I wound up in the unexpected, somewhat awkward position of needing to find a formal dress at basically the last minute. Oh, and did I mention that I have a wacky build and wear a size 16-18 right now? SUPER-FUN.

Thanks to a fantastic crew (Kate, HappyCat, Jeanne) and a fantastic saleswoman at the Walnut Creek Nordstrom's, we found me a dress. Floor-length, one-shoulder, teal and peacock, Grecian-cut...seriously, I put this thing on, and I am suddenly both thirty pounds lighter and thirteen feet tall. It is A DRESS OF MAGIC.

Because I have a dress, I needed shoes and jewelry.

Due to the cut of the dress, a bracelet was mandated; no necklace, which eliminates most of my jewelry collection (I'm planning to carry a Chimera Fancies pendant in my strapless bra, because I am a superstitious bunny). I found a lovely blue and silver swirl bracelet, and ordered a pair of beautiful blue glass earrings from Beckett's Etsy store. My shoes are two-inch tarnished silver heels with a sling-back.

Because I have shoes, I need a pedicure. Because I have a formal dress, I need a haircut.

Being a girl is difficult, yo. But it's all going to be worth it. My little sister (#2, the gothic Betty Page) spent yesterday working out my makeup, and Cat and I are going to have our hair done before the Hugos. I will look like a princess. A weird blue princess who may have a chainsaw somewhere under there, but still, they don't depose you for that.

I am going to Australia, where I will wear my dress. To the Hugos, where my name is on the printed material.

Wow.

That is all.
Tags: australia makes you die, cat valente, friends rock, good things, kate, so the marilyn
  • Post a new comment

    Error

    Anonymous comments are disabled in this journal

    switch
    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    Help
  • 123 comments
Previous
← Ctrl ← Alt
Next
Ctrl → Alt →

tsgeisel

August 17 2010, 02:15:04 UTC 6 years ago

Can't wait to see pictures.

seanan_mcguire

August 17 2010, 02:21:54 UTC 6 years ago

Sadly unavoidable.

britgeekgrrl

August 17 2010, 02:16:28 UTC 6 years ago

How utterly utterly wonderful for you!

seanan_mcguire

August 17 2010, 02:22:18 UTC 6 years ago

I need to get a spray-tan once I get to Australia, to even out my shoulders. Girliness = difficult.

calendula_witch

August 17 2010, 02:16:31 UTC 6 years ago

Photo! Need photo of dress!

(and, I look forward to seeing the ensemble in person!) :-)

seanan_mcguire

August 17 2010, 02:22:39 UTC 6 years ago

I'm so, so glad you and Jay will be there. I can hide in Jay's shirt and weep.

jaylake

6 years ago

  • New comment

jacylrin

6 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

6 years ago

  • New comment

jaylake

6 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

6 years ago

  • New comment

jaylake

6 years ago

  • New comment

calendula_witch

6 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

6 years ago

  • New comment

ladyqkat

August 17 2010, 02:17:41 UTC 6 years ago

Being all dressed up and painted and girly and having your name on the printed material for the Hugos means that a picture is mandatory. Please?! If I can figure out how to get you brain cupcakes for doing so (even if you don't get them until Christmas because that is probably when I will have some money).

Also - what an opportunity for having Glamor Shots done for publicity phtos.

seanan_mcguire

August 17 2010, 18:50:22 UTC 6 years ago

I don't think I could avoid photos if I wanted to (and honestly, because I am me, I want to).

Mmmmmm, cupcakes.

tesserae_

August 17 2010, 02:18:58 UTC 6 years ago

Congratulations!

(And by the way, everyone I've recommended the October Daye books to has loved them...)

seanan_mcguire

August 17 2010, 18:50:31 UTC 6 years ago

Yay!

admnaismith

August 17 2010, 02:22:02 UTC 6 years ago

I hope your dress goes well with tiaras.

threeparts

August 17 2010, 02:53:10 UTC 6 years ago

My thoughts exactly.

bercilakslady

6 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

6 years ago

  • New comment

asphaltangel

August 17 2010, 02:22:42 UTC 6 years ago

Woohoo, Seanan! Congratulations on all of your fabulousity (it's a word)!!!! And, yay, for the dress of magic! That's a MUST for all women. I have a magic red dress for military balls, which are totally the best thing ever because it's equally difficult for the gentlemen in uniform to get ready (for once!) ... I may have also worn said dress with sneakers at least once because it's floor length. I recommend this if you can ever get away with it!

seanan_mcguire

August 17 2010, 18:51:03 UTC 6 years ago

And this one can be taken in if necessary, which I really appreciate.

dormouse_in_tea

August 17 2010, 02:28:58 UTC 6 years ago

Being a girl IS hard. I applaud you.

