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Curvy woman needs waltz dress
No offense, guys, but I need a moment alone with the women, please.
It’s about my waltz dress for Dancing with the Stars.
Help me help me help me!
The only thing I’ve got are my shoes. Wait, I take that back. I didn’t even get the correct dance shoes. Wrong color. Apparently, I was supposed to get tan ones. I bought black dance shoes.
I wore them to two nights’ practice before I learned that black dance shoes were not advised because they stop the visual line of your leg and produce a stumpy look. Kind of like an exclamation point.
LOOK AT THOSE STUMPS!!!!
Funny. I’d say about 99 percent of my shoes are black. That could explain a lot . . .
So I’m practicing in my wrong black shoes, and my regulation tan ones are on order (at Soleus Dance and Fitness Wear, a very cute Redding shop that caters to dancers – a whole other world).
But my waltz dress is what I really needed help with.
I won’t bore you with the story about the Dancing with the Stars clothing arrangements for the women dancers. It’s kind of crazy. First we were supposed to look for our own clothes, then we learned a person would actually help us with our outfits, then that person went away, so now we’re back to our own hunt for dance clothes.
Times like this the guys have it made. They’re fitted for tuxes. Period. (Well, in all fairness, the guys do need disco outfits, so they’ll need to deal with that.)
But we six Dancing with the Stars women need two outfits: one for disco and one for the waltz.
Finding a disco outfit doesn’t worry me. I could do bell bottoms or a slinky dress in crazy fabric. Disco is not so serious.
Waltz is serious as double pulled quad muscles.
Finding a waltz dress is freaking me out. I’ve been to thrift stores. Struck out.
My sister and I went to Sears because I heard it had a bunch of prom dresses with prices slashed by 60 percent and more, because prom season is so over.
True enough. And the prices were impressive. Unfortunately, those sale dresses were teeny tiny teeny bopper gowns, in sizes like 2 - and I don’t mean 2 plus - they mean the size 2 or 3 or 4 I zoomed by so quickly in my early development that my closet never saw those numbers.
The professional female Dancing with the Stars dancers are very, very young and small.
The remaining non-dancer “stars” are Chita Johnson, Tracy Edwards and yours truly.
Chita is, well, Chita. She’s young and tall and va-va-voom gorgeous. (True story: At practice one night I’m watching Chita walk across the gym floor and I think, “Gee, Chita must be practicing a sexy walk for her dance.” Then it hits me: That’s the way she really walks.) Chita could wear a Mervyn’s Sag Harbor muu-muu and look like a million bucks.
Tracy Edwards is beautiful, slim and coordinated. She also has a mother who sews.
Which leaves me, and this question for you women:
Where does a mature, curvy woman find a ballroom waltz dress in the north state? Oh, I should add that I don’t want to spend a fortune, because I probably won’t wear that dress again (I don’t attend events that require that caliber of fanciness).
I’m not talking about just a larger version of a teeny-bopper dress.
I’m talking a grown-up woman’s dress that’s pretty enough that it doesn’t look like a mother-of-the-bride number.
We’ve been instructed to find something ballroomy that flows when we move. It must be modest (no cleavage, which has never been an issue for me). It should be tea length, so the audience can see my non-stumpy feet in my should-arrive-here-any-day tan dance shoes, as I glide around the floor in these fancy moves Jake is teaching me.
The dress’ skirt part should be wider at the bottom, so I can do those leg extensions without ripping something. Remember, I’m trying to avoid a wardrobe malfunction.
I’m open to suggestions, but here are some guidelines: It can’t be black, which is too bad, since it’s one of my favorite clothing colors, not to mention I did happen to find a black skirt and a matching black-and-cobalt blue top that I liked at a costume shop.
The reason I can’t wear black is it’s considered too somber for the waltz, which is supposed to be pretty and flowy and elegant and happy.
Another reason black dresses are discouraged is I might just disappear into my partner’s black suit, and the audience won’t see me.
That would be fine with me. However, it would not be fine with our head choreographer, Kathy Babcock.
So it’s back to the dressing room.
Oh, and we need our outfits by Wednesday.
No pressure.
Either leave your suggestions here, or e-mail me at attndoni@gmail.com.
Thank you. Now, I must go practice.
One two three . . .
