Pros and Cons of Putting 16-Year-Old Girls in Wedding Gowns

by on November 3, 2008
in Uncategorized

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When I first moved to where I live now, a friend told me that girls in the local high school where she taught English might spend $2,000 or $3,000 on a dress for homecoming. I thought she was full of it. Then I met someone who owned a bridal shop. She confirmed the story, adding that the homecoming court was required to wear white dresses. So what do you call a white, prommy looking dress? A wedding gown! She’d even sold a Vera Wang to one stylish teen.

Last week I got to experience the phenomena first hand at the high school homecoming parade, where my son and his fellow 5th graders supported the football team on a float lovingly crafted by the parents of said 5th graders. Up in front of the parade was the homecoming court. I watch in amazement as young girls in $100 updos rode freezing in the back of convertible Mercedes and Beemers, waving and tossing candy at their loyal subjects.

What’s wrong with girls in wedding gowns?
To me it cheapens the symbolism of such a special garment. The white gown is used for baptism, confirmation, quinceanera, and weddings, among other cultural rites I’m ignorant of. But to honor a football game? That’s just wrong.

What’s right with girls in wedding gowns?
While I’m pretty sure my daughter is more likely to be on the field for the homecoming game rather than on the court, you never know. I’ve got to consider the positive points of the tradition. Maybe she’ll be more careful eating spaghetti? Probably not. The one advantage I see is that wearing the white dress might gets it out of their systems and buys these girls a few more years before they don The White Dress. If that’s true I’m all for it. In fact, I’m off just now to buy a wedding gown Halloween costume on sale for next year.
Okay. No, I’m not. That’s over the line.

Image: Foxtongue

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Farewell to the Days of Sweet Halloween Costumes

by on October 31, 2008
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This year my daughter had wanted to be an evil bunny rabbit. Then it was hotdog, John McCain, and finally a ‘business woman’.

(Note: The fact that she chose John McCain is less reflective of the political tenor of our home than her desire to oppose her brother, who had wanted to be Barack Obama. That is a whole other story.)

Now, inspired by a clown mask and the breif case she had planned to use to be a business woman, she’s been running around the house saying ‘Put the money in the bag!’. She calls it a bank robber. I say hedge fund manager.

Anyway… all this to say – it’s a far cry from last year when she was none other than prairie-sweet Laura Ingalls Wilder. As soon as she said she wanted to be this wholesome figure, I rushed down to the Salvation Army and bought up all their lace and ruffly pillowcases. Mind you, I’m not crafty. That’s why this costume will forever be my masterpiece.

Could she be any cuter? She’s wearing a gigantic grin. Trust me. (If you’ve been here for a while you know I don’t like to post my kids’ pictures.) Now, I’m no photograper. I probably won’t win the Halloween photo contest over at Parent Bloggers, but I’m entering this anyway under the category of–

Best Homemade Costume.

Because it is. Hands down.

Note the crafty use of ruffles….

… the home spun petticoat and apron

… the genius re-purposing of a too-small blouse.

I outdid myself. I really did.

And this year she’s a bank robber. Lovely.

By the way, was posted in part to promote Blurb’s super cool DIY photo books. You really ought to check them out!

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