One month ago, my niece got married and the whole family was able to be present…even my brother’s family from Virginia made it.

Her colors were black and cream. I decided to wear my little black dress and a cream-colored crocheted shawl over it. I had second thoughts because I could see where I ripped the stitching out to put in the lace insert. I tried to find another dress, but there are very few available in tall sizes.

My daughter was able to find a new dress and it was beautiful. Before we left, I told her the tag was still attached. She jokingly said, “That is the only way people will know it is a new dress!”

She was right. No one knows if your clothes are new unless they see a tag.

The wedding was in a town over an hour away. We loaded up our van with our family, my mom and a cousin. We stopped at Casey’s halfway there and I was surprised when a lady followed me out of the gas station.

My cousin and I thought she was going to ask me about the allergy mask that I wear everywhere whenever I go out. I was shocked when she asked me where I got my dress and shoes!

She got out a pen and paper and wrote down, overstock.com for the dress and joesnewbalance.com for the shoes. I didn’t bother to tell her that I let out the hem, zigzagged the edge, sewed the vee-neck up a bit, ripped it back out and added a lace insert. She just saw a dress that fit me and was modest. I also did not let her know the dress was six years old.

After all the only way you can tell if clothes are new, is if the tag is still on them. Buy the best clothes that you can afford. Have them altered to fit you and take care of them. They will last for years.

My little black dress with a lace insert.