What Would Holly Say?

And I said, "What about Breakfast at Tiffany's?" She said, "I think I remember the film, and as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it," and I said, "Well, that's the one thing we've got." ~ Deep Blue

Whenever I think about cocktail parties, the archetypal opening scenes from Breakfast at Tiffany's, come to mind. Narrow-lapel jackets with pencil-width ties that are, thankfully, out of style and I hope stay that way, women wearing pillbox hats that appear to have come back in style, and upbeat Greenwich Village jazz. Faces distorted through martini glasses like reflections in a carnival fun house mirror. Holly Golightly desperately trying to land a millionaire.

Until recently, I thought I was the only one who referred to "cocktail parties" anymore and that seemed pretty retro. I kind of felt my age was showing, rather like a silk slip cautiously creeping from behind a skirt's hem -- you do remember slips, don't you? It's Victoria's Secret that she has, and hopefully, still wears them. But I guess they're making a comeback -- cocktail parties, that is -- because my entering class is having one this week as part of Senior Week festivities and calling it just that.

What goes around, comes around, they say, and it feels good knowing I'm "in" like those pillbox hats, once again. Ordinarily, by the time I've decided I like a particular look, no one else remembers it. I'll hang on for dear life because I'm comfortable if somewhat dated, and a few years later, sure enough, the rest of the world gives me a gander and says, "Mm, he doesn't look half bad -- let's try that." Or at least that's what I tell myself.

The real challenge about this party is there will be -- you guessed it -- dancing. Nothing like the "Electric Slide" from today's The Argyle Sweater, I'm sure, but it's hard to tell in advance. I'd like to have the Fox Trot in my repertoire but we haven't covered more than the basic step in class, so I'm left to my own resources and online demos. In any case, this will be my public debut and with a little luck, the floor will be so crowded no one will notice my toes counting out the rhythm. Sigh, what would Holly say?


(Creative Commons image of Holly Golightly by Jonas de los Reyes via Flickr)