A "Trying" Day? : )

Ah....feeling much better this morning and raring to go.

Today's quest- should I decide to accept it (!)- is to try and find a gown for an upcoming black tie wedding.

For me, this ranks only second to having to start trying on bathing suits in the springtime...and I know all of the women out there are shaking their heads in agreement.

Long, short, tea length, strapless, one shoulder, sleeveless, long-sleeved, fitted, loose, ruffled, sleek, black, soft-colors, brightly-colored........the choices are endless.

None of those decisions are the issue.

The issue here is finding one that I can actually go out in public dressed in.

(Dave, on the other hand, will unenthusiastically adorn himself with his black tuxedo that he purchased a couple of year's ago...and that will be that! How unfair is that?)

We women have to enter these brightly-lit dressing rooms with the very frightening mirrors that show how you look from the front, sides and back. I always used to think, "Who cares how it looks from the back...what I can't see can't hurt me, right?". Well, the department stores have taken care of that for us by installing these "tell-all, show-all" mirrors. Thank you very much. aagh

As soon as the salesgirl sees me perusing the gowns, she immediately comes to my rescue....or so I think. As I wait patiently in the dressing room of terrors, she will bring in a plethora of gowns for me to try on.

Most of them make me say, "Are you kidding me?". But, in hopes of miraculously turning back time and still being in the body that I had in my 20's, I acquiesce and try each one on.

I have always thought that a hidden camera in one of these "torture chamber" dressing rooms would make for great reality show fodder! If one listens carefully you can actually hear the private chuckles emanating from the stalls as each woman independently begins her "trying on experience"! Also heard will be the deep breaths as we try to suck in every inch of "excess" to make the sleek gown look fabulous.

It occurs to me that if the gown is too tight, I will have to hold in my breath during the entire wedding and after-party. I have always thought that a little too much wine could easily solve this issue as we loosen up and eventually let out our breaths and stop worrying about what we are wearing!! Maybe that is why there are always drinks at weddings and other formal occasions. *hic*

Well, back to the issue at hand.

The first challenge is "the zipper". Nothing is more humiliating than trying to zip up the back of the gown on your own without success and having to walk out in the hallway searching for a salesgirl to help you with this chore. It is similar to how Cinderella's stepsister's felt when trying on the too small glittery slipper. Hopeful, but humiliating in the end.

Once you are now actually wearing the dress, can you breathe reasonably well? Is anything showing that shouldn't be? Can you dance the night away in this dress or will you be happy just to be able to sit in it? If you eat one too many hors d'eurves, will the dress no longer fit?

These are just a few of the questions that must be asked.

Well, with all of this in mind, I am going to take on this challenge for the day.

I will report back tomorrow.

Wish me luck!