I had a bit of a dilemma last week. The dilemma was I had nothing to wear to a function I had to go to last Friday night, even though I’d received the invitation a couple of months ago.
I knew I needed a cocktail style dress for the event, but I placed it at the back of my mind until said event suddenly became a week away.
My wardrobe is usually kitted for all seasons and events, but since having kids and putting weight on and losing it this year, my clothes have either been ill fitting or I’m still a little too round in the middle to fit into some things which I am not ready to part with.
Last Thursday was the only day I had available to try and find a dress for a gala I was attending the next night.
Nothing like leaving things to the last minute!!
After dropping Esther to school, I told Maggie and Phoebe we were going to the shops to get mummy a dress.
Maggie said she wanted to go home so I bribed her, telling her that when mummy found her dress, she would take her and her sister to the playground. It was met with a ‘yay’.
All was well with the drive to Indooroopilly Shopping Centre.
I got the kids in the pram, walked into Myer and they fought. Phoebe kicked the back of Maggie’s seat. Maggie cried. I roused on Phoebe. She did it again. So I swapped the girls into different seats and Maggie decided to payback her sister by kicking the seat Phoebe was now sitting in.
I gritted my teeth and perused the sales racks.
.
I finally found THE dress. It was my size and it was stunning! The sale price made it even better.
So I took THE dress to the change rooms.
I sat my girls on the bench seat and gave them snacks, warning them if they moved, there would be no visit to the playground.
I whipped my clothes off and chucked the dress on… only to discover the zip wouldn’t go all the way up.
The Dress. Looks better in real life.
No wonder it’s on sale I mused as I took a quick selfie, and wished my shoulders weren’t so broad.
After getting dressed, the girls were off the bench, with one pushing the pram and the other tentatively peeking outside the waiting area to make a run for it.
I chucked both girls in the pram, with the harnesses on and they started to protest.
I went into Sheike and tried on two dresses while the girls cried because they were strapped into the pram.
The carrying on kept on while I walked from one end of the shopping centre to the other.
I went into a kids shop to buy some more winter clothes and Maggie had a major meltdown when I refused to buy her a ballerina dress.
The crying was so bad from both girls, the shop assistant took one look at my face and down to my red faced, snotty nosed girls and said “I feel for you”.
I felt for me too because I just wanted to join in with the crying. Not only did I not have a dress to wear for the gala night, but I had kids who couldn’t play nicely with each other.
We left the shop and I told the girls we were going home.
No morning tea. No playground… and still no dress.
I got the girls into the car, chucked the pram in the boot and sat at the driving wheel thinking why did life have to be so freaking hard?
The only option left was to re-look in my wardrobe and try on some dresses that might fit for the night.
This number I bought for a wedding I was asked to sing at proved to be the winner. It was a dress I wore pre Phoebe and Maggie.
The dress (From Cue) I wore to the Migas Gala Awards Night
Not only did the zip go up, I had the perfect necklace to uplift the dress.
Maybe those tantrums from my girls were meant to be.
As I was getting ready, Esther looked at me and said, ‘You don’t look like my mummy.’
And Jacob said, ‘I’m so glad you’re my wife.’
Ironic how we can be feeling low one moment and on top of the world the next.
So the moral of this tale is don’t leave it to the last minute to find an outfit for a special function and if you do need to go shopping, go without the kids!
Ever surprised yourself by fitting into something you never thought you would? Gone shopping with kids lately? Tell me where you shop for a cocktail dress?
I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.