Yale Girls in Dr. Suzy’s Personal Slutwear

After a flurry of kisses, hugs, backslaps and more passing of the cup, several of the Whim gals wandered back into their favorite room in the Speakeasy, my wardrobe area. Maybe it was the absinthe, or maybe it was the Speakeasy, or perhaps it was the liberation of graduation, or the intoxicating effect of leather, lace and turkey feathers, but suddenly, there we all were in my wardrobe, trying on hats and boas, slips and stilettos. Now it was my turn to be a bit overwhelmed: Omigod! All these Yale girls wearing my clothes! I thought I was gazing through the looking glass to my Ivy-colored past, and seeing over a dozen facets of my kooky-sexy fashion sense.

Yale Girls Invade My Lingerie Closet (Victoria, Megan & Nika)! . Photos: Paul Bleiden

To those I say I "corrupted" these fine young ladies, I must protest; it wasn’t me who told them to dress up in my lingerie, hats and feather boas for their final two encores. It was their idea, from hats to heels. Though I certainly didn’t discourage it. Well, okay, I encouraged it.. How could I not? I could see 13 passionate performing artists who had been cooped up in dour New Haven, wearing black cotton T shirts, sensible slacks and sneakers for too long. They invaded my wardrobe like kids in the proverbial candy store, trying on lace teddies, leather skirts, vintage hats, turkey feather boas, platform sandals and Chinese red brocade corsets. They brought out their Inner Sexpots. They looked sensational and yes, kooky: Yale Girls in Dr. Suzy’s Personal Slutwear.

. Nika, Amber, Rickie, Miranda & Tello try on their fantasies . Photos: Paul Bleiden

In some of them, I saw myself as a fresh young Yale grad; a little shell-shocked after managing to survive the rigors of Eli, finally feeling free after having been imprisoned in that beautiful, regimented, richly appointed, intensely focused, rather stuffy, neo-gothic Ivory Tower jampacked with intelligence, talent, privilege, drive, potential, excitement and anxiety

Sexy Fashion Statements - Boola-Boola-la! . Photos: Paul Bleiden, Eban Lehrer

I’ve dressed quite a few people up before. But I’d never helped 13 Yale girls costume themselves with such a grab-bag of sexy, kooky and provocative colors and textures from different erotic fashion stages of my life. Truth be told, I wish some kind slutty alumna had done it for me when I graduated.

Whim Gals’ Whims

Just as each had her own singing style, each Whim took her own approach to wearing my clothes. Of course, Whim ‘n Rhythm is an institution, making it far bigger than the sum of its parts. But I want to give credit to the individual ladies that make up the 2006 group, because each of them really deserves it. So I’ll tell you a little something about each Whim gal, plus what she chose from my wardrobe.

Let’s start with the littlest Whim and the one who literally takes care of business, being the business manager, Nika Hasegawa of the Windy City. I felt like I knew her best since she’s the one who coordinated their appearance with me over the months since Sex Week at Yale. She chose a skimpy gold halter I’d picked up in Santee Alley and my favorite leopard cowboy hat to set off her nightingale soprano.

Lucy Gets Ready to Serve and Victoria takes Allie and Miranda for a spin in the Speakeasy Rickshaw . Photos: Paul Bleiden

Then, there’s Allison (“Allie”) Goldberg, the vivacious Whim with the golden ringlets who had the moxie to approach me at Mory’s, bringing me back along with dessert to the rest of the group for a little candid sex talk session at their table. She looked like a total diva in my gold and black Trashy Lingerie robe and American flag platform shoes.

Sabrina Silver is the "pitch," or musical director, keeping the other gals on their notes with more precision than a drill sergeant keeps his recruits in line. My pink feather bolero gave extra pizzazz to her conducting gestures, my black velvet mini revealed her thighs, and my zebra trimmed cowboy hat enhanced her air of authority.

Sabrian Silver leads the Line-Up . Photos: Cyn Moore & Michael Blum

Tall, tan, young and extremely lovely Victoria Neiman from Olivos, Argentina, had the honor of soloing for “Lady in a Tramp,” casting me several sultry, meaningful sidelong glances as she sang. She looked ready to rumble in Rio for Carnavale in my red brocade corset and black and red straw hat.

Whim 'n Rhythm get ready to sing in Dr. Suzy's clothes! . Photo: Ellis Martin

Whim’s clothes-horse-in-residence, Lucy Winn, put together the most complex ensemble, with one of my long ivory tulle slips, a very Victorian white lacy blouse that I wore over my 1992 honeymoon, a vintage black cap with netting, gold leather belt circa 1988, a 1940s fox fur stole that Mario gave me and my Dad’s old tennis racket. Indeed, she looked for all the world like she’d just stepped out of a Noel Coward play. She sang "Givin Him Something He Can Feel" like honey pouring from a pot.

"Chain of Fools" . Photos: Ellis Martinn & Michael Blum

Rachel (“Ricky”) Trudeau’s reputation preceded her, at least her famous parents’ reputation did. Just in case you don’t know, Ricky’s dad is “Doonesbury” (my longtime favorite cartoon!) creator Gary Trudeau, and her mom is NBC news anchor Jane Pauley. Ricky seemed shy at first, but she made all of us forget about BD, Boopsie, Zonker and network news as soon as she opened her mouth and started belting out “Vision of Love” with enough verve to make Mariah Carey toast her chops. For her costume statement, Rickie chose my tight black leather miniskirt, red leopard platform sandals, leopard midriff-revealing top and genuine Ronald Reagan cowboy hat. Could this be the beginning of a new Doonesbury character?

