Men just weren’t meant to dress shop
Some things a guy just wasn’t meant to do. Dress shopping is one of them.
Prom dress shopping to be specific.
I got in on a prom dress expedition last weekend, largely because the opportunity to do something else didn’t present itself. We were at Springdale visiting our niece, Nicole, and celebrating Amelia’s 18th birthday. Part of the weekend plans included dress shopping.
Through circumstances, Amelia’s boyfriend, Tony, and I wound up going with the girls — Amelia, Nicole, Kim and Stevie, Nicole’s daughter who won’t need a prom dress for about 15 years or so. Needless to say, we tried to stay in the background as much as possible. As far back in the background as possible.
There are husbands out there who, through circumstances such as losing a bet or an argument, found themselves with their wives while they were dress or clothes shopping. They’re easy to spot in stores and malls since generally they’re trying to blend into the wallpaper, or trying to remain concealed behind racks of dresses without looking sketchy. Often they’re holding purses and trying to appear manly doing it. Vera Bradley makes that impossible, so the guys stand there trying to be inconspicuous holding purses while standing among dress racks. Yeah, that works well.
I say standing because for some reason stores don’t want guys sitting down waiting for their wives or girlfriends to try on dresses. Or, if the store does have a chair its occupied by some other poor soul who looks as if he’s waiting for the rescue chopper to come take him away, and you have to just stand there. Come on, stores, have a heart and put at least a couple of seats out for the husbands.
There was a husband/father in the one chair in the prom dress department at the store where we went. It was beside the opening to the fitting rooms and against a rack of dresses. When we arrived, he smiled at us, relieved to see two other guys who had been drawn into the dress shopping abyss.
Now, being brought along to shop for prom dresses can be a little more intense than shopping for regular dresses. They’re really gowns, some of which look more like lingerie, which can add to any unease. I have to admit I couldn’t quite picture how a teenage girl on the cusp of adulthood could fit into some of those dresses. There was one that Tony and I examined that looked as if it could be a floor-length formal for the wife on “The Little Couple.” It’s amazing how some of these gowns can look so impressive on young ladies headed for the prom, yet so risque on the rack. They make an astounding transformation when worn, both for the dresses and the young ladies wearing them.
While Amelia tried on dresses with Kim’s help and Nicole looked for other potential dresses to try on, Tony and I tried to blend in and longed for something manly to do — like crushing cans, revving engines. shooting something, chopping wood. As we waited, I came up with the idea that if we had markers we could have drawn tattoos on the mannequins. Hey, they were just plain, white, faceless, hairless, alien-looking mannequins and a little colorful ink would have improved them.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have any markers.
It’s too bad places like Bass Pro, or the Cabela’s store at Rogers, don’t have formal wear available.
A camo gown would be quite attractive. Somebody obviously makes camo formal wear because the boy that went to last year’s prom with Amelia’s friend Megan had a camo tuxedo.
I’m sure guys would feel more at ease going along on a prom dress expedition at Cabela’s or Bass Pro.
At the least, they could slip off to check out the fishing and hunting and camping gear.
They could even bring over a couple of folding chairs to test out while waiting on the women.
Maybe that’s what those other stores should do, have folding chairs available in the women’s clothing sections.
Fortunately, the prom dress expedition was successful, Amelia found a beautiful gown that was just what she was looking for, and the results will be revealed next week when Mountain Home High School has its prom.
(A word of advice, plan on eating in next Saturday, or at least waiting until after 8 p.m. when the teenagers should be at the prom itself.)
Oh, well, I guess it wasn’t all that bad.
This will be the last prom for Amelia and her fellow seniors, and I have to admit seeing her find her perfect prom dress did tug at a heart string or two.
At least I didn’t have to go on the shoe hunt.
Prom dress shopping to be specific.
I got in on a prom dress expedition last weekend, largely because the opportunity to do something else didn’t present itself. We were at Springdale visiting our niece, Nicole, and celebrating Amelia’s 18th birthday. Part of the weekend plans included dress shopping.
Through circumstances, Amelia’s boyfriend, Tony, and I wound up going with the girls — Amelia, Nicole, Kim and Stevie, Nicole’s daughter who won’t need a prom dress for about 15 years or so. Needless to say, we tried to stay in the background as much as possible. As far back in the background as possible.
There are husbands out there who, through circumstances such as losing a bet or an argument, found themselves with their wives while they were dress or clothes shopping. They’re easy to spot in stores and malls since generally they’re trying to blend into the wallpaper, or trying to remain concealed behind racks of dresses without looking sketchy. Often they’re holding purses and trying to appear manly doing it. Vera Bradley makes that impossible, so the guys stand there trying to be inconspicuous holding purses while standing among dress racks. Yeah, that works well.
I say standing because for some reason stores don’t want guys sitting down waiting for their wives or girlfriends to try on dresses. Or, if the store does have a chair its occupied by some other poor soul who looks as if he’s waiting for the rescue chopper to come take him away, and you have to just stand there. Come on, stores, have a heart and put at least a couple of seats out for the husbands.
There was a husband/father in the one chair in the prom dress department at the store where we went. It was beside the opening to the fitting rooms and against a rack of dresses. When we arrived, he smiled at us, relieved to see two other guys who had been drawn into the dress shopping abyss.
Now, being brought along to shop for prom dresses can be a little more intense than shopping for regular dresses. They’re really gowns, some of which look more like lingerie, which can add to any unease. I have to admit I couldn’t quite picture how a teenage girl on the cusp of adulthood could fit into some of those dresses. There was one that Tony and I examined that looked as if it could be a floor-length formal for the wife on “The Little Couple.” It’s amazing how some of these gowns can look so impressive on young ladies headed for the prom, yet so risque on the rack. They make an astounding transformation when worn, both for the dresses and the young ladies wearing them.
While Amelia tried on dresses with Kim’s help and Nicole looked for other potential dresses to try on, Tony and I tried to blend in and longed for something manly to do — like crushing cans, revving engines. shooting something, chopping wood. As we waited, I came up with the idea that if we had markers we could have drawn tattoos on the mannequins. Hey, they were just plain, white, faceless, hairless, alien-looking mannequins and a little colorful ink would have improved them.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have any markers.
It’s too bad places like Bass Pro, or the Cabela’s store at Rogers, don’t have formal wear available.
A camo gown would be quite attractive. Somebody obviously makes camo formal wear because the boy that went to last year’s prom with Amelia’s friend Megan had a camo tuxedo.
I’m sure guys would feel more at ease going along on a prom dress expedition at Cabela’s or Bass Pro.
At the least, they could slip off to check out the fishing and hunting and camping gear.
They could even bring over a couple of folding chairs to test out while waiting on the women.
Maybe that’s what those other stores should do, have folding chairs available in the women’s clothing sections.
Fortunately, the prom dress expedition was successful, Amelia found a beautiful gown that was just what she was looking for, and the results will be revealed next week when Mountain Home High School has its prom.
(A word of advice, plan on eating in next Saturday, or at least waiting until after 8 p.m. when the teenagers should be at the prom itself.)
Oh, well, I guess it wasn’t all that bad.
This will be the last prom for Amelia and her fellow seniors, and I have to admit seeing her find her perfect prom dress did tug at a heart string or two.
At least I didn’t have to go on the shoe hunt.
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