The joys of motherhood... and prom dresses
Week before last, the Girl told us she was going to the prom. It seems she'd been resisting her friends' importuning for about two months, but had to agree when a boy in their group asked her to go as "just friends". So, thus began the quest for a prom dress.
Last Tuesday, after school, she met up with her friends (and without any parental oversight) at the mall, to shop on her own terms. The young man went along, possibly to see what he might have in store for tuxedo rental, etc. The report when she returned was glowing: she'd found two dresses that she really, really, really liked at Dillard's, one of the pricier department stores at the mall. What was off-putting to her (and to us) were the prices: $170-$180.
Today, while the Girl was in school, I went off to scope out the lay of the land. I found that one of the nicer thrift shops had a selection of prom/bridesmaid's dresses, one of which caught my eye. Then I headed for the mall myself and checked into all of the department stores and one of the specialty shops.
Gah!! The styles these days! Most everything in Penney's was strapless; Sears had a puny selection, never mind anything suitable in her size. Macy's collection was totally sleazy looking (IMHO), and only one dress in the whole section was near her size. Belk's gowns were either too old looking or too revealing. I wasn't thrilled by what I found at Dillard's either - but later, as I discovered, I was looking in the wrong place. The plus-sized gowns were on the third floor, not the second. As for the specialty shop? NO.
On the way home, I stopped in a smaller shopping center, hoping to find a consignment shop or something that might have dresses. Instead I found a little formal wear shop that catered to both men and woman. And in there I found a dress that immediately made me think, "This is the Girl." It was sleek and black, with a panel of blue down the front, an empire waist with a ribbon and simple bow below the bust, and spaghetti straps. The back had a long zipper and about six inches of lacing to adjust the fit. And best of all was the price: $70.
So, I went back home and waited for the Girl, and once she'd gotten her things settled, off we went. The thrift shop first, where she looked through the dresses and tried on the one I'd seen. It didn't fit, and she didn't like it. No harm, no foul.
Then off to the little shop. She tried on the dress I'd liked in two different sizes, and another dress in a similar style in a pale blue and white. The dress looked very nice on her, and she allowed that it was pretty. It just didn't compare with what she'd found at Dillard's, however. So, we asked the salespeople to hold the dress for us, just in case, and off we went to the mall again.
We peeked in at Penney's to see if there was anything at all that wasn't strapless. Then the Girl guided me to Dillard's and the corner where the larger sized gowns resided. She pulled out two: both black, with wider straps, but one had a sort of underskirt of blue, and the other of white. Of the two, she preferred the white one with its silver accents and the gathering on one side. Both had crinolines, which I found intriguing. "They're poofy," she told me.
I had to admit they were pretty dresses, and looked very lovely on her. They covered more of what needed to be covered, and they were both on sale for 33% off. Still, that was $120.
We agreed to put the decision off until I could check the bank balance and talk to Hubby about it. We drove home and I went out again to pick Hubby up from the library, where he was to meet me. (I assumed he was already there - but he actually arrived after I did.) On the way back, I discussed the matter with him, and checked the bank balance when we arrived home. Though we had more than enough to buy the more expensive dress, I kept waffling all through dinner - weighing the wisdom of the lower priced dress against my daughter's heart's desire. Finally, we came to the decision: we would buy the more expensive dress. As Hubby put it, "I'm willing to pay more for more coverage."
At the moment, Hubby has taken her to purchase the dress. His thought was "get it while it's there". My feet and back are killing me from all the walking around I did, but I think we've done the right thing. It'll be easier to buy the prerequisite strapless bra for this one and any alterations that have to be made will be minor, I think. I am putting my foot down, however, on her hair. She will have to wear it up or back and not down as she's wont to do. She is talking about wearing some makeup to cover her minor blemishes, and shaving her underarms as well. Totally new territory for my daughter!
I hope she enjoys herself. I went to my junior prom with my brother, dressed in a hideous dress (since pretty plus sizes were all-but-unknown back in the late 1970s). I had a good time with my friends, but skipped my senior prom entirely. Nobody asked me, and I wasn't about to go stag... or with my brother again.
I think they're home now. I'll get some pictures of her up on the Windows Live group when the time comes.
Here's the dress.