Dress Buster
The unimaginable happened recently--I forgot the little black dress.
Yikes. Handsome had asked me to attend an event with him which required the all-purpose little black dress. I'd been traveling with him for five days and returned home overnight to repack and take off again the next morning.
We arrived at the hotel and I went to hang up my dress when a big fat UH OH hit me. No dress. I scrambled through the bag again. Nothing. Handsome observed me going through the black bag for the third time and asked what was wrong.
Nothing else to do, but confess the truth, "My little black dress is missing."
"Didn't you pack it?"
"I thought I had."
"What are you going to do?" He said this with hands on hips and a horrid thundercloud crossing his face.
"Guess I won't go to the dinner."
"That's unacceptable." He tossed me the car keys. "Go find a dress."
Honestly, I embrace shopping as an Olympic sport; however, I've always had terrible, horrible, bad-ass luck when I had to find anything in a specific time-frame, like for Easter. I'd learned to buy something whenever and save it for whenever.
The look on Handsome's face was still not pleasant. I had to try.
So the front desk lady nicely told me where to go. I stuck the address in the GPS (Praise the Lord! for that invention) and took off. The first store had a sign saying Apparel. Yeah, that didn't work--baby apparel. However, the nice owner pointed out two stores which would work for normal people.
The second store was geared more for college students. I looked and the sales associates attended me very helpfully. But no, nothing.
The third choice was a small department store. I found a sign which indicated the ladies' department was up the stairs. At the top, I looked around frantically. A young associate noticed and asked if "she could help."
I shared with her my dilemma and off we went. In five minutes, I had at least eight choices in several sizes.
When all was said and done, I'd found a dress in one hour. A miracle! I selected a chiffony thing. The sleeves skimmed my shoulders and had rosettes along my shoulder blade on the left side. Unfortunately, I had to buy some SPANX too.
I'd passed go, but I never, ever, ever want to do that again.
Funny thing: the woman travelling with us forgot her dress too. LOL.
Surely, I'm not alone out there in the I forgot this ___________ when traveling nightmare. What's your story?
27 comments:
I sat reading your post and feeling sick for you. This is my nightmare. I always have trouble getting outfits. I take it you remembered shoes?
I'm so glad it turned out well, and you can bet that I'll be double checking when I pack in September :)
Ha! Oh Vickie, that would really suck. The very first RWA conference I attended, I was single and money was tight. Back in those days we all dressed very nice and I so wanted to make a good impression on everyone that I met. I forgot my navy blue heels. The conference was in New Orleans, so I walked five blocks down the street to a Payless and bought a pair of blue heels to match my outfit. Today, I would just wear something else, but I felt it was so important to look my best at that first conference. I still feel its important to make a good impression, but if I'm not wearing blue heels to workshops anymore.
Great post.
Hi, Shelley. It was my nightmare too and I really thought I'd packed it. Sigh. I don't think I'll ever forget the look on Handsome's face either. And yes, I had the shoes, but had to buy Spanx. LOL
Oh, Sylvia! I can't imagine heels. I do like the fact you cared about how you dressed. I think at conference it is important to dress. I learned the cost of heels is five Band-aids. LOL
Great story Vickie. When I'm under the gun I can NEVER find something to wear!
"No Pants!"
"What?"
"You didn't pack my pants."
I got a phone call from my husband on a job interview trip to Texas. I'd forgotten to pack his suit pants. I'd grabbed his suit bag but failed to realize the pants were on a different hanger. ARGH!
He had to go to his job interview wearing a suit coat and jeans. Fortunately it was Texas and not Minnesota. The guys thought he was a playing it cool and still offered him the job.
Whew!
Loved your story Vicki! Hugs! You made me smile!
I once forgot a pair of dress shoes and we were going out to dinner with my husband's colleagues. This was in Milan (as in Italy!), so I had to go shoe shopping there. They were the most expensive and exquisite shoes I ever bought. I'm planning to leave instructions to bury me in them!
I commiserate. I detest going to places that require shoes, much less a dress. Having to buy one on the road would make me growl. What we do for handsome men.
Hi, Penny! I can never find anything to wear either when under the gun. I felt so bad. Thanks for stopping.
Oh, Kat! I can't imagine, but do like thinking he was cool. That's hilarious.
Liese! You've got to show me these shoes. Seriously. LOL
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Hey, Madeline: I know. Handsome was hilariously angry and I knew not to cross the line, but to try. Fortune was on my side. I truly appreciate your commenting today. :)
I feel your pain, even though I know you solved this terrible emergency. I am in complete agreement that one should ALWAYS pack a little black dress of some sort, no matter what one expects to do. Because then one is always prepared for the serendipity of the surprise occasion.
I keep a rather full collection of LBD's myself. The Indispensable Mr. Essex cannot fathom the need for so may varieties of what he considers foolish repetition, but he is always held entirely in thrall by my selection of just the right one. :)
For me, my worst packing emergency would be forgetting my contact case. I have resolved this problem by keeping an empty spare case in my traveling bags just in case.
Thanks for sharing this fun story. :)
One of my first by myself trips was when I was a teenager going to London. I was 14 and thought I knew it all so I didn't let my mom help me pack. After our bus and ferry trip we finally arrived at our youth hostel where I discovered I'd not packed any underwear! Fortunately we were going to the Air Base that day and I was able to re-stock but it took a bite out of my trip money!