Did you know you actually gave enough details on the gown for me to find it on the Nordstrom's site? (95% sure). I feel very accomplished in being creepy now.

jacylrin

August 17 2010, 15:20:26 UTC 6 years ago

What, and didn't share the link!?

dormouse_in_tea

6 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

6 years ago

  • New comment

theashgirl

August 17 2010, 02:30:40 UTC 6 years ago

Your dress sounds like something I totally want, so I will now be jealous of you looking gorgeous and going to Australia and totally winning a tiara. And if you manage to keep a chainsaw somewhere under there, you need to write a tutorial. You never know when you'll need that kind of information.

seanan_mcguire

August 17 2010, 19:03:38 UTC 6 years ago

I am, I admit, considering taking My Little Chainsaw with me.

aliciaaudrey

August 17 2010, 02:35:56 UTC 6 years ago

I agree. Being a woman is complicated.

When I had to learn How To Dress Like A Lady Lawyer (sadly, I actually had to be taught this, as it wasn't something I could've picked up from osmoses: my father is retired military and a mechanic and my mother does something involving vendor and community relations for our local Lowes, so everybody is just lucky I don't show up at business-y-thingies wearing camouflage fatigue pants, steel toed work boots, welding goggles and a bright red hard hat with a shiny flower painted on it, although lawyers dressing in this festive manner would certainly help counter our reputation as stuffy douchebags, end lengthy aside) I was most annoyed that men basically got away with "wear a suit and a tie that's not a clip on and doesn't have jubblies or beer cans all over it. Probably you should iron it. The suit, that is. Not the jubblies or beer cans which should not be on your tie." and I got dragged away to have my eyebrows plucked and my nails lacquered and my face gooped up with stuff that clogged my pores for a freaking month and THEN they ("They" being my mother in law, btw) insisted that my watch was all wrong and NO I COULD NOT wear either doc martens or cowboy boots, even though the former would add a totally awesome "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" and the latter an awesome "Spaghetti Western" quality to my work day. Also there were complicated rules for suits for summer and suits for winter, suits for court and suits for meeting clients, outfits for "business casual Friday" and suits for "We call it business casual friday, but that only applies to people who can wee wee standing up and/or have their name on the plaque outside."

And then they told me "And somebody you will get to dress like this ALL THE TIME!!! WILL THAT NOT BE FUN!??!?!" and I basically cried.

Your dress sounds rocking awesome and I will MAIL YOU A KITTEN!!! OR A POSTCARD OF A KITTEN!!! if you somehow figure out how to sneak a chainsaw into the Hugos. Do post pictures later!!!

admnaismith

August 17 2010, 04:28:58 UTC 6 years ago


I've never seen you post before, but I just friended you for this.

My office is littered with the absence of not only tie beer cans and jubblies but fish and light bulbs as well. Although I have been known to strap a dorsal fin on the back of my suit for Halloween and tell the judge I've dressed up as a lawyer. But not before the judge who once had her clerk go out during a trial and buy a pair of black socks so that, when the clerk returned, she could stop the trial, point to the otherwise appropriately dressed counsel's bright red socks, and say, "I find your socks in contempt. Now, put on these black ones!"

Think we might get along, unfashionably or otherwise?

aliciaaudrey

6 years ago

  • New comment

Deleted comment

More Expand

roadnotes

August 17 2010, 02:37:05 UTC 6 years ago

Want to see photos, and want to hear full report. And have much sympathy.

(Have just redone my hair, in a darker red, more mahogany, and am thinking about color choices to go with it. Being a girl IS hard.)

Do you have a chainsaw?

seanan_mcguire

August 17 2010, 19:06:47 UTC 6 years ago

I do!

brownkitty

August 17 2010, 02:41:26 UTC 6 years ago

A weird blue princess who may have a chainsaw somewhere under there, but still, they don't depose you for that.

My husband has a set of bracers with knife sheaths on them. As a prank, we put them on one of my friends, around her calf. Her wedding dress was long enough to cover it.

