January 14th ~ Prom already?

Erin started stressing about her Senior prom before Christmas.  In her opinion, no one was asking any one else to be their date far enough in advance. I thought that sounded crazy!  But, in her defense, she did have a date for her junior prom before Christmas of that year.  

Well, in the week and a half that we have been back in school since Christmas break ended, the asking has gone into overload!  She now has a date and so do most of her friends.  And, she knows who is going to ask the ones that don't have dates yet.  So, needless to say, we HAD to go prom dress shopping TODAY before all the good ones were gone!!  

This will be the third year that Erin has had the opportunity to go to the prom.  When she was in the 10th grade, she had a very good friend that was a senior that asked our permission before he asked her to go.  We let her go.  She had a great time and looked absolutely beautiful in a very unique silver dress.  Her junior year was last year and she went with another good friend and a group of her best friends.  Again, she looked gorgeous but this time in a royal blue dress that was a similar style as the silver one.  Both dresses were strapless and cut in a mermaid fashion.  

We don't buy Erin's prom dresses.  We rent them!  We haven't regretted doing that at all!  The place we go to do this makes sure that no one else that is going to the same prom is going to wear the same dress.  The place is usually packed because they cater to girls of all ages in all types of pageants and to prom goers.  We have had to wait in line all 3 years that we have been there but Erin says it is well worth it.  She trusts the lady that runs the place about what looks best on all the girls.  

Today, Erin tried on about 7 or 8 dresses.  The last one she tried on was one that I picked off the rack.  She was convinced she wasn't going to like it but I told her that if she didn't try it on, I wouldn't buy her lunch.  That girl is always hungry!  Before she tried on the dress I picked out, she had decided that she was going to rent one that was almost exactly like the last 2 dresses she has worn to prom but in a purple/fuchsia color.  Then, just because I made her, she tried on the one I picked.  She turned back and forth, this way and that in front of the tri-fold full length mirror.  But, to my dismay, still wanted it to be the purple/fuchsia number.  As we were putting the dresses back on the hangers I told her how beautiful and elegant the other dress (the one I picked) looked on her.  I reminded her that this was her LAST prom and I thought she would regret wearing another dress that looked so close to her other two.  I wanted her to stand out, wear something different, be classy.  To my surprise, she said, "I want to try the black one (the one I picked out) on again."  I was secretly thrilled and helped her back into the dress.  And then, IT  happened!  While Erin was waiting for her turn to get in front of the big mirror, the lady that runs the place came out from behind the front desk and told Erin how good the dress looked on her!  And then I saw it, that look on Erin's face that she gets when I am right about things.  She stepped in front of the mirror and the girl that was helping us came over and pulled the dress here and there and showed her how they would take it up and then gushed about how the sequins and lace sparkled.  She also said how classy black looked and that not a lot of other girls wear black to prom.  Erin said, "Well, black is our class color..."  And after deciding that it would be easy for her date to match she said, "This one is it!"  YAY!!  

I was so happy that she went with the one I picked, that after I bought her lunch, I also sprung for the PROM magazine that is in tonight's photo.  Because...once you have your dress, you have to start thinking about hair styles and accessories for heaven's sake!!!  March 31st (date for prom) will be here before we know it!