How I went out on my lunch break for zit cream and came back with a wedding dress

So! This morning I was dragging myself upstairs for coffee when my coworker stopped me to tell me she’d seen a sign for a “Wedding Extravaganza” going on in the thrift store up the street.Huh, I thought. No thanks. I think I’ll just have some coffee instead. Besides, am I really going to buy a wedding dress at the same place I bought Tiny Grim? I think not. My coffee buddy and I went upstairs, got our delicious caffeine juice, and went back to work.

At noon, I told my boss I was running out to the pharmacy. After I picked up my prescription zit cream, I figured I might as well go over and sign up for a slot at the gym while I was out. On my way to the gym, I passed the thrift store and saw the “Wedding Extravaganza” signs my coworker had mentioned. Huh, I thought. It looks like they actually have a lot of dresses in there. That’s weird. And then I walked by, went to the gym and signed myself up for a date with elliptical machine #2.

On the way back, I passed the thrift store again. Huh, I thought. There sure are a lot of people in there. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to stop in and look.

It turns out that by “Wedding Extravaganza”, they actually meant “Big Charity Event,” (I should mention that this thrift store is affiliated with a major hospital, and that all proceeds go to the hospital) which in turn meant, “An upscale bridal boutique donated a whole bunch of brand new designer dresses and we’re selling them for $250 each. Oh, and half of them are from the line you’ve been drooling over since you went wedding dress shopping with your mom back in March. Take a look!”

And so, I looked. I found. I tried on. I purchased. I love.

(Pictures after the jump)

Now, I had pretty much settled on a v-neck gown. (Jenna Bush’s Oscar de la Renta V-neck gown, to be precise.) But when I tried this dress on, I just knew it was The One. It’s everything I was looking for in a wedding gown – it’s clean, simple and classic, it has train-length sash, it has buttons down the back. That all sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? Let me tell you: it’s not easy to find in the sea of bridal glitz and sequins and lace. And besides being exactly what I was looking for, besides being from the exact line that I adore, this dress fit me perfectly. I made the ladies in charge of the charity event take pictures of me in it so I could check for any signs of pit-tit and was pleased to see there were none to be found. And oh, I loved it. I paid my two hundred and fifty dollars (which all went to charity) and walked back to the office with a brand new, tags on, perfect wedding dress. 

 

One thing down, eight million to go!

Oh, and we got free Chipotle for lunch today, too, thanks to a little mishap last week whereby chicken was placed in a vegetarian burrito. Free Chipotle and wedding dress. Not bad for a Thursday!

Comments

[Wickedly Scarlett]

Holy crap. I want to cry now thinking about how much I paid for my dress. That is INCREDIBLE!!! And zit cream to boot! What a day :)

[Keri]

you look fantastic. Gorgeous dress. This makes me want to go dress shopping just for the fun of it. :)

[Erin]

That dress is stunning!!!! I love it!

[janet]

That story is just too insane! Seriously! I can't believe a cheap, GORGEOUS, simple dress basically fell into your lap. At lunch. On a weekday.

[lauren]

That's so awesome! You look so pretty in your dress!!

[Viviane]

How very lucky and how very beautiful! I love the dress. Looks like it was made for you! :)
By the way, the person who just added you on Flickr was me (but you may have already figured that out).

[Brie]

I love your dress! Isn't it awesome when you find the one?

[Brie]

I love your dress!! Isn't it great to find the one??

[Stephanie]

You look glorious! That dress is awesome! I love simple and classy at weddings! You know versus bedazzled and all.

[Audrey]

Clearly you and that dress were destined to be together. It is perfect!

I went for a very simple wedding dress, too, so I know all about digging through racks of beads and lace looking for that rare simple-yet-elegant find. It's definitely worth the effort, as you know!

[Megan]

What a gorgeous dress! A thrift store near my work had the same thing going on recently, but it was a big ol' herd of early-90's mishaps, nothing as beautiful as what you scored. I am now trying to think of ways to work the phrase "pit-tit" into my daily usage, by the way...it's too great to pass up!

Also, Chipotle? You had a great day, lady.

[-R-]

That dress is perfect, you look fabulous, and it was even a good deal! For charity!

[Sarah]

I am so excited for you! I love a wedding deal and this is one of the best! You look so lovely in the dress and I am with you on loving the simple/classic/buttons up the back. Yay!

[nancypearlwannabe]

That is the most amazing and fortuitous story I have ever read. You have some luck, lady! Congrats!

And also, the dress is beautiful. No pit-tit is a bonus.

[Laurie]

It's gorgeous - how awesome! And really, the free Chipotle is icing on the cake:)

[RA]

Hurray! I love the dress on you, but most of all, I love that you love it. Check that item off the list, lady!

(Plus, who doesn't love a good sale?!)

[Zit Cream]

Wow what a dress. Very nice. Dont worry about needing zit cream. You could be worse like the people on www.popthatzit.com lol

[Julie]

Wow.
That is super lucky!!
Score!

[Liz]

This is the happiest wedding dress story ever!

And it goes without saying how gorgeous you are in this dress.

[elise]

Oh yes, the pictures! The dress is gorgeous, almost as gorgeous as you. Also, I really am gonna call you Lady Luck from now on. Maybe LL, but it will be some derivation. Think I'm kidding?

JUST WAIT AND SEE!!

Congrats, for real :)

[Charise]

dang. that's lucky! i am starting dress shopping soon and also want to go the simple-but-elegant route, which, huh, who woulda thought, tends to cost MORE than the bedazzled dresses. so happy for you!

AND free chipotle? want to send some of that good luck my way? :)

[Ruthie]

Congrats Jen! woohoo for looking AWESOME. I hadn't checked your blog for a while (been busy at work doing lots of non-computer stuff) and so happy i checked today-- BECAUSE WHAT A DAY OF ACCOMPLISHMENT! You look fabu! I have a secret question-- does Joel ever look at your blog or do you not care about him seeing your dress?

[Laura]

That is a fantastic story that you will be telling your grandkids one day.

You look fabulous in the dress!

[alyndabear]

It looks PERFECT. I love the sash to pieces, and I am SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!

[Nic]

It's beautiful! Congratulations on a STEAL of a totally perfect dress.

[Jan]

Your dress and YOU are absolutely lovely. Pit tit...new phrase for me, love it!

[Erika]

That is terrifically awesome news. Sounds like karma to me.

[Kate]

That is SO awesome, and a beautiful dress!

[Laurel]

OMG, I miss so much when I go away!

It is gorgeous and YOU are gorgeous. Best of all, your gown-finding story is so you and so hilarious!!!

Now.
Set a date.
And have babies.
Get on it.

[Sarah]

Go Jen! That is the best wedding dress story I've ever heard.

One of my mom's friends brags that she got her mother of the bride dress at the Goodwill. It would have cost her $1 but it was half-price day.

Your story is much better.

[Kristabella]

Oh my, it is BEAUTIFUL!

That is amazing! Good thing you stopped in!

[HollowSquirrel]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! HOW FRIGGING COOL IS THAT? I looove the dress! It's stunning! I'm so excited for you! What a great story, too! :)

[Renaedujour]

Is that tax deductible? I bet it is. That's even better.