The look on her husband's face when he went to do the removing-the-garter pose for the photographer was funny. I wish we had a pic of that, instead of the actual pic that was taken ;)

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 03:49:32 UTC 6 years ago

That.

Is.

AWESOME.

brownkitty

August 17 2010, 02:44:42 UTC 6 years ago

I shouldn't instigate. But here.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=210947769&listingid=41382244

brownkitty

August 17 2010, 02:45:39 UTC 6 years ago

Unless you'd prefer silver.

http://www.amazon.com/Rembrandt-Charms-Chainsaw-Sterling-Silver/dp/B000FIT1SO?tag=dogpile-20

jacylrin

6 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

6 years ago

  • New comment

sheistheweather

August 17 2010, 02:51:20 UTC 6 years ago

I'm so excited for you! I'm really looking forward to seeing pictures of your princess look!

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 03:50:54 UTC 6 years ago

Pictures.

Shudder.

sheistheweather

6 years ago

  • New comment

artbeco

August 17 2010, 02:52:25 UTC 6 years ago

YAY!! I'm so glad those earrings went to you; they are special and I wanted them to go to The Right Person. And you are so It. :)
I'll be rooting for your tiara.
*massive hugs*

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 03:51:30 UTC 6 years ago

And I will wear them to the Hugos and they will be amazing because they are amazing.

Thank you so much.

glam_k

August 17 2010, 02:57:10 UTC 6 years ago

You are clearly going to RULE TEH WORLD (first up, the Land Down Under) with your unique (and bitchin') brand of AWESOME. A chainsaw (to give the whole Princess thing a little edge)? You TOTALLY rock... (you know that, right?)

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 03:53:21 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you. :)

copperwise

August 17 2010, 03:00:21 UTC 6 years ago

You will be lovely and I can't wait to see pics. I will be with you in spirit. :D

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 03:53:37 UTC 6 years ago

And in my bra!

lilrongal

August 17 2010, 03:04:24 UTC 6 years ago

PICTURES!!!!

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 03:53:53 UTC 6 years ago

They will happen.

Deleted comment

saffronrose

August 17 2010, 07:49:59 UTC 6 years ago

by gosh, they do have awesome dresses. I need to buy some more closets, first. I found good plus size wear at http://www.gofiguresf.com/, who used to have a boutique in SF, but now are by appt. only. The place was stuffed with amazing occasion dresses, as well as nice clothes suitable for the workplace.

Deleted comment

saffronrose

6 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

6 years ago

  • New comment

labelleizzy

August 17 2010, 03:24:12 UTC 6 years ago

there will be pictures, no? of the DRESS OF MAGIC??

please?

and damn girl, congratulations on the Hugos nom!!!

woot and happy dance!

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 03:54:55 UTC 6 years ago

I can't avoid them, no matter how hard I try.

erinwrites

August 17 2010, 03:29:40 UTC 6 years ago

ooooh...can't wait to see pics! :)

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 03:58:58 UTC 6 years ago

They will happen.

vikingwriter

August 17 2010, 03:35:27 UTC 6 years ago

All hail the Goddess Dress. Rarely seen in nature, and when caught, must be snagged immediately regardless of any and all obstacles. Congratulations on the good hunting. I would wish you luck, but I'm tempted to say you don't really need it. (That said, one can never have too much positivity, so it's yours. FYI, it's the same stuff I sent to a friend who just finished her first triathalon despite having never learned to swim until she was an adult.)

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 03:59:18 UTC 6 years ago

It is SO MINE.

deire

August 17 2010, 03:36:04 UTC 6 years ago

Yaaaaaaaay!!!

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 03:59:39 UTC 6 years ago

Yes. :)

deakat

August 17 2010, 04:01:35 UTC 6 years ago

I do hope that they arrange to livestream the awards, as was done for the Locus Awards, so that we can watch as you accept the Campbell. I burst into tears of joy watching Cat win her Norton. <3

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 04:00:02 UTC 6 years ago

...that would make my mother SO HAPPY.

wendyzski

August 17 2010, 04:26:07 UTC 6 years ago

I have been explaining to people all week the potential disastrous hilarity in inviting the Queen of 'Let's poke it with a stick!" to a country where even the teddy bears can kill you.

seanan_mcguire

August 18 2010, 04:00:20 UTC 6 years ago

It's gonna be AWESOME.
Previous
← Ctrl ← Alt
Next
Ctrl → Alt →