Joan Foley♪ ♪ ♪ Every picture tells a story don’t it? ♪ ♪ ♪
My daughter said, “Yes to the dress,” an emotional touchpoint in a mother’s life. If you’ve been there you know what I mean.
Checking out, the dress consultant directed her attention towards me, “Did you see the Mother of the Bride dresses over there?” I turned to look at the racks hanging for us moms. “I’ll come back to look at them.”
This is my daughter’s day. And I am not ready to try on dresses yet.
As a woman you understand the full spectrum of emotion that goes along with shopping for clothes. Magnify that times 100 and that’s how I felt about MOB dress shopping. Planning the appointments took time, pulling up the shapewear took effort. Shopping in a dimly lit dressing room over and over again took energy, and coming out of the dressing room took courage.
But soon after my daughter pressed, “Did you start looking for a dress?” For the first stop, I met my daughters at the local dress boutique. “There are no dresses in my size,” I thought and immediately felt intimidated.
“Try them on anyway,” the proprietor said. “We order the dress according to your measurements.”
Standing in the dressing room, emotion I was not expecting passed through me. Pulling off my pants I stepped into the rabbit hole of self criticism. “Don’t look in the mirror,” I told myself. The sagging underwear, varicose veins, pockets of softness covered my body reminding me I am no longer the bride.
Stop! You are a real woman, do NOT compare yourself to photo models, the dings and dents of life are normal. You wanted to enjoy this experience, right? No self shame!
I emerged from the dressing room as my daughters stared at their phones.
Can you both please look a little more enthused? Do you realize the therapy session I just had with myself in the dressing room?
The sales staff came over to tighten my bra straps, pull up the front and push down on the back as I stood there uncomfortably straight.
The glam dress. My daughters loved it. I felt like Zsa Zsa Gabor in Green Acres. ♪ “Honey I love you but give me Park Ave!” ♪
But how do you dance?
“Instead of a bra you wear a bustie, what?” More coverage please.
OK maybe a little too much coverage. Getting a strong Serena Joy Waterford vibe.
LOVE! But it was more expensive than my daughter’s dress.
Very comfortable and it even had pockets!
♪“Looking for ruching in all the wrong places “ ♪♪
Just keep looking, just keep driving…
With the right perspective I enjoyed going to the different shops, even in the middle of winter. After the initial shock of that first appointment I had fun trying on the glam gown that said, “I spent the last 30 years in the gym and med spa,” the beaded dress that weighed 40 pounds and created a spectacular story on your body. They were beautiful but not for me.
This is my daughter’s wedding. I am not the bride, I’ve had my turn. I want to compliment my daughter, not compete with her.
More importantly, I wanted a dress that fit my body instead of trying to fit my body into a dress. Style, comfortable fabric, being able to dance and wear a regular bra were all musts in my final selection.
I tried this on just for the sleeves and ended up loving the fabric. It had just enough stretch for comfort but still kept everything in. I narrowed the selection to Chiara Boni La Petite Robe dresses | Chiara Boni Online Shopping.
Chiara Boni La Petite Robe Metallic V-Neck Sunburst Wrap Gown is the winner!
Metallic sparkles that flash glam, ruching in the right place, a regular bra to hold up the girls, and a split seam so I can dance. The next call is to my tailor.
Stay tuned for Part 2, finding the perfect shoes…