THE Dress

My favorite designer is and always has been Priscilla of Boston. There was a dress called Maeve that I have been lusting after for years. The dress has a sweetheart neckline, made of ivory silk taffeta, a ballgown sillouhette and a big bow on the hip. Part of me believed deep down in my heart that I could rationalize spending $2675 on a wedding dress.

Then in June or so of 2011, they announced that they were closing their doors on December 31st after 65 years of being in business. If you have time at some point, look up Priscilla Kidder, the mother of the company who started it herself when no bank would give a woman a loan. She was one tough cookie, and just another reason why I love this company.

I was so sad because FH (future husband) hadn't proposed yet and now I wouldn't get my chance to have my dream dress, as they had stopped production and were only selling samples. I am on the email list for Priscilla so each time the dresses got discounted I was given a notice. First 30% off, which didn't make much of a dent in the price. Then in October it was discounted 70% to $800. Still expensive but now within reach. It was a few days after FH had proposed so I gave the Denver salon a call. They had sold my Maeve two days before. I thought, "that's it, I've got to buy a dress online or worse at David's Bridal."

Then, the last week of November, I got another email. All dresses from $2000-$3999 were discounted to $299. Holy $#!# , I thought! This was my chance. If there was a sample Maeve still unpurchased in any salon in the country, I was going to buy her. I started with Atlanta (alphabetical order), and they told me they had it! Perfect condition, Ivory, Sample Size 10 Maeve. And they could ship it for only $50.

I was ready to buy it right then and there, as not to risk losing the dress (lucky for me the salon was only open another 13 minutes). But I took a night to think on it and talk with FH. My mom (who I had  been texting like mad about THE dress), said she would like to buy the dress for me. So the next morning on December 1st, I called the salon the minute they opened and bought the dress.

The dress arrived at my work a week later in a giant white box. All the ladies I worked with wanted to see the dress on, so I got to put on my beautiful gown. Since it's a sample size 10 (street size 4-6) and I'm a size 2 and not exactly tall, the dress is about 1 1/2 inches too big around the bust and about 4 inches too long. I have to get it altered but other than that, it is everything I had hoped for. A few little dirty marks here and there, nothing that will show in pictures or that can't be dry cleaned out.

So the moral of this story is: If it is meant to be, it will be. Don't settle for something that won't make you happy just because you think you have to make a decsision RIGHT NOW! Let things happen as they should because more than likely  you will be happy with the result. But on the flipside, don't second guess yourself either. If your dream dress (man, shoes, job opportunity, house) is within reach, don't say no worrying about something better coming along.

I got my dream dress and I couldn't be happier!


Any of you have any great dress stories where  you were able to get your dream dress almost magically? Any one worried about having to settle for a dress?