The Netflix Dress | Thinking About...

When I was in High School, the Homecoming dance was Friday night, after the game. We were all super casual, (except of course for the Homecoming Royalty), and we danced in the gym and had a great time. Fast forward to the year 2012, and the Homecoming game is still on Friday (LL 24, D 8…Maya goes to LL, so this is a good thing), but the dance is on Saturday, and the kids get MUCH more dressed up. Not prom formal, but certainly the girls wear what I would call a cocktail dress. The boys wear jeans and polo type shirts, mostly. I wonder if the guys ever do catch up and get as dressed up as the girls?

A few weeks ago, I took Maya shopping for a dress to wear to Homecoming. I had a price in mind that I was willing to pay, and there was nothing she wanted there for less than twice that amount. I am sometimes willing to pay more for a dress, but the thing is, she tends to wear the fancier ones one time, and then not again. They’re too fancy for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and she doesn’t want to wear them to the next dance, because everyone has already seen the dress, right? I understand, but it’s also kind of frustrating. Hence the price point.

In this time of YouTube and the Internet, Maya found a solution. One of the sites she goes to recommended Rent the Runway, a site where you can find the perfect dress for you, have it shipped to your house, wear it to your party, and then mail it back again. All for a fraction of the amount that you would spend for the same dress if you paid retail. That hot little red number above, she paid $50 for, and it retails (according to the site) for $350. She looked smashing, she danced and had a lot of fun, and back it went, never to be seen again. Ted called it her ‘Netflix dress’, for fairly obvious reasons. Order it, wear it, send it back.

I dislike the idea of spending $50 for clothing, and then not having the clothing to wear whenever the heck I want to. But I also dislike the idea of spending $140 on a dress that she wears only once or twice. I’m more willing to spend more on more casual dresses that will get more use. So for us, at least this time, this was a perfect solution. We’ll see what happens when prom comes around.

And gosh, she’s gorgeous, and growing up so fast. Sigh.

3 Comments

Nance

October 9, 2012 at 5:14 am

Sigh. The constant issue of Girls Outglamming The Boys. It sadly continues much into adulthood. Want proof? Just go out to dinner and look around. Rick and I always see couples obviously “on a date” and the woman is in a lovely ensemble which she apparently took great care to put together, and the man is wearing cords and a polo, or jeans and a teeshirt and hat, or something equally casual and, in my view, disrespectful. It’s hideous.

But, onward. The Netflixing of Fashion is eminently practical for occasions such as yours. You can even do it up with designer accessories: evening bags, shoes, jewelry. And, true, you balk at spending 50 bucks and having nothing to show for it, but honestly, plunking down over 100, then recouping 20 at a garage sale or consignment shop years later…so not worth it.

And she looks fabulous. Good call.

Rain Trueax

October 9, 2012 at 6:43 am

She is gorgeous and what a dress. Great idea. I’ll be sure and tell that to my daughter to remember for when my granddaughter gets to that age which isn’t far off. For my homecomings, etc., I wore strapless fluffy, net type dresses, think Grease but did sometimes wear them more than once and got one given to me by someone who was older. Used stores, if you have any, are good places for those ‘once’ dresses.

V-Grrrl @ Compost Studios

October 9, 2012 at 2:12 pm

I, too, am tired of buying the special occasion dress that never gets worn again, and I hate that Homecoming has turned into a mini-prom. I’m thrilled to hear about this service. We paid $50 for a swingy black jersey dress from Modcloth that has a modest front but an open back with criss-crossing straps. In theory, it could be worn again (with a cardigan to school), but I know it’s probably a one shot wonder.

Maya looks absolutely stunning in her red dress. I’m definitely going to get my Girl to check out that Web site.

Nance

October 9, 2012 at 5:14 am

Sigh. The constant issue of Girls Outglamming The Boys. It sadly continues much into adulthood. Want proof? Just go out to dinner and look around. Rick and I always see couples obviously “on a date” and the woman is in a lovely ensemble which she apparently took great care to put together, and the man is wearing cords and a polo, or jeans and a teeshirt and hat, or something equally casual and, in my view, disrespectful. It’s hideous.

But, onward. The Netflixing of Fashion is eminently practical for occasions such as yours. You can even do it up with designer accessories: evening bags, shoes, jewelry. And, true, you balk at spending 50 bucks and having nothing to show for it, but honestly, plunking down over 100, then recouping 20 at a garage sale or consignment shop years later…so not worth it.

And she looks fabulous. Good call.
Rain Trueax

October 9, 2012 at 6:43 am

She is gorgeous and what a dress. Great idea. I’ll be sure and tell that to my daughter to remember for when my granddaughter gets to that age which isn’t far off. For my homecomings, etc., I wore strapless fluffy, net type dresses, think Grease but did sometimes wear them more than once and got one given to me by someone who was older. Used stores, if you have any, are good places for those ‘once’ dresses.
V-Grrrl @ Compost Studios

October 9, 2012 at 2:12 pm

I, too, am tired of buying the special occasion dress that never gets worn again, and I hate that Homecoming has turned into a mini-prom. I’m thrilled to hear about this service. We paid $50 for a swingy black jersey dress from Modcloth that has a modest front but an open back with criss-crossing straps. In theory, it could be worn again (with a cardigan to school), but I know it’s probably a one shot wonder.

Maya looks absolutely stunning in her red dress. I’m definitely going to get my Girl to check out that Web site.