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Merry Widows take a turn along the fashion runway

Monterey centre plays host to tea and fashion show
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Joyce Bevan takes her first stab at modelling during last year’s Merry Widow tea and fashion show.

Eight ladies will dazzle with smiles as they cruise the catwalk at the Monterey centre.

The fifth annual Merry Widow’s tea and fashion show is set for May 2 in the Garry Oak Room.

The event started after Joyce Bevan became a widow five years ago.

“When it happened and I realized there’s nobody around [who understands], I thought ‘I’m going to form a group’ and that’s what I did,” she said. “We meet the third Saturday of each month. We just sit around and talk and be happy.”

Bevan started with the Widows and Widowers, but as the men dwindled off they became the Merry Widows.

“We’re a group of merry widows and we just did [the fashion show] first for something to do, to prove that we could still do things even though we were widows,” Bevan said. “The first one went so well they’ve asked us to do it again and again and again.”

The Merry Widows tea and fashion show takes the stage with more models than usual, up to eight from six, to showcase the fashions from Taylor Lynn Petites.

“They have lovely clothes so they’re coming back again this year,” she said.

Clothing selection is done by collaboration with the models in for a fitting and selecting their favourites of the season, then deferring to the shop professionals.

This will be Bevan’s second consecutive year of clothing selection and modelling.

“It’s good fun,” she said. “We just keep a happy face and keep going.”

With the afternoon tea and upbeat music “everyone sort of gets into it and has a good time,” Bevan said.

“We have a gentleman who helps us up and down on the stage, he wears white gloves. At the end he puts on a naughty T-shirt that shows a lady in a bikini and it goes down really well,” she said with a laugh. “He comes out at the end and parades on the runway with it on. I don’t know if he’ll do it this year.”

To find out, get your tickets to the May 2 show. Tickets are $13.25 for members and $15.25 for non-members, available at Monterey recreation, 1441 Monterey Ave. Funds raised go back into the centre.

 

cvanreeuwyk@oakbaynews.com