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Sunday, September 14, 2014

How I Ended Up with a Wedding Dress and What Will Become of It: Tales from the Thrift Store

A while ago, I was at one of the two thrift stores I frequent. There was a huge rack of used wedding dresses at ridiculous prices (high ones, that is). Needless to say--having already done a wedding in a green dress at the courthouse--I did not give them more than a glance.

The employee asked me if I wanted a wedding dress. I said no, for the above reason. He said We'll never sell them and they are taking up a lot of space. You can have them for $3 each.

I felt a bit sorry for him. So I picked out JUST ONE, figuring I could perhaps take it to the Buffalo Exchange for Halloween. I took a silk one and thought that the creative and handy Miss Em could use the fabric for something. Two possibilities.

Miss Em and I asked at the Buf. No, they didn't want wedding dresses for Halloween. Miss Em thought the dress was too nice to cut up. We put it in the DONATE pile.

Then--the fateful sentence: Maybe I'll try this on.  Then an exclamation: It fits perfectly.

We put it back in the DONATE pile. Miss Em is not planning a wedding at the moment and she's sufficiently contrarian to NOT want a traditional white dress.

An hour later, another fateful sentence: I've always wanted to make a Snow Queen costume for Halloween.

No, I am not allowed to post a photo. (Below from Once Upon a Time wiki)

The Snow Queen
InfoboxTheSnowQueen

7 comments:

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh do show us you wearing the dress! What fun and at a ridiculously low price of $3.00. I would have bought several....

Gam Kau said...

A Snow Queen costume sounds like an ideal use of a wedding dress. My daughter has picked up a couple from charity shops and used them for cos-play, but they now languish in her cupboards and I am forbidden to donate them.

dotsybabe said...

I'd check to see if there is charity that specifically looks for wedding dresses (sort of a dress for success for brides). Or one that looks for prom dresses....

tess said...

I would love to see you in costume.

In our city, there are at least 2 consignment shops that specialize in used or vintage gowns, seems that a silk one would fetch a good price.

tess said...

also one could do something like this

https://www.google.com/search?q=miss+havisham&client=firefox-a&hs=GLG&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=x0oYVPSfM9P2yQTXiYCgDw&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=853&bih=565

Anonymous said...

Like you, I would be thinking, "What could I use the fabric for?"

Frugal Scholar said...

@hostess--Oh, I must have written unclearly. The dress fit my daughter! Oops--my son said "And you call yourself and English teacher."
@GK--In my house, it's the other way--my daughter urges me to get rid of stuff, but some things I must keep...alas.
@dotsy--Great idea. But see today's Times-Picayune. May have to keep it.
@tess--Miss Havisham!!!!