As a lover of clothes and style, Winona had a brainwave. She would be a volunteer for the World of Wearable Arts, get a free ticket to the show, and have the chance to see what Wellington looks like when it dresses up. Asked if she wanted to be a backstage dresser, or to sell programs at the front of the house, she picked the latter.
The glittering plastic top hat she was given to wear gave her instant hat-head. The full-colour program is huge and sleek. Her program-selling companion seems nice, but they barely had any time to talk before hordes of Wellingtonians began to stream through the doors for opening night.
There they are, the women of Wellington with their glad rags on, their black or blonde hair ironed or tousled, their lipstick vivid or deliberately foregone. Some of them are wearing red and black, others a black top over the colorful skirt, two outfits that say “I don’t get out much.” Others are in full evening wear; even if it is not the cutting edge of fashion, it looks good. Here is a lovely fifteen-year-old, trembling with joy in her first evening outfit. There is a group of older women; expensive black flows around them, their hair gleams in architectural bobs, real jewels flash with their assertive light. Most typically Kiwi of all is the young couple coming up the stairs. She is beautiful, in a crinoline-skirted vintage dress and immaculate red lips. He is handsome, but, having consented to come to the event, has balked at wearing anything but his favorite jeans and T-shirt.
Last of all, Winona sees her mother and a few of her girlfriends come up the stairs. “Would you like to buy a – Mummy! You were supposed to wait and buy your program from me!”
some other Kiwi friends of mine have complained about the prevalence of really low-karat gold jewelry down under. Have you experienced this too?
It’s true, jewelry here is either 9k or 18k – 14k is a special order. It’s a carry over from British jewelry, which also tends to be 9k/18k.