<p>Yeah, but he's still not in the Circle of Trust, jmmom! :D Anyone for eggnog and brandy?</p>
<p>You bad, jmmom. :D We may have to send out a Sinner's Alley posse to retrieve Sybbie from dress shopping Hell.</p>
<p>Have to raise glass to my mother in law, who really gets it about my kids, sees their greatness and their beauty... Thanks to you for raising a good man who also gets it, thanks for being so approving... Much appreciated, even without "the meadow"...
SB</p>
<p>SB, that's what its all about. I'll raise my glass too right before I go out for a coffee.</p>
<p>Slugg,</p>
<p>Were you following me as yes it was dress shopping hell. I truly think that we get caught up in some kind of wonderlust and our sanity leaves us when our kids come home from college because the things that you would not do on your worst days all of the sudden becomes ok. I had never gone shopping the day after thanksgiving, so why all of the sudden was it now a good idea?</p>
<p>I asked Child, "why can't we shop in NYC, where the biggest Macys is right on 34th st. We could work our way up town, hit Lord and Taylors, Saks, Bloomingdales and go back home because the stores at the mall are not going to be big as the stand alone 10 floors of stuff they have here in the city. What's the story of my life; do they listen to me. Where was my good sense and why was it that I did not listen to myself?</p>
<p>We left the house and the poor dog at 6:45 am on our quest to get the dress. We did go to the Mall at Short Hills. After going through Saks, Blomingdales, Niemans, Nordstroms and Macys, Banana Republic and assorted other shops, child could not find a dress she liked. However, she was very appreciative of the pound cake and donut holes at Saks the "really good" hot chocolate at Niemans and the really nice lunch I bought her at Legal Seafood. </p>
<p>My question: Do you know what you are looking for? Response: I'll know it when I see it. Now on the verge of tears because she can't find a dress she likes and laments, I will either have to wear something I already have or just not go to formal (hey, if we were in the bed department, she could have just thrown herself across it). </p>
<p>Now she feels tht she has to do something for herself. What does my otherwise broke college student do? She buys herself a burberry scarf $(225) and a LV change purse ($135). I don't have $135 *in *my wallet, yet it costing $135. Did not charge it, just paid for it. Are you getting thoughts that with the money she paid for these two items that she could have purchased her own dress? I find out that her g-parents and my sister (who treats her like the daughter she never had) had given her $$ when she saw them a few days ago.
D: Well, pop-pop always tell me to buy myself something nice and grandmother always tells me to buy myself something pretty, so I really am not spending my money (I will deposit their checks when I get back to school on monday). </p>
<p>I am at the point that all I want to do is leave. We get back into the city, the second store she walks into she finds a dress she loves, fits perfectly- this is the dress. Next thing out her mouth: I know it is over the budget you set for me, but you will get 30% off so that's $100 and I'll pitch in $50. I'm am tired, sleep deprived, my feet are starting to hurt, so I just pay for the dress and she gives me a thanks so much and a hug. Can we go home now? We get back in the house at 9:10 p.m.- 14 hours and 25 minutes later and all I want to do is take a nap as I was too tired to wander in and get the drink (the cyber drink and now a real drink) that I so desparatedly needed. Keep em coming, got a lot of lost time to make up for.</p>
<p>Ohhhh, Sybbie!!</p>
<p>Now you know why I don't shop with my daughter -- I haven't done the formal dress thing since she was 14, a 9th grader going to her first prom. Maybe that's when she decided she didn't want to shop with mom any more -- I mean, who needs a parent's embarrassing comments? Anyway, she goes with friends, which is probably more efficient because if they tell her she looks absolutely ravishing in something, she probably doesn't roll her eyes and make snide remarks, only parents get that for a compliment -- and of course without having me around to tell her I like something, there is less reason for her to hate it. Anyway, if there is angst involved, I'm spared it... plus its harder for her to mess up on the budget. She has her own credit card and of course I reimburse her for many items, but she can't count on it. Of course if my own d. spent $225 on a scarf of any kind I'd strangle her with it..... (maybe another really good reason for her to leave me at home when she goes out shopping)</p>
<p>I very rarely go shopping with my 15 yr old. Mostly I give her cash and she goes shopping with her friends- or I am at one end of the mall and we meet up and I go in and pay.
Of course when she goes shopping with her friends- sometimes she comes home with things that I wouldn't have approved of ( f'r instance- she was in 8th grade- went off to get socks and underwear- I wouldn't really consider thongs to meet the underwear criteria)
Mostly though she is a good shopper and thrifty- </p>
<p>I was spoiled by her sister though- she has bought two formal dresses in high school- one a silvery thing that she wore for graduation- it was gorgeous- bias cut, empire waist little velvet straps. ( she also wore it for music performance- we bought it at the Bon- now Macys- always has the most dresses)</p>
<p>For her senior prom- it was difficult- so many of the dresses were so expensive- and without heavy duty makeup made her look washed out.</p>
<p>However all I did was suggest she try on for fun a ballet pink tulle skirt and seperate pink sequin top- it was so pretty- and suited her much better than slinky black. It was even on sale ( for both pieces $60) so we bought a sequin purse and a silk chiffon wrap to match( and jewelry) my D2- would never let me be so involved with shopping</p>
<p>(she did get another semi formal dress for a tolo- sort of a drew barrymore looking outfit - that we found at value village of all places)</p>
<p>Now she has much different taste than I do- her beige lined raincoat is identical to the one that our neighbors 80 yr old ladyfriend wears- I suppose you could say it is "classic" but college kids should dress oddly-IMO- she says she is starting to build a work wardrobe- so I suppose I should be happy she intends on getting a job!</p>
<p>Ahhh.... This is why God gave me boys. :D</p>
<p>wyogal
I have a story for parents with boys
One of my D1s friends liked to wear his pants hanging low at the crotch and pooled around his ankles. I think it was for prom that his mother who was always on top of things was frustrated because he hadn't ordered his tux yet- so she went into his closet- measured a pair of pants and ordered the tux for him.
