I Am Not Formal Wear Material

This is so typical "us."

Lyndsi got home from work at 6:30 last night, and we left immediately to go dress shopping.  Her brother is getting married in 4 weeks (August 9th) and she is getting married 7 weeks later (September 27th.)  I had been thinking earlier in the day about which would be better - to buy a dress and then maybe (hopefully!) lose weight between now and then, causing the need to either exchange or have the dress altered?  Or to wait to see how the weight fluctuated for a few more weeks, causing a mad, crazy, super stressed shopping frenzy to find A dress, ANY dress, for the Big Event(s)?

First thing's first, of course.  We went straight to dinner.  No salads for us.  Shopping?  Pfft.  Carrabba's, baby!  We loaded up on Chicken Alfredo with bread dipped in herb olive oil.  Oh yeah!  We DID have a salad.  Caesar.  On the side.  Smothered in dressing and Parmesan cheese.

Sufficiently bloated and full, we first shopped the formal dress department at Belk.  Lyndsi found one dress that made me almost swallow my tongue (it was GORGEOUS) but she is waiting to see if she can find anything she likes better.  Besides, they only had one dress in the size needed.  Someone too big had obviously tried it on because the fabric all along the zipper had been shredded in their attempt to get out of it.  But Belk has the dress available online.  We took a picture for future comparison.  And in case she decides she wants it after all.

I tried on a couple of dresses.  All the other dressing room occupants heard, "YUCK!"  "Ugh."  "Ew."  "Get it off.  Get it off, get it off, get it offfffff."  Shopping with me is not for the faint of heart.  Lyndsi says I'm too picky.  I say I just know what I like (and what I don't like.)  For these weddings, I want blue, gray, silver, brown or black dresses, with sleeves and a flattering cut, that's comfortable, and doesn't look like I'm running the risk of duplicating Great Grandmother Zelda.  Or Morticia Addams.

At 8:15 we decided we should give up on Belk and try Dillard's.  Which was at the other end of the mall.  Which closed at 9:00.  We decided it would be fastest to drive over.

We walked into Dillard's at 8:25 and I saw the sales lady roll her eyes. And I totally agreed.  30 minutes?  Really?  I usually DESPISE being hounded and followed around by sales ladies.  I'm closed minded that way.  I think I know best what I like and what I'd be seen wearing.  But she was helpful.  She pointed out 2-3 pretty dresses that I agreed to humor her (as she put it) and try on.  But I also grabbed a dress that caught my eye on the way to the dressing room.  She rolled her eyes again.

I was nice.  I tried on her suggestions.  They were pretty.  But one was sleeveless.  And another had one of those tiny bolero jackets.  The third one - the color.  Iridescent blue.  Is that still around???  And then I tried mine.  The instinct grab.  And Lyndsi and I both had that knowing look in our eyes before she even zipped me up.  It's classic. It sparkles and shines but in all the good ways.  I told her I felt like Lucille Ball and 1950's.

The dress was falling apart.  The sales lady acknowledged that that is what happens to a lot of the beaded dresses from being stuffed and moved around on the racks so much.  She special ordered a duplicate to be shipped directly to my home.  And of COURSE I woke up in a cold sweat this morning, thinking I should have ordered a size smaller.  I have 11 weeks to lose a dress size.  It could happen!  I looked my order up online at 8:00 a.m.  It has already shipped.

I guess I will wait and see how it looks when it gets here.  Maybe I'll exchange for a smaller size.  Or maybe I'll just embrace my gut and welcome the fact that no diet is necessary.