Rickie Trudeau, Lauren.Tarantello, Lucy Winn and Victoria Neiman sing in costume
Photos: Ellis Martin, Paul Bleiden & Michael Blum

Miranda Jones (the one who barked like a dog in the Yale Football Medley) looked smashing in one of my sheer ruffled babydolls with powder blue Yale hot shorts (given to me by Zorthian nymph/violinist and fellow Yale gal Alma Cielo, Class of ’95), and later in the evening, impressed the Speakeasy crowd with her fine bartending abilities (acquired in which class at Yale?).

Anjanine Bonet of Berkeley, California sang a fervent rendition of “Black Coffee” (which is just how she took it at breakfast) in a sweet ‘n lo alto. She and the Whim’s effervescent history-minded choreographer Remle (“Amber”) Stubbs-Dame of Boston, Mass wore a couple of my finest feather boas for the costume number. Meaghan Burke, another sultry alto who plays the cello, chose a red silk kimono that I picked up in a vintage clothes shop when I wasn’t much older than her. Megan Stern the Georgian Belle with a megawatt smile was consistently adorable whether warbling “Mr. Monotony” or cavorting in my pink lacey slip and white feather hat.. Elfin Hoosier Mariangela Sullivan wore my black leather cap and Leg Avenue red feather bolero off the shoulder for maximum glamour.

Megan Stern, Meaghan Burke, Nika and Tello . Photos: Ellis Martin, Paul Bleiden, Michael Blum

Lauren (“Tello”) Tarantello of Newport Beach took my “angelic jazz” moniker quite literally, donning my white marabou-trimmed Eros Day angel wings along with one of my black lace miniskirts and a pair of leopard platform sandals that looked superb on her athletic legs. She sang the solo for the first costume number, appropriately enough: “Chain of Fools,” belting it out like a rock star as her fellow Yale Sexpots backed her up.

Pocket Rockets, Vibrating Pens, Yale Thongs and Abbreviated Versions of The Commandments of Pleasure for the Whim Gals. Drop Pocket Rockets, Not Patriot Missiles! Photos: Paul Blieden, Michael Blum, Eban Lehrer

Whiffenpoofs Gone Wild

As the evening progressed and the Mory’s-style Speakeasy silver cup got passed around and around, things got even crazier.

Passing the Cup, Miranda bartends, Whims & Whiffs sing together . Photos: Michael Blum

Not Dr. Susan Block Show-crazy, mind you, just a little Young Blue punchy. I made them all gather in a Whim-Whiff half-moon and sing one more number together, another fight song. Then we all posed drunkenly around the Yale pennant.

Whims & Whiffs together at Dr. Suzy's Speakeasy ~ Boola Boola la! Photo: Ines Blum

Then, just when we thought the party was over, artistic lightening struck yet again, as Whiffenpoofs Turner Fishpaw ('06), Chris Ricca ('06) and Thomas Dolan ('05), inspired by the costumes the Whims wore, begged me for permission to invade my boudoir. How could I refuse? In fact, yes, I confess, I encouraged, this sartorial adventure.

Whiffenpoof Thomas S. Dolan among the boas . Photo: Cyn Moore
Presenting: Whiffs Turner Fishpaw, Chris Ricca & Thomas . Photo: Margo Sorell

The Whiffenpoof boys put together outfits that were at least as good as the girls, maybe a couple of points better. Chris should have strode down a Paris runway in my black patent trench coat, green plaid kilt, black silver-studded belt and Spanish fedora. Turner looked awesome in my beaded cheetah mini (created by Gene), shimmering gold bellydance bra from Shiba, snake-print cloche hat and my leopard headband as a garter. Tom tried on half a dozen different outfits before he settled on my white stretch Betsey Johnson mini, white fringed scarf tied around his chest and ivory straw picture hat with a big floppy flower, looking like a character out of a Victorian wet dream, especially as he drove the Whim gals around the Speakeasy in the rickshaw. The boys created some fabulous tableaux onstage, including one Miranda dubbed "Going to Sunday Church with a Whore."

Whiffenpoofs Turner Fishpaw, Chris Ricca and Thomas Dolan . Photo: Margo Sorell

I was enchanted: First the girls, and now three adorable Yale guys were all dressed up in my kinky clothes, and looking just superb, comfortable and charmingly sexy.

Go Rickshaw Boy! Photos: Cyn Moore

What an evening: mellifluous harmonies, sensational performances, gender-bending fashion shows, and silver cups brimming with Old Blue cheer. What fantastic foreplay for an orgasmic ending with my H! We bid adieu and Margo and Canaan turned off their cameras, finally letting our well-dressed guests take to their various Speakeasy beds privately to make some boola-boola-la.

Whiff Thomas Dolan takes Whims for a rickshaw ride, and everybody chills at the end . Photos: Cyn Moore

go back to first page
PAGES 1 . 2

Post a Comment on the Bloggamy

WATCH THE WHIM 'N RHYTHM SHOW NOW!