A pair of…

There we were just thinking we couldn’t remember the last time we’d been to a party when bosh or rather ding an email arrived inviting us to celebrate twins Laura and Emma’s 40th birthday, the invite came with a fancy dress twin themed warning – “Come dressed as a pair of something! Anything from socks to Cagney & Lacey!”

Salt and pepper was the first thing that popped into my head, followed by a pair of gloves, trousers, followed by an actual pear indeed, I would have been more than happy to go as Cagney or Lacey as it had been one of my favourite TV shows as a kid.  As we were working the next day we wanted something that would be easy both to wear and that we’d be happy to walk through town wearing without people pointing.

Mud on the other hand had just one idea, which made her laugh for at least a week.  “I bet nobody else will go as a pair of those.” “No Mud you’re most probably correct but there’s a reason for that.”  No matter what else I suggested she still came back to her initial thought and laughed for another week, but how on earth were we going to make this costume?

The invite had coincided with a visit from bass player Simon and girlfriend Jess who happens to be a wardrobe mistress.  I have to say most of the conversation was taken up with design and construction of our costume. In the end she thankfully offered to make it for us.

A week before the party Jess met us at Radio 2 on a Sunday to hand over the goods and to have a fitting. It certainly made producer Cali laugh almost as much as Mud.  The costume only worked if we stood side by side and due to a height difference, various heel combinations were necessary. Muddy died a couple of pale pink long sleeved T-Shirts in coffee till they matched the fabric.

We got dressed at a friend’s house round the corner and walked to the party concealed under two ponchos.   Muddy was absolutely right – there was a salt and pepper, cow boys and Indians, Ying and Yang, Emma Peel and Steed everything you could think of but yes we were the only pair you would expect to find encased, albeit modestly, in a bejeweled black bra.