Family of Hamilton-ON HIATUS

dress shopping

As soon as school let Skye, Katie, and I ran for Vanessa's car as we were headed to go shopping for dresses for the Tony's. We were meeting Renee, Pippa, and Jaz at the dress shop. We were talking about what dress styles we wanted as we pulled into the parking lot.

"Remember girls don't look at the price tags" Vanessa chuckled as we walked into the shop. "These are gifts to you girls from us ladies, we want you to have fun. Just remember comfortable is better than extravagance."

We all nodded as we greeted Renee, Pippa, and Jaz. The shop owner and several of her helpers came over to us to talk about what we wanted in dresses and what the store had available to us. I had decided to get a dress similiar to the mermaid style with straps because I didn't think I could pull off a strapless dress.

I saw Vanessa try on a few dresses before she found the perfect one that I felt suited her best. I was struggling look through several racks of clothes when she joined me.

"I think with your hair and skin tone either a deep red or rich blue would be perfect" she said as we looked through the clothes. I realized how little there was for people my size, I wasn't a zero after all. While we were searching through the sized rack I needed Skye stepped out in a beautiful fitted sky blue dress.

"Okay that is the DRESS" I grinned as she did a turn in it. "Can you sit in it though? I mean since it's fitted and all?"

She grinned "What you don't see is how the fabric gives in places. It is made to look fitted but it moves with my body. That is why I picked it, it felt just right when I stepped into it. You should see Renee's dress" she chuckled as Renee stepped out

We call loved her's and Jasmine's dresses, I could see Pippa was having a time finding the perfect dress as well. I picked up a few red dresses and two blue dresses and headed back to the dressing room. I was shy as I began to get dressed in the first dress, I never really did get to play dress up growing up.

I stepped out in a red sparkly number that went to my knees before it flared out with a skirt. I wasn't sure if I liked this dress or not. I walked out and twirled in it for the girls and got mixed reactions. I smiled "Okay so this is a maybe."

I walked back into the dressing room and grabbed a deep blue one next.  It was straight to my knees. I fetl really weird with a short dress but I decided to walk out in it. I chuckled as everyone gave the thumbs down sign "Yep. I thought this would be a no but I loved the color."

Next I tried on the other blue dress but didn't take it out of the dressing room. It doesn't really feel like what I wanted it to. The last was a deep red dress that had sorta a train. It was a fitted top but flowing skirt. I was already in love with it as I stepped into it.(Picture of the dress at the end).

"THAT'S IT!" Skye exclaimed as I stood in front of the mirror. Everyone else nodded their approval as I slowly turned in the dress. I then did the sit down test and found it was perfect to sit in as well.

"Okay then this is the one I'll get. I cannot believe we found it today" I chuckled.

Vanessa smiled "Lin is going to love it! We should surprise him though on Tony day. Don't want to have him nix the dress before hand."

"How could he?" Katie asked laughing. "It shows nothing and she looks beautiful in it."

"Agreed but Lin likes to play over protective dad sometimes" Pippa chuckled as they all fawned over me.

Once we were changed and in street clothes we paid for our dresses and then headed to lunch. We all decided that Italian was the best choice for the day. I got my favorite pasta dish and most of us got pasta.

"Today is probably the last day of fatty food" Katie chuckled. "We all have to fit in our dresses for this fun night."

"Hey no crazy dieting" Vanessa said kindly. "I don't want you girls to go crazy to make sure the dress fits. You three are perfect the way you are right now!"

"Mami I think she was just reminding us to not pig out" I chuckled lightly. "None of us are gonna go off the rails to get thin for the awards show. I love my dress too much to loose weight and not fit in it."

"Good to hear" she grinned as lunch arrived and we dug in. We talked about past awards fun and how school was ending soon. We also talked about career day that was coming up soon. Vanessa was going to go and I was excited.

Later that night when we got home from the theater Vanessa was waiting up for me. I moved to sit with her on the couch. I smiled "What's up Mami?"

"I just wanted to tell you something is all" Vanessa said smiling. "A reason I'm so adament about no binge dieting."

"Don't worry I have no reason to do that. I am happy with the way I look" I said smiling. I watched her look and I saw she had more to say.

"When I was in college I knew a girl who always was going on about her weight. She was already probably a size 2 but she couldn't see it. All she saw was the flaws and it drove her crazy. One night we were at a party and she was drunk. Thing is if you fast and then get drunk it's not a good combo. She got violently ill from drinking and almost died. She ended up in the hospital with a feeding tube and wasn't allowed back to school for a long time after that. Come to find out she had been starving herself since she was in high school and that night was a culmination of starving herself for so long. No one had a clue that she was that sick, and we all wished we had known before hand. I tell you this to remind you that you are perfect! I love how you look but if you ever find yourself hating how you look talk to me please! I don't want to see you go through what she went through."

I smiled at her noding "I promise Mami. I just can't imagine myself wanting to do those kinds of things. I am happy with who I am and what I look like."

"That's my girl" she said giving me a hug and kiss. "I love you, now go get some sleep."

This is the dress that Dania will wear. I hope you guys like it. Also I have up to chapter 111(the Tonys) written. I also have the very beginnings of Lins final show written as well. As I always say though this story doesn't end there ❤️