Sticker Shock

During Loehmann's recent clearance sales, I found some really great deals. One of them was something arguably less practical, but it's what I've always wanted to have on hand.

Once in a long while, my friends and I would attend performances at the theater. I haven't been to the opera yet, but it is something I have in mind for the near future. Although I have various shorter-length dresses, I've always wanted a floor-length gown on hand, either for the performances or for formal events. Since it is not something I would get to wear often, I don't want to spend a lot of money on it, but I also do not want the fabric to be visibly mundane. These two criteria are clearly at odds with each other.

I usually do not take much time with the dress racks, but on one particular occasion, I did. In the process, I found a Narciso Rodriguez evening gown that was marked a size 40--obviously bigger than what I would usually wear, but because it was gorgeous and by a designer whose work I have long admired, I had to pull it out and take a look. Interestingly, the size appeared rather small for a Size 40, so I decided to try it out on a whim. It fits! The straps were clearly too long, but they were sewn in such a way that I knew could easily be removed and shortened.

When I contemplated whether or not to buy the dress, I had a case of sticker shock. The shock did not come from the original retail price--I expected it to be high, just like the numbers printed on the original tag:


Rather, the real shock was the price I ended up paying for it--it was something like 6-7% of the retail price. Of course, when the discount is this drastic, I expected something to be wrong with it. Indeed, there was a very small snag at the bust, and a small stain on the skirt, but neither flaw was obviously perceptible. What I truly love about the dress, other than the perfect fit, is the color and simplicity. While the dress appears to be a very simple spaghetti-strap dress, there is more than meets the eye. The pairing of lilac and pink is perfectly complementary, but it creates a very subtle contrast. The exposed zipper in the back, framed by a loose opening created by a layer of chiffon, adds a bit of edge to the pretty. Because the dress is not black, I know I can get a lot more mileage out of it aside from black tie events. I knew that if I paired it with the right accessories, it just might work for a non-formal night out.

After shortening the straps, which was a fairly easy task, the dress was ready to be worn for an Oscar-watching party. I thought that it would be the perfect opportunity to dress down the dress and poke a little fun at the red carpet hoopla. The polka-dot shawl doubled as a formal wrap and a fun, casual scarf. A leather jacket and wedges furthers the casualization process. While the "maxi dress" is clearly still more formal than typical SoCal fashion, I think this ensemble dresses it down sufficiently for a night out without looking too obviously out-of-place.

[Narciso Rodriguez dress, bubble necklace made by me, ABS cut glass ring, Michael Kors leather hoodie, Liz Claiborne bag, Aerosole wedges.]