I came across this gem of an article: The 20 Worst Drinks in America. I was rightfully intrigued and after scanning the online pages of this epic social news story, the thought that popped into my head was, “Seriously!?” It’s so easy to blame the manufacturer’s for products like this. After all, who really thinks mass producing a single beverage worth an entire day’s allotment of calories, fat and sugar is a good idea? But I think it’s more the consumer’s fault than anything else. Are Americans seriously that ignorant or incapable of glancing at the nutrition label, pinpointing such tidbits as “10% fruit juice” or “340 calories” and comprehending that this might not be the best choice for themselves or their child? Regardless, it’s a really interesting read if you’re up for some jaw-dropping statistics.
Yesterday at work, in celebration of Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras, CMC hosted a chili cookoff. I intended to enter the competition myself, but thought better of it over the weekend after considering the time and (albeit minimal) extra cash it would take for me to cook up a crock pot of my fresh chili. I also assumed it would be a waste of effort, as I’m not a master chef by any means and my creation would most likely get knocked clear out of the water by the competition. Let this be a lesson in self-confidence. Next time I won’t be so timid about putting myself out there for stuff like this, because most of the chili dishes there were plainly lackluster in flavor or downright frightening in texture. I’m fairly positive I could have smoked the competition. I truly wasn’t that impressed with any of the entries, though there were one or two yummy options. The free lunch meal was catered by (who else?) Skyline Chili and there was even some Mardi Gras King’s Cake for dessert. Not too shabby for a Tuesday lunch hour. Though I’ve had a craving for a bowl of my own creamy chili and a slab of cornbread ever since. Oh, well. There will be more chili cookoffs to obliterate the pants off of in my lifetime.
And now, as promised, the 30 day photo blog challenge.
Day 1 – A picture of yourself with ten facts about you.
This photo was taken at the Old Globe Theatre in London before the showing of an abysmal performance of Othello during my summer 2007 Shakespeare performance and academic intensive study abroad program in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. I was 20 years old and so happy with this opportunity and with my life. It was a fantastic adventure and I have amazing memories from this trip. I count this as one of the most life-changing moments I have ever experienced. In an instant I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.
Despite my appreciation for and delight in tasting all kinds of foods from gourmet to ethnic, I truly love macaroni and cheese. If a restaurant has it, I will order it. I am a mac n’ cheese connoisseur and have rarely met a mac n’ cheese I didn’t like.
I was born on the 66th anniversary of women’s suffrage. Naturally, I believe in the ability of women to be great leaders and I aspire to be a great woman in my own way.
I have two dream careers: to be an travel and adventure writer or novelist and playwright, and to sing, dance and act professionally in the ensemble of nationally touring productions. Lofty much?
I am the crazy cat lady. I know – and I feel no shame. I have adored every one of my felines from Rufus to Sancho and my entire being lights up every time I catch a glimpse of a cat. I have a special affinity for homeless adult cats, orange tabbies, and disabled cats (blind, deaf, diabetic, missing legs, eyeless, etc.) I cannot be taken into pet stores with cats that are up for adoption because I leave in a fit of tears. I definitely like cats more than most humans.
The 1930s-1940s are my favorite decades style wise. I am absolutely inspired by the music, fashion, hair & makeup, and the lifestyle of that era. If I could I would immediately time travel back to that time period for a week.
I cannot wink, whistle, raise one eyebrow, roll my tongue into a taco, or wiggle my nose or ears. Clearly my talents do not lie in the visual amusement department.
I HATE the color pink with a passion. I do not own anything pink and I adamantly refuse to wear such a hideous color.
I never played a sport growing up. This hasn’t scarred me for life in any way, but I kind of wish I had attempted participation in a sport other than trampoline jumping and pogo sticking at least once during my childhood. Though thanks to gymnastic I can still do the splits!
I have ziplined across a jungle in Jamaica, kissed a stingray in the waters of the Caribbean, played in the snow in Canada, drank margaritas on a beach in Mexico, climbed the Great Wall of China, soaked in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon beneath the northern lights, sailed the seas on a cruise ship, seen the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum, studied Shakespeare in England, picked strawberries and explored a salt mine in Germany, enjoyed the tremendous hospitality of the ex-head of Hungary’s military and his lovely wife in their home near Budapest, dined on chocolate covered grasshopper in Japan, and skipped through castles and along the filming trail of The Sound of Music in Austria. I am incredibly blessed.
Why? It’s a penny. That kind of frugality only goes so far. Are you really going to waste your time and dirty your digits picking up pennies that will take years to amount to anything more than a stupid pile of copper?
Yes.
How did you finance your latest must-have? Did you budget accordingly and save your hard earned cash specifically for that big ticket item or did you splurge unexpectedly then question how you were going to dig yourself out of the impulsive monetary failure of a hole you spent your way into? No matter how you made it happen, finding the bucks for the “wants” in life is challenging when the “needs” clearly come first. When you’re low on funds and seem to lose every last cent to the basic living necessities, what’s the first thing to go from your budget? The exotic overseas vacation you’ve been dreaming of? The romantic weekend getaway? Dining out and date nights? Entertainment? Items you’ve been swooning over? Yes. All of the above. I’d say a safe home, heat and electricity, decent eats, insurance, and a debt-free lifestyle are definitely priorities over camping gear and adventurous excursions. The things you long to have and do get pushed aside so often, and really, what can you do about it other than accept it or change it?
Ted’s a fanatic about snapping up loose change he spots on the ground. He has an eye for scanning the ground until he spies discarded pennies, dropped nickles, runaway dimes and misplaced quarters. On any given day he comes home with a small handful of coins that we call “playstations,” lovingly nicknamed for the playstation we dreamed of one day purchasing with all these acquired monies long before we were married. Pennies are the most common, though on occasion, he’s found quarters and dollar bills as well just by keeping his eyes peeled. He keeps all the coins he finds in milk jugs and juice bottles. Last year he cashed them in at the bank for bills and it had accumulated to – wait for it – over $700! $700!!! That’s no insignificant hunk of change. In fact, that’s a pretty extravagant wad of dough! Think of all the things you could do with $700! And all of it from money you didn’t miss from your paycheck or budget because you found it laying on the ground. It requires patience, but what an easy way to bag that vacation or new toy! Another way to come by extra coinage is to pay for things in cash and when you get change back, make it a habit to plunk it in the old milk jug.
