Marisa loves to shop! Like women of all ages, she is fashion conscious. She loves to check out the websites of her favorite stores. She'll methodically search for a particular item she may have seen in one of her fashion magazines. Often she will head for the store branch nearest our home to see if she can find the item she is interested in.
I was with her on one of these excursions. Then, while waiting outside the fitting room at Delia's clothing store, I spotted a sign posted on the wall that sent my own heart racing with excitement. It was an opportunity to be a model for a day in a Delia's fashion show!
The sign read:
Seeking 20 girls to participate in a fashion show at Delia's.
Sign up on January 24 between 3 PM and 8 PM.
Show to take place February 11!
DJ and refreshments!
I stood there thinking about how this was a perfect opportunity for Marisa. I couldn't wait to show her the sign on the wall beside me! Once she read it, she was so excited that she exited the fitting room like someone who had just won the lottery! All eyes were on her as she stepped up to the cashier to ask about participating.
"I want to be in the fashion show! Can I sign up?"
We were told to come back on the designated sign up day, when 20 girls would have the chance to participate in one of 2 shows scheduled for February 11. Ten girls would be in the 1 PM show and 10 girls would be in the 4 PM show. Marisa left the mall ecstatic!
The next week we returned to sign up for the show. We were the first to arrive! We were given instructions about when to return to try on outfits for the show.
"I'm so excited to be in the fashion show!" Marisa announced to me as we left the store. "I can't wait!"
A week later we returned. Marisa was told that she could try on as many outfits as she wanted, but would need to select just one to wear for the fashion show. There was much to choose from, but Marisa only selected two party dresses. Off she went to try them on, and when she made her choice, I was not surprised to see that she had chosen a blue sequin dress to model for the show.
When the day of the show arrived, Marisa was feeling very upbeat. As we walked through the mall on the way to Delia's, she had the air of a celebrity about her. She wore an outfit that was clearly Rocker/Pop star ... a white sequin sweater over her worn and holey rhinestone jeans that she reserved for attending concerts and shows. Only today, she was feeling like the show was hers. Her entrance into Delia's felt like the impact of Niagara Falls. "WOW! You look great in that outfit!" the manager said.
"Thanks!" Marisa's response expressed all the excitement of the upcoming event to take place.
Marisa was escorted to the dressing rooms where she changed in to the beautiful blue sequin party dress. She had her own dressy shoes to wear and was given a necklace and bracelet to accompany the dress.
As we waited, it was nice to see Marisa introducing herself to the other girls in the show. They stood around making small talk till it was time for the show to begin. It was nice to see this natural interaction between Marisa and the other girls who were all sharing the common bond of participating in the fashion show.
Then the DJ started to play and announced that the fashion show was about to begin. I left the dressing room area and headed out to the front of the store where my husband and daughter Deborah were waiting along with Marisa's support staff and a crowd of other parents and passerby shoppers. Each girl was introduced by name and a brief summary of their interests were mentioned as they walked out individually on the predetermined path to the front store window and then back to the dressing room. Marisa was the last one to come out, but she managed to walk gracefully with her head held high. Her smile showed all the pride and satisfaction she was feeling to be included in this fun modeling event. Then all the girls in the show came out as a group and stood modeling their outfits in the store window. It was clear to see how special they each felt!
As I stood there watching my daughter be a part of this fun event, I couldn't stop thinking how amazing this moment was. There was my daughter with autism, modeling among a group of neuro-typical girls. Was she different? Was she noticeably disabled? Did she stand apart from the others? Not at all! However, there was something about her that was very special. She was totally uninhibited to be standing there dancing to the music in the store window, while wearing the beautiful dress she had picked to model. I couldn't have been more pleased and more proud than I was at that moment. But one thing was clear to me.
This event gave Marisa a moment to shine, and that assured me there would be more to come!
I was with her on one of these excursions. Then, while waiting outside the fitting room at Delia's clothing store, I spotted a sign posted on the wall that sent my own heart racing with excitement. It was an opportunity to be a model for a day in a Delia's fashion show!
The sign read:
Seeking 20 girls to participate in a fashion show at Delia's.
Sign up on January 24 between 3 PM and 8 PM.
Show to take place February 11!
DJ and refreshments!
I stood there thinking about how this was a perfect opportunity for Marisa. I couldn't wait to show her the sign on the wall beside me! Once she read it, she was so excited that she exited the fitting room like someone who had just won the lottery! All eyes were on her as she stepped up to the cashier to ask about participating.
"I want to be in the fashion show! Can I sign up?"
We were told to come back on the designated sign up day, when 20 girls would have the chance to participate in one of 2 shows scheduled for February 11. Ten girls would be in the 1 PM show and 10 girls would be in the 4 PM show. Marisa left the mall ecstatic!
The next week we returned to sign up for the show. We were the first to arrive! We were given instructions about when to return to try on outfits for the show.
"I'm so excited to be in the fashion show!" Marisa announced to me as we left the store. "I can't wait!"
A week later we returned. Marisa was told that she could try on as many outfits as she wanted, but would need to select just one to wear for the fashion show. There was much to choose from, but Marisa only selected two party dresses. Off she went to try them on, and when she made her choice, I was not surprised to see that she had chosen a blue sequin dress to model for the show.
When the day of the show arrived, Marisa was feeling very upbeat. As we walked through the mall on the way to Delia's, she had the air of a celebrity about her. She wore an outfit that was clearly Rocker/Pop star ... a white sequin sweater over her worn and holey rhinestone jeans that she reserved for attending concerts and shows. Only today, she was feeling like the show was hers. Her entrance into Delia's felt like the impact of Niagara Falls. "WOW! You look great in that outfit!" the manager said.
"Thanks!" Marisa's response expressed all the excitement of the upcoming event to take place.
Marisa was escorted to the dressing rooms where she changed in to the beautiful blue sequin party dress. She had her own dressy shoes to wear and was given a necklace and bracelet to accompany the dress.
As we waited, it was nice to see Marisa introducing herself to the other girls in the show. They stood around making small talk till it was time for the show to begin. It was nice to see this natural interaction between Marisa and the other girls who were all sharing the common bond of participating in the fashion show.
Then the DJ started to play and announced that the fashion show was about to begin. I left the dressing room area and headed out to the front of the store where my husband and daughter Deborah were waiting along with Marisa's support staff and a crowd of other parents and passerby shoppers. Each girl was introduced by name and a brief summary of their interests were mentioned as they walked out individually on the predetermined path to the front store window and then back to the dressing room. Marisa was the last one to come out, but she managed to walk gracefully with her head held high. Her smile showed all the pride and satisfaction she was feeling to be included in this fun modeling event. Then all the girls in the show came out as a group and stood modeling their outfits in the store window. It was clear to see how special they each felt!
As I stood there watching my daughter be a part of this fun event, I couldn't stop thinking how amazing this moment was. There was my daughter with autism, modeling among a group of neuro-typical girls. Was she different? Was she noticeably disabled? Did she stand apart from the others? Not at all! However, there was something about her that was very special. She was totally uninhibited to be standing there dancing to the music in the store window, while wearing the beautiful dress she had picked to model. I couldn't have been more pleased and more proud than I was at that moment. But one thing was clear to me.
This event gave Marisa a moment to shine, and that assured me there would be more to come!
