Tampabay.com
DECEMBER 12, 2008

Wedding dress: 'til deal do us part?

Weddingdress_4Tonight, after Gov. Charlie Crist and Carole Rome have exchanged rings, smashed fondant into each other’s faces and danced the Cha Cha Slide, a few issues will still be up in the air: Will the first lady’s daughters continue living in New York? Will Carole keep her crib in Miami?

And what, pray tell, will become of her wedding dress?

This has been on my mind lately because, coming up on my first wedding anniversary in February, I’m still trying to unload my gown. Don’t get me wrong — I felt like royalty in my strapless, trumpet-cut number from David’s Bridal. But I believe my husband’s and my best days are ahead of us, so why hold onto the past?

We have beaucoup photos to remind ourselves how stunning we both looked for our ceremony. My husband returned his rented tux the next day, so why shouldn’t I discard my dress?

I’ve heard all the arguments: Maybe my own daughter will want to wear it someday. Really now? My mom kept her wedding dress for more than three decades — a poofy number with full-length sleeves and... wait for it... a mock turtleneck! (Seriously, was she marrying my dad or Warren Jeffs?) When she offered it up to me for my big day, I respectfully declined.

So as much as I like to think I was hot stuff in my strapless wedding gown, I’m sure it will be totally out of vogue by the time my imaginary daughter walks down the aisle.

DaliadressThen there’s my sister-in-law, who married my brother five years ago. She stashed her dress in a storage closet on the patio of their apartment, where it remained untouched until their recent move. When they opened the closet to pack, they discovered a wind-damaged, tattered ball gown. Now it’s worthless.

So I felt confident about my decision to sell my dress. I’m as sentimental as the next girl, but if I could use the earnings for a second honeymoon, then I’d actually be creating new memories instead of holding onto old ones.

I posted the gown on Craigslist and also took it to a consignment shop — whichever panned out first was fine by me. I had a few bites online, but ultimately no one bought the gown. And two months later the consignment shop owner called to say she was closing for good, so I had to pick up my gown.

Sigh. Back to square one. Ten months after my wedding day, the dress once again hangs in my closet. I’ve reposted it on Craigslist, and I might also try eBay or BravoBride. A colleague suggested having the white fabric made into a christening gown, which seems to have better family heirloom potential than a wedding gown. Then there’s always Trash the Dress.

My fellow brides, am I cold-hearted for wanting to trade my gown for cash? What did you do with your old wedding dress? And what do you expect Florida’s first lady will do with hers? Will she keep it for her daughters? Auction it off for charity? Or can we expect to see Mrs. Crist wading through the Gulf of Mexico, trashing her dress?

— Guest Deal Diva Dalia Colon

(Photos: Top - This may be a real princess' dress, but who would wear today the gown in which Princess Elizabeth got married in 1957? Bottom - Dalia's dress is saying, "buy me!")

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THE AUTHORS

Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or shayes@tampabay.com.

Emily Nipps As a sullen teenager, Emily Nipps refused to wear anything but black, olive green or burgundy, preferably ripped. She has since added color to her life but still experiments with her dark streak. A product junkie, she has tried tons of overpriced face creams and hair products but loves drugstore brands that work the same. She's an Aries and a bassist in a punk band. She has a pet pig, seven chickens, three cats and a rabbit. And just as many lip glosses. She can be reached at (727) 893-8452 or nipps@tampabay.com.

Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost, but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan, she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8643 or kstanley@tampabay.com.

A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or lstein@tampabay.com.

Coming from a long line of fashionable women, Kim Wilmath considers herself lucky to fit into their hand-me-downs. Her wardrobe staples include her grandma's vintage blouses and her mom's funky jewelry. When she's in the market for "new" items, Kim hits her favorite thrift stores -- a habit she also picked up from mom. But when circumstances require a visit to the shiny stores in the mall, you'll find Kim at the sale rack like a good little diva. She can be reached at (813) 661-2442 or kwilmath@tampabay.com.

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