For our wedding we registered for a bunch of neat camping gear – sleeping bags, a tent, lantern, campfire cooking gear, a cooler, portable grill, hammock, etc. Sadly, that registry wasn’t as popular as we’d hoped. I suppose because most people assume registries are a “bride’s thing” so they opt for cooking essentials, bakewear, and decorative items over the more “manly” items – though we both wanted and picked out the camping items together, it wasn’t just a Ted thing. We were kindly gifted cash from many of our guests, but we’ve decided to use that money on experiences (read: travel and adventure together) rather than using it to purchase material goods for our home. There’s an expression that goes something along the lines of people who spend their money on experiences instead of material objects are happier. I agree. So that’s what we’re doing. But that still leaves us without our much desired camping gear that we would use on these said travels and adventures together. It would cost us several hundred dollars to get everything we need – and that’s several hundred dollars we’re not likely to have anytime in the near future. However, our “playstation” jugs are already at nearly $100. Between keeping a watchful eye out for homeless or neglected change and relying on cash more often and then saving the change, I think we can afford our camping gear before the year’s over. Not bad for doing practically nothing other than stooping over a few times a day. All in a year’s work!
In other news (other than the news of the world’s youngest grandmother at the age of 23. Scary, right!?), I’ve decided to take part in the 30 Day Picture Blog Challenge. Yes, I’ve succumbed to the popularity of this blogosphere fad. Be on the lookout for it in my next post. I’ve Redboxed Morning Glory so I’m off to make a hot cup of relaxing chai and enjoy a movie starring Rachel McAdams, who just so happens to be one of my favorite actresses. Good night!
Instead of spending this fine Monday delving into the typical novel of a blog post I’m accustomed to and everyone has, undoubtedly, come to expect from me, I thought I’d switch things up today with a short, simple post of lists. Your welcome.
5 things I bypassed in the grocery store this morning in an attempt to lower our bill by purchasing only the items we need:
Crepe wrappers
Chinese sprouts
Woodchuck hard cider on sale
A gourmet cupcake
Fresh flowers
(You know you’re impressed with my willpower for not snatching up the last 3! I am too.)
5 things I did enjoy buying and will even more enjoy turning into delicious meals:
Fresh salmon
Fresh strips of steak for stir-frying
Fresh lemon
Fresh dill
Fresh snap sugar peas
5 favorite television shows of the spring season (as I eagerly await the return of Hell’s Kitchen):
Modern Family
Big Bang Theory
House
Bleep My Dad Says
Mike & Molly
(Sorry How I Met Your Mother, American Idol, and The Office fans, I just cant get into that lameness. And we all know my feelings on the obnoxiousness that is Glee.)
5 things I’m loving about today
Sleeping in this morning beneath our cozy comforter with sunlight streaming through the windows
A clean, fresh smelling house
Painting my nails, sipping some wine and indulging in Monday night TV
The scent of my favorite-smelling candle ever (Volcano Capri Blue hand-poured candle from Anthropologie)
A day of quiet. At home, alone with no music or people or any other kind of racket except the swish of the washer and the birds chirping. Aaaaah.
5 productive things I’m doing on my day off
Laundry – clothing, bedding, and towels. I love how soft and fresh clean laundry smells!
Cleaning the house – adios dust bunnies!
Grocery shopping – I reduced this week’s bill by 50%!
Mending a pair of black pants I’ve been needing to fix for at least six weeks
Sorting receipts
I hope you find something to enjoy about your Monday too!
The Rhyner Rapids are officially open for the season in our backyard. The fire pit is completely invisible somewhere beneath the murky swirling river that flows downhill from the top of our driveway and directly deposits in the lake that’s formed smack in the shallow valley between our property and our neighbor’s. Our garage is a several inch pond of standing water again and the Ohio river is expected to reach flood level sometime this weekend. Welcome to Spring!
On my way to work yesterday morning I drove down Beechmont, as I do everyday, until I reached the Mt. Washington neighborhood where a thin cloud of black smoke was beginning to form in the atmosphere. I looked to my immediate right and saw an apartment building in flames consuming all 3 floors on the backside of the building. One ambulance and one firetruck were already on scene, but clearly the fire had just started as the water hoses weren’t even going yet and people were coming out of their businesses to help. A fire doubles every 4 seconds. Within the next three or so miles of my drive I pulled to the right for at least 15 additional emergency vehicles as they came blazing down the street, sirens roaring and lights flashing. It was insane. The fire got me thinking about the dire importance of renter’s insurance and emergency kits for the unexpected disasters you never hope to have. We have adequate renter’s insurance, but after unpacking and surveying all our belongings over the past few months, I’d feel much more comfortable with an additional $25K of coverage. It would only cost a few dollars more per month, which seems like a tight squeeze right now, but I know we’d be thankful to have it if we should find ourselves in an emergency situation where mostly everything will need to be replaced.
Something we don’t have is an emergency kit – in the house or in the car. I’ve thought about it several times recently – when the weather is severe, when the tornado sirens are blaring at 5:20 a.m., during snow storms when we’re on the road, and when fires break out. And it really is something we should have in the house and in both vehicles – especially if you live with someone with serious medical concerns. What would you put in yours? I’m thinking we’d start with the basics: LED flashlights with extra batteries, a headlamp, blankets, waterproof ponchos, hand and foot warmers, a battery-operated weather radio, a multi-purpose tool like a Leatherman, rope, a lighter, a first-aide kit, pure disinfectant alcohol, bottle of hand sanitizer, water bottles, non-perishable foods, an extra pack of AAA batteries for Ted’s insulin pump, two infusion sets, a vile of insulin, syringes, a backup blood sugar meter with test strips, emergency sugar (candy, orange juice, etc.), a manual can opener, heavy work gloves, toilet paper, trash bags, whistles, a permanent marker & square of cardboard, flash powder, and sunscreen and bug spray. I’m sure this is just the tip of the emergency kit iceberg, but I do think every family should have a kit like this at home and on the road. One of these days we’ll actually get around to throwing something together.
Onto a cheerier topic! Prince William & Kate (excuse me, Catherine) Middleton’s Royal Wedding Website was posted late this week! Yes, I was jubilant with excitement as one could be and immediately jumped on the bandwagon of the 2 million plus hits the website received in its first few hours of going live. Hit it up at www.officialroyalwedding2011.org to clue yourself in on all the lavish goodies like the hideously-patterned commemorative royal wedding china (it totally reminds me of a nursing home), the ceremony at Westminster Abbey and reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by the Queen (you know, just like any other normal wedding), how to properly address a formal letter to the Queen (it’s a hoot!), and the names and ages of the miniature Master’s, Lady’s, The Honorary’s, and Miss’s who will be gracing the wedding celebration with their presence as members of the wedding party – all before they’ve completed the second grade. Missing are the juicy details of the bride’s dress (duh), the decorative theme, the menu, and pretty much all the other good stuff you actually cared to know about. Though with Kate’s grace and style I bet it’s all going to be fabulous! I think she’s a pretty classy lady. I guess that’s to be expected and we’ll just have to wait until the I-Do day on April 29th for all the big reveals – for which there will be live video coverage streaming on the website and I do fully intend to watch it.
