Rock Clothes: Stripes, Sequins, Madison Cunningham, and Miss C

Every two years I pretend I am a rock star when my colleagues and I put on our biennial faculty/staff concert. I think this was my fifth time.

After the songs are set and rehearsed, my thoughts turn to stage clothes. In the past I've worn a mini dress of glittery black pailettes and a red tiered dress à la Tina Turner for twirling. But this year one of my songs was by Blondie, so I wanted something else.

In April I popped into H&M and my eye immediately went to a red and blue striped trouser suit, but I knew I'd be too hot under the lights (I plead Canadian; I need cool temps). So I passed it by, but its pleasures lingered: it had a Carnaby Street vibe that I loved.

And now I know it was the perfect performance outfit, because on Saturday I saw Madison Cummingham wear it when she opened for the Punch Brothers at the Beacon Theater in New York. Her voice was stunning, and so was her suit. Here's a clip of her wearing it for a performance with Chris Thile, host and lead singer of the Punch Bros. Thile took over Prairie Home Companion when its longtime host retired and it's now called Live from Here.

Madison is 20 years old! During the concert she sang a song she dedicated to her younger self. I dedicate all my biennial performances to my current self, because it's pretty awesome to get to perform "One Way or Another" when I have 30 years on the performer above.

So what did I end up wearing? A sequined mini skirt and pleather jacket from H&M and a reversible-rub sequined message T that said "I Love You the Most" one way and "I Love You the Least" the other.

And you, you glamourous striped suit? Now I reeeeeally want to gitcha gitcha gitcha gitcha.