I know this is neither a photo of the ceremony itself nor the Parade of Nations, but how could I NOT open with Nadia Comăneci carrying a little checkered purse? It’s NADIA. I clap involuntarily every time I see her name, much less her face.
A note: Please know that, even if I’m making a goofy joke or poking fun at the clothes, I LOVE the Opening Ceremonies. I love them when they’re touching, I love them when they’re silly, I love them when they’re confusing, I love when when they’re perfect, I love them when they’re long, or incomprehensible, or hideous; I love them when the clothes are cute and totally buyable and I love them when they’re disappointingly frumpy. The IOC is, sadly, not the committee these athletes deserve, but I love the Olympics themselves and every time I see the teams enter with such joy and pride on their faces, I clutch at my own face because all my feelings are starting to burst out of it. This post is therefore, as ever, written with complete affection.
Also: We couldn’t cover all the nations, because a) that’s too many, and b) they weren’t all available to us in our subscription. Those that I missed, I did not skip to be mean, so please do link in the comments to the ones you loved that I couldn’t show.
[Photos: Getty]
