English teacher Colette Brown recently took a leave of absence to spend time with her daughter, Alexandra. Aside from teaching English, Brown enjoys taking Pilates and playing video games such as Dungeons and Dragons. The Spectator caught up with her before her birthday weekend to talk about her clothing ensemble.
The Spectator: That’s a nice dress. Does it have any particular history?
Colette Brown: This is one of many I own. Dresses are easy in this kind of weather when it’s humid and the jersey material is also very comfortable. I’m teaching about Athena and Penelope so I’m wearing a Greek-looking garment to match.
TS: Is comfort a quality you look for in clothes?
CB: For the past 18 months, I’ve worn clothes I can just wash and wear so I’m ready to go to the playground with my daughter and to Pilates.
TS: Why do you choose Pilates?
CB: It’s a really good form of fitness. I used to do yoga and I find Pilates more toning. I’ve been doing it for about six months. One of my friends opened a studio and so I started going and now I’m going three times a week at 6 a.m. Knowing that you’re waking up at 5:30 [a.m.] to go to a gym class really wakes you up and gets the blood moving.
TS: Would you encourage Stuyvesant students to take an early morning gym class such as Pilates?
CB: You guys get so much exercise from running up and down escalators. Stuyvesant has one of the most physically fit student bodies. It says something about the school, that it has a good physical fitness program, which it does. It may not offer Pilates, but you guys get step aerobics and weight training and swim gym.
TS: Tell me about your necklace.
CB: Actually it’s pretty funny. I’m very close to my mother-in-law. I’m lucky enough to have a good relationship with my mother-in-law. She was a teacher for 37 years and she retired last year and moved to New Mexico. She and her friend took a beading class and she made a beautiful necklace for herself. When she asked what I wanted for my birthday, I told her to make me something in beading class and she made me this. It’s got glass, crystal, freshwater pearls and some plastic beads. It has a matching bracelet too.
TS: Do you have any special plans for your birthday?
CB: This Sunday, I’m going to a concert for FarmAid with [social studies teacher Debra] Plafker and both our husbands. The concert proceeds benefit farms in New York State. Dave Matthews and Neil Young will be there. I know that farmers in America have a hard time, but I believe that people should be able to farm the land. The concert’s all about awareness and getting people to go to Farmers Markets like the one near here. Since I had a child, I’ve been thinking a lot about eating healthy food. My husband and I and our daughter all eat organic food. It’s better for you and it supports an important cause.