It's All About The Dress

Saturday Vixen, Babbles and I loaded up in the 4runner and headed for the mall. Our wallets were pretty close to empty but we looked forward to window shopping and drooling over things we know we can't afford. Plus we were on a mission; to find me a dress for the Marine Ball.

We enter the mall and head for the first department store. Its early in the day and we are all in high spirits. While I look for a ball dress Vixen and Babbles seem on a quest to find the worse dress the store had to offer. This didn't last long as Vixen was distracted by a pretty party dress. She quickly finds her size and then chooses another party dress for me determined that we must take a few minutes to play dress up. Babbles laughs and declines to get involved. But Vixen and I out vote her and she quickly chooses a gaudy hooker dress and follows us to the dressing room.... with some protest of course.

{Babbles is in the purple ~ I am in the black (and why yes those are cowboy boots with the dress) lol ~ And Vixen is in the white and black. They were twirly dresses so Vixen and I had to twirl --- hope this at least makes you laugh. }

After our moments of fun we once again started acting our age. I tried on the two possible ball dresses, both of which received big thumbs down from the girls.

All of us are hungry so we head to the food court for some awful Japanese food. Really we knew better. The lights of Subway beckoned to me but I stayed in line for teriyaki chicken and fried rice. Which as most mall food is, was a big disappointment.

After lunch we search a few bridal shops looking at bridesmaids dresses hoping to find "the one". No such luck. We continue on. We enter Macy's and start flipping thru the racks.

All the dresses are:

A) To sparkly/flashy [ I do not consider myself a flashy person and really don't like to stand out ]

B) The wrong color [ I have to match Marine's Dress Blues...... that limits my color options to navy, red, and black ]

C) Not formal enough [ ie to short, show to much skin, etc ]

D) To promish [ yes there is such a thing ]

E) To old lady looking

After some searching I have two dresses in hand. Vixen is standing in the coat section drooling over a white Jessica Simpson coat.

Just in case, I decide to head up the escalator and search the second floor.... just to make sure there are no more dresses. Vixen's eyes do not leave the coat as she says she will meet us upstairs shortly. Somewhere between the coats and the escalator I lose Babbles. Holding my dresses I spin in a circle looking for her. She's tall surely I could spot her. Oh hell...... By my lonesome I head up the escalator. I wander around and happen to stumble upon a small dress section labeled Petite. And there it is. The Dress.

Excitedly I look around. No Vixen. No Babbles. I pull out the Blackberry and speed dial. No answer. I call again. I get Babbles she is heading my way. I show her the dress and she helps me to find my size. I grab a 6P seeing as at the last store the 4's were a little tight.

"Just in case," Babbles says as she grabs the only 4p hanging on the rack.

My phone rings. It's Vixen. She is lost in purses, "Head towards the shoes," I say which may have very well meant 'walk towards the light!' lol

They follow me to the dressing room. I try on the dress. Babbles and Vixen are both silent...... for a split second.... which is a miracle in itself. Then at once they both start rambling.....

Vixen with a sharp in take of breath: "If I ever get married that is your bridesmaid dress."

Babbles: "Oh that would make a beautiful bridesmaids dress!....... Step back so I can take a picture."

I flatten myself to the dressing room wall.

Babbles: "Back further....." I open the stall door and step out.

I hear a gasp as a woman from the other end of the dressing room exclaims, "Oh honey! You look stunning."

As I turn to tell her thank you I can hear Babbles and Vixen, their voices never ceasing.

Vixen: "It's beautiful."

Babbles: "Yes very much our age."

Vixen: "He's going to want to propose to you when he sees you in that dress."

Babbles: "OH MY GOD he is so going to propose to you!!"

Vixen: "What if he did propose? What would you say?"

Babbles: "She would say yes of course."

Vixen: "You can't move out and get married!! You at least have to wait till he gets out of the Marines."

Babbles: "That dress is just fabulous."

Mind you I can not get a word in edge wise and in less than a minute they have me engaged and Vixen worrying about me moving out. Meanwhile the lady at the other end of the dressing room is still exclaiming how great the dress looks on me and is now calling to her friend to come see me!

I thank the lady again and she moves along and I step back in the dressing room. Vixen and Babbles are seated on the bench and are still going 90 to nothing..... now they are on the topic that if nothing else the dress with definitely get me laid. Yes, they are great friends.

"He is not going to propose," I tell them.

"He might when he sees you in that dress," Babbles says as she unzips me.

"This is moving way to fast. I'm not ready," Vixen stammers.

Babbles: "Come on Vixen we all know he's the one."

"You guys! Hello!!" I turn and they both finally grow silent. "He is not going to propose," I look at Babbles and then to Vixen, "I'm not moving out." They both just grin at me not hearing a word I say as they ignore me and then continue with their banter. I sigh and hand over the dress for Vixen to put back on the hanger (the 4p i might add!! Yes the 6 was to big ~ working out is paying off).

"Should I try on the other two?" I ask.

"Heck might as well...... Just to see." Babbles replies.

Before I even have the next one on and zipped they are both already telling me they don't like it. I hand it to Babbles and take the third one which is also met with disapproval.

Vixen points out that the 4p is missing the little hook above the zipper. She knows the dress is more than I wanted to spend and in order to afford it I will pick up a few extra nights at Sports Bar (mainly so I don't feel guilty spending the extra money). So she brings the 6P with us to the nice lady behind the sales counter and in return for the missing piece I receive 15 percent off.

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Below are pictures Vixen took with her IPhone. They really do not do the dress justice! I almost don't want to even post them...... EEK!! There is much more detail to the dress then the picture shows....... As you can see its black and fitted at the top and then flares out slightly at the knees. At the top there is also black tulle that comes up just a hint to accent.

As Babbles said it looks my age - not like I'm trying to be a teenage reliving my prom glory years.

"Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman."

~ Coco Chanel ~