When I bought my "Wishing Dress" from E-Bay, my original intention was to wear it to my high school prom (Well, what else was I going to do with it??) But it wasn't shipped in time! And arriving a few days after prom, I really had absolutely nothing to do with it and no reason for even owning it other than being an insanely obsessed phan child. But either way, I wanted to get some pictures of me wearing it, as I was so excited about owning it, so one day at the very end of my senior year of high school (May, 2001), my dear friends, Brandi and Caitlin, and I decided to dress up and take a bunch of random pictures just for the fun of it at my home in California. I wore the Wishing dress, of course, Brandi donned the mask, and Caitlin manned the camera.
The end result went a little something like this:
A few of the other pictures from this shoot can be seen here:
After a successful, albeit lonely freshman year at college in NYC, I went back home to California in May of 2002 for a couple weeks before Summer term began. I was very happy to be reunited with friends Brandi and Caitlin, but as an added bonus, my dear, dear friend Kat (You might know her as The Grasshopper) flew out from Florida to stay with me for a week. The previous summer, before moving off to Manhattan, I had sporadically collected Christine-ish Victorian-style gowns for which I has absolutely no practical use. Recalling Brandi and my whimsical dress-up adventures from the previous summer, Kat, Brandi and I thought it would be a blast to repeat the experience, but this time using some of my new dresses which had not otherwise served any function whatsoever. Being the three phan-girls that we are, we each, of course, had to have our own turn as Christine in the various beloved poses of practically any and every version of Phantom ever conceived.
Now absolutely none of us look like men, and we did not even have any men's clothing to use, but we did try our best and some of the pictures actually came out somewhat believable!
Showing here:
But she had a dark secret that was betrayed only by the plain gold ring she wore on her wedding finger.
Her handsome young suitor was oblivious to the shadows that haunted her.
And he worshiped her night and day.
But she could not hide her secret in plain sight for long.
For her mysterious voice teacher was no ordinary man.
But a vision of an Angel or a Phantom that would speak to her, separated only by her dressing room mirror.
Until one night he called to her to come to him.
She was powerless to refuse.
Seduced by the night, they fell captive to each others' charms.
Until he discovered the token of love given to her by her suitor.
His fury was unmatched!
She feared for her very life!
Until he saw in her eyes the end of his dream.
He begged her forgiveness.
But she only ran back to the protecting arms of her suitor.
Who swore he would rescue her from all her dark fears.
And with the relinquishment of the plain, gold ring:
She was set free from the night with a kiss.
Coming soon!
Warning: For some reason, the flash was not working for most of these pictures
She was the object of desire to the most dashing of young suitors.
And he pursued her with utmost earnest.
But her mind and heart belonged to a greater power.
For her dark and mysterious voice teacher was in love with her.
And she thrilled at each moment spent with him.
Soon voice lessons became much more.
And the powers of love consumed them both.
Until he discovered the ring she had once reluctantly accepted from her suitor in order to calm his advances.
He pleaded with her not to betray their love.
And as she promised to return the gaudy ring, his broken heart mended.
For the tender purity of their love was unconquerable.
But her suitor had discovered their tryst and had plans of his own to take her from him permanently!
Her suitor prevailed. However, as she returned her plain, gold ring to its giver and bade her tearful farewell, her eyes spoke that they would not be parted forever.
Despite all his efforts, her sorrow that followed would not be quenched.
And at the first moment when she knew she could not be followed, she fled:
And returned to the waiting arms of the only man she would ever truly love.
