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Guest Blog: Love, Loss, And What I Wore’s Katie O’Brien

© Amy Boyle Photography 2011

Fur, knee-high boots, stiletto’s and jeans… these are a few of my favorite things!

Working alongside Barbara Robertson, Felicia Fields, Roni Geva and Nora Dunn in this production of Love, Loss, and What I Wore is like being a part of an elite sisterhood: a sisterhood of Chicago’s finest women.

Growing up in Omaha, I was never into fashion or clothing. In fact, I use to wear safety pins for earrings and considered boy scout uniforms to be “vintage”. I’ve made a lot of mistakes.

© Amy Boyle Photography 2011

Love, Loss, and What I Woreis about more than just clothing–it is about pieces of clothing that trigger life’s most memorable moments whether they be prom, your first bra or a green wedding dress. Felicia Fields delivers a hysterical monologue mourning the loss of her favorite t-shirt while going through a traumatic break up, and Nora Dunn delivers a stunning monologue about a bathrobe that is reminiscent of her deceased mother.

I have owned many memorable pieces of clothing, but perhaps most memorable is my green-plaid, grade school uniform skirt with matching starched top. I loved my uniform skirt and every time I pull it out of storage I am reminded of so much.  Like the time I misspelled ‘whisper’ in the spelling bee, or the time I compared Cheer detergent to Tide detergent in a sub-par science fair project, or my eternal love for my 6th grade science teacher, Mr. Pechous. Oh, if that skirt could talk.

Overall, I have had so much fun performing with my sisters and being a part of the sisterhood that is Love, Loss, and What I Wore!