Thanks so much, everyone! Suz, the funny thing is, that fluttery blouse is one of the oldest (salvageable) things I own. It cost more than I was used to paying at the time, and it's survived thoughts of purging (I won't purge it, promise). But I think you're right that it isn't really antithetical to my style goals.
Anya, please, please hijack this thread as much as you want! I would love to hear more about your experiences. Your mention that you studied up on musicality was intriguing--I would love a better explanation of what you actually did. The assistant instructor, a guy, was someone who had a really instinctive grasp of music. He happens to be a visual artist too (sculptor/painter/furniture maker--it's his gallery where we had the class), and the female instructor was talking about how his artistic skill and spatial sense informed his ability to quickly become good at tango. He also spent a lot of time talking about "reading" the music. And as you say, becoming sensitive to the partner's body language. I find it all so interesting. And incredibly challenging....
Thanks also for some guidance on shoes. Any particular recommendations? I am not sure if you're here in the US--your link appears to showcase European-made shoes. I would want to get something tango-friendly but for now not custom-made. And I wouldn't want much of a heel right now. But those shoes are so pretty! I have to say, I really love tango style (glamorous clothing, so evocative and romantic and sexy).
Zap, thank you for the background and the links. I am not sure those links are good, at least on my computer, but I'll do some sleuthing to find out more about Gardel.
It's like a microcosm of the world inside a dance. I'm really fascinated so far.