Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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Parting Shot (no) wardrobe change N FALL IS UPON US—BUT YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IT FROM THE LAYERS IN MY OUTFIT. BY JOHN KATSILOMETES ot long ago, as the summer temperatures crept past triple-digits, I attended a Sunday afternoon performance at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts. I try to dress appropriately, with a dash of dignity, for shows and events in Vegas, regardless of the temperature outside. As I pulled up to the Smith Center valet attendant, I glanced at my dashboard's reading of the current temperature: 114 degrees. So I slipped on my suit jacket. I was wearing a beige ensemble, quite natty in its execution. The temperature inside the hall was fairly chilly—so much so that I offered my jacket to my date, who was shivering in the seat next to me. "I should have worn a jacket," she said. Again, outside it was well above 100 degrees. Our Vegas lifestyle, at least as it pertains to entertainment, is frequently enjoyed indoors. If you are heading to a show on the Strip or meeting friends at a nightclub, the amount of time you spend outside in the elements is scant in relation to the amount of time you spend in air-condi- tioned, resort-casino comfort. Women talk of owning at least one universally versatile "cute black dress." If you have seen these smallish numbers, you know they can be worn year-round and accessorized with a candy-cane, four-leaf clover, or American flag, depending on the event, to perfectly fit the season. Inside a Vegas resort, where the temperature is usually set between 70 and 73 degrees year- round, it is always the ideal climate for the cute black dress—whether the thermometer outdoors reads 114 or 30. I usually dress for two climates: The walk from my vehicle to the hotel where an event is being held, and the event itself. So I hang the jacket for the drive over to, say, Caesars Palace. If it is not too warm, I slip the jacket on for the walk to the hotel and wear it during the event. If it is too hot, I fold it over my arm and slip it on inside. I know a guy who actually drives to events in Vegas with his dress shirt hanging in the back of his car. Yes, both his shirt and jacket hang back there, and he is—for the drive—shirtless. He does this to avoid wrinkling his outfit. He often pulls up to the valet and steps from his car wear- ing only dress slacks. He tips the attendant, then pulls on his shirt and jacket. For that shirtless moment, he might not be terribly fashionable. But he is practical, and when he reaches his destination, he can count on being told, "Hey, nice suit," and it's a wrinkle-free night indeed. V Only in Vegas! 144 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL O'LEARY