If you’re looking for something entertaining to watch this weekend, consider tuning into this Sunday evening’s episode of Undercover Boss in which the Mayor of Cincinnati goes undercover as an employee of the city of Cincy to collect garbage, scrape dead animals off the road, write traffic tickets, and more. He’s a pretty distinguishable fellow in the looks, personality, and popularity department not just in Cincy, but among all U.S. Mayors, so they had quite the challenge in disguising him to be an average Joe. I’m looking forward to watching to learn more about the inner workings of the City of Cincy government, to see landmarks, streets, areas of town and buildings I may recognize, and also because it’s really a neat show. Check it out this Sunday night!
Ted and I are will be enjoying our day off together – swimming to our errand destinations, slow cooking some babyback ribs for dinner tonight with lime and salt roasted corn and watermelon, and knocking off a few chores. Have a great weekend!
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m an avid reader. I love non-fiction, historical fiction, and especially memoirs. I’ve read 25+ memoirs in the past two years and have thoroughly enjoyed most of them. Most recently my book source has been the good old library – what a classic! I also love a good movie, some brilliant technology, and I relish in the delight of a savory meal. Who doesn’t? Today, I’d like to share some of my recent favorites with the loyal readership.
Books
The River Queen: A Memoir by Mary Morris is my latest indulgence. To be honest, I’m not even finished reading it yet, but already I find myself happily lost inside her pages and I hate putting it down. I spied the intriguing cover while randomly scanning the library shelves and thought it looked simultaneously adventurous and peaceful. Sadly, this “judging a book by its cover” method of selection, while unfair, does sometimes help to narrow down the choices. Upon reading the dust jacket’s synopsis about Mary’s self-recalled travels down the Mississippi River on a run-down houseboat with two gruff yet lovable river rats named Tom and Jerry and a snappy diva pup called Samantha Jean in attempt to memorialize and understand the life of her Mississippi-loving centenarian father in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, I wondered if I would like this book or if I’d be in over my head with incomprehensible boater’s language and deep, brooding musings. But so far I’ve been hooked on her adventures and loving every word. What a great read to jump into Spring with! It’s wild without being overwhelming and thoughtful without being pretentious. I’m seriously jealous I’m not navigating the Mississippi on a houseboat and listening to toe-tapping Jazz tunes too! This is one book you want to dive into ASAP.
This gem was another happenstance library find. An eye-catching cover really can be equally as important of an advertising medium as press releases, rave reviews, and an enthralling summary. Lucky Girl: A Memoir by Mei-Ling Hopgood reveals Taiwan-born Mei-Ling’s life as an all-American girl, raised by a sweet nun in a hospital for the first several months of her life before her adoption by a loving U.S. couple. At the age of 22, with the help of the very same nun who cared for her in her infancy, Mei-Ling learns her large birth family is anxious to meet her. She is showered with phone calls, emails and faxes until she agrees to travel to Taiwan where she meets her biological parents and countless siblings. She recounts how she learned bits of the Mandarin language, became entangled in her family’s loud, chaotic world, and discovered the history behind her own adoption while I happily found myself wrapped in descriptions of sumptuous Chinese delicacies and scarring family secrets. This memoir provides a refreshing, fascinating look into the life and culture of a very traditional Taiwanese family and the very American girl biologically tied to them. I desperately longed to travel and craved Chinese dumplings for days after I finished this great book. Both intense and lighthearted, this discovery tale is another must-read!
Movies
This 2009 Oscar-nominated, award-winning flick is breathtaking. I borrowed it from the library on a whim because it was displayed in the newly released section and, frankly, it looked like it was right up my alley – an eclectic mix of funky and classic. I wasn’t expecting something quite so poignant, uplifting or heartbreaking. An Education is a coming-of-age story about a sheltered British schoolgirl in the 1960s intent on securing her admission to a top University until she meets a dashing, wealthy, worldly, and sweet man nearly twice her age who sweeps her off her feet. He buys her beautiful clothes, inducts her into his social circle, takes her to Paris, and introduces her the literature, culture and lifestyle she craves. But this handsome gentleman has a few secrets up his sleeve as well. I really loved the story and I adored the stylish music, clothing, and hair and makeup. The acting is beautiful and I think nearly everyone can identify with the heroine’s hunger for travel, knowledge, wisdom, and a world beyond her reach. Please rent this movie. Both fun and emotional – you won’t be disappointed.
That about wraps up my recommendations. All three are great choices and you’d be a fool to let them pass you by. Did you catch Apple’s iPad 2 release announcement today? It was pretty epic! The specs and built-in goodies for the new generation of the iPad are swoon-worthy. I know Ted is really looking forward to placing an order for his customized prize on March 11th and I’m excited to eventually (in a few years time, that is) receive it as a hand-me-down when he upgrades! Isn’t technology amazing? How can something so thin, so lightweight, and so sleek be so powerful, contain 2 cameras, and boast 10 hours worth of battery life? I’m not even getting into the countless things it can actually do or the 65,000 app options. For Ted, this is a perfect gift. He can always have his work, calendars, and lists with him which, for a lighting-designer on the move, is key. Plus there are applications for the iPad that sync with popular lighting boards and lighting paperwork programs, and when he’s worn out from all that work at his fingertips, he can watch a movie, surf the web, play games, or listen to some tunes on it. We’re excited about his new addition!
Tonight after work we dined at a dark, loud, hearty Irish pub appropriately and simply named The Pub in the trendy neighborhood of Norwood. It came highly and immediately recommended by both my co-worker and Ted’s co-worker as a great place to relax with delicious eats and plentiful drinks. It did not disappoint! I opted for a four beer sampler of three English ales and one cider while Ted drank Strongbow Cider – one of our favorites!
The food was amazing too! A high class, flavorful pub grub menu teeming with English and Irish specialties like Fish N’ Chips with salt and malt vinegar, Bangers N’ Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, a prime rib au jus pretzel sandwich, fried pickles, calamari, pumpkin soup, lamb dishes, and salmon flatbread. This is definitely a welcome restaurant discovery and a great place to meet with friends and family! Hope your hump day was just as fulfilling as ours!
Blog slacker alert! I’ve been blogging less often than usual this week, dropping down to every other day lately instead of daily – I know. Hope I’m not losing my readers – bear with me! I don’t mean to skimp, but any time Ted is actually home on the evenings or weekends, my time is his and I’m devoted to attending to him instead of my computer.
