The Perfect Dress

This past weekend my youngest sister hunted for a prom dress. She didn't browse, or search, or survey. She hunted. I use the word hunt because as every woman knows, finding the perfect prom dress is serious, serious business.

I will admit, it's been years, over ten years actually, since I went to prom. Whew, nothing like putting that into words to make a girl feel old. But, in my decade long absence from the prom scene, nothing much has changed.

There are still rows and rows of the most horrendous, encrusted, cupcake gowns. Now, I love a little sparkle and fluff as much as anybody, but sheeze. Some of these cream-puff dresses make the skinniest of girls look like walking Macy's parade floats. Maybe it's a southern thing?

But my youngest sister is a vintage gal. She shops for shirts in thrift stores, cuts them up, restitches, sews on antique buttons. Obviously, poofy rhinestone a-la-Dolly-Pardon gowns did not make her happy.

She looked stunning in this purple gown. It was my favorite, but as you can tell from the hands-on-hips stance, she wasn't sold (note the girl in the back with the low cut lavender dress... whew, she was coming OUT of that gown).

In the end, this dress was the winner. It had a very 1940's Rita Hayworth feel, and she was overjoyed to find something that looked 'old.' Note my mom and sister's faces in the background. Did we look tired? Yeah, we were. But it was all worth it to find the perfect dress.