Operation Wardrobe: Magic and Fabric

Hello from Greenville, South Carolina! Home to the Peace Center and the ever-awe-inspiring and amazing Gregory Ellenburg! Greg is an incredible sponsor and friend to the Miss Vermont Organization and each year he makes spectacular custom clothing for competition at Miss America.

I am sitting in my room in an absolutely beautiful hotel, the Westin Poinsett. All of my luggage is packed up around me and it is my last day of my four-day visit here. I knew that this would be a really exciting part of the prep for Miss America, but it was better than I imagined. Greenville is quaint, has great food and everyone is so nice! It’s like Vermont with more high heels and southern accents.

The hotel I stayed in- special thanks to Laura Hall who helped make that possible

Homework and Dinner set up in the hotel

Then, of course, there’s Greg. Talk about a magician, genius and gentleman. He has been the most gracious host to me during my time, when in reality I should be kissing the ground he walks on because he and his staff and spending endless hours working on my clothing. That is on top of helping other girls prep for Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, Miss Teen USA as well as some of my Miss America sisters. I think the black coffee I saw perpetually brewing is a good indicator of how hard everyone is working and I appreciate them endlessly for their dedication and skills.

Where the magic happens

One thing I have come away from this visit is this: I really need to learn how to sew. I can knit, but who cares about that when Greg can walk into the back room, cut a piece of fabric and have a rough garment for me to try on for fitting in 10 minutes?! Project Runway, eat your heart out.

The process of making a custom wardrobe goes along the lines of this: I start out with a unfinished idea of what I want and then try to explain it... usually, very poorly.

For example, I was trying to figure out what I wanted for my evening gown- I’ve never had anything custom made for me before this year, other than birthday cake from my mom (love her, but this is a little bit more exciting than a cake).... I wanted to make sure that I was going to show up in Atlantic City looking like Miss America, but I tend to be low key and since this is a pageant, I wanted to make sure I was going “big” enough. I sent Greg some images of gowns with “Uh, well I sort of like this dress... but also this dress.... but maybe this dress which is nothing like that dress.... help?”.

How I imagine his thought process went...

To illustrate what he was dealing with- This is an actual quote from an email from me to him: “Secretly, I want to wear pants... But is that too hard? I have this thing where I really like wearing pants because if someone happened to start having a heart attack it’s much easier to take care of them in pants than a dress... I think that might make me weird. Or useful. Probably both.”

That is pretty much me in a nutshell. Always thinking practically. I’m pretty sure I’m the only contestant who made a clothing decision based on the possibility that someone would need medical assistance and I would feel most comfortable in pants... but hey, that’s who am I am- so I’m going to own it.

I do have to mention this- because all pageant die hard fans are thinking “SHE MENTIONED SOMETHING FROM HER WARDROBE?! GIVE ME THE DETAILS WOMAN, I’M DYING HERE!” Sorry, generic person I made up, that’s all you’re getting. I will be wearing pants in a phase of competition but I won’t reveal more than that because I’ll be unveiling my wardrobe at my send off on August 31st. Gee, looks like you’ll have to show up to see it...

Anyway, my overall point is, Greg is like a therapist that uses textiles rather than guided imagery. He took the mess of ideas and designed things that I feel like Miss America in, but more importantly they are very much who I am. While pinning, cutting, clipping things onto me, he helped gave me advice and helped me to see that I shouldn't count myself out automatically because I come from a small state. I can’t wait to show up in Atlantic City with my new wardrobe and perspective!

With the artist (because my clothes should be on display)! 

These have been the most relaxing days of this summer. I love being inundated with pageant people and clothes (good luck to all the other titleholders I met while in the shop!). I’m in the Miss America mindset now. I was even able to sleep in while I was here! Priceless. Also- I think that I was made to live in hotels. This is the most work, sight seeing, email correspondence and R&R I've gotten all summer. I love everything about them. 

Jeanelle = Eloise Status

I must do a final pass of the hotel room before checkout (‘tis that time) and then head to Greg’s for one final fitting before I make the trip back home. I just had to share with everyone how wonderful and thankful I am for being able to have the privilege of this experience- I just couldn’t keep my excitement to myself.

So excited to check this off my Pageant Prep "To Do" List

Next blog will be back from home in Vermont! Thanks for reading!