the travelling (pink) pants

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (Jazzfest) isn't a fashion event like Coachella, it's all about the music.You would think putting a few pairs of shorts, some tanks, a plastic poncho, sunhat, sunscreen, and just in case a sweatshirt into a carry-on would be simple.

This is because you have never travelled with Disaster Girl - me. First off, and in fairness, I do have a revolting variety of skin conditions and allergies. And malicious sinuses, which delight in spoiling the fun. The mere assembly of the bandaids, spray antiseptic, Germolene, decongestants and blister paks, plus the skin treatments, the necessary prescription products in case of a flare-up, etc etc, could be a practicum for a pharmacology course.

Thank goodness I can eat anything, if I also had to pack for a delicate tummy I'd never be allowed on a plane.

And after a dim weekend in sunny Kennebunkport, where we had to drive 15 miles to find a hardware store to replace the 25-watt lightbulbs the motel owner had thoughtfully installed, I pack 2 little flashlights and some extra batteries in the little case with the phone charger and the extra phone charger. A third teeny flashlight travels in my pocket because all too often airplane maintenance doesn't include passenger overhead lights. Would you find it heart-warming to be told by the flight attendant that the light switch wasn't working because they couldn't find which wire was loose?

And who wants to meet people for the first time with pants hem trailing, or skirt hem dangling?

As for shampoo, conditioner and the like - I find that the little bottles in hotel bathrooms are generally unreliable at best. On the road, my hair is washed with very gentle toxin-free shampoo, conditioned likewise (thanks, Louise!), and air-dried. Then I flatiron the hell out of it. Sunscreen - of course.

Oh, right, about those lightbulbs - Himself thought we might replace the dim ones before checking out and bring the 2 new ones home with us. I voted that we leave them in the lamps, so that the stingy owner's year-end P&L would be off by11 cents and make him crazy. I won.

So having addressed first aid, medical care, emergency tailoring and blindness prevention, I move  to the subject of Staying Awake During Daylight Hours. After years of being told to get used to it, Himself acknowledges that the coffee I make in the room with freshly boiled water, Zabar's Special Blend, and Melitta filters is far faster and far better than anything we can get from Room Service. Not to mention far cheaper: pot of "coffee" for two: $10. Room service charge: $5. Delivery surcharge (I'm not kidding, people): $7. Tax: $3. Yeah, priceless. So he no longer complains about my bringing the necessary equipment. If I left it home, he'd have to listen to me complain, and trust me, it's just not worth it.

And now for clothing. There the packing list would be mercifully short. Except that every day at Jazzfest, and, I assume, other music festivals, is complete sensory overload. There are more than 70 food vendors, 11 music stages and tents X 6 events per day per stage = 462, plus crafts, demonstrations, exhibitions - 4 days! Bliss! a cochon de lait sandwich while listening to The Boss! We find that to survive, the day needs to close with a seated meal at a nice restaurant where people bring you things. To enjoy this, there needs to be a shower and a change into clean respectable clothes. Because of New Orleans' killer air conditioning, this means pants and sweater. I prefer not to eat and shiver at the same time.

the silk pants - they have pockets!

Hence the pink pants. I had decided that the latest addition to the Missoni sweater collection (more than 2 is a collection, right?) needed pink pants, preferably silk. Then I realized that that sweater would probably go to London and Paris with us in a few months, where it and I would benefit from lightweight pink cotton pants. Since manufacturers change sizes rapidly (and so does my bottom), I wound up with

• deep pink silk pants from Go Silk - X one
• on sale at Neiman's (yes!)
• keeping.
• pink cotton (yes!) pants from Gap, 3 sizes to try, X 2 = 6



the Gap pants -
but not my butt

• (the Gap order didn't go through the first time, so in desperation I did the order again. Then the website recovered and I got a confirmation. Then I got another confirmation. Then I realized that since the pink pants idea had been a last-minute inspiration, I was paying express shipping twice. Customer service was lovely about the shipping, but yes, I'm spending tomorrow at the Gap returning 5 pairs of pants. And one really peculiar bra).
• faded red chinos from J.Crew - X one.
•     more pink-ish than pink, but seemed like a good idea at the time.
•     keeping.

While waiting out the suspense of last minute deliveries, I observed that pink pants are in the air. If we truly lived in a global village, I'd be able to stand on my roof (yup, roof rights) and see pink pants flying from clotheslines from Guelph, Ontario, to the San Francisco Bay, and in the other direction, decorating the Atlantic Coast from north to south. I think this is a positive development. I dread the inevitable day when some genius decides that distressed/destroyed pink jeans are what every girl needs.

I wore the pink silk pants with this top and the coordinating tank:

The pink in the sweater is darker than it reads on the monitor. Worked perfectly.

You do not want to see a picture of me in my baggy shorts and waist bag. Trust me on this.