We have arrived at the twilight of 2012’s brief life, though we need not mourn for this year, for it lived a full life. Whether it was out campaigning with President Barack Obama, paying final respects to Larry Hagman and Neil Armstrong, or landing curious robots on Mars while accelerating particles into each other to find the one holy particle, 2012 left nothing to chance (even if it did tried to leave this mortal coil a bit earlier than previous years). Thus, it is our duty to send this year off to the winds of history as fabulously as possible.
But what do you wear to the party? It depends on the party you’re planning to attend.
Let’s say you’re going to bid farewell to 2012 with WFPK at Headliners, where The Ladybirds will rock the house along with DJs Matt Anthony and Woodrow on the Radio, and swing dance lessons will be available at 8 p.m. Might I suggest a rockabilly approach? Think polka dots, pencil dresses, flared skirts and naval motifs for the ladies, classy bowling and ‘50s short-sleeve shirts, straight-leg denim jeans, and wingtips for the men.
Are you attending a less raucous affair, say at The Gillespie, where you can beat up the beat with not one, not two, not three but four DJs who are what they play? Cocktail attire is encouraged here, from sequins and sparkly fabrics, to little black dresses and bespoke (or, at least, tailored) formal businesswear, as seen on the men who work at places such as Hilliard Lyons and Fifth Third Bank downtown.
Heading across the river to French Lick Springs Hotel? Break out your 1920s fashions one more time, for feather boas, pinstripes, fedoras and flapper dresses will be all the rage as the hotel reflects on its heyday. If that’s a bit too far, RIVUE will also welcome your vintage attire alongside the black chiffon and bias-cut floral silk dresses and tuxedos of the 1930s as the revolving restaurant pays tribute to the Harlem jazz club, the Cotton Club.
Where to go for these ideas if they’re not in your closet? For vintage threads, Elizabeth’s Timeless Attire, Margaret’s Consignment & Collectibles and Nitty Gritty are your best bets. For more contemporary attire, General Eccentric, Rodes and Sam Meyers Formal Wear can get it done.
Photo: lev radin/Shutterstock.com.
