I'll Take It!

Since Son Brian is getting married this May, I get to be a MOG (Mother of the Groom). Of course I need a dress for the occasion. As per wedding etiquette, the bride's mom got to decide on her dress style and color first; it's my job to find something fabulous that will coordinate with her.

The whole dress process is pretty intimidating. I'm not a formal wear type of person, and I don't want to spend an exorbitant amount of money on a dress I'll only wear once. Last week I was discussing the topic with a friend. She mentioned a bridal store not far from my house that was closing and selling off all their inventory. I decided to go check it out.

The front door of the store opened into a main reception area, with several rooms branching off it. The salesclerk directed me to the correct room, told me everything in there was 50 percent off, and let me look around. The selection was pretty picked over, but I found two that were my size and an appropriate color. The clerk put both dresses in a room for me and told me to let her know if I needed help.

When she closed the dressing room door, I took a closer look at the two dresses. Neither of them were what I was looking for. They were strapless, with enough boning to be able to stand up on their own, and loaded with sparkles. Not exactly appropriate for an outdoor semi-casual wedding. Even at half price, they were substantially more than I wanted to spend. The original price for one of them was as much as our house payment used to be!

I hung the dresses back up, and started to say goodbye to the salesclerk. However, I noticed a selection of dresses in one of the other rooms that looked interesting. They were much less formal, appropriate for a prom, a bridesmaid, or an outdoor semi-casual wedding. I was excited when I found nice tea-length one in an appropriate color and size, and thrilled when it I tried it on. Except for a few minor changes (raising the too-low-for-my-taste front, taking in the sides a bit, and adding a shawl or stole for warmth) it was exactly what I was looking for.

The dresses in the second room were one of two price points, anywhere between 50% and 90% off the original price. I was expecting to pay the higher of the two prices, but was ecstatic when it ended up being the lower. I've bought lunches that were more expensive than the dress!

The dress was being sold "as is" with no returns allowed. That caused me to stop and think, but only for a minute. I got a wonderful dress for a great price. The money I saved can go towards all the other extras...undergarments, shoes, jewelry, purse...that I'll need to complete the outfit.