May 19, 2014

The Dress …

hannahseyes

This girl.

Why has she changed so much in the past six months? Everyone we know comments about it. She looks different. She looks older. Even my dad has noticed it. She’s turning into a young woman. She really is beautiful inside and out.

For the past six months she and I have been on the hunt for a pretty, youthful, modest dress that she could wear to the Eighth Grade Dance. It was not an easy task. Do you want to know what our qualifications were? It needed to be knee length. Most dresses now are about mid-thigh length or SHORTER. It needed to have sleeves. Most dresses now are either strapless, one shouldered, or spaghetti straps. It needed to be age appropriate. She is fourteen, not Beyoncé at the Grammys. And it needed to cover her midriff. Does it seem strange to you that I even had to type that sentence? There are dresses out there now that have all sorts of cutouts, making the dresses look more like bikini style tops. Ew.

Now I am going to say something that sounds mean and judgmental, but it’s how I feel – I don’t want my fourteen year old daughter to look like a cheap hooker or stripper at the Eighth Grade Dance! I cannot believe some of the dresses I have seen on girls Hannie B’s age. There, I said it!

So with those four qualifications, we set out looking. Most dresses that met our four rules were just not cute. At all. Please, somebody out there who’s a designer . . . make beautiful dresses for girls like mine who want to look cute, fashionable and modest at formal and semi formal dances!

We finally found a dress at ModCloth.com after looking at thousands of dresses. I wanted to poke my eyes out near the end. This dress was not inexpensive. It ran us a little over $100. When I shared the cost with The Hubby, he and I agreed that we cannot put a price on the importance of modesty for our daughter, so I bought it. When it came I was thrilled with the quality. Even better, it fit the girl child like a glove. She felt like a princess. A beautifully modest princess!

Now for the sad part of our story. A week before Hannie B and I were to head to New York City for Mother’s Day we found out that the dance was going to be held while we were gone. Bad advertising on the part of the school. They had never released the date of the dance until a week before! I gave Hannie B the option to stay home and go to the dance, but she chose to go with me to NYC instead of going to the dance. So she didn’t get to wear her dress after all. She told me we could send the dress back, but instead I told her she should wear it every chance she gets. These pictures are of her before church yesterday! I’m so proud of the choices she’s making. I’m so glad she didn’t settle for just any old dress, but kept looking until she found one that met our expectations and looked stunning on her. This girl of mine. She is a princess. And she knows who her King is.

hannahdress2

13 comments:

The Queen Vee said...

She's beautiful, the dress is so feminine and lovely. Good choice parents and Hannie B, modesty becomes her. Milie Cyrus, eat your heart out, this girl outshines you by a million miles.

Janie said...

She is indeed beautiful. She has a beautiful role model, not only in you, Samantha, but her Grandmother as well. What a choice time for all. A daughter of our Heavenly Father who has been given the choicest of choice blessings - being born of goodly parents (for generations of time), who is loved unconditionally and is a ray of sunshine and light to all. Well done for having and living by standards.

AllisonK said...

She is stunning! I can't believe how grown up she is. I completely understand the dress issue and we have decided as you did to spend a little extra money, but in Hannie's case it was money well spent! I'm glad she went with you and missed the dance. She will always remember this and will cherish this experience.

Z. Marie said...

Oh, how lovely! I have been SHOCKED by some of the prom-dress photos I've seen friends post on Facebook these past few weeks. How great that you found something that worked so well, even if not for its intended event.

TracyS. said...

Beautiful girl! I am so glad you finally found what you were looking for. Well worth the search.

Alicia said...

So beautifully written! You're daughter is gorgeous!

Apis Melliflora said...

A beautiful dress for a beautiful girl. I understand your struggles and my Beatrix is only 7. I had the hardest time finding an Easter dress that had sleeves and didn't gap revealingly when she bent over.

Ronalin said...

Hannah, you are beautiful in every way! So thankful that Abigail has a friend who is also a wonderful example of all things good! Love ya girl!

Darci C. said...

It is beautiful and she is beautiful. Congrats mom!

Anonymous said...

How pretty!

A fun thing to do might be to pick out a dress pattern and let her have the fun of picking the material and making one herself? I did that for my 8th grade dance, this post brought back nice memories :-)

JulieB said...

She has really grown up! So glad you're teaching her she can be modest, but also feel stylish and pretty. And dresses with midriff cut outs? Eww

Bells said...

The girl and the dress are beautiful! I love this post!

squeezeme said...

Oh beautiful Hannie B! You are as lovely on the outside as you are on the inside.