Where are
all the men? That is what we wondered as we enjoy our window-side table at
Magnolia's in Charleston, South Carolina. We look around the restaurant and are
astounded by the number of groups of women- mostly young women. Then we begin
to notice groups of 6 to 8 young women outside the restaurant as well- some
strolling by, one group arriving in a limousine, one group departing.
What is particularly striking is that each group has a unifying 'theme'. The 6 women walking on the opposite side of the street are all wearing tight black dresses and dangerously high heels for the uneven sidewalks they are negotiating. The 7 women departing the restaurant are ALL wearing pink, strapless dresses. Pink may be in around here, but it seems more than an odd coincidence that 7 young women going out together would all wear pink! And one is even wearing a pink sash- like a Miss America sash without any text.
As we look, out the window, two identical green cabs pull up. As each passenger steps out one at a time, we can clearly see the group is all young women, but no unifying theme grabs our attention. Then each pulls out an oversized black hat (okay, one is black and white stripe, maybe that was all she had in her closet) and places it smartly on her head. Okay what is up? Our speculation begins...
Could they be debutantes? Well, they do look like they need to learn to walk more confidently (or a least stablly) in heels, but they appear a bit old for debutantes and are decidedly lacking a chaperone. Young women on a treasure hunt? A city-wide treasure hunt for women? None appears to actually be looking for anything. No, they are engaged in animated conversation with one another. Ah ha-- they must be here for a sorority convention! Sorority sisters from colleges across the country have alighted in Charleston, SC for their annual convention. They would likely go out to dinner with sisters from their college and perhaps each school was asked to dress alike as part of the weekend's festivities. My husband and I are feeling pretty confident about our detective work. Unfortunately, upon closer inspection (we have plenty of time for closer inspection as one particularly animated group is giggling, chatting and posing for photos right in front of our window) we see that none is wearing a sorority membership pin. Surely one would be proudly wearing her Greek insignia.
Just as they enter the restaurant, another group of women comes walking down the street, this group each wearing a flowered sundress and one in the middle has her long blonde hair pulled back with a wedding veil! Ah Ha!!! These are bachelorette parties! Guess the bachelors found alternative sources of entertainment. But honestly, if young men in Charleston were in the know, they would take a walk on East Bay Street in Charleston in June. Surely some of these young women are still looking for a date to take to the wedding.
What is particularly striking is that each group has a unifying 'theme'. The 6 women walking on the opposite side of the street are all wearing tight black dresses and dangerously high heels for the uneven sidewalks they are negotiating. The 7 women departing the restaurant are ALL wearing pink, strapless dresses. Pink may be in around here, but it seems more than an odd coincidence that 7 young women going out together would all wear pink! And one is even wearing a pink sash- like a Miss America sash without any text.
As we look, out the window, two identical green cabs pull up. As each passenger steps out one at a time, we can clearly see the group is all young women, but no unifying theme grabs our attention. Then each pulls out an oversized black hat (okay, one is black and white stripe, maybe that was all she had in her closet) and places it smartly on her head. Okay what is up? Our speculation begins...
Could they be debutantes? Well, they do look like they need to learn to walk more confidently (or a least stablly) in heels, but they appear a bit old for debutantes and are decidedly lacking a chaperone. Young women on a treasure hunt? A city-wide treasure hunt for women? None appears to actually be looking for anything. No, they are engaged in animated conversation with one another. Ah ha-- they must be here for a sorority convention! Sorority sisters from colleges across the country have alighted in Charleston, SC for their annual convention. They would likely go out to dinner with sisters from their college and perhaps each school was asked to dress alike as part of the weekend's festivities. My husband and I are feeling pretty confident about our detective work. Unfortunately, upon closer inspection (we have plenty of time for closer inspection as one particularly animated group is giggling, chatting and posing for photos right in front of our window) we see that none is wearing a sorority membership pin. Surely one would be proudly wearing her Greek insignia.
Just as they enter the restaurant, another group of women comes walking down the street, this group each wearing a flowered sundress and one in the middle has her long blonde hair pulled back with a wedding veil! Ah Ha!!! These are bachelorette parties! Guess the bachelors found alternative sources of entertainment. But honestly, if young men in Charleston were in the know, they would take a walk on East Bay Street in Charleston in June. Surely some of these young women are still looking for a date to take to the wedding.
