That's great to hear, Borbala. Hopefully some others here get similar good news in the near future. And hopefully those of us travelling soon don't have similar bad news of lost baggage.
Thanks . Picked the bag up myself - left a voicemail regarding delivery that didn't get answered for 24 hours, but anyway.... It took just about 8 weeks for the bag to get back to me. :banana: Still very excited and thankful that the suitcase is back.
Great news! Maybe it will be the start of a trend and some of the other "lost" gowns will find their way home.
What a relief! Thank goodness. That reminds me of a joke I heard about air travel: A frequent flyer passenger walks up to the counter to check in his luggage. The airline representative asks him where he's traveling to this week. The passenger says, "I'm going to New York, but I want *this* bag to go to Chicago and *this* one to go to London". The airline rep says, "sorry sir, we can't do that". The passenger, very puzzled, asks, "why not? You did it just last week!"
Congratulations! It made me sick to see both of your gowns disappear like that. I cannot believe it took TWO MONTHS for them to return but still, what a blessing! One time I had a tango performance the evening of the day I was coming off a business trip. Because of my job, I was obligated to keep business items in my carry on, which meant... I had to check my personal bag (with tango costuming inside.) Yep, you guessed it - The airline lost my luggage! It only took about four days for them to return it and I was mad as cats about that. I can't imagine two months!
I generally have to buy used dresses since that is why my budget can afford. I have never thought, 'how do I know this is not a stolen dress?' However, after reading this thread, I'm much more aware that this occurs. What are some safeguards in not buying a stolen dress AND how to keep your own dresses from not getting stolen at comps? I too generally have to leave my dresses in the dressing rooms (again, tight budget and usually can't stay at the comp hotel).
When I used a dressing room in comp's hotel, I had a fairly large duffel bag with me and took everything with me to the ballroom.
I never use a dressing room at a big comp, I usually change in my hotel room. I also pack my dresses in a carry on bag to take on the plane so that they don't leave my sight.
1) Have a luggage bag with wheels (yes the kind that goes on-board a jet for the overhead compartment) that is very colorful and unique. Not the standard issue black or blue bag. USE THE LOCK or get one that is provided with the luggage. Roll this into ballroom where you can eye it - from the floor or have a friend or co-dancer watch over it. 2) NEVER ever put your costumes/shoes, if your on a jet, into the belly of the plane with checked luggage. 3) Before going to a comp, if your changing in the bathroom or dressing room, tag the inside of your costume with a piece of fabric that says who the costume belongs to with a contact number. However, the safest bet, is to take everything with you - do not leave it against a wall, or hiding in a corner. Or pay the 5 bucks to the bell desk at the hotel for them to hold your costume bag(s). and you keep the bell desk ticket with you. 4) How will you know if a costume your buying is stolen? you probably will not, until someone recognizes it, or you search boards like this one and you yourself recognize the costume. One possibility could be that the "seller" has no idea about the history of the dress, then again the "seller" could say the dress is new and has no history or the costume had been sold to the seller from the "stealer" and was told it's new never worn. etc etc.
By the way, was Larinda's dress ever found? The picture link doesn't work anymore and I was curious as to what it looks like seeing as I am in the Baltimore area. I'd like to be able to keep an eye out for it.
I almost never stay at the comp hotel, and I never leave my dresses in the dressing rooms. I leave my street clothes, makeup, hair products, etc, and carry costumes and shoes with me into the ballroom. It's a pain, but I just don't feel safe leaving my gowns in the communal dressing room. I also second others who have posted that they never check their costumes on an airplane either. I might check everything else, but costumes and shoes go in my carry on. Period.
This has always been my policy - carry costumes, shoes and jewelery on the plane. But the last time I actually wish I had checked it all since my carry-on was stolen/taken in the hotel lobby while awaiting a cab. Thankfully I did check my shoes. Perhaps next time I should physically attach my carry-on to my body with one of those bungee cord things like I see people using with their toddlers.
Last time the airline literally made me check my carry on because they had run out of room on the plane...and I hated every minute of it until i had my dresses back in my hands.