We’ve had an eventful few days. Sunday night we had a pretty big storm that passed through Cincinnati – complete with pounding rains, high winds, booming thunder and an intense, hours-long lightning show. The volume of the rain and thunder woke me Monday morning at about 5:30. The lightening was so bright that I couldn’t get back to sleep. As soon as I’d settled myself beneath our comforter again intent on sleeping, my eyes properly shielded from the frequent lightning strokes, the tornado sirens went off. We rolled out of bed and briefly ventured down to the safety of our (still wet) basement. The sirens didn’t last long and there really wasn’t a tornado. It was just Cincy’s way of warning its citizens of basic inclement weather in the middle of the night. However, it was long enough to jolt us out of our sleep and keep us awake for a good 45 minutes. Worst part was that Ted had to wake up for his physical therapy appointment about 20 minutes later.
When I did eventually slip back to sleep, I awoke with the strangest dream I’ve possibly ever had floating through my memory. One of two thoughts entered my mind – A) What the heck did I eat last night!? B) Back-sleeping and storms are a notoriously oddball dream combination for me. I apparently need to stop sleeping on my back, especially during thunderstorms. When Ted got home from his PT appointment I couldn’t wait to tell him about the 23 pink piggies in our backyard wearing Spurs basketball jerseys (yes, they were clothed. In Spurs jerseys no less.) that I dreamed about. I told you. Weird.
This morning Ted had his knee surgery at Mercy Anderson hospital. We played hookey from work and spent our morning at the hospital and the afternoon laying low and relaxing together. From my vantage point (since I’m not the one who had the surgery), it was a really nice day together. I’ve never been through a surgery prep and it was really interesting to be there through it all – to see all the equipment, the monitors, the anesthesia, and the pre-op check list and questions they have to complete. Ted’s pre-op doctors were great, very funny and very attentive. It was a fairly non-invasive 30-minute surgery with about a 45 minute recovery period. They gave him crutches and that was that. He could put full weight on his knee right after the surgery, so the crutches are mainly for balance and to help him stay off his leg a little. But his leg is sore and wrapped up pretty good. Since he couldn’t eat or drink anything since midnight the night before his surgery, we immediately headed to Ihop for food after the hospital. Turns out it was free pancake day! Score for us! We have excellent timing. I grabbed a treat (a strawberry limeade at Sonic!) and we caught a 5:00 showing of The Dilemma at the cheap-o movie theatre near home (it was $1.75 admission Tuesday!). I got Ted all settled in at home and went to fetch Mexican carry-out for dinner. It was a really nice, relaxing, well-deserved day together and Ted is recovering nicely. But tomorrow it’s back to the grind of daily life – work for both of us. Every now and then you just need to take a mental (and physical) health day, don’t you think?
So last November before we signed the rental contract and moved into this house that we adore, we made sure to clarify the waterproofness and structural security of the house’s foundation with our landlord prior to signing the lease. Our landlord assured us they’d had the house checked out and that, after a heavy rainfall, he paid a visit to the house to make sure the basement and garage didn’t leak – dry as a bone, he said. Perhaps at the time when he took a peek, the basement floor really wasn’t wet yet and water really wasn’t streaming down in streaky splashes from the cracks. Or perhaps he’s a proficient liar. It doesn’t matter. It’s all water over the bridge now (or, you know, over our carpet and into all of our boxes). Whatever the case, the basement is not waterproof. Indeed, during our most recent rainfall this week (and the heavy one we’re experiencing right now), the basement enjoyed a good, thorough soaking.
This is about what our weekend looked like. Two little people, one big mess. Challenge accepted!
You could literally wring out the industrial carpet we put down there and we donated a good majority of our soggy cardboard moving boxes to the recycle bin – after we cautiously emptied them all out, air or towel dried the contents, and found new homes for our narrowly-salvaged possessions in plastic bins, in the lucky remaining cardboard boxes on the shelving system, or on wheels. Everything not on wheels or in a water-tight bin is no longer on the floor. Our de-humidifier, fans, and dry heat torpedo heater are working full-speed to soak up the water blanketing the floor. We’re happy that we got that shelving unit built a few weekends ago when we did and we’re relieved to have noticed the water downstairs when we did as it really could have been a whole lot worse. We actually fared pretty well, and for that we’re thankful. Most things were damp, but not beyond rescue as they surely would have been in a day or two’s time. The garage is literally a pond with about an inch or two of standing water. Surprisingly, neither of us are all that upset – though we suspect our landlord did know. Just as he knew this house was uninsulated and neglected to mention why the previous tenants always complained of such an outrageous energy bill, claiming they just plain used too much heat (um, yes, of course they did. Because the house isn’t insulated.) But this stuff happens, right? It’s all a part of having a home.
In all honestly, this minor little calamity lit the fire under our asses that we needed to get our butts in gear and organize the basement, as we’ve been meaning to find the time to do for the past 3 months. Well, we found the perfect reason and the time to do it. So it really is a good thing. We threw on some good music and made a great deal of progress and the basement looks pretty nice now with all the boxes properly organized, labeled, and stored neatly on the shelves. We still have a few hours more work to go, but the improvement is a big, welcome change. And we both feel better knowing our stuff is not only organized now, but also safe from the future water-damage we now know to expect every time it rains. I’ll be sure to post before & after pictures as soon as we’re done with it next weekend.
We didn’t spend all weekend hard at work though. Oh, no. On Ted’s first weekend off in ages we made sure to enjoy our time together. On Friday night I baked some fully-loaded, hot out of the oven chocolate chip walnut cookies from scratch, which we savored with glasses of milk while laughing through an episode of Big Bang Theory. On Saturday we headed to mass and dined on Chinese at a fantastic new little Chinese joint that is sure to become one of our favorites, then finished the night off with a movie at home. Today we ran errands to check out camping gear at Bass Pro Shop, walked a nearly abandoned mall (yet it was still kept up – it was spooky!) and made our monthly Sam’s run for bulk items. Tomorrow we both work, and Tuesday we’re both off for Ted’s knee surgery that morning and we’ll spend the day together laying low after that. My grandmother also celebrated her 90th birthday this weekend!
How did you fare this weekend relaxing and gearing up for the week ahead?
