Cinderella Dilema

 Yikes! I just looked at the calender this morning (feeling sufficiently recovered from the Christmas weekend to do so) and saw that we are booked to call a dance tomorrow night! That’s all I knew, ’cause for some reason Jeremy and I hadn’t talked about it further. (Maybe all the Christmas business?) So, when he came home for lunch he showed me the emails with all the information he had so far and then I called the host of the party and asked for more. 🙂 ‘Cause I needed details. And I needed to find out if it was all right to bring our whole brood, ’cause that’s usually the way we roll.

Anywhoo, I found it was indeed a family-friendly event, they would be delighted to have us all come, and, in answer to my question, yes, they were going to try to dress up and would indeed be delighted if we came in costume. I thought, “Hooray! I haven’t been to a costumed ball in ages!”

Then I thought “I haven’t been to a costumed ball in ages – WHAT SHALL I WEAR?????”

Because, you see, I haven’t been to a costumed ball in ages (sorry, did I mention that already?) and I have no idea if any of my ballgowns will fit me. I mentally rifled through my costume closet (mentally ’cause most of my costumes are stored in my in-law’s storage building) and looked for something from the right era….that was nursing friendly.

Yeah, good luck, girlfriend.

I thought of this one…

 I always’ loved this one – not ’cause of the color, but ’cause I had payed so little for it as a thrifted bridesmaid’s dress, and had been so ingenious in converting it to civil-war-style ball gown.

 And it was the ball gown I wore to most of the events the year Jeremy and I were engaged.

But it’s not nursing friendly.

Then I thought of this one…

 

So, where does that leave us? I do have several nice regency gowns that are nursing friendly…but it bugs me to wear the wrong era to a ball. (the lady said they were wearing hoops)

• Should I wear a skirt and blouse with a hoop (less dressy, but authentic to the period)?
• Should I wear a regency dress I know I can nurse in?
• Should I wear the 1830’s (think “Wives and Daughters“) gown I made that’s nursing friendly?
• Should I forget the whole dress for a ball thing and wear my go-to, dressy outfit of the month that involves a nice pair of dress pants that are perfect for chasing 3 small children in? 

Fairy Godmothers, Please Advise!