Monday, December 17, 2007

being a bridesmaid

When one of my best friends told me earlier in the year that she was engaged and she wanted me to be a bridesmaid, I was a) stunned as I hadn't even met her boyfriend; b) honoured and SO happy for her; and c) just a little bit panicky. Last time I was a bridesmaid it was for a very considerate sister who spent a lot of time making sure each of her bridesmaids felt comfortable in the dresses we wore. But when we were at high school, my friend (let's call her Jane Doe) would often tell us exactly what her wedding dress would be like and how her bridesmaids would wear baby pink, baby doll dresses with a white sash. I can think of few dresses less likely to compliment my figure and colouring than that, and so I (probably unjustly) panicked, assuming my friend would be one of those brides who dresses her bridesmaids in clothes that would suit HER and not them.

I panicked even more when she asked me to try on a dress in a store called Portman's that sells clothes in both Australia and New Zealand. I tried it on - a beautiful shiny red - but it wouldn't quite do up, and it came almost two thirds up my thighs. *scream* I think Portman's makes clothes exclusively for ballerinas. My friend gave up on that idea very graciously and looked elsewhere, finally buying dresses at a shop called Ezibuy, and buying two different sizes for me just in case one didn't fit right. My panic has been toned down over the last few months, mainly because I didn't think about it, but today Jane Doe brought the dresses to my house to try on.

Well, I did. The smaller size fits me perfectly and it is BEAUTIFUL. I am so relieved. Over the last year or so I've found it impossible to find a single dress that doesn't make me look like an elephant, and somehow my friend finds one without me even having to try it on first. Here is the link if you want to see what the dress looks like - it is the red one on the right - http://www.ezibuy.co.nz/Search/4103/Burnout_Voile_Dress/36132.htm

THANK YOU JANE DOE! Bring on the wedding (Feb 9).

9 comments:

Sarakastic said...

You are one of the most fortunate bridesmaids pretty much ever

Unknown said...

Ooooh! That dress is gorgeous! Love it! Can't wait to see how it all turns out with the hair and the heels and everything!

xox

j said...

Ooh! Pretty! Post pictures afterwards because we all want to see it on!

Stacy said...

Yay for a flattering bridesmaid dress! How rare is that?

Trish Ryan said...

Aww...that's fabulous! Yay Jane Doe :)

E. said...

Purty!

LEstes65 said...

You are lucky to have someone think of you when picking out a bridesmaid dress for you. I've been lucky to have that happen for me a couple of times, too.

On the times when someone picks teal to go on my olive skin, I keep remembering that this day AIN'T about me. That is for darn sure! And the bridesmaids - or anyone else in the proceedings - shouldn't come close to outshining the bride or groom.

I know way too many bridesmaids that forget that point (not you, I'm thinking of someone specific) and mistake the wedding day as something that revolves around THEM. My step sister's maid of honor was like that. I think the only thing that kept me from stranling her with my sister's veil was a severe dislike of jail.

I want to see pictures. I bet red looks brilliant on you!!!

Unknown said...

I like that one! And it's only $50 bucks?! I had to pay over $150 for one that's coming up in February! On top of another $150 I had to pay for one I wore last month! Grr.

But enough complaining! :) I like that dress!

Bonsai said...

wait what who's getting married now???