What Katy Did - the charity fashion show

I think I wrote a few weeks ago about how I wasn't that interested in fashion but that fashion always seemed to seek me out.

I also mentioned the fashion show I was taking part in at Endeavour House - Suffolk County Council's HQ in Ipswich.

Well, the evening finally arrived last week and although I was partly dreading it, it ended up being one of the best shows I've been involved with in a long time.

Why? Well, for a start we only had one group meeting and 'rehearsal' before hand, which is always good news. The organisers kept it simple - walk straight, turn in the middle, turn at the end, back, and off. Perfect. I've done shows in the past which have involved giving up six Sunday afternoons in a row, just to go over and over a few simple dance moves.

Secondly, although there were fittings involved (can't avoid that) I managed to get in and out of the shops in record time. This was achieved by a cunning ploy of leaving my fittings until last, thereby having far fewer outfits to chose from and avoiding trying on the whole shop (OK, this wasn't actually a plan as such, it's just that I have a terrible habit of leaving everything to the last minute - but this time it worked in my favour).

And when it came to the night, the show ran with almost no hiccups at all. The biggest novelty, and luxury, was having so much room to change; whole corridors and offices as opposed to everyone - male and female, models, dressers and hair stylists - crammed backstage with little more than elbow room.

But although on this occasion the men and women were given separate changing areas, that still didn't eliminate the possibility of male voyeurism as the offices we were in overlooked Portman Road's training pitch, flanked by cars coming and going (and slowing considerably as they passed the window, I noticed).

But when you're in a catwalk show you can't be coy and have to accept that stripping down to almost nothing in the presence of strangers is an occupational hazard, especially when quick changes are involved.

But another reason for loving this show was that only two people were on the catwalk at any one time, and because the walk was about a mile-and-a-half long (the entire length of the atrium, almost), it gave most people plenty of time to change.

On the down side, I managed to leave something behind (this time a toiletry bag) which is becoming customary for me these days. That and the fact we all had, in my opinion, a few too many outfits. This meant the show went on for rather a long time and because I was already feeling like a zombie, due to a snotty nose and sore throat, it felt like forever.

But I can't complain. I still get a buzz out of strutting into the spotlight in a gorgeous, glamourous, glittering gown with everyone going 'ooh lovely' and 'doesn't she look nice' etc. Favourites on the night were the purple skirt, the Jessica Rabbit-style scarlet gown, and Carlos Green's black and white jazz-inspired dresses (especially because the music we walked to was so funky).

And it was all for a good cause - the Suffolk Punch horse, one of which was there on the night, leaving it's own mark on the proceedings in the shape of a huge poo on the steps outside (I wonder if the council had to clean it up? - hope they put it in the right bin).

So anyway, I've done my bit for charity and fashion this year. I don't expect I'll actively seek out any more shows but then if something comes up that takes my fancy, who knows…