I really like Thursdays. Almost more than Fridays. It’s just an enjoyable day of the week. It’s that time of the week where I plant myself in the CCM Starbucks with my computer, a good book, and an iced chai and just veg, listing to chill coffee shop music, until Ted is done with work. Tonight we’ll catch dinner somewhere yummy near campus and head to the museum center to walk through the Cleopatra exhibit for an hour or so. Last night I tagged along to invited dress for Rent, which officially opens tonight and, unlike Evita, actually runs for more than one weekend – which is a very good thing. The show was awesome! Truly an excellent, fun, touching performance. They opted for a cast of 24 extremely talented performers and they did such justice to a show that, up until a year and a half ago when the rights were finally released, was only performed on Broadway and professional national tour. Last year MSU (where Ted was in grad school) made sure they were one of the first Universities in the country to secure the newly-available rights and do the show. CCM jumped on board this year. They designed this great minimalist versatile set with moving, spinning, multi-level fire escape-esque platforms and a graffiti apartment exterior backdrop that was painted in perspective to be wider at top and narrower at the bottom. The show was really well cast and the singing was fantastic – right on par with the vocals of the Broadway and movie casts. I’m very familiar with the show’s plot and music, but it was great to finally see it live. I liked the lighting a lot as well because they used a lot of moving lights, colors, patterns, movement effects, and practicals (in this case florescent looking tube lights secured to the beams of the fire escape platforms that changed colors). The lighting was fun and really added something exciting to the show technically. CCM also rented a 12’x12′ square of the Aids Quilt to hang in the theatre, which was a nice touch.
You know what else I love about my afternoons at the coffee shop? People watching and unintentional eavesdropping. There’s a guy and his female friend sitting next to me who are discussing their thoughts on marriage. They are hitting that point in their lives where all their young friends are moving in with their significant others, getting engaged, and getting married and, to them, it’s just weird. They both respect the institution of marriage, happily celebrate and support their friends’ decisions, and want it for themselves too – one day. But not soon. They’re grasping in the dark to understand what everyone’s big rush is to tie the knot and settle down at age 23. They’re in their early 20s and feel like the odd men out because they aren’t ready to take this step with their respective boyfriend and girlfriend of 4+ years, when everyone else around them, apparently, is. I’m sitting here thinking, “I totally get where you’re coming from!”
I didn’t plan to get married young. I didn’t intend to seek someone out during my internship in Michigan, date for only 1 year and 2 months before getting engaged at the age of 23 and then get married at 24. Three or four years ago, that easily could have been me sitting at that table in Starbucks with my friends having that exact conversation and questioning what the big rush is all about. But these things aren’t mapped out or planned. They happen when they happen. And when the right person comes along, no matter how young or old you are, something changes and commitment and marriage doesn’t seem that scary or daunting anymore. You just feel ready, and when that happens, what’s the point in waiting? Right now I feel about babies the way they seem to feel about marriage. Everyone around me is popping out the kids like reproducing is going out of style or something, and I don’t understand it. “What’s the rush?,” I think. You’re 25 – you have plenty of time to have kids….later. Enjoy life without kids now, while you still can. But I’m not these people and I’m not in their shoes. I’m completely freaked out by the idea of bearing and parenting a human being, but to all of my friends, who have apparently reached that point in their lives where they just know they’re ready for this next step, it’s an exciting, not horrifying, thing. I just think it’s interesting to think about the big life milestones and hear other people’s thoughts on them. Sometimes coffee shops can be enlightening in ways you never expected.
*If you haven’t read yesterday’s post, go back and check that one out first! This is Part II.
When we left off yesterday I promised I’d give you a glimpse of the wedding dresses that didn’t make the final cut. True to my word, I’m back with some picture proof, starting with the one I knew would never make it and working my way up to the final two. First, let’s review what I was looking for and what I was hoping to avoid in a wedding dress.
What I wanted: Straps, luxurious material, comfortable and non-restrictive structure, pockets, a button or zip closure (something I could get into and out of by myself), an interesting eye-catching back, one or two unique standout details, under $750
What I didn’t want: Strapless, ruching, lots of lace, beading, sequins, or butt bows, expensive, princess ballgown poofy, a corset back, boning, to look like every bride I’d seen from 2007-2009
Now that you’ve got a pretty specific image in mind of the style I was going for, you can plainly see how difficult this journey was for me in the height of the beaded, strapless, ruched dresses that all look alike era. To be fair, the dresses I had in mind did exist 16 months ago and I knew it. I swooned over them on the pages of high fashion bridal magazine advertisements. However, they were relatively “new” to the 2000’s bridal market so they were crafted by top designers and luxury brands (read: $1,500-$4,000 per dress, and that’s not even factoring in alterations or accessories for something I’d wear for a maximum of 12 hours). Cheap replicas of these styles certainly hadn’t trickled their way down to the likes of David’s Bridal or Alfred Angelo yet. I couldn’t fathom shelling out about at least 2,000 bucks (conservatively) for a Waters & Waters, Vera Wang, Amsale, Rosa Clara, San Patrick, Priscilla of Boston, Melissa Sweet, Jim Hjelm, La Sposa, Jenny Yoo or Modern Trousseau gown. I wasn’t too wild about the David’s Bridal or Alfred Angelo finds (with the exception of a select few) so I focused my efforts on brands like Eden Bridals, Jasmine Collections, Essence of Australia, Venus and Allure – all of which carried quality designs with more of a variety of style options for a moderately thrifty price tag. Enough jabbering. Let’s get started with the pictures of a modest sampling of the nearly 75 dresses I tried on.
The “You’ll never know what you like until you give it a chance” dress
If you’ve ever gone shopping for a formal gown, you know this drill. The saleslady will undoubtedly ask you what style and price range you have in mind, then proceed to blatantly ignore your requests and insist you try on something completely opposite of what you like on the basis of “you’ll never know until you try it on!” Well, that was this unfortunate dress at Alfred Angelo. It boasts every single quality I specifically said I didn’t want. I reluctantly agreed to humor her and schlep this 45 lb. dress into the fitting room and give it a go. I guess it’s not really that bad. I wasn’t utterly horrified. But it was heavy, uncomfortable, could stand on it’s own (I’m not kidding), required at least two people to corset me into it along with a hoop skirt, and was not nearly unique enough for my tastes. Trying this sucker on was my good deed for the day. I gave everyone their entertainment, crawled out of ASAP, and promptly handed it right back to the saleslady who just so, embarrassingly, happened to be a girl I went to high school with.
What I liked: I kind of felt like Belle in Beauty & The Beast
What I didn’t like: Where do I begin!? Pickups. Oh, God. Pickups. UGH. Beading, strapless, ruched, boning, and stiffening corset back. Then there’s the gigantic itchy 12-layered petticoat, the weight of it, and the crispy fabric. No, thank you. NEXT.