I'm glad you found something and in an hour, too. Speed shopping!
Hi, Ms. Essex: because I travel w/ Handsome to various events, I, too, have quite a selection of LBDs. I love them. And handbags. It was a nightmare until I found one to buy. Thank God for the salesassociate. I did write the department store a thank you letter too. VBG.
Hi, Jennifer: Oh, dear, I can't imagine not packing undies, but completely understand. You said it all--age 14!! When my son went to Europe, the sponsors said pack old undies and throw as you go. Yeah. Right. They all came back. LOLOL Thanks for posting.
Well, I did something like this but it was for my son. I sent him off with his dad on a skiing trip and forgot to include warm pants.
What a great story, Vicki! I was in a panic reading it! So happy you found a LBD! I dated a guy once and we went to Houston for a business trip. Sort of the same thing happened to me and I had to rush around the Galleria in Houston trying to find a LBD and new shoes! Stressful! Especially when you are in unfamiliar territory. I really want to see Liese's shoes too!!! Post a pic, Liese!!
Well, I can honestly say I haven't done that....yet.
My biggest problem is trying to figure iut what to wear to a function that I've never been to before. Therefore, I over pack to be ready for anything!
Vicki, this sounds like another short story sale in the making.
Hi, Patti. Well, at least the skiing area has warm pants. LOL
Thank you for stopping.
Hi, Alisha. I know! I want to see Liese's shoes too. Buying dress and shoes, however, would be incredibly stressful. You know, I never felt that comfortable in my new dress either. LOL
Hi, Phyllis. I don't recommend having this problem come up. But yeah, you know, I might be able to use it in a story. Let me put the cap on. Thanks!
Phyllis! I just wrote a story. It's adorable!!! Thanks for the suggestion.
A few years ago, we went on a cruise with my sister and BIL. Dan and I arrived in Barcelona a few days earlier to take in the sights before sailing off to Italy and back.
Now those of you who know me know that I have the world's crappiest hair in the world. It is baby fine and thin and requires lots of work and products. I will never be anything but "an hour away" girl.
Anyway, I woke up that first morning and washed and dried my hair. When I plugged in my curling iron (a special one form Sally's) into the special plugs for Europe that I'd brought, it blew a fuse or something and the damn thing wouldn't work. So, here I am in Barcelona with no means of curling my god-awful hair---and it was straighter than a poker.
Hubby and I walked for 2 miles looking for some kind of shop that sold curling irons. I was beginning to think that the Spanish girls woke up gorgeous. Finally, we found a store (similar to Macy's) in downtown Barcelona and I was able to find a curling iron. I still had to walk all the way back to the hotel looking like something that the cat had dragged in. Now, two curling irons go with me on every trip.
Oh, Liz, how awful. I used the adaptor in Paris, and my iron got very hot. I unplugged it and watched carefully after that.
I sympathize over baby fine hair. I use Gutz. Wow. Then Aussie Super Freeze it hairspray. I'm good to go all day.
My epitaph-I was mean to have curly hair. LOL
Great story, Vicki, with a lovely HEA. Bet you were a knock-out in the chiffon thingy!
After enjoying extensive traveling around the world, I finally got over the angst of packing and resolved if I forget something I'll just buy it when I get there. It's served me well with beach towels, flip-flops, and, yes, Liz, a blown curling iron... But my last extended trip out of state, I got up late (as is my norm), showered, and hurriedly started getting ready for an appointment, and then realized I had left my entire makeup bag at home. The rest I'll simply leave to your imagination...it's still too painful to think about.
Jodi
Vicki, your stories are always adorable! Hey, suggestions are the Plotting Princesses specialty!
Hey, Jodi, I agree. I've dealt with forgotten toothpaste and mascara, but the almighty dress nearly did me in. Thanks for posting.
Hi Vicki,
Yikes! That would be bad! I felt for you reading your story. My oops moment was when I was in middle school and went on a camping trip with the family. Forgot the undies. Mom said to wear them inside out the first day and wash them the second. I was mortified! Ever since then that is the first thing I pack! :)
Karilyn, that is hilarious! But we manage and survive. Isn't it amazing? And we have a funny story to tell. :)
Goodness Vicki - you certainly know how to tell a story. I feel I should be paying for anything I read from you due to the delighted entertainment I receive. I know it must have been horrible but I cannot help giggling. I'll make it up to you. I'm sure I've forgotten many things but as there is no way I can top your story...well. Love ya girlfriend. You're amazing.
I went on a business trip with hubby and packed, and then took things out and repacked. However, when I repacked I took out my pants and didn't put them back in.
I ended up with tops, panties, bras but no pants to wear other than what I wore to get there.
I had to go shopping. Luckily there was a store that had a sale so I bought some pants.
Janice~
Hi, Karen. I'm so glad you appreciate my story. Giggles are welcome. At least, Handsome and I can giggle about it now. I don't ever think I'll forget the look on his face. Thanks for posting and oxoxoxox back!
Hi, Janice. Oh dear, no pants seems to be a theme I've heard when telling this story. I could have snuck by at the dinner with the black pants and white shirt I'd worn, but I'd have looked like the wait staff and should have been placed at the back of the room. BTW, the lady with us who forgot her dinner clothes? Yeah, she found them in another bad later on. LOL
Oops, meant to say she found them in another BAG later on.
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