Have you ever bought something impulsively, just because it was beautiful, even though you knew you would never, ever have a use for it, and then months, or years later you said, “I have JUST the thing!”?

I was at a thrift store about 6 years ago and this one dress caught my eye, and I caught my breath. I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. I kept walking away, and walking back, gazing at it.

This voice in my head was saying, “Yeah, right Val. That will look so good at the lake. I can see you reclining in the camper like the Queen of Sheba after you get done frying bacon over the camp fire. You planning on crashing Windsor castle anytime soon, hang out with the Queen? Are you going to invite the Obama’s for a black tie barbeque? Don’t be stupid —whispers “how much is it?..” TWENTY DOLLARS! ARE YOU INSANE? YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SPEND TWENTY DOLLARS ON A THRIFT STORE DRESS YOU WILL NEVER, EVER WEAR!”

I had to. I’m usually really strong willed, and can walk away from even the most alluring thing, but I couldn’t walk away from that dress that I would never, ever wear. I don’t know why.

So I brought it home, put it in the closet. It kept making its way further and further into the depths. I’d come upon it occasionally, and think “That is so beautiful. Maybe I should frame it so I can get something for my money, cause I’m never, ever going to wear it.”

It finally made its way all the way to the back. Last time I saw it was about 4 years ago, and I haven’t thought about it since.

Well, on Saturday my son told me the other day that he and his fiancé had finally set a firm wedding date, for Oct 31st. And the planning begins.

And, of course, “What am I going to wear??”

I started mentally going through my closet, got to the back…and froze. I thought “No way!” My mind stopped right there, but for two days I couldn’t bring myself to pull the dress out of the closet and into the light of day again. I was afraid it wouldn’t be what I remembered it to be. I was afraid it would be all wrong. I was afraid it wouldn’t fit…I hadn’t even tried it on before I bought it! I was afraid because I so wanted it to be just right.

Finally pulled out last night. OMG! It is PERFECT! But…what if it doesn’t even fit? So I took off my T-shirt and put the jacket on The dress is sort of an all-purpose under-dress, not really meant to be worn stand alone, like a slip, so I’m not worried about it fitting. The jacket fit me like it had been tailor-made for me, which is not an easy thing for my body type. (Put it this way; in my bikini days I had to buy a size 10 for the top and size 8 for the bottoms which meant cannibalizing two bikinis.)

I smiled at my reflection and walked out to show my husband. His eyes actually lit up! He said, “Wow! It’s beautiful! You’re beautiful!”

I glanced down, past the rich, deep-blue satin-and-pearl look, to my orange Garfield pajama bottoms and leopard slippers and had to laugh. I wanted to say, “Gimme the EBT card so I can go to the convenience store and show ‘em how it’s done!” But he would have had no idea what I was talking about, partly because we don’t have and EBT card.

I am more excited about this dress than I was about my first wedding dress! I am so very thrilled.

And now I have to get a professional hair cut for the first time in 8 years, and waxed and all that crap. Sigh.

Here are pictures, of course. They’re not the most flattering, it’s not the best light, and the dress isn’t hanging right, but I hope you can see past all of that. And hopefully I’ll have pics of me at the wedding.

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PS. Later that evening my husband said, “So, what shoes are you going to wear with that dress?” and laughed when he saw me freeze and go wide-eyed, like a doe in the headlights. I’m hardly ever a girly-girl, but there are times when it is called for and he was thoroughly enjoying it.
I said, “Um. Honey. I walked in to that Mom and Pop shoe-shop about two weeks ago and saw these beautiful shoes that I knew I would never ever wear….They were a dark blue and…well, they were like $70.00. No way am I going to choke spend that kind of money on a pair of shoes. Not happening. choke”

He just grinned.