Sunday, June 01, 2014

Inferior Dresses Give Me the Blues

Sometimes, I wonder what the neighbours think when they see us outside taking photographs. My guess is that no one notices what anyone else is doing, but if they are paying attention, they must think I'm strange.

Like, I care? Anyhoo, we're due for severe storms tonight which is ever so exciting to the junior weather nerd. We came home to a "watch" signal on the weather radio, so he's busy monitoring the situation in real-time, and on the computer. Me? I'm considering dragging the gardenia inside. Well, I'm considering having Mr. ETB drag the gardenia inside-that's a heavy pot of dirt, and I'm wearing a dress.
 

Let's talk about this dress. If it had cost more than .99 cents, I might be annoyed (OK fine, I'm still annoyed) that someone donated a dress with a fallen hem, stretched-out buttonholes, and a splash of bleach spots I only noticed as I was fixing the hem. Why on earth would anyone donate this dress? Another dress I bought had been carefully set back together so I didn't notice the zipper was destroyed until I tried unzipping it. Why? I just don't get it. Anyway, for all the flaws, I was able to make this dress work, but it does limit it to running errands, or housework-I couldn't wear it to a job, or anyplace where someone might notice bleach spots at the hem. On the positive side, it is flattering, and made from a very soft, cool cotton that didn't require much by way of ironing. It would take two seconds to pin a note to donated clothing pointing out the flaws. Odds are, I would have bought it anyway, but I'd be less irritated about it. We all know how I get when I'm irritated.


Outfit Particulars:

80's does 50's dress (I think. I don't think it is 50's, but it could be an earlier retro style from the 60's. Something about it doesn't feel like an 80's dress). Goodwill-.99 cents
1940's Naturalizer pumps-Thrifted
Earrings-K Mart
Belt-Thrifted
Vintage glass beads-Hand-Me-Ups (these are the heaviest beads I own-you could get a neck sprain wearing them)
Vintage Mar-Shel handbag-thrifted
Sara Coventry brooch-Goodwill $3.99 (kinda a splurge, but I loved it)
Hair flowers-Tiff and Tam (where else?)


I considered wearing a crinoline with the dress (and it would look great) but thought better of it as it is so beastly hot I couldn't bear the thought of another layer. I do think this dress would be dressed-up a bit, even with all the faults. Gloves would have worked, but again-the heat.

Finally, Danny noticed this when we were out.
Ahem. Someone has been squeezing the Charmin.
Please! Don't squeeze the Charmin.

2 comments:

Jayne H said...

Ooooh, that brooch was worth the mini splurge, it's gorgeous. I think you got your money's worth for 99 cents with the dress, and I think a netty slip for fullness would work well, but maybe not with a storm approaching or while doing the cleaning.

Curtise said...

I'm behind again. So, wall owls=good, yellow play suit+park+fountains= excellent, strudel=delicious. On to today. What a pretty colour, the dress is lovely. But I feel your frustration; some stuff on the rails in the charity shops shouldn't be there, or should be considerably cheaper, on a 50p cos it's knackered rail. I've seen stained, worn, misshapen clothes priced the same as really decent stuff that looks virtually unworn - madness.
Gorgeous bag, and yes, I can imagine the whole gloves and petticoat look would be glorious, but on a cooler day. Hope the storm either passes, or is a weakling. xxxx