A Tale of Two Dresses

It was the thinnest of times, it was the thickest of times.

Or something like that.

What I really mean is during the last week I have acquired two new dresses that couldn't be more different. One is soft and clingy and...slinky. One is bulky and cozy and...yet, still somehow slinky.

My two new dresses are both birthday gifts and couldn't be more different. And yet, I love them equally. How can that be?

Let me tell you.

This is dress number one.

I'm a little ashamed to tell you where this dress came from, but in the interest of full disclosure I feel I must...

It was ordered from the Sears Fall and Winter Catalog.

There, I said it. And I'm not ashamed.

Every year my mom, who lives in a town of just a few hundred people, asks me what I'd like for my birthday. (Did I mention it was my birthday last week?) Being the cheap, practical person that I am, I always try to suggest birthday gifts that do double duty as fall wardrobe updates.

Did I mention my mom lives in a town of just a few hundred people and has no interest in fashion?

Yes, well anyway, when she asked me what I would like I grabbed the Sears Catalog and thumbed through it, hoping to spot something that looked like something I would snap up at my local mall.

And I found it - I love me this dress.

It retails for $59.99 and while it may not be of a quality that will allow me to get years of wear from it, it has a beautiful fit. I have no doubt I will wear it all fall with my knee-high brown stiletto boots and all next summer with sandals.

It's not always easy or convenient for us moms to actually get out shopping and this dress proves that, if you're willing to thumb through many pages of cringe-worthy clothing, you can find some nice stuff in the most unlikely places.

Dress number two was a birthday gift as well - it came my way via a gift card for Winners, which I believe is THE best place to get good quality, name brand and even designer, clothing at cut-rate prices.

This little beauty might look bulky, but it's just clingy enough to be quite sexy. When I pair it with tights and my good old, knee-high, brown, stiletto boots (the most expensive and yet most practical pair of boots I've ever bought, BTW) I feel downright sassy in a mod-ish, swinging 60s kind of way. And the ribbing is extremely forgiving of any unsightly bulges and bumps...just sayin'.

It was only $69.99, which goes to show once again that good style can be convenient and cheap!

Two dresses, two up-to-the-minute looks, less than $150 spent and a huge sigh of relief for me...

Looks like it's gonna to be a fashionable fall!

Comments

[Meredith]

I love the sweater dress! You have great taste!

[sky girl]

I love both of them.

There's nothing wrong with Sears. I've been known to order from there on occasion.

And Winners! I HEART Winners. I go at least once a week.

[OHmommy]

Very sassy. Both of them. No pictures of the boots? ;(

[Andrea's Sweet Life]

Great job on your finds! We don't have a Winners around here, but it sounds like an awesome place to shop.

The Sears catalog, though... that takes me back!

[Adrian]

Yep, I hear ya. I buy stuff from Sears once in a while too. They actually have some cute stuff, but I do feel kind of strange buying stuff from the same place my husband buys screwdrivers 'n stuff...

[Mr Lady]

There's no sense fighting it; we shop at Sears now. We worry about our gums, too. It's okay.

PS: Rawr.

Interesting. I NEVER order anything but Lands' End from the Sears book - looks like I need to take another peek at it.

[Leanne]

That was me up there. I pushed Post too soon.

Let me add, I LOVE Winners too. I bought my winter coat there today - black, long and wool. I know it's early, but if I wait, it's gone. I especially love Winners when there's HomeSense attached...

[Vered - MomGrind]

Those are very good prices!

I love the first one. I can't believe it's from the Sears catalog. I would NEVER have guessed.

[April]

Congrats on the great dresses! But I do want to see pics with you in them.

[chelle]

Ooo those are so cute! I need to go shopping!

[Karen MEG]

I can see you wearing both of those Kelly.

I used to love SEARS as a kid; I also would not have guessed that's where you got #1.