Playing Dress-Up for the Arts

The black-tie creative Art House Snow Ball 2009. A perfect excuse to wear fun, ugly clothes while raising money for the arts in Jersey City.



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What exactly is black tie creative anyway? It’s a way for guys like me who have certain apprehensions about dressing up to play dress up. So, what’s the difference between dressing up and playing dress up?

Well, both involve a change in comfort zones. Both result in a different than usual look. However, only one is forced upon us by way of some dress code or another. The other is just plain fun.

I’ve done my darnedest to avoid dress codes in my life. Aside from weddings, it’s rare that I tie a tie or slip on dress shoes. But on the other hand, I used to get a thrill out of putting together what I called creative (others called ugly) outfits. Stripes over patterns wrapped in a mismatched tapestry of colors often had people sympathizing over my apparent colorblindness.

For the record, I am not colorblind. Never have been. I used to actually spend a great deal of time coordinating my uncoordinated outfits. In recent years however, my style had been whittled down to jeans and polo shirts. Unfashionable in a whole new and boring way. So getting ready for the Art House Snow Ball was a welcomed foray into a past mindset.

Early in the day, it was off to the Salvation Army to scrounge for fun, ugly items to accessorize my outfit. An outfit that consisted mainly of a cheap leisure jacket and even cheaper dress slacks. A movie theater usher’s vest and a boy’s Mickey Mouse tie added to the mix and I was set.

Katherine’s outfit was the result of luck and tenacity. The thrift stores were coming up bust. She found a couple of things, but unlike me, Katherine was not satisfied with simply throwing together items that don’t go together in order to go together.

Later in the day, we were at my sister’s house eating lunch. As we waited for the coffee and tea course, we hopped over to a nearby K-Mart. As luck would have it, there was a TJ Maxx and a Dress Barn as well. In and out and in and out and then … a wonderfully pink little dress. Adding some accessories and a pony tail to the side, she was the perfect eighties prom queen.

About the Snow Ball
This is the third annual ball which benefits local area arts. All proceeds went to help further grow theater, video, music and other programs championed by Art House Productions. Food, wine and beer were all donated by local merchants. Topping the local camaraderie was the involvement of Jersey City Mayor, Jeremiah T. Healy.

It’s one thing for a city’s mayor to say he supports a cause. It’s another thing for that mayor to show up and maybe do a little face time and flesh pressing at said cause’s event. Yet it is altogether remarkable when that man participates in the event by getting up on stage and singing.

I missed it, but rumor has it, Healy has a decent singing voice. The rest of the night was ripe with fun and frolic. I was around as the Jersey City art scene crumbled not too long ago. I’m happy to be around now as it is reborn with Christine Goodman, Jack Halpin and everyone at Art House leading the way.

See Also:
Photo Gallery
Art House Productions


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2 Responses to “Playing Dress-Up for the Arts”

  1. Jack Halpin
    01/31/09 at 3:23 am #

    Stephen,
    Man, thank you for coming out last Saturday for the Snow Ball — you & Katherine looked excellent!
    And furthermore, thank you for spreading the word on the work that we do. We are very fortunate to be part of an amazing community of artists, craftspeople, idea-people, inspiration-people, and supporters of all of it.
    It’s fantastic that people go out to live community events in the wet cold of late January; but I have seen Jersey City & Hudson County folks out in droves in the midst of blizzards and heat waves; so I am not surprised anymore…
    Got you on my Favorites List now. See you around soon.
    Best Wishes,
    Jack Halpin
    Artistic Director, Art House Productions

  2. Jack Halpin
    01/31/09 at 3:26 am #

    To see the photo album created by Laura DeSantis Olsson (major pro badass photographer), go to: http://ldophoto.net/data/web/snowball2009b/content/index.html

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