What are you wearing? Vintage wiggle dresses at a Charity Ball

White Wiggle Dress - Vintage
Blue Crystal Earrings - Vintage, borrowed from my Mum
Blue Crystal Bracelet - Borrowed from my Mum
Silver Snake Belt - A gift.
Satin Clutch, Peep Toes & Net Hair Bow - New Look

Those of you that follow me on Twitter may be aware that I was attending a Ball this weekend and was very much looking forward to it.

If I’m honest I was mostly looking forward to it because of the opportunity to wear this early 60s white linen wiggle dress with pale blue embroidery. The bright early evening sunlight made it difficult to get a really good picture of the detail on the dress, and afterwards I was rapidly in no fit state to be photographed at all.

Not that anyone ever let them stop them pointing a camera at me. This late night photo was taken by my Sister, who you can see with me in the photo above in a Miss Selfridge dress, tuxedo jacket and sparkly tights.

I wore the dress with some deeper blue crystal jewellery, including my Mums wedding earrings, which I also wore pinned to my underskirt at my own wedding.

The ball itself was The Rotary Club Presidents Ball and was very interesting. I learnt, for instance, that the Rotary Club has been instrumental, since 1985, in eradicating Polio completely from Europe and reducing worldwide cases of Polio from around 350,000 a year to just 1,315 in 2007.

I couldn’t quite believe that I knew so little about an organisation that was involved in such a major achievement, especially as it’s an organisation that my own Father is involved with! They are involved in many local community projects and international projects including the Tsunami recovery.

From what I understand it seems that despite having over 55,000 members nationwide the Rotary Club in Britain & Ireland (RIBI) is having difficulty attracting new members. I don’t know why this is the case, as my experience is the world is full of people who love to get involved in fund raising activities and help out. Especially if that might occasionally involve attending fancy balls! I can only think that with the advent of the Internet and Social Networking online this kind of local social network and Charity group is becoming less relevant. I think that’s probably why I haven’t become involved with it locally. Maybe I would if they offered an online Rotary membership with occasional nationwide events for online members. I could get email newsletters with appeals for help from local Rotary Clubs and offer my help and expertise (if the Rotary ever has a problem that requires the urgent help of a Media & Film Studies Graduate with a keen interest in Fashion I’d be right in there!)

I would urge you to check out your the Rotary Club website and see if it’s something you can offer some time to, as it does seem like a really worthwhile cause.

Plus I won a 76 piece cutlery set in the raffle, if I keep going to events maybe I can kit out my entire house?