The “For the love of pockets” dress
Allow me to clarify my obsession with pockets. It was there and the feeling was strong and undeniable. I think it all started with prom. I hated keeping track of an evening clutch and worrying about its whereabouts all night. Yet, I needed something discreet to hold my car keys, phone, lipstick, ID and credit card. I yearned for pockets in my dress so I could fly solo like the dudes did. I even considered asking my mom to sew pockets into the underside of my junior year prom dress. Fast forward to late 2008 when the first wedding dresses with pockets debuted on the runways. I was in heaven! Finally, my prayers had been answered. I knew that must seek out a wedding dress with pockets of my own. They were incredibly helpful, had a casual flair, and were funky and different. Nevermind that as a bride I most likely wouldn’t need quick access to my car keys, cell phone, ID or cash on the big day. That’s not the point. The point was I needed pockets. And pockets were pretty much the only thing this David’s Bridal frock had going for it. But apparently, that was enough to keep it in my consideration. The dress itself wasn’t that bad, it was simple with extremely minimal beading, loose and comfortable, had straps and, most importantly, came equipped with my beloved pockets. I even liked the criss-cross of the straps in the back. Alas, it showed more cleavage than I was comfortable with and just wasn’t special enough to make the top 5. I bid a sad adieu to my pockets and prayed that I’d find another one with them (no such luck).
What I liked: Obviously, the pockets. I also liked the criss-cross straps in the back and that it was comfortable. I liked that I could get into and out of it by myself and it wasn’t oozing with beads and other obnoxious distractions.
What I didn’t like: It was an ill-fit. The empire waist packed on the pounds and it showed too much cleavage.
The “Safe backup plan” dress
This taffeta Alfred Angelo dress was a classic. It was figure flattering, timeless, and played it safe – maybe a little too safe. It had alluring off-the-shoulder straps, showed off my figure, and had absolutely no beading – which was great. But it also had a boring back and no fun little details whatsoever. And for something so basic, it was awfully expensive! I didn’t like the crinkle of the taffeta fabric, the boning inside it made bending or dancing highly undesirable, and I don’t like being laced into corset backs. I couldn’t have gotten into or out of it without an army of help. It was pretty, but not nearly unique enough to make the cut.
What I liked: The elegant simplicity, and the classic figure-enhancing cut and drape of the style.
What I didn’t like: There was nothing special about it, no little details to get excited over. It had an uncomfortable corset back and boning, and was unreasonably expensive for something so basic.
The Top Five
The “My first infatuation” dress
From November-January I was outright convinced that I wasn’t going to be able to find what I was looking for at an affordable price. Everything was so covered in lace and beads that it made me sick. I came across this prize at David’s Bridal and fell into a month long on-again off-again infatuation with it because it fit well and had no beading. I wasn’t in love with it, but I did like it and if nothing else came along I would have settled with it. The draping gave it a nice little hint of detailing and shape. It was marked down to $350 because it was a “test dress” that they only produced a few of and decided not to add it to their season’s collection. Therefore, only a handful of them were made for each store, and it was the last one available in my size anywhere in the U.S. and I couldn’t give it up, afraid I’d never find anything without beads ever again (I was crazy, y’all). It was strapless, but these days straps of any style can easily be added to a dress.
What I liked: It was soft and comfortable. The draping was interesting and flattering, and the price was more than right. Straps could be added, and I loved the simplicity of it.
What I didn’t like: It just seemed too plain. There weren’t any funky details and the back looked like the back of any other wedding dress out there. I liked it, and it was a pretty dress, but it just didn’t feel right for me.
The “Dress that led me to my dress” dress
I was obsessed with finding this dress. I came across it in a dinky little Wisconsin town just when I had lost all patience and all hope that I’d ever find the right dress for me. I was about ready to completely throw in the towel and just wear khakis and a white sweater on October 22. This was my saving grace. I’d never heard of the Jasmine Collection brand before. The store had a few of their dresses in stock and I really like the detailing and originality of all of them. I was beside myself with excitement that this one had beautiful straps, a fun back design, awesome fabric, and just enough beading to make it fresh but not be overwhelming. They one I tried on in the store was two sizes too small, but it gave me a good enough of an idea that I was caught – hook, line and sinker. I called stores all over Wisconsin, Illinois and Texas obsessively until I finally found a store in Austin that had just gotten it in (it was a Fall 2009 style) in my size. I immediately made an appointment for a weekend the middle of February. My hopes had been resurrected and I was sure that this was it! I spent the next month dreaming about all the good times this dress and I would have together. I was nervous when we finally did make the trip to Austin to try it on. I was afraid it wouldn’t fit me right…and it didn’t. I was so bummed, but the store had a wide selection of other Jasmine Collection dresses for me to investigate. It wasn’t meant to be, but it did lead me to the Jasmine Collection dress I did choose. I wouldn’t have found it without this dress.
What I liked: Nearly everything – the straps, the fun back, the silky fabric, the light touch of beading around the neckline to keep it interesting, and most importantly, that it restored my faith in dress shopping and gave me the hope to keep looking.
What I didn’t like: It had just been released so it was practically impossible to find it anywhere in my size. And when I finally did, it just didn’t fit my body shape right. Even with alterations, it just wouldn’t have fit me well enough. It’s style F316 if you want to Google it to see what the front looked like.
The “Serious contender – except that nobody else liked it” dress
This is not me in this photo. I can't find the picture of myself wearing it, but this girl's shape gives you a very similar representation of how I looked in this dress.
I was drawn to the glamour of this David’s Bridal dress. It reminded me of the formal fashion of the 1930s with its fit and flare trumpet skirt, hip hugging satin, and a playful row of buttons all the way down the back of the dress and train. It was classy, a little sassy, had just the right amount of detailing, accentuated my figure nicely, and I simply loved the buttons down the back. I think it’s a clear winner of a dress and I’d still be happy to wear it if another occasion that calls for a floor-length ivory dress with a train arises (doubtful). I didn’t even mind that it was strapless because the neckline was modest and there was zero chance of any “oops” moments. And, as with any other dress, straps could have been added. The only problem was that nobody else seemed to like it. I know I shouldn’t have let that get to me, but whenever I took anyone with me to see it in person, I got only lukewarm responses like “it’s okay” or “I like the other one better.” It was discouraging, but after hearing less than enthusiastic praises from people, I couldn’t buy it because what if everyone else thought it was fine, but nothing special too? Nobody wants to look “just okay” on their wedding day. It is a little plain I suppose, and I do like the dress I ended up with better than this one (and a lot of brides recently have chosen this dress, so it wouldn’t have been very unique), so I guess it wasn’t meant to be, but it was a great dress nonetheless.
What I liked: The satin fabric, the fit and flare trumpet skirt, how it flattered curves, the buttons down the back, and the overall glamour of it.
What I didn’t like: That nobody else thought it was a winner. Also, it’s a popular dress so I would have been one of thousands upon thousands of brides who wore it in 2010.
