90% of the female population love to play dress-up for an evening. I hadn't done that in a while. Fortunately I have had 3 nieces get married 3 summers in a row (minus this past summer) and was able to dress-up in pretty dresses - but I have yet to go to an adult black tie affair (excluding my wedding and senior prom). So I was pretty darn exited about this evening out.
More special was how excited Jon was about purchasing a Tux (he got a smokin' deal at 70% off) and wanting to wear it. I think he was a smidgen more excited about the black tie affair than I was - just because he could wear a Tux. I must admit he looked smokin' hot in his Tux!
A couple of weeks before the event I went searching for a dress online. Since shopping time is hard to come by I wanted to narrow my focus. I found this gorgeous, flirty, fun dress online that I totally fell in love with it was an Oscar de la Renta dress and it was so over my budget at over $4000 that I had to reign in my expectations. I didn't even pay that much for my wedding dress - and that is my cut off. No dress that I purchase after August 29, 2003 can be more expensive then my wedding dress because that is just not right. The wedding dress should always be my spotlight dress! So, I had to temper my expectations but lets face it, I'm going to a Benefit where other parents from my daughter's very exclusive Westside Private School and the other parents at the event have bucket loads more money than we do, so I wanted to at least sort of fit in. I'm not the type of person that has to keep up with the Jones but I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb either. I'm pretty thrifty so I can make a $1 look like a $1000 more often than not!
So I had this dress in mind - you know Oscar's dress. The dress had my name written on it. It was my style and defined the person I am - minus the price tag. Jon suggested we take a trip to Beachwood to try out the more exclusive department stores. We walked into Nordstroms evening dress department and I found IT. I found my dress within a matter of minutes but was so bummed that the size of the dress was 4 sizes bigger than I am. It reminded me of the Oscar dress and was a mere fraction of the cost. So I decided to try it on to see if I liked how it looked and then I would see if they could find the dress at another Nordstrom in my size. Sure as you know it, I put the dress on and it fit and it looked awesome on and I wanted it. And so I bought it! It needed some minor alternations in the bust but other than that it was perfect! I felt glamorous even without the proper shoes, make-up, and hair-style. The dress did resemble the "Oscar" dress in color and similarly styled. It is gorgeous, flirty and fun. The best part is that when I walked across the isle I found my shoes. They weren't crazy wild, just simple and they were just like the shoes the runway model who was wearing the "Oscar" dress. You have to understand, for me to find a pair of shoes to fit is huge, but to find a pair that fits and is exactly what I was looking for is worth a million!
I was all set for the party!
I have a great friend who has offered several times to watch my kids overnight so Jon and I can get away. Given that we had this open offer, I checked with her and she was available so Jon and I decided to make a night of it! We booked a hotel room at the Hyatt downtown and felt like "vacationers" for an evening.
Thursday night before the event I treated myself to a manicure - let me tell you if you have never tried Shellac Nails, it is the way to go. My nails still look good from a manicure/Shellac done over 2 weeks ago!
I have never had my make-up professionally done. Was always afraid I'd walk away looking like I was ready to work the streets. I'm not a big make-up person. I like the eyeliner, some shadow and concealer for the areas needing correction and some bold lipstick and I'm done. I never wear base, rarely wear blush and mascara.
I decided to go out of my comfort zone and I booked an appointment at the Mac counter at Dillards and had my make-up professionally done. My make-up artist did things with eye-make-up that brought out the best in my eyes (I must add my eyes have always been my best feature). She realized I liked a little bold but simply done and tastefully done. I jumped completely out of my comfort zone and did something I would never have thought to do. I wore fake eye-lashes. Oh My Goodness - I loved them. They added that extra "pop" that my eyes needed and I felt like a Model/Movie Star! I am pretty humble person but I have to admit the make-up artist transformed me a 45 year old mom into a 35 year old princess!
We walked into the benefit and I had so many compliments - we (Jon and I) had so many compliments. We were even sought out by the local Westside residential newspaper to have our photo taken. No one ever seeks me out to have a picture taken! It was fun to feel special for an evening. It was fun to be complimented. It was fun to hang on the arm of my handsome prince!
I recommend that every girl (and couple) have one special night every several years where you "glam it up" just because. I think I might make Jon and I do that on our up and coming 10 year anniversary - August 29, 2013. I think we'll sport our fun clothing and glam it up and go out on the town and paint it every color of the rainbow.
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