Amanda WB dress lady #SDCC 2013

Okay, I’ve debated what to call Amanda.  What I want to say is: Amanda the Bag Lady.  It’s descriptive and accurate but that appellation does have a diminutive connotation.  It’s slightly clever and I like to think myself slightly clever even at the expense of others.  I have to I admit, even though I barely know her, I respect Amanda too much to let that stand.

2007 - where it all began for AWBBDL

Hence forth she will be called the unwieldy mouthful: Amanda the Warner Bros Bag Dress Lady. AWBBDL for short.

Amanda makes dresses out of the bags that the WB booth gives out.  She does a good enough job that even lowly old me noticed and was impressed.

I first saw Amanda the year she made her first dress.  It was back when the WB booth was a mosh pit. As the bags were given out it was insane. Think of a fire ant hill being knocked over.  These bags are large and hard to get. People swarmed the booth when the bags were handed out.  The uglier side of nerd-dom came out with this prized swag.  Not everyone that ventured into the 'shoving and pushing and elbow flying' crowd got a bag.  If you got a bag, it might be pulled for your hands before you could escape to safety.

One early Sunday morning years ago I walked along the back corridor of the convention center.  I really don’t remember why I was back there at that time. I don’t know why AWBBDL stood there at that time.  Maybe she was in line for Ballroom 20. As I walked, I talked to the wife on my phone.  I saw this cute lady wearing a dress as I walked by.  When I was closer, I noticed the dress was one of those hard fought for bags.  I described the dress (not the lady) to my wife. As I passed, I said (to my wife, not the lady)  I wish you were here to see this dress. You would be impressed. Not only did AWBBDL create a dress, she centered and displayed the pattern so the essence of the bag was visible.

2008

Hand slapped forehead in a V-8 moment.  I had a camera. I could take a photo. I walked back to AWBBDL and took a photo.  I took one of the front and of the back.  All the while the wife was still on the phone.  I politely asked a few questions.  The standard: how long, why, have you done this before?  

Amanda was able to safely snag a bag on Friday. She spent all night Friday and Saturday sewing and doing what ever people do to make a dress out of a bag.  She finished in time for me to see her Sunday morning in a back corridor of the convention center.  She was able to do this in a hotel room as an ad hoc project.

While I 'm sure I saw her in 2009,
I can't find the photo.

Then I noticed the boyfriend/husband and I ask if he felt ignored while she did this. They both laughed. Not wanting to over stay my welcome, I left.

A year later I’m still talking about this dress.  I hoped my wife, who was attending this time, would see AWBBDL. I noticed a few other people wearing dresses or corsets or hats made out of the WB bags.  Amanda started a fashion trend. I also noticed a lot of these people getting filmed or interviewed.  The WB booth was soliciting people to show off their designs. Protectively I thought Amanda was being ignored and not getting the attention she deserved.



2010 - The little one just ran up to Amanda as
she stopped to pose.

A few days later I saw Amanda in a new dress and I stopped her. I took a photo and chatted and we exchanged names.  I told her I saw a lot of pretenders in the crowd.  She smiled and said something like: isn’t that great?  I mumbled something about you were the one that started this. Everyone should be talking to you.  She said she got respect. In fact the WB people sent her a few bags ahead of time so she could get a jump start on making some dresses.

2012  - no photo for 2011,
I missed SDCC that year

It’s became a tradition of seeing AWBBDL every year.  I never actively looked for her.  It's like finding a needle in a hay stack...one person out of 30,000 a day.  She just seemed to appear. This year was much the same. I sat in the Sails Pavilion resting my tired feet. I had some down time. I played a game on my phone when I looked up and there she was.  Just casually walking across the crowded floor stopping now and then to pose for a photo. I excitedly waved my arm in the air like the nerd I am. She saw the motion and looked at me.  With a quizzical look on her face she looked at me and then pointed at herself.  I nodded yes.  She shyly looked around just in case I was motioning for someone else.  I finally got off my lazy butt and stood and quietly called over to her.

2013

With a huge winning smile she came over and sat next to me.  Then she said something that thrilled me: She was looking for me too.  Seeing me was part of HER ComicCon tradition. The boyfriend/hubby joined us.  I peppered her with questions.  I often do that.  I slowed myself down and told her she didn’t have to answer anything I asked. It’s never too personal; I just get into a  question asking mode. We chatted for 20 or 30 minutes.  It was good to sit and to have good company. 

As with all good things at SDCC, it needed to end as we both had other appointments to keep.

Until next year AWBBDL.

AH