HIs tux came too close to the date to reorder the pants- looked a little odd...:o</p>
<p>Clearly wyogal has embraced her inner "boymom" better than I :p. That would be me of the plopping down to kibbitz at a local boutique when total stranger M/D were shopping for her Winter Formal :eek:.</p>
<p>That's funny! But fortunately I haven't had that problem.</p>
<p>But since you mention proms & tuxes, some of the kids at Ss' school wear shorts (loud hawaiian preferred) with tux tops to prom. Or get retro tuxes of one sort or another, like top hat & tails in baby blue. Yuck.</p>
<p>I did once have a "close encounter" with prom shopping. In an earlier life I had a part-time tailoring business, and one year decided to do prom gowns. That was the first and last year--I couldn't stand the moms & D's screaming at each other over how low the neckline, high the hem or whatever. Plus there's always the "black" problem; so many of them want to wear black and it never looks good on young girls.</p>
<p>Wyogal. I'm with you. Nature gave me 3 guys to shop for. They have to live with what I order online for them. And since they do not seem to have the slightest sense of what goes with what, I tend to go for the safe and boring. So far, there's been no complaint.</p>
<p>Wyogal, as a parent of one of each.... I don't shop with my son either. In fact, he was worse, since he really didn't want his mom anywhere near where he was trying on clothes -- so from the time he was 12 or so I would drop him off at the mall and let him pick out what he wanted, and then I wold come back later to pay. </p>
<p>I do agree that the rent-a-tux thing is a lot less nervewracking than the buy-a-prom-dress thing. Fortunately after prom year #1 my daughter has moved beyond the "traditional" prom dress, and now with her more creative approach she tends to follow more along the lines of Emeraldkity's older daughter -- I definitely can see my daughter coming up with some ensemble of separates on sale. Now she tends to shop the sales racks months in advance, and then do some sewing on her own to alter or improve the look. In fact, it is my daughter's liberal use of scissors and thread on new clothes that drives me nuts -- obviously there are no returns once daughter has remade the dress.</p>
<p>Rent-a-tux has it's perils. H once called me from the tux shop and advised me, in a low whisper, that S2 and his best friend has fallen for the Who's Your Daddy Tux in the shop window. Luckily, the shop was out of S1's size and he went to the ball looking smart in a pinstripe dinner suit. His best friend, however, did look something like a mini-whiteboy version of Shaft, replete with white silk scarf, white gloves and black felt hat with white silk trim.</p>
<p>Drinks for Sybbie.</p>
<p>Just would like to state that I'm very easy to shop with... my stepmom took me dress shopping for senior formal, and, within an hour, we had a dress, shoes, and jewerly. </p>
<p>Long, horrible week for me. Thanksgiving day was spent in the hospital with my grandfather, who was taken in by ambulance on Tuesday night... about 24 hours after being discharged. Spent every day last week in the hospital... I'm worried about him. Did not go up to New England but rather to warm weather - last time I went home, my dog was put to sleep. So it feels like I'm running up and down the East Coast, visiting the ones I love as they get horribly sick. :( Ugh. Anyone want a shot at being me for a while?</p>
<p>A Hot Toddie for your poor body, Sybbie! Aries, my dog, Sluggaboo, is sitting under your barstool. Petting a dog, even a cyberdog, is a cure for what ails yah. :) Thanksgiving 2005 is history, folks. Hand me a tamago and a cup of saki, please. Cheers! And, on to... December! :)</p>
<p>cheers -</p>
<p>Just dropped into the S.A. for a quick one, and overheard your Tux story. I really had to chuckle. You never know what a young guy will pick out, but the prom photos seem to live forever, especially the ones where he'll look back later and say, "What was I thinking?" :)</p>
<p>digi</p>
<p>(Warning: I hope this isn't too maudlin, but I just had this urge to share... my apologies for introducing a downer to tonight's party... Skip right over it if you're feeling festive and don't want to read on, and I <em>promise</em> I won't be insulted in the least! Truly! <<hugs>>)</hugs></p>
<p>OK, so I know this isn't so cheerful, and will in fact probably gross out a lot of you, but as some may know (or see from my profile), I keep pet rats. I've done this for many years, and I adore sharing my urge to cuddle and care for warm furry things with their bright little rodent selves. This evening my final elderly rattie, Eleanor, left for what is sometimes called "The</a> Rainbow Bridge". Because of a suspected family allergy, I will not be adopting any more, which leaves an empty space within. I raise my glass in a toast to her and to all pets for whom we care for such short times. Giver your pets a little scritch behind the ears for me tonight, if you will. I have no more to cuddle.</p>
<p>Warm cider for everyone! To pets, bless their little hearts!</p>
<p>We had two rats when my kids were little. I'll drink to your little rodentia.</p>
<p>sorry mootmom! I had rats when I was a kid, and my son's preschool had a few too. They are very sweet and cuddly creatures. I also have an allergic H and no pets... I love cats and miss having one.</p>
<p>I have been loving having my family under one roof again for a few days. Well get a much longer stint at Christmas break but this has been a nice appetizer.</p>
<p>Lots of toasts to all who have their kids back home and have to say goodbye tomorrow.</p>