As the countdown to the Emmys nears, it’s time for an Emmy outfit update. Heads up: Sukkot starts the Wednesday night before the Emmys, so once yontif (holiday) begins, you won’t hear from me again until after the Emmys! Here’s your update for the week before the week before the Emmys!
Oliver Tolentino and his crew are happily crafting my custom gown and I had a second fitting for it this week. I had lost weight which makes no sense since I literally approached Rosh Hashanah as if preparing for a famine, God forbid, or an ultra-marathon. I ate like it was my full-time vocation. And yet I lost weight. Maybe my stomach thought it was Opposite Day.
Onto the update.
1. Dress
The dress had to be taken in so Oliver did that. The underdress thing on top needed to be tapered a bit to make a more flattering line on the chest. The back of the dress was sufficiently “lifted” so as not to show too much of my back, so now it matches exactly where my bra fits which is good. I hate the idea of wearing those weird breast cup things if your bra will show in the back; I need to know that my bra that I know fits and lifts the girls appropriately will be in effect for Emmy day.
2. Shoes
We chose fabric strappy shoes since I don’t do leather. Emmy day starts with me getting dressed at about 1:30 and I probably will not get home until around 11 p.m. Much of the day is on my feet and shoes need to be as comfortable as possible. I generally can do a 4 or 4 1/2″ heel pretty comfortably if it’s well-made, but 5″ is pushing it for more than three or four hours. So I think we are doing 4 1/2″ this year and worst case scenario: I take them off and walk barefoot after the awards. I mean it.
3. Jewels
No mezuzah like last year. Sorry. We will be doing a precious stone. It matches the dress. It’s a rich color. That’s all I’m saying. I have 15 pierces in my ears (yes, 15) and stylist Ali insists I take them out for any red carpet event. This year, I may leave one of my higher pierces in with a tiny hoop or something. I feel the need to assert my Mayim-ness this year that way. I hope stylist Ali doesn’t read this. If she does, I’m just kidding, Ali! I would never wear a tiny hoop on Emmy day in my ear. It’s Opposite Day. That’s why I said that.
4. Nails and Toes
Last year, not to be gross, but I still had a terribly swollen hand and blood under my nails from my accident. So I painted my own nails as I always do and they looked fine, if swollen and caked with blood. (Sorry, that’s totally gross, but it’s just true.) This year, I will continue my tradition of not getting a manicure or pedicure, something I have not done in maybe 15 years. I will happily and proudly do my own and I do a very good job, I’ll have you know. I think we are doing a skin-tone color which I will ask some nice vegan make-up company to send me.
5. Sanity
I am sort of still nervous about the dress. I am the kind of person who really doesn’t “get” fashion stuff at all; it’s not my forte, I’m out of touch, I don’t place high value on spending my time being in touch with fashion. I trust stylist Ali and I trust Oliver Tolentino. But I’m still nervous. We have one more fitting next week so I will report back then before Sukkot starts. It will be okay. I have such a hard time in general with being “on display” so any extra attention and effort is very hard for me. So. There’s that. Coupled with the fact that I am actually nominated which I sort of keep forgetting… and remembering.
I am breathing deeply. I promise.
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