The red dress laments


The red dress was born in a studio somewhere in Europe, a dramatic sketch on a page carefully realised in billowy red silk. A beautiful red silk dress. It is very likely that the designer's sketch did not accessorize the red dress with bright yellow rubber gloves, heavy, slightly grubby boots and a thickly knitted scarf. It is very likely that the designer of said dress never expected anyone to wear it whilst cleaning the fridge.


The red dress feels a little hard done by. The red dress is sure that it was never meant to be squashed into a cupboard shoulder to shoulder with lesser mortals. The red silk dress is uncomfortable living in a house where dogs are sometimes sick on the carpet and furthermore, in the event of dog sick on the carpet the red dress is brought to its knees, to its knees, in order clean off said sick.


The red dress remembers the moment when its wearer first set eyes upon, it felt happy to be picked out, pleased to be on sale. Doubt crept in when the prospective wearer returned with husband and two children, it felt a little nervous as those children fidgeted and touched. There were warning signs of the life it might lead when the wearer smiling refused the shop assistant's suggestion of a beautiful lacy wrap to accompany the dress but even so, there was no hint of the cheap t-shirt and bobbly knitted cardigan that might come.


But the red dress should not be so sad, for the red dress is voluminous and comfortable and therefore the red dress gets worn a lot. Those outings may well involve shopping trolleys at Waitrose rather than decorating stylish parties but at least she gets worn. Pity instead the black dress. The black dress with her tiny nipped in waist and tightly fitting bodice. The black dress could never clean the fridge for her tight lines prevent all bending. Indeed, current measurements of owner considered, the black dress may never be worn, even unbendingly, again.

Comments

lindaprice said…
Yes, pity the poor little black dress and the snooty, shiny navy dress in my wardrobe. That dark blue creation may never leave my closet for any reason, bending or unbending. Rejoice instead with the myriad formals- lavender, turquoise, pink- that danced and pirouetted everywhere, even the garage, and were worn by my youngest daughter and her friends for years and years, who loved playing 'dress up', until those long flowing skirts were torn, trampled and dragged in dust and dirt and finally lovingly adopted by yet another group of aspiring dancers.
Elizabeth said…
Ah, rather worn and loved than hung in the back of the closet forgotten.
Funnily enough, today I hemmed a too-long red dress (very casual, not silk) to get some more wear out of it. All part of procrastinating the cleaning out of the fridge, I might add.
Nicole said…
What a wonderful bit of writing. Almost like a very short short story. Thank you Rebecca.
queenofthefroggers said…
I think that the red dress was so pleased to be set free and swans around happy now!
minpicks said…
I loved this post. I always justify clothing by 'cost per wear' - if it's expensive but I will wear it a lot, it's worth it. Cheap things worn once become more exoensive than something expensive worn all the time.

Your red dress sounds like it was worth every penny. Any your enjoyment of it is infectious.
kim said…
Red should be happy that she has become such a loyal and trusted confidante. Oh, and if she has any suggestions for eliminating odor of said dog expulsions, then please -- oh, please--have her send them my way.
bethanyhissong said…
I am waiting patiently for your first novel.
Alice C said…
Toys which are loved look more dishevelled than toys which are only for show - but it is a sign of how precious they are. And it is always better to be loved. No?
Selerit said…
The red dress looks great! I like it.

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