The “One I didn’t expect to love” dress
This dress is one I never, ever expected to love. It’s just so girly – it even looks ridiculous on the hanger. I mean, look at it! Cascading ruffles, and a big blingy sequins brooch front and center? Absolutely not my typical style, but I loved it. It felt so fine with swish and twirl in it – it gave me little butterflies. It reminded me of Scarlett O’Hara meets cupcake. There were a few downsides. It was strapless (though I would have added a plain, thin halter strap to it), it had structured boning in the bodice and a seat belt strap across the waist that made it awfully uncomfortable, and I didn’t like the weird sequins thing on the chest so I probably would have had it removed. It was also about $200 more than I wanted to pay for it. I adored the way the back looked, I loved how it flowed when I walked in it, and I liked the shape it gave my waist. I really, really liked this dress and I wanted it to be the one, but it just wasn’t. It looked like a cupcake. I wanted a dress that looked like me, that looked like a Lara dress. I also had a gut instinct that Ted wouldn’t like it very much, and I wanted him to be impressed with my dress, not horrified by the overwhelming frillyness of it. But mostly, I needed it to represent me, and it didn’t. Plus it was too uncomfortable and cost more than I was willing to spend.
What I liked: The shape, the cascading ruffles, how it moved when I walked, and the back-view.
What I didn’t like: The sequins brooch, that it was strapless, how structured and movement-restrictive it was, and the price.
The “Runner Up” dress
Here she is, my second choice in all her glory. If I had chosen this knock-out Maggie Sottero dress, I would have done three major alterations to it to really glam it up and make it mine, though she was beautiful as is. It’s funny when you think about it, because this dress has many of the qualities that I blatantly did not want. It was a strapless, sweetheart neckline with ruching and a dropped waist, and had a corset back. In fact, it was exactly the opposite of what I wanted. But the material – oh, the material! The softest, smoothest, grandest, most luxurious fabric I’ve ever worn! The fabric alone instantly sold me on this dress, so much so that I was willing to overlook that it was everything I didn’t want! It was light, slippery and heavenly. It draped so beautifully and moved so effortlessly. And do you know why this dress is so popular? Because it looks good on everyone, regardless of their body type. It slims down all the right trouble spots and accentuates all the right curves. It is universally flattering, and only about $100 more than the limit I’d naively set for myself. It was a close call and the only reason I didn’t choose it is because I swear that I’ve seen a million girls wearing dresses identical to this style in the past two years. If I had chosen this beauty, I would have added a little something (a flower, sash, or brooch perhaps) to the gathering seem near the right hip bone, had them replace the corset back with a zippered back, and added some type of sleeves (maybe sheer off the shoulders sleeves, or a halter strap) just to keep it fresh, spice it up a bit, and make it my own.
What I liked: The stunning material, the softness, the way it moved, and how it reflected light. It was glamorous without being too girly. It gave me a great figure and it was so customizable and versatile.
What I didn’t like: The corset back was my biggest concern, because that would have been a major alteration to convert it to a zipper back. Other than that I loved it!
The Dress that Was
The winner was Jasmine Collection style F319 in ivory. It met all my strict criteria – except for the pockets. She was lightweight, extremely comfortable, easy to get into and out of by myself, had a very similar silky soft and light-reflective fabric to the Maggie Sottero I admired, minimal lace and beading, wasn’t strapless, had an interesting, fun back design, enough details to make it special, it came in about $200 under the $750 limit, was very good quality, and I’d never seen a dress on anyone before or since that looks quite like this dress. She looks 1940s in the front and Grecian in the back. For all the hassle, heartache and hopelessness – she was worth it!
Well, we’ve made it through the first four months of marriage! Crazy, right? It really does feel like much longer, but in a comfortable, peaceful way. Every day I appreciate my husband more and more. He’s working late on Rent again tonight so I just finished making myself a fancy Indian dinner for one: Chicken tiki masala over white jasmine rice cooked in lemongrass ginger tea and sprinkled with green onions and cilantro, and finished off with a cool glass of white wine.
I think I enjoy Indian food as much as I do because the first time I had it was when I was studying abroad in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England during the summer before my junior year of college. A select group of us were over there for a three-week Shakespeare scholarship and performance intensive at the Shakespeare Institute Birthplace Trust and with the Royal Shakespeare Company. We loved England and adored the work we were doing, but by day two we were pretty sick of English food, which is notoriously less than delicious. You can only have so many lamb pastries, egg salad sandwiches, and fish n’ chips platters before you’re just craving something, anything new. That evening we came across a nice Indian restaurant nestled snugly on a cobblestone street in downtown Stratford. Everyone else seemed to love Indian food; I had never tried it. It was phenomenal! England may not be much good at cooking up their own cuisine, but they sure do excel at making other county’s delicacies. I don’t eat Indian food often, but whenever it do it rouses such fond and wonderful memories of that trip with its distinctive flavor.
Eating our first meal of Indian food together in Stratford-Upon-Avon, circa 2007. I'm the second one on the left.Tonight's dinner - my version of the exact same meal I'm eating in the picture above.
Anyhow, in honor of the 4-month mark, I’d like to take this post and the next to focus on an iconic part of a woman’s wedding day (other than the swell gentleman she’s pledging her life to, obviously): her wedding dress.
My dress shopping experience lasted four grueling months and spanned five cities in two states with a minimum of at least 16 different bridal salons. I went alone, I went with Ted, I went with my mom, with my mom and my dad, and with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. I shopped in San Antonio, Austin, Milwaukee, Green Bay and a few other diddly-squat towns I don’t remember the names of. Shopping in San Antonio was a nightmare, an utter disaster because nearly every bridal gown closely resembled either a negligee or a Quinceanera dress – a mix between a sweet 15 and debutant ball for girls in the Latin American culture.
Imagine this in white. Yeah, that's what good ol' San Antone had in the way of wedding dresses. I can think of nothing more opposite to my bridal vision than this epic monstrosity.
My dress shopping experience was less of a twirling, squealing, champagne-and-strawberries fairytale and more of a tiresome, frustrating pain in the ass. I tried on my fair share of truly heinous frocks, all of which looked heavenly on the hanger and horrific on my body, I assure you. I also tried on my fair share of glamorous gowns – some of which I liked, and some of which I almost loved.
