Rationalizing Retail.

Yesterday, my mom and I went shopping for a mother-of-the-bride dress. She looked excellent in just about everything she put on. What can I say? She's just a very pretty lady. But back to me.

While we were shopping, there was another mother-daughter team (that sounds so Texas) clearly in the same position as us. They got there a bit before us and had had the run of the place - amassing a large collection of dresses. My mom and I scored a few for her to try on but everytime that woman came out of the dressing room, we ooed and aahed, admiring her taste. We had a little talk with Raphael, our ever-helpful salesman, to let him know that we'd like some of what she was having. So as she took off a dress, he grabbed it and passed it to my mom. Once again, I must say, she looked fabulous in almost everything she put on.

When we had cleaned the other mom out of dresses, her daughter, who looked around my age came out of the dressing room in the most magnificent little get up. I told Raphael to snag it asap. What can I say, those girls had the same point-on taste as us.

So I tried the dress on. And when I looked at myself in the mirror, a holy light formed around me. Ok, not really but I really, really liked it. As did the momma. We decided I needed it. Yes, needed it and started listing upcoming events in the next ten years when this dress might come in handy. That's how we ladies rationalize: "Oh, I'll wear this when so and so gets married," even though so and so is still single. In the span of 3 minutes, while oogling the dress in the mirror, I decided I would wear it to the currently non-existent rehearsal dinner, change into it for a few hours at the wedding and pack it up for my as of yet unplanned honeymoon. Also, maybe I could wear it to the bris of my unborn, unconceived (as far as I know) nephew. The possibilities were endless. So I bought it. Oops.

When I told my sister-in-law that the new dress was so fabulous that I might just do a switcheroo out of my wedding dress and into this little number at the reception, she rightfully told me to give this some serious thought. She said in order to rationalize the price of the wedding dress, I had to divide that number by hours worn at the wedding. I couldn't afford to lose an hour to this new dress.

My friend the Baumer, said: "If you change into a different dress at your wedding you will officially be super cool and you will be a princess in my head. I think princesses do that."

I'm still giving it some thought

I am shallow but I am also content thinking of that dress, hanging happily in my closet.