I am going to be a bridesmaid in a wedding in August. Numero dos this year for me. And while I am very happy for the couple and that I'll be able to share in their special day (truly, it was an honor just being nominated.....okay, enough with the sarcasm...), the inevitable moment comes when you actually must purchase the pre-selected bridesmaid dress. I, being the responsible adult and steadfast friend I am (What can I say? I'm a giver), put off this little venture until the last possible minute. My best excuses why: The store is in Baton Rouge, and it made me a little ill to think about (especially after the last bridesmaid dress). I couldn't just order online because I needed to check the length. (Or so I thought.) I finally put on my "big girl" britches and marched myself, head held high, into the place that makes most of us (single, approaching-30-ish) just a little bit shell-shocked.....David's Bridal.
I kid you not, as soon as I stepped out of my car to go inside, the bottom dropped out of the sky and I got a little, er, damp. I walked in, prayed I wouldn't break out in hives, picked up the catalog, found the dress and number, and then found my way unnoticed (apparently I didn't look bridely enough and hadn't suddenly developed a prediliction for my left hand) through 10 aisles of special occasion goodness and light (with a sprinkling of hoochie festive for variety) dresses until finding the same style as the one my friend had selected. Naturally, there were no "truffle" colored dresses in the store, so I had to try on the "lilac" one just for size. Fabulous. I grabbed 2 and made my way to the dressing room...sorry, "custom fitting lounge." There were apparently rooms available, but were locked. After standing there with both arms full of light purple satin, some sales associated had pity on me and let me go in (as long as I didn't go into a room a prospective bride was using). After putting the dress on, I came to a shocking revelation.....there are no mirrors inside the room--they're all outside--in the common area. So not only do you not know what it looks like on, you get to share the moment with whatever random stranger happens to be there. Peachy. To make things even better, I had to try on the larger size because the smaller one fit but was too short, and sadly, they cannot add extra length to bridesmaid gowns. Round two involved the same process, except I had to make my reappearance in the lounge of mirrors clutching the dress to keep it from falling off.
Satisfied it (with another $50 worth of alterations) would do, I changed, dodged at least 10 girls (seriously, isn't there a minimum age for this?) trying of wedding dresses, and presented myself to the front desk sales associate. After a very circular discussion about the price of the matching sash/wrap (She must have slept through the training day about accessories, because she had no idea what I was talking about.) I made my purchase and fled the building.
the "truffle" dress
Feeling a little unsettled with all of this, I took solace in my refuge in times past---a trip to Lifeway and the closest shoe store. Two hours, 3 books, and one pair of Enzo shoes later, I felt like myself again. :)
2 comments:
well maybe your david's bridal ascribes to the same theory as mine and that size bigger from the factory will be fit like a glove since those in the store just get stretched out or something like that. and then perhaps 50 bucks in alterations will not be necessary. either way look on the bright side...you could be wearing another golden girls dress.
i must admit that she picked a lovely color dress. yes, i saw pics of your last one. ;)
i'm on a mission to boycott david's bridal if and when my "day that's all about me" arrives. the store is a bane to creativity and, well, to my existence period. i'm just saying...
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