Say Yes to the Dress

So I found THE dress today but, as always it comes with a story...
My standards were high. I wanted a floor length evening gown that was elegant yet inexpensive (around 50 bucks was my goal). I didn't want to be a part of a prom showcase or the mother of the bride. Most friends would not only gawk at my requests but wish me luck as they sent me on my own to find this "wonder dress", but Leah responded much like she responded to this pageant business, with support and a giggle.
My first thought was to go to a consignment store but I was met with old bridesmaid dresses of mother of the bride dresses that the store owners seemed to proud to sell. We went to one consignment shop and found a beautiful dress that was way too small but rather than help me get the streamers out for a pity party, she simply stated, "Now we know what we're looking for".
So off we go to Dillards which sometimes has beautiful dresses for cheap, it's worth a try, right? We found a dress that was just a plain awful black frock and a pretty aqua jewel tone blue stunner. I try them both on, the black one first, of course. The black one transforms me into this hot hottie in two seconds flat. I'm curvy but slim at the same time. Suddenly the black frock turned into the dark horse, but I still hadn't put the blue one on...
I put it on and suddenly, this little jokey joke of a concept didn't seem so funny and started feeling very real. We didn't giggle, we made plans. It's a little big on top but is easily manageable and fixable. It just simply flows...it was THE dress! Suddenly, I wasn't trying on an elegant dress I would just wear once, I was a beautiful princess sauntering across the stage. I transformed to this place where regardless of what I had to endure or get through to this pageant, well, it was ok because I found THE dress that once I got there, I would be perfectly beautiful. But wait, how much is the dress?
Ever the power shopper that I am (everything is 3 dollars in my world) I saw a few picks in the back and got an extra 10% off. I bought a $150 dress for 70 bucks! I little outside my goal, but hey, it was THE dress!
On our way back to the car we find the shoes that effortlessly match the dress for 22 dollars! A phrase I tend to say in situations like this has never been more fitting; "I straight stole this dress and these shoes!"
The shear euphoria of it all is indescribable.
So another piece of the pageant puzzle is in place...who knows whats next.

                                                    Here's a quickly taken pic of the dress

Here's a better pic of the center detail

                                               Here's the shoes which are thankfully comfy

                                              Here's a better pic of the braid detail on the shoes