natalie was here...

So, Natalie Portman came into Xtabay on Saturday. Theee Natalie Portman. It's funny because two of my regular customers look a lot like Natalie Portman so when she walked in it felt familiar. I'm used to asking myself whether or not it's Natalie Portman walking through the door.

See...there's Jennafer in the middle at an Xtabay photoshoot. She looks like Natalie Portman right? I think so, and people tell her that all the time. Anyway, pointless point made. Natalie came in with her dashing husband and adorable 2 year old son. She said was looking for 1950's dresses she could wear out to a nice dinner.   I scanned the store...didn't all the best little 50's dresses sell earlier today? Crap, I started to panic...you know when you really want something to work out so badly that you kind of start to jinx it? I think that's what I did.

Natalie tried on a bunch of things and particularly loved this 50's silk floral dress but it was about 4 sizes too big on her. She tried on a dress from the 1930's that is simply known as "the tiniest dress in the store"- it's too small to put on a mannikin and while it fit her, it sort of drowned her and wasn't very flattering. She is TINY and delicate in person. She became trapped in the dress and couldn't get it off. She asked for my help and I crowded into the dressing room with her. I felt like a gargantuan towering over her perfect little body. I was sweating...on Natalie Portman. I reassured her that we would get her out of the dress even if I had to cut it off of her. I finally yanked the dress over her beautiful little head and she was gracious and thankful to be free again. I noticed she had on the most beautiful lingerie I had ever seen.

So when it comes to super famous people I don't really know how to act. Do I act familiar with her because I know who she is? She has no idea who I am so isn't it better to treat her like everyone else, assuming we know nothing about each other? Whether or not it was the right way to be that's what I did. I helped her the same way I help everyone else who comes into the store. I felt nervous and giddy and foolish and ultimately bummed because I failed to find her the perfect thing. The next morning I had kind of a Natalie Portman hangover.

So, Natalie if you're out there somewhere and you read this thank you for coming in. I'm sorry I acted like a sweaty, nervous weirdo. Maybe someday you can come back again and give me another chance?

Sincerely,

Liz Gross