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Have you tried two of the nicer thrift stores- the one next to Thai Cafe on Locust or the one in the Shasta Boot shopping center on Hartnell? You’ll be great and will have alot of community support. Best wishes!
Liz
Oh shoot. I read the top of your article, and ran in to my closet to see if I still had the flowy, tea length dress I found at a thrift store in San Diego-perfect for the waltz. (got it for the waltz) I’ve still got it! Horray! Then I continued reading your column, and was disappointed to hear that your dress can’t be black. Darn! I’ve got an idea. Have Jake get a cobalt blue tux, and you can wear the black dress!
Love your barrel, dear. All the cool kids are wearing them.
Doni, Have Jake get a white tux and you can wear Canda’s black one.
Black and white is very elegant together!! Think about it!!
Have you tried Ross Dress for Less? Whatever you wear, you’ll look like a million bucks, the way you always do!
I don’t have anything like what you are looking for, as I avoid pantyhose like the plague. However, because of your vast readership, I’ll bet you a nickel that you have the perfect dress before this coming Saturday night. You on?
Have you tried Ebay? Also, have you checked your closet? Is there something that can be restyled?
And please call me for last minute alterations! I’m here for you.
Well heck. I assumed my dozens of black shoes were simply making my feet look smaller. Stumpy legs – who knew?
Doni, 50% of your audience will be male so let me sneak in a quick comment
…black shoes with a black dress is a great look. It’s elegant, sexy and clean. My wife adds color with scarves, sashes or belts. Blending with your partner in black tux seems like a good thing for a waltz number. Good luck. I can’t bring myself to say break a leg.
Doug
Doni -
I just stopped by Kreations on California Street (Kraffert Building) after lunch at Blends (in the new building on Yuba Street at Oregon) and Anne Marie (the owner of Kreations) had some cool dresses in there that might work for you.
Doni,
I second that eBay suggestion! Brilliant! If you can’t find it on eBay, it simply does not exist. I wonder if Craig’s List might be of some assistance? Also, have you tried Googling “ballroom dance attire” or other words close to those? Google has become my default action for pretty much everything. You deserve to feel like a million bucks while you’re up there dancing in front of Redding’s patrons of the arts. You’re a brave girl indeed.
Overstock.com and eBay (try seller Bonfantastik) are great.
When I strike out at the thrift stores my next option is the stores at the outlet mall. I’ve found dressy stuff in a great range of sizes in a couple of stores.
Doni, what about that dance group in Redding that performs at senior care facilities, and numerous events around town. I’ve seen them several times doing beautiful waltzs, and the women had lovely gowns. Maybe you could borrow a dress from one of the ladies? I cannot recall their name at this moment but with your contacts here, someone is going to know.
How about the thrift shop in Palo Cedro: Another Chance Animal Welfare League. It’s in the Holiday Food shopping center. Call first to save yourself the gas, but you could inquire about their selection. They only take upscale clothing, so you might find something there.
I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends who’ve made such terrific, brilliant suggestions. Thank you! I’ll let you know how it turns out.
There is a store on Athens Avenue (close to Cypress) that sells vintage clothing. Maybe they would have something. Good luck!!
Doni,
I wore my wedding dress last year! Seriously. Had help “jazzing” it up with sequins and stuff - but it looked so pretty…too bad I bought it at a resale shop in Phoenix…and too bad it was just last year I wore it to dance in, or you could re-wear it and nobody would remember…(I’m short and “curvy” too)! I’m heading to Ross for something to wear as MC, so I’ll be there scouring the racks as well…good luck! (And don’t we wish for just an evening we could be as tall and beautiful as Chita…oh, those darn middle european genes, and extra 20+ years…)
Talk to Lissa at Occassions on Hilltop. Good luck on the 12th!
That’s Occasions, sorry misspelled, still on Hilltop though.
OK a topic I know something about. Ross is the best for dressy dresses at cheap prices. Also in the running is the new DEB store in Anderson. Its in the outlets has plus sizes and cute stuff fairly cheap. Outside of that I dont know what size you are but Torrid in the Mall has a great clearance rack.
Ross does get in new things all the time, too… keep checking! Another great idea would be Nordstrom Rack in Sacramento… usually an amazing selection of dresses there and there are some good deals to be had… and a fun little road trip with a sister or friend!