For the past few weeks, I’ve been a dress quest for SG’s wedding, which is this weekend.
Usually I get my dresses at the Loft or Lord & Taylor or Macy’s, but this time I wanted to try something different. I wanted something unique and old-fashioned. Think Audrey Hepburn with a dash of Doris Day.
I started at the old standby, Lord & Taylor. The usual stuff, though some of it was pretty, but not what I was imagining. Next was Sak’s. Nada, except pushy sales ladies who offered to put my dresses in a dressing room, which I then couldn’t find. Ditto for Bloomingdale’s and Barney’s.
Ideally I wanted a little boutique with one-of-a-kind items. You’d think you wouldn’t be able to swing a dead cat without hitting one in my area, but of course when you’re actually looking for something, you can’t find it.
Finally, this weekend MB and I just happened past the cutest little boutique on Avenue B. I popped in to do reconaissance and the stuff was ADORABLE. So finally Monday night, with faithful and patient boyfriend in tow, I returned to try things on.
And try things on I did. The saleswoman was great, almost like a personal shopper. I told her what I was looking for and for what occasion, and she pulled a million things. Most of them were really nice, but quickly I came to realize that reality and my fantasy dress did not mesh.
There was an old-fashioned Lucille Ball type dress. A beautiful blue. It fit really well, but I just couldn’t pull it off. Several dresses I could barely even get ON. I kept looking for extra zippers to unzip. There was a silver one that was beautiful, but maybe too formal for a day wedding, and also almost $400(!).
Still that was a contender, along with a very simple short black dress that looked really cute. The only problem? The waist was TINY. The rest of the dress fit perfectly, but I could barely breathe even standing up. Still, it was very pretty and on sale for $188 down from $350, and I was sort of desperate so I bought it.
Then got buyer’s remorse pretty much immediately.
At home I tried on the dress again. It was no more comfortable, and I started to think I looked like I was going to a funeral. I put on black heels and pearls, and then looked like the director of a funeral parlor.
So what did I do the next day? Head over to the Loft. And what did I find? A lovely, comfortable dress for fifty bucks, marked down from $79.
*Sigh* That’s the last time I try to be a fashionista.
I just hope I can return that black dress. Or at least get store credit.
You might find this interesting – and I am not sure if this is a difference between men and women – but I have never returned a piece of clothing in my entire life. I don’t think men do that. Who can say why.