Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Story of a Dress

Bridesmaid dresses are a complete racket.  You pay for the dress, the alterations, and post-event dry cleaning all in a delirious state of "I WILL wear this again!" 

And then you never do.

I'm putting an end to this vicious cycle.  Click here for full story in Chicago Parent.


The "final hours" of my last bridesmaid dress.  Will it live to fight another day?
Oh, and that picture above?  It was about 5 am during the after-after party.  I am using the bottom portion of the bride's dress for my blanky.  Desperate times, desperate measures. 
Plastered by at

28 comments:

  1. J.R.February 20, 2013 at 10:05 AM

    I am so loving the picture!!
    You might be making history you know? I mean, actually being able to make use of a bridesmaid dress AFTER the wedding. (and double points that it's for a good cause)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. MarianneFebruary 20, 2013 at 12:26 PM

      I am practically an enviornmentalist with all this re-using, no? Thanks, JR! I sort of love that picture, too.

      Delete
  2. UnknownFebruary 20, 2013 at 10:23 AM

    Just returned from reading the story of the red dress, which is, by the way, my favorite color. I'm thinking now you need to head out to Los Angeles this weekend and crash the Oscars!

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    1. MarianneFebruary 20, 2013 at 12:27 PM

      The OSCARS!!! How did I forget the OSCARS!! I WILL be wearing the dress all day Sunday now. Thanks, Danelle!

      Delete
  3. bettyFebruary 20, 2013 at 10:25 AM

    We need a picture of you wearing the dress if you do for the Heart Association event! I bet you will look stunning! Wow, 20-plus weddings you were part of! I think that is a record in itself!!

    betty

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    1. MarianneFebruary 20, 2013 at 12:28 PM

      Thanks, Betty! I think brides pick me because I make them look small. I'll definitely post pics!!

      Delete
  4. MOVFebruary 20, 2013 at 10:31 AM

    Read it. Loved it. Why are you not really famous yet????

    xxo
    MOV

    ReplyDelete
  5. Larissa T.February 20, 2013 at 10:51 AM

    I think I might need a picture of you in that dress. Full-length. Just saying. (; Do have fun at "Girl's Night Out"! (:

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    1. MarianneFebruary 20, 2013 at 12:28 PM

      Thanks, Larissa and I will be bring my camera, so sit tight!

      Delete
  6. UnknownFebruary 20, 2013 at 1:02 PM

    My friends and I have all decided that one night we are going to squeeze into one of our favorite bridesmaids dresses and go out for a night on the town!!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. MarianneFebruary 21, 2013 at 9:55 AM

      I'm in, Kat! Lemme know when!

      Delete
    2. UnknownFebruary 22, 2013 at 9:31 AM

      Ok, so one of my best friends lives in Chicago. IF I ever go visit her again, we'll do it! :-) Hey and I thought of you with my most recent post. Did you know you make Vanilla extract with VODKA???

      Delete
  7. Just JenFebruary 20, 2013 at 1:07 PM

    Laugh out loud at work (while I'm not suppose to be reading blogs) funny. When a girl needs a blankie, even a shiny satin dress will do!

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    1. MarianneFebruary 21, 2013 at 9:56 AM

      Amen! And I felt the bride got some extra-usage out of her dress! Along with some of my drool.

      Delete
  8. NicrophorusFebruary 20, 2013 at 1:57 PM

    I have a black wedding dress that I wore for my second wedding. It is in a bit of a Victorian style with an empire waist.
    Every year, I dress up as Lizzie Borden for Halloween and wear that and a blood spattered apron and wield my foam axe that my friend's father crafted from a picture of the murder weapon.
    I also wore it to my brother in law's wedding, but minus the axe and apron of course.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. MarianneFebruary 21, 2013 at 9:58 AM

      I like your style, Lizzie! And I can still remember that old poem: Lizzie Borden took an axe/gave her mother 40 whacks/When she was through and saw what she'd done/she gave her father 41.

      I'm a bit of a serial killer nut. Don't tell.

      Delete
    2. NicrophorusFebruary 21, 2013 at 1:55 PM

      Never!

      Delete
  9. JoeinVegasFebruary 20, 2013 at 4:04 PM

    I've never seen a bridesmaid dress that could be worn for anything except the wedding. Some of those brides pick the ugliest, most expensive thing possible, probably to make them look good in the middle of all that other stuff.
    Hope yours works out.

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    1. MarianneFebruary 21, 2013 at 9:59 AM

      Thanks, Joe! I'm hoping! I do really like the dress - one of the first I'm willing to wear again.

      Delete
  10. AndreaFebruary 20, 2013 at 6:53 PM

    Wear it every day this month as it is go red for women month!!!! I will send you some little red dress pins (we usually have several around here with hubs on the AHA board)...Makes me think I should don my red prom dress again, but have to make sure it is a day when I do not have to lift my left arm...as that would reveal the giant gap where it does not zip up all the way anymore!

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    1. MarianneFebruary 21, 2013 at 10:00 AM

      Ha...what makes you think I haven't been wearing it, Andrea? Yeah, I do have some back fat issues, but as long as I'm standing & sucking everything in, shouldn't be a problem. And we're supposed to make those zippers go ALL the way up? Who knew.

      Delete
  11. UnknownFebruary 20, 2013 at 7:43 PM

    You should become part of the traveling red dresses someday...when you are done wearing it and being awesome.

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Traveling-Red-Dress/150889871693313?ref=ts&fref=ts

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    1. MarianneFebruary 21, 2013 at 10:05 AM

      I just checked it out, what a great cause! But it means I have to SHARE and GIVE AWAY my fantastic red dresss! Let me get about 10 more wears out of it, and I'm game. Thanks for the head's up, Lillian!

      Delete
  12. hi-dFebruary 21, 2013 at 10:15 PM

    So true...I've never worn mine either, although I've been in about 10% of the weddings that you have. LOL...

    I hope you sport it on the 28th! Be brave Wonder Woman!!!

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    1. MarianneFebruary 23, 2013 at 9:40 AM

      Thanks hi-d! Now I need to find some gold wrist bands...

      Delete
  13. BarbFebruary 22, 2013 at 12:11 PM

    A flattering bridesmaid's dress? Lucky you! Get as much mileage out of that things as you can!

    ReplyDelete

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