I finally found a dress for the upcoming gala. I was clearing out some clothes in my closet to make room so it wouldn’t get squashed. It was hanging on our bed along with a dress I wore in my high school beauty pageant in 1983. My husband walked in and asked me, “Did you buy two dresses for the gala?” Don’t you just love men! I replied, “No honey, the cobalt blue one is from high school and it is a size 6 and even if I could get my elbow in it now I wouldn’t wear it because it’s kind of tacky.” Long pause………..Well, you just know he must be thinking, “What in the world could possibly be the best follow up remark that will get me in the least amount of trouble.” Lucky for him, right at that moment, one of the kids yelled out for something.
I don’t know why I haven’t given this dress to Goodwill. Maybe, I am rather attached to it. It represents such good memories for me. I have five sisters. We were always in need of a formal dress for this or that event. We would load up the car and drive to the big city of Dallas. Our destination was the Victor Costa Outlet. Our poor Daddy would moan and groan and beg us to not spend too much money. It wasn’t exactly an outlet store like you see now or in the best part of town. The dressing rooms were all open so you couldn’t even change in private. Basically, your dress choice was a community decision.
Well, the dress I just bought wasn’t exactly a group effort. Here are a few tips to keep in mind for your next fancy dress purchase if you are a forty-ish Mom like me:
*Take your full-bodied SPANX to the store to prevent screams from the dressing room that might alarm the store clerks and your fellow shoppers.
*A purchase of a strapless gown is only allowed with a permission slip from a personal trainer.
*You must walk a fine line between fashionable and Mother of the Bride.
*Belting your mother-in-law’s patio dress as a last resort outfit is never a good idea no matter how desperate you might feel.
*Take comfort in knowing that after a few cocktails you really won’t care what you are wearing.
*Don’t spray tan too much. It won’t cover up cellulite or stretch marks. Lord, knows I’ve tried.
*Just have fun because you are forty-ish and fabulous.
Stay Sassy Y’all.
I remember that outlet!!
Wasn’t it just fun? I think my little sister Lynn got every single pageant dress from there. Such good times, huh Ginger!?
OMG!! My mom took me there for every dress in high school and even for the Tyler Rose Festival! I think she still has a couple of those Victor Costa dresses!!
Oh, the Rose Festival! Where you a duchess? I can totally see that Laura! They are selling the dresses on eBay,etc. You can probably find the ones you wore and then some~Just awesome gaudy goodness!
Great post! I actually LOVE the color of those dresses–you know, with a pair of scissors and a little duct tape you still might be able to be fashionable and environmentally friendly at the same time!
Good idea Michelle and you know I have lots of duct tape around my house!