Malls, ugh

[donutsweeper]

Spent 4 hours yesterday traipsing around one mall and another five today slugging our way through the Mall of America to find daughter dresses for her upcoming bat mitzvah.  FINALLY found something she's willing to wear (the majority of dresses, according to her 'looked like a tornado threw up on them') and weren't cut in a way to turn a 13 year old into a street walker.

What is with stores blasting music to the point you can't even browse without going deaf?   *sigh* 

Two gorgeous dresses bought (this one and this one), one shrug and one pair of shoes and my wallet's quite a bit lighter.  But, most importantly, it is done so at least that's something I can cross off my list.  Like my sanity. 

Comments

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

cut in a way to turn a 13 year old into a street walker.

Yes! That is the problem! Most of the little girls' clothes I see in stores make me want to cry. The dresses you found are beautiful though!

I agree about the music in stores. I find it not only distracting, but unpleasant. It makes me want to leave the store as soon as possible, and it *doesn't* encourage me to browse. Even in the grocery store! Well, the grocery store is about the only place I shop, but I know what you mean.

Is your daughter's bat mitzvah going to be a big big to-do? Because I can see planning that kind of thing being pretty crazy making. ::offers donuts::

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

It's a coming of age right of passage thing. Here in MN they are important, but not over the top. In NY the parties after the ceremony were HUGE (like 30k huge with ice sculptures and whatnot). But we still have a lot of things we (as the bat mitzvah family) have to do to mark the occasion for the friday night service and the saturday one, including an oneg after fri (coffee, cookies and things after) and a luncheon on sat after that service and we've decided to have a little party for her on sat night.

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

I always knew of it as a coming of age/rite of passage, but in the past few years I've heard about families spending the amount people spend for weddings on it, hiring popular bands, having a huge catered party and such (ice sculptures, like you're saying!) I wasn't sure if everybody did it that extravagantly. I like the idea of having rituals to mark coming of age. I think that would be very meaningful.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I don't fault people for wanting to celebrate, but as the saying goes, it's too much "Bar" and too little "Mitzvah" sometimes. A LOT of people go way overboard

The addition of the pizza party the sat night is really the only extra thing we're doing, but she actually asked and she *never* asks for things so... *shrug* what the heck, we decided to go for it.

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

A pizza party sounds like a nice idea! It will be fun for her and delicious for everyone. :)

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Wow, great dresses.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

Oh, that first dress is gorgeous! I'm a plus-sized girl and a few years ago I had to go to my cousin's wedding, and there were absolutely no plus-sized dresses to be had in my city. Even though it was prom/grad season. So I feel the pain of store hopping and looking for THE dress.

Good luck (b'hatzlacha? Is that the right phrase? Wiki seems to think so) to you and your daughter.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Dress shopping, for any size, is a nightmare. I'm going with fancy top and skirt myself.

More common is mazel tov, but b'hatzlacha works too! thanks! :)

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

I went with a nice top and dress pants. In July, I had another cousin's wedding to go to and found the perfect dress, but then was too sick to go to the wedding. God laughs, eh? ;-)

Aha! I thought of mazel tov, but as I Googled to check my spelling, Wiki told me that it's more of a 'congratulations' than a 'good luck'. In any case, I wish both.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

oh no! that's annoying, have you been able to wear the dress for another occassion?

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

Yep! I wore it to the theatre in the summer and it's perfect if my friends and I do a Christmas party this year.

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

I really like your daughter's description (and yours, because it's sadly true).

I tend to listen to my iPod anymore when I go browsing through stores, mostly for that reason. It's really annoying.

Like the dresses, by the way, especially the second one.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I kept wondering though- a tornado? Do they usually throw up?

the ipod thing is smart, it would prevent idiot salespeople from annoying you with their perkiness (or disdain, depending on the store)

:)

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

Well, I suppose when it's running out of steam, it's going to, uh, start dropping a bunch of stuff. I wouldn't immediately think of throwing up, but I think it conveys the right image.

It's definitely useful in that manner. Also useful in avoiding street-side vendors or petitioners while walking down the sidewalk.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

good point!

I'm a rude New Yorker. I just ignore them

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

I'm a country girl. I try to ignore them but inevitably end up listening. My iPod works wonders.

[stackcats.livejournal.com]

I like the first one. Pretty!

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

:) thanks!

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

My daughter has a dress a bit like that first one :D
I bet your daughter looks lovely in it.

I have been known to ask stores to turn their music down - my kids hate me for it - but if they want to make a sale they'r going to do it - especially wen me and my kids are the only people in the shop.

So where's your voice post sweetie?

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

she's grown up too much too quickly!

actually I've recorded two but neither worked right, I'm trying again in a minute

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

*waits*

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

trying for a THIRD time now. between airplanes and the cat it's not easy. Maybe I should try something shorter

[hellenebright.livejournal.com]

I do love the dresses. You'll have to post a pic of the young lady wearing one of them. It could be worse - you could be trying to dress someone who looks like this (http://myaxxx.deviantart.com/art/BubbleGum-Ema-95655295)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

pink hair would have made things very difficult! My daughter's got long blonde hair, she's 5'3 or so, thin (willowly maybe) and, at 13, with a slight build