Emily G. and Monif C.

Last weekend, I went to a trunk show.

I know what you're thinking: trunks like those filled with hidden treasures recently dredged up from the bottom of the ocean.

Not so much.

A designer trunk show.

The designer was Monif C. and I have been following her blog since I started my own (by the way, my two year blogging anniversary is coming up on December 27, the day after my GRE scores expire). Similar to my jaunt to Co Co Sala, designer trunk shows are not one of my usual activities. In fact, I am usually an exclusively online shopper so this was very out of my comfort zone.

The trunk show experience was memorable in many ways...

Two weeks before the event, I e-mailed Monif and her trusty assistant (hi Brandon C.) to RSVP for the event after reading about it on Monif's blog. A few days later, I got a response with some pretty complex logistical information. It wasn't until two days before the event that I was notified of the specific hotel at which the trunk show would be held...and I was then instructed that I would receive a text message or voicemail with the room number the night before the event. Needless to say, I had no idea what I had gotten myself into (and given the fact that this was all taking place during my ten chanukkah party whirlwind, I wasn't even sure if I was even going to be able to attend).

The day of the trunk show shaped up well and I had a good hour long window to stop by the event. As soon as I walked into the show, Monif yelled "Wild and Crazy Pearl! Welcome!" which was the first time I had been "recognized" by my blog/twitter name. (Little did Monif know I LOVE being recognized, all in effort to convince myself that I am a local celebrity. Remind me to tell you the time I was recognized by Craig F. at the Dairy Godmother.)

I was at first highly overwhelmed by the clothing selection at the show. Where do I go that involves sequins? Do you think I could swing a floor length zebra dress with red sash at the Juice Joint? And the other people trying dresses on seemed so at home about the prospect of buying designer clothing out of a hotel suite. And were really into trying all kinds of dresses on that I am not sure I have a use for in my very inside the Beltway life.

Then I looked a bit more closely at some of the options and was very interested in the prospect of the convertible dress. Yes, it is a little trendy...and no, I have no idea how to wrap it in all 40 ways that one can wrap it in (that is where the video on the Monif C. website comes in handy). But, once I got it on and Rachel, one of the other people staffing the event, showed me several of the non-open back options (shockingly I am not an open back dress kind of gal), I was sold.

Let me tell you, I am thinking it will be a really fantastic option to wear to the DC Real World Premier Party (yes, I got press credentials along with Katie over at Suburban Sweetheart to attend the party to end all reality TV premier parties). Nothing says "pseudo food blogger/amateur photographer/neighbor of former Real World DC residents" like my new olive Monif C. convertible dress.

I had such a good time during my first trip to the trunk show, I went back a second time later that afternoon with friends Edith S. and Alex S. We were baking challah at my apartment and a little stop at the trunk show seemed like a perfect activity while the dough was rising. I felt so in with the in crowd knowing about this exclusive opportunity to buy designer clothes in the secret hotel suite location and knowing the designer!

See you next time you're in DC, Monif!

PS--Check out Monif's blog post about the event, featuring not one but two photos of me in my new purchase...and a link to W and CP...