a dressy affair
I thought I'd show you these photos during my recent trip to Ann Taylor LOFT at our local mall on Sunday during a last ditch effort to find something fun for one of the two upcoming weddings (my cousin's and two good college friends).
Let's not talk about the long drive I took Saturday AFTER 16+ miles of running to not find a dress at the outlet mall in 90 degree heat. Let's not talk about there not being a JCrew within an hour's drive of this town I live in. And finally, let's not talk about how many times I've been caught by the manfriend browsing for wedding guest appropriate dresses online.
But we can talk about what I've learned from this whole dress search. About dresses and what works on my body and about shopping in general.
Too much fabric or too long or something.
Just say no to puffy sleeves and fabric tummy pooches.
Blah.
Good shape, not bad, but a plain black dress.
Comfy, but not the most flattering shape.
My favorite of the bunch. And of course the most expensive. And of course, manfriend didn't really like it.
Because I figure most of you don't want to hear about marathon training in every post, this should help mix things up a bit. Besides running, working, eating and sleeping, dress shopping has become my latest hobby. There isn't time for anything else.
Saturday market, a trip to the local farm, dropping off no longer worn clothes at the second hand store...all things that have been on my list for weeks, but there is no time. I imagine this is what a new mother with a crying, pooping, always nursing baby might experience, but in a more tangible way. A more "I'm giving life to this thing" and less of a "damn, I'd like to make it to the farmer's market some day soon" kinda way.
Anyway, on to the point of all this rambling! In the search for a dress that would you know, look good in photos and not make me look so short and pale, I realized a few things. The dresses I already have could probably work just fine.
Not only that, the time I've spent shopping brought up feelings of guilt. Feelings of "why the hell do I feel like I need to prove myself to anyone in some expensive dress that just might hang in my closet for a few years without being worn?" And "why the hell are these cheap pieces of fabric made in a sweatshop in Taiwan this expensive anyway?!" And "why is it so hard to find a classy looking simple dress?" BAH!
One thing I know for sure is that when you're looking for something specific, it's much harder to find. Often, it's those times when you were just browsing or don't have much extra cash to spare when you find that heart swooning pair of jeans, the perfect wedding appropriate dress, the necklace of your dreams.
Alas, I think I'm wearing a black strapless dress I already own to my cousin's wedding and the other is still up in the air. What item have you spent the most time and energy shopping for? Do you feel guilty for making purchases you know in your heart you don't need but love the excuse to buy? Or do you just throw caution to the wind?
Let's not talk about the long drive I took Saturday AFTER 16+ miles of running to not find a dress at the outlet mall in 90 degree heat. Let's not talk about there not being a JCrew within an hour's drive of this town I live in. And finally, let's not talk about how many times I've been caught by the manfriend browsing for wedding guest appropriate dresses online.
But we can talk about what I've learned from this whole dress search. About dresses and what works on my body and about shopping in general.
Too much fabric or too long or something.
Just say no to puffy sleeves and fabric tummy pooches.
Blah.
Good shape, not bad, but a plain black dress.
Comfy, but not the most flattering shape.
My favorite of the bunch. And of course the most expensive. And of course, manfriend didn't really like it.
Because I figure most of you don't want to hear about marathon training in every post, this should help mix things up a bit. Besides running, working, eating and sleeping, dress shopping has become my latest hobby. There isn't time for anything else.
Saturday market, a trip to the local farm, dropping off no longer worn clothes at the second hand store...all things that have been on my list for weeks, but there is no time. I imagine this is what a new mother with a crying, pooping, always nursing baby might experience, but in a more tangible way. A more "I'm giving life to this thing" and less of a "damn, I'd like to make it to the farmer's market some day soon" kinda way.
Anyway, on to the point of all this rambling! In the search for a dress that would you know, look good in photos and not make me look so short and pale, I realized a few things. The dresses I already have could probably work just fine.
Not only that, the time I've spent shopping brought up feelings of guilt. Feelings of "why the hell do I feel like I need to prove myself to anyone in some expensive dress that just might hang in my closet for a few years without being worn?" And "why the hell are these cheap pieces of fabric made in a sweatshop in Taiwan this expensive anyway?!" And "why is it so hard to find a classy looking simple dress?" BAH!
One thing I know for sure is that when you're looking for something specific, it's much harder to find. Often, it's those times when you were just browsing or don't have much extra cash to spare when you find that heart swooning pair of jeans, the perfect wedding appropriate dress, the necklace of your dreams.
Alas, I think I'm wearing a black strapless dress I already own to my cousin's wedding and the other is still up in the air. What item have you spent the most time and energy shopping for? Do you feel guilty for making purchases you know in your heart you don't need but love the excuse to buy? Or do you just throw caution to the wind?
Comments
My life consists of work, running, blogging and that's about it. It's hard to find things to blog about sometimes! Haha
I try really hard not to feel guilty when I buy clothes, especially if I really don't need it. I allow myself two big shopping sprees a year and that's that!
So I am glad I did not buy a dress for that wedding and instead made a dress from my closet work....
Good luck coming up with the right dress for each occasion. It is so so tough sometimes! And it's natural to want to look good when you are at an event like a wedding!