Diary of a Not So Fashionable Girl

By: Nicole Baillargeon
Posted In: Opinion

I’m not exactly what you would call a “girly-girl.” I don’t fuss around with my hair, I hardly wear make-up (unless of course Bonne Bell Lip Smackers in Strawberry Crush counts) and high heels give me nightmares. My daily wardrobe is strictly Levi Jeans, a t-shirt and a comfy pair of Chuck Taylors. It’s not that I don’t love shoes, bags and clothes; I am actually fascinated by fashion and those who can actually put together a glamorous outfit. It’s just that I have no fashion sense and couldn’t tell you the difference between Jimmy Choos and Manolos if I tried. I decided then and there, on 481 Thames Street, to step out of my jeans and enter the world of glamor inside the boutique Drama Queen.

The first thing that caught my eye was the colorful mannequins wearing equally bright clothes. I had never seen a mannequin wearing makeup or with pink hair before. Immediately the store sparked my interest because it was definitely not somewhere I would normally walk into. Also, everything in the store was half off, and who can resist a sale? I stood up tall and walked in.

As soon as I got inside, I was plummeted into a world with brightly mismatched walls (stripes, polka dots, and butterflies. Oh my!) and loud rock music playing. Racks and racks of dresses and fancy tank tops surrounded the walls. I was a little intimidated, but I quickly thought to myself, “What would Ashley Olsen do?” and began scoring the racks, hoping to find my new look, or at the very least a new outfit.

As I searched, I tried to tune into my inner celebrity. I felt like I was in one of those hip boutiques in Hollywood where all of the “it-girls” go. So, as my Converse sneakers squeaked on the hard wood floor I began to get excited about looking through all of the flashy dresses in the shop.

Bright greens, yellows, pinks, blues and oranges filtered through the room. I had so many options. Did I want to go with a strapless number or maybe a three-quartered sleeve dress that looked like it came straight from the seventies? In the end, I chose two dresses to try on, a short sleeved pink polka dotted number and the seventies dress.

Each dressing room was blocked off by a velvet rope, adding a nice touch to the Hollywood theme. I felt just like Paris Hilton walking into the dressing room, except I’m not 6′ fake blond with no curves; I am a curvy 5’5″ natural brunette, but that’s beside the point.

In the dressing room, I decided to try on the $65 pink polka dotted baby doll dress on first. It was cute on the rack, so I figured; hey this will look good on! Well, I could have passed for a Minnie Mouse impersonator; I just needed the ears and a giant bow to complete the ensemble. I looked so ridiculous that I giggled out loud. On to dress number two. This dress was super gaudy. It was made of a hot pink and lime green spandex material, with flowers and butterflies, and for a mere $45 I could afford it. I should have been at a disco or at the very least a guest star on Charlie’s Angels. Needless to say, that went straight back to the rack.

While, both of these dresses were good for a Halloween costume, they were not exactly right for my everyday lifestyle. As if the clock struck midnight, I transformed back into myself, putting the dresses back onto their hangers and put on my old clothes. It was a relief to be back. Perhaps one day, I will learn how to dress myself in clothes fit for a socialite, but for now, I’m happy with my low maintenance style.

Drama Queen is open from 11-6, but will stay open until 7 or 8 if there are customers in the shop.