Another Holiday Party

This weekend, I attended a very memorable holiday party. A-M and a bunch of her friends rented out the top part of the 17th Street Cafe to celebrate the end of the year. Most of my buddies from work were in attendance as well as the trio I met through Tree Hugger happy hour (Chatty-Chica rules! I can't wait for our trip to Marvin in 2008!).

I must say that I looked hot. I don't mean to brag or sound superficial, but I worked really hard to transform myself from my usual drab tomboy look into a pretty woman with actual sex appeal. Most importantly, I properly repaired and accessorized the Betsey Johnson dress I scored at Marshall's.

I am not a fan of Marshall's or any of those other discount stores. In fact, every time I enter those stores, I feel faint. My mom says it's due to the recycled, unfiltered store air--mixed with an overwhelming array of junk. But last spring, I scored a lovely purse and just a week ago, I landed a $35 fixer-up dress. The dress was ripped along the split and was missing its belt and removable straps. But I easily remedied it with careful sewing and sniping and a $7 lace scarf from Target. I paired the dress with a cute pair of shoes I'd been eying at JC Penny's for a month--only $14 after $46-worth of discounts!.

I think I did very well for a holiday outfit on a very tight budget. I doubt that I'll ever wear the dress again--I don't think such a thing would be useful in the Peace Corps and I'll probably return from the Peace Corps fat--so that it will be given to a friend or to the Goodwill. As for the shoes, they are super cute but not that comfortable. I'll probably wear them a few times before also giving them away.

It's rather silly and wasteful for me to have spent $60 on an outfit I'll never wear again, but the joy and ego boost I got from transforming myself was truly worth it. My look and aura last Saturday isn't something that I anticipant recreating that often--in fact I've only dressed up a handful of times this year--but it is a great reminder of my potential.

I thank A-M for inviting me to such an amazing holiday party and I thank all my work buddies for sharing such a memorable night with me.

Happy Holidays, all!