Help Me, Interwebs!

So, I have gotten a few answers on my logistical questions about this White House VIP Reception or VIP Tour or Open House Tour - I've seen it referred to as each of these things, over the course of the past week.

I can take in a small bag, but there is no coat check. So, I'm thinking that if I have to carry my coat around anyway, I will probably just stick things in my pockets, rather than carrying a coat and a purse (which I don't own).

I don't actually own a coat that I'm real comfortable with either, but when I went looking today, I found it hard to justify even the $40 for a cheap "lady coat" if I'm never going to wear it again.

So, I might just wear my current black suede-ish? jacket. It will really just be a black lump on my arm, anyway.

The more I hear and think about it, the more I think we're just going to be walking around looking at pretty stuff and the less likely I think it is that we're going to be conversing with, or even seeing, the Obamas themselves.

But, you never know.

So, after not finding a coat, I bought not one, but two red sweaters, because I'm starting to chicken out about the outfits I bought the other day.

I am much more comfortable in the sweater options, but I just don't know what's best.

So, help me!

First, there's the LGBT roundtable with our senator and his staff. I want to go more businessy for that one.

Here are my options:

Choice A - Off-white blouse with red blazer and black wool pants

The blouse is a little big, as are the pants, so it wants to ride up and get untucked and messy looking. It's also just a bit too low cut (wants to show my tanktop, which I will be wearing, because it's very thin and requires something camisoley) and the collar doesn't want to stay put either.

I suspect I will spend the whole meeting doing this

and this.


Choice B - The same thing, with a black turtleneck sweater. This is much more physically comfortable, and much more "me."

But do I look like somebody that a senator might listen to?

Specifically, to I look like a dyke that a senator might listen to?

Then there's the reception / tour / open house / whatever at the White House. I will be wearing Peeper in a black Sleepy Wrap (thanks DoulaK!).

She will be wearing black velvety pants and a red sweater, with her black Mary Janes and hopefully, some red socks.

I think the red socks will make the Mary Janes stand out and femme it up a bit. On her own, the sweater is very girly, but in the wrap it's hard to tell, and it sort of give the impression that she's wearing a black vest, making her look like a boy.

She could, theoretically, wear her black-with-a-big-white-bow sweater and / or the same pants in red, but I think I like this combination best.

That said, should I wear. . .

Choice A - Velvety slacks, shiny white shirt, red and black vest.

If I wear the vest open, "outside" of Peeper, you really can't see the red part.

Here, I've got her arms through the arm holes with me (it's actually several sizes too big for me), which shows it off better, but does it look silly?


Probably not as silly as this.



or Choice B - Same slacks and a red sweater.

This sweater isn't exactly the same color as Peeper's, but is very, very, very close. Close enough. It does have the same knit pattern as the top of her sweater (which is about all that shows of hers).




As you can probably tell, I am very much leaning toward the sweater options for both events, but I don't know if they look appropriate.

For what it's worth, when I checked with a very-high-up in our state Democratic Party (before I went shopping) and told her I was thinking of a black suit for the meeting and black pants with a dressy red sweater for the White House, she said I was on the right track.

So, I think it should be okay, but I'm still fretting.

What say you?