Before I go any further, let me tell you a story. A few brief months before we got engaged, Ted asked me what kinds of rings I liked. Since I’d never been engaged before, I really had no idea what I liked. I couldn’t even properly identify a diamond’s shape or cut, or any basic ring settings. So off to the jewelry store I went to gather some rudimentary thoughts of what I might like. I tried on everything from solitaries to multi-stones and round to princess to teardrop cuts. My ring size at the time was 5.5 (now a 4.5), but the standard issue engagement ring carried in stores for brides-to-be to try on is a size 7. Now matter how beautiful the ring, when it’s a size and a half too large, the fit makes it seem all wrong. I left the jewelry store more confused than ever and discouraged because not a single ring looked good on me. They were all gorgeous in their own right, but because they were all so ill-fitting, I thought every one of them looked terrible on my finger, though I didn’t realize that this was the problem – I simply thought I just looked stupid in rings. The only one I was convinced I loved was an odd conglomeration of three or four differently shaped diamonds in uniquely-fashioned paisley setting. Looking back I recall that the ring was a return and therefore had been previously re-sized to was a size 6 – much closer to my natural ring size, hence why it looked better on my finger than any of the other rings. Had all those rings been in my size, I’m willing to bet it would have been significantly easier for me to determine which styles I did and did not like. As it turns out, the emerald cut multi-stone staircase setting with channeling that Ted chose for me is perfect. I can’t imagine wearing anything else.
As with ring shopping, I found the biggest issue with dress shopping was that none of the dresses fit. And it’s hard to sell yourself on such a meaningful, expensive purchase when, no matter how much you swoon over a particular dress, it just doesn’t fit you well. Sure, you know it can be hemmed, taken in, let out, and otherwise altered to fit you precisely. But I just couldn’t visualize how awesome any one dress would look once it was altered correctly. It was discouraging and made the decision-making process simply excruciating. I kept thinking after every dress “Do I like it enough?,” “Will I have dress regret?,” “What else is out there?,” “If I buy this one now, what else will I be missing out on that might be on the market in three months?,” and “I’m running out of time. Can I afford to wait that long?”
I think there’s a common misconception that wedding dress shopping is fun. Everyone finds something they love. Everyone has the “Ah ha! This is it! This is the one!” moment. But that just isn’t true. I left stores feeling disheartened and frustrated, not only because nothing fit me right, but because none of the stores carried the style of dress I had envisioned for myself. I had my heart set on some pretty specific criteria and for the most part, I wasn’t willing to compromise and conform to the popular 2010 wedding dress standards. I knew for a fact that I did not want a strapless dress and that I did not want any beading, embroidery, or sequins either. I wanted something timeless, simple, elegant, and comfortable with an interesting back design and one or two standout details. Requiring a gown with straps automatically reduced my selection by 85% and requesting minimal-to-no beading hacked out another 13%. What remained for me to inspect was a mere 2% of the store’s selection. I was lucky to find even one or two dresses in each store that I was interested in. I joked with Ted that if I couldn’t find a dress soon I’d be wearing khakis and a white sweater down the aisle, and I was actually semi-serious because it was a better solution than making myself miserable searching obsessively and unsuccessfully for the perfect dress, which by that time, I believed, was indeed still somewhere out there, being closely guarded by aliens.
When I did finally give up on being stubbornly indecisive and picked a damn dress already, it wasn’t because tears gushed forth from the eyeballs of myself and my mother as we instantly locked eyes and knew it was “the one.” Rather, it was just simply choosing the dress that matched my stringent criteria to a tee, flattered my body the best, came with a price tag that didn’t make me want to scream into a pillow, and was original enough with its cut and details that I knew I wouldn’t have to fear looking like every other 2010 bride out there. I was, and still am, happy with my choice, but arriving at it wasn’t instantaneous or a piece of perfectly coiffed fondant wedding cake. It took some pretty major sweat and tears.
Ironically, now that I’m married, I love nearly every dress out there. All of the sudden the bridal market has exploded with a vast, dazzling array of lovely non-strapless options (one shoulder, sleeveless v-neck, and sheer flutter cap sleeves), fabulously attention-grabbing details (ruffles, pockets, pleating, and rosettes), luxurious fabrics, and plenty of dresses without beading. I’m convinced that, based on my standards, tastes and expectations, were I looking for a wedding dress this season, I’d have a much easier time of it now that all the pretty things I lusted over and desperately searched for 16 months ago are now a hot commodity in the bridal fashion industry. Naturally this would be the case. I have stereotypically poor timing when it comes to coinciding and meshing my style with what the rest of the world has to offer.
How about another story? I remember prom dress shopping like it was yesterday. Seriously. I remember pouring over prom magazines at my friend’s houses and during lunch for months beforehand then excitedly packing into a vehicle early one Saturday morning with a gaggle of girls and racing to bridal & prom shops and department stores to load up on armfuls of brightly colored dresses. We bravely modeled them all, the ugly and the awesome, for one another and boldly gave our honest opinions. It was fun, but it didn’t work. Why? Because there were too many damn cooks in the kitchen and the one opinion that really mattered, your own, got lost among the well-intended advice and suggestions of everyone and their mother (literally).
I know I used to have a gazillion pictures of my friends & I posed in fitting rooms trying on the butt-ugliest prom dresses we could get our hands on, just for a laugh. You'd be rolling in laughter if you saw them. They were ridiculous. Sadly, I can't find them. A real prom picture, circa 2004, will have to do.I had to post this picture for purely narcissistic reasons - like the fact that the back of my dress is amazing! I still adore it to this day. If I had an excuse to wear it, I'd slink right back into it this instant. I found it at a bridal store when just my mom & I were shopping for a dress.
I knew right from the start that I didn’t want to bring along a zoo of cheerleaders or a parade of loud and opinionated friends and family for that very reason. I wanted to go with only one or two people at most. I wanted the opinions only of those who mattered most to me and whose styles closely mirrored mine. I have never, for even a second, regretted this decision. I was confused enough with just my own jumbled thoughts tossing about inside my aching brain. I certainly would not have benefited from numerous other opinions. In fact, I sometimes felt that even the one or two opinions of my beloved family who were with me were just too much. I couldn’t see straight or think clearly when I happily cooed over a dress I liked and someone else told me they didn’t think it was very flattering, or when they gushed over a dress I couldn’t wait to scramble out of. I liked going alone and forming my own judgments that weren’t subject to anybody else’s review. Both my mom and my dad were nothing but encouraging and gave excellent advice – they nudged me along gently, giving me just the little push I needed to make a final decision without crowding me. I’d suggest this method to any future-bride out there. Please, please bring just that one special person (or two at most) with you instead of your bridal party of 15. If I’d had it my way (and if it weren’t such an apparent taboo), I’d have had Ted go dress shopping with me. His opinion was the one I wanted the most!
Now that I’ve gotten my long-winded philosophy on the art and reality of dress hunting out of the way, in tomorrow’s post I’ll show you “the dresses that weren’t.” You’ll see my top contenders, the runner-up, and why they didn’t make the cut.
