Monday, June 23, 2008

Karma and crinoline

Yesterday I got a crinoline from someone on Craigslist.

I'd put an ad on last week saying that I need a crinoline, and only plan to wear it once ever under a wedding dress, once, no matter what, and so don't want to spend a whole lot on it. And so if anyone is getting rid of one, and wants to sell it cheap, I'd be delighted.

I figured why not try, and if that didn't work, I'd turn to eBay. I'd heard nothing, and so last night was going to buy one.

And yesterday afternoon I got an email from someone who said she'd read my ad, and had I seen this other ad with a wedding slip that might suit my purposes?

This woman was offering one free. She'd bought it for her wedding and then chose a different type that suited her dress better, and just wanted to get rid of it. If someone could pick it up yesterday, great, if not, it was going to Goodwill.

I emailed her and said I could be there within the hour. I also emailed the first woman and thanked her for telling me.

The woman getting rid of the crinoline replied, yes, come get it! So I did!

It was enormous - filled an entire garbage bag with its skirty floofiness. I pulled it out in Nick's living room and there was skirt everywhere. Mounds and mounds of white tulle.

Excellent!

By the time I got home, the woman who'd told me about seeing both ads had written back, thanking me for writing. I replied that the crinoline was going to work perfectly, and it was all because of her taking the time to drop a stranger a note.

And she replied again saying two things. One, that my profuse thanks had made her feel really good. And two, that she had been the recipient of a lot of anonymous kindness, and she believed in paying karma forward.

I love this. I believe in doing the same.

On a very frivolous note, I love the frou-frou.

Betty called a couple hours later and asked if it had worked out with the crinoline. I said it had. She asked if I was still wearing it around the house.

Me?

Oh, wow, does she know me.

I pulled it on over my clothes when I got home. And then kept it on for a good half hour. Because flouncing around in an enormous flouncy poofy tulle skirt? Turns out to be at least as fun as mincing about in new heels.

If you have any inclination for the princess-y, I strongly recommend it.

The only thing that could've made it better was this tiara and a sparkly purple magic wand I used to have. You know I'm not even kidding.

13 comments:

  1. I don't flounce around in tulle, but I do love to mince about in heels. I'm so happy this worked out for you. Yay universe!

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  2. wow, that's awesome! and the flouncing sounds like fun :-) so i'm curious, just how big is the crinoline? is it like a-line poof or is it princess full on poof or somewhere in between?

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  3. my mother made me a magic wand as a child. It was really just a silver painted dowel with streamers and a wooden ball on top, but she had glued a bunch of crystal beads to the wand so it looked like a stalactite on stick. Perfect for dancing and granting wishes.

    It sits in my bedroom on a bookshelf, still.

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  4. Maiden Metallurgist - Yes, thanks! Yay universe!

    mrsmac - I guess it's full A-line. There's a slip and then a layer of crinoline that's actually a bunch of rows sewn together and scrunched for fullness, if that makes sense. And then another slip on top. It seems huge and I feel very princess-y but compared to some of the other ones I've seen with hoops and such, this is tame.

    Slightly Disorganized - I LOVE that. This makes me adore your mom. That's so sweet and charming!

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  5. When I was little, I got to be flower girl in a cousin's wedding and I got to wear a poofy crinoline and it totally rocked! Best part of the event for me. Enjoy!

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  6. Great news! Have fun with the Princess gown and I echo the Yay universe! comment :)

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  7. I'll just bet you were walking around in it WHILE speaking with just a hint of a Southern twang.

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  8. lacochran - I cannot even imagine how much I would have loved that as as kid! Fun!

    HKW - Thanks! :)

    FreckledK - You KNOW I would have, but I was all by myself. Maybe when I put it on again this evening. :)

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  9. I know you shouldn't put up a pic of you in your dress, but you should definitely put up one of you in the crinoline. That would be awesome.

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  10. Ah, to feel like a princess again... I think I dressed as Snow White 3 Halloweens in a row as a kid!

    Ah, nostalgia...

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  11. Colleen has a purple wand and a tiara you can borrow...not kidding!! :) xoxo Marta

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  12. Oh, my God, I love it! That's so great you were still wearing the crinoline when she called you back! (It does sound quite fun, I must admit...) :)

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  13. I often run around in a Halloween bee costume. Or in these red and pink boy short panties from VS with matching knee socks.

    And I love anonymous kindness.

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