Today I took Steph to the dreaded mall to get a dress for the Bat Mitzvah she's going to in October. The dress had to be suitable for both temple and an afternoon party, as well as appealing to Steph, plus it had to fit well and look decent—and not break the bank. So off we went to Macy's—first time I'd ever been there.
The juniors' dress department contained all—and I mean all, not mostly—strapless dresses and dresses with spaghetti straps. Wow. I vetoed all the strapless dresses (she'd be hiking up the front all day), all the really short dresses (not terribly flattering or practical, and not appropriate for temple, at least in my mind), and all the dresses that seemed too fancy for daytime. We brought six dresses into the fitting room, where, to our mutual pleasant surprise, three of them were really not bad at all. One we ruled out because the top part was white, which is just asking for trouble (read: stains), and one because Steph didn't love it (although I did). We ended up with a purple dress that I still can't believe my kid fits into and likes and looks good in.
We then picked out earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet to go with it. At that point I was cooked, so we'll have to wait on shoes, pantyhose, a clutch or other small bag, and some sort of little jacket or sweater to go over the dress during the Bat Mitzvah ceremony itself (I think that will be the biggest challenge—I was hoping to find a dress that came with its own over-thing).
We then had to go to the dreaded Hollister, because Steph wanted to get her friend a gift card. The choice of gift cards included the following photos: (1) a topless young man, (2) a young man with his shirt wide open, and (3) a topless man about to kiss a fully-clothed young woman. I asked the sales clerk if there wasn't perhaps a gift card with a photo of just a fully clothed young woman (or man for that matter), but he said no, so I chose (3) because at least someone was dressed in it.
I am very proud of you! Anytime you need someone to take her shopping just call me! Send along your credit card and Steph and I will have a blast!
Posted by: Sara | September 27, 2009 at 07:22 PM
You're lucky there wasn't a gift card with a photo of a young man with his pants about to fall off! Oh wait...that's Abercrombie.
I always refer to the mall now as "the dreaded mall" because of you. My daughter thinks there is something genetically wrong with me because I hate shopping so intensely.
Posted by: Elena | September 27, 2009 at 07:55 PM
Not to mention the decibel level of the music that is played in those stores is beyond belief. I feel like an old lady even typing that, but really--is it designed to send the parents stumbling out the doors, hands pressed to ears, leaving children with credit cards to purchase at will? I'll take boring elevator music over the "coonka coonka chunk" beat any day.
Posted by: amy | September 28, 2009 at 08:58 AM
Don't overlook J.C. Penney at that same dreaded mall, where Elena and most of her friends on the 7th grade Bat Mitzvah circuit got their party dresses.
Posted by: sheila | September 28, 2009 at 10:23 AM
TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Filene's Basement might be a good source for a jacket-type cover thing. They have good teen and grown up accessories, and Steph might fit into a very small grown up size. You could go to the dreaded Arsenal Mall for Marshall's and FB, which isn't that bad because they're right next to each other so you could be in and out.
Obviously, you'll have to post pictures for all of us. :)
Posted by: Katy | September 29, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Could you post a picture when she is wearing the whole outfit?
Posted by: Laura | September 29, 2009 at 08:23 PM