Oh F***
I got a phone call today. I answered it and it was a lady who sounded very desperate. Oh no, I knew what it was about. It was prom season.
When I was in high school, I couldn't find a dress that I liked and that could fit me. I went to prom twice. Once when my boyfriend at the time was a senior and I was a junior, and the second time when I was a senior. The first time I went to prom, I absolutely hated the dress I got. It was the only thing that could fit me. They don't make a lot of prom dresses for short people who have a tiny waist along with a big pair of hooters and a big rump. Everything was either too long and too big at the waist or was tight at the bust level and rear level. The second time I went to prom, I decided to make my dress. After all, I was going to be attending fashion school when I graduated. I got a few books to help me refine my dressmaking skills along with some supplies. I started two months in advance so I would have plenty of time in case something went wrong. By the time prom came, I had a very nice dress that actually fit me. I didn't tell anyone I made it in case everyone thought it was ugly or badly made. I was pleasantly surprised when people liked it. Even then, I kept it a secret. Only a few close friends knew.
Last year, one of my friend's sisters ended up deciding to go to homecoming and asked me to make her dress because she had liked what I wore to prom. I agreed and swore her to secrecy because I didn't want to get a lot of dress orders since my schoolwork already took enough time. Two months later, one of her friends called me and asked me to do her dress for her quinceanera. I agreed and realized how much easier it was getting for me. After seeing the finished dress, realized I had found my true calling and was relieved that I was taking the right major.
I took a few quarters off because I had some personal problems that I had to deal with and a shit load of school work was not helping. In the mean time, I worked for my family friend's catering business and made dresses. When prom season hit last year I made a total of 25 dresses. It was complete insanity and hard work but I ended up making around $8,500 from the dresses (I charged extra for last minute orders). All of it went towards paying my horrible student loan once I graduated. This year, I decided to take less dress orders since I started school again (and the orders had to be made with time in advance so I wouldn't go completely insane). Ten dresses was my limit for prom season this year and I had already finished the last one about two weeks ago.
When I heard what the lady on the phone was saying to me I didn't know what to do. She told me her two daughters were going to prom (one is a junior, the other a senior) and no one was willing to make their dresses on such short notice. I started to tell her that I was sorry and that I wouldn't be able to do it. The moment she said that at least $1,000 were in it for me I started to reconsider. I figured it wouldn't hurt to have them come over and see what they wanted. I wasn't going to be able to work for at least another week (my arm may not be able to handle the weight of heavy plates yet) and I needed the money (and because I would be taking another week off of school since I wouldn't be able to carry all my supplies).
They came over and told me that their prom was on the 24th. That gave me about two week to make two dresses. What dresses did they want me to make?
The girl who was a junior wanted this dress:
She saw it on a show called America's Prom Queen (what the fuck? right) and she had to have it. Only she didn't want it in aqua (which was the only color it came in), she wanted it in canary yellow. I told them it was too much work (the beading alone would be a lot of work) for two weeks. Their mother explained that no one else would do it and that they were desperate so whatever price I named they would pay. I told her I'd think about it once I saw the next dress.
The second girl wanted this dress:
The moment I saw this I told her no. Making these two dresses in two weeks would be impossible unless I didn't eat or sleep for those two weeks straight. She immediately said she was willing to give me $1,500 for both of them and then I started to take another look. The second girl wanted the green dress in a champaign color. I started thinking about it again. My weekend was completely full already and I had no intention on leaving my prior commitment to my friend and her mother. I told them no again and the two daughters freaked out and nearly started crying. Their mother upped the offer to $1,000 for each dress and by then, the offer was too good to refuse. I told them to buzz off for an hour or two while I thought and sketched out the dresses to see if they were ok with the small changes I made so there would be less beading for me to do.
I started thinking about it started laughing because I couldn't believe it. Were people really willing to spend that much money on prom. Young people were getting ridiculous. It's one night. One night that isn't even all about you. Chances are, that dress will only be worn one time. It's absolutely ridiculous. Then I started laughing because not only was it ridiculous how much they were willing to spend, but it was ridiculous how big of an idiot I was for agreeing to do this.
When they came back, I showed them the sketches and they were happy to see them. I was relieved. I had made them in the right color and they didn't mind that there was less beading. They said the important thing was that it had the essence of the original dress. Essence. It reminded me of perfume.
I took their measurements before they left, and now I'm in my way to the fashion district here in Downtown to go look for fabric.
Let the insanity begin.
When I was in high school, I couldn't find a dress that I liked and that could fit me. I went to prom twice. Once when my boyfriend at the time was a senior and I was a junior, and the second time when I was a senior. The first time I went to prom, I absolutely hated the dress I got. It was the only thing that could fit me. They don't make a lot of prom dresses for short people who have a tiny waist along with a big pair of hooters and a big rump. Everything was either too long and too big at the waist or was tight at the bust level and rear level. The second time I went to prom, I decided to make my dress. After all, I was going to be attending fashion school when I graduated. I got a few books to help me refine my dressmaking skills along with some supplies. I started two months in advance so I would have plenty of time in case something went wrong. By the time prom came, I had a very nice dress that actually fit me. I didn't tell anyone I made it in case everyone thought it was ugly or badly made. I was pleasantly surprised when people liked it. Even then, I kept it a secret. Only a few close friends knew.
Last year, one of my friend's sisters ended up deciding to go to homecoming and asked me to make her dress because she had liked what I wore to prom. I agreed and swore her to secrecy because I didn't want to get a lot of dress orders since my schoolwork already took enough time. Two months later, one of her friends called me and asked me to do her dress for her quinceanera. I agreed and realized how much easier it was getting for me. After seeing the finished dress, realized I had found my true calling and was relieved that I was taking the right major.
I took a few quarters off because I had some personal problems that I had to deal with and a shit load of school work was not helping. In the mean time, I worked for my family friend's catering business and made dresses. When prom season hit last year I made a total of 25 dresses. It was complete insanity and hard work but I ended up making around $8,500 from the dresses (I charged extra for last minute orders). All of it went towards paying my horrible student loan once I graduated. This year, I decided to take less dress orders since I started school again (and the orders had to be made with time in advance so I wouldn't go completely insane). Ten dresses was my limit for prom season this year and I had already finished the last one about two weeks ago.
When I heard what the lady on the phone was saying to me I didn't know what to do. She told me her two daughters were going to prom (one is a junior, the other a senior) and no one was willing to make their dresses on such short notice. I started to tell her that I was sorry and that I wouldn't be able to do it. The moment she said that at least $1,000 were in it for me I started to reconsider. I figured it wouldn't hurt to have them come over and see what they wanted. I wasn't going to be able to work for at least another week (my arm may not be able to handle the weight of heavy plates yet) and I needed the money (and because I would be taking another week off of school since I wouldn't be able to carry all my supplies).
They came over and told me that their prom was on the 24th. That gave me about two week to make two dresses. What dresses did they want me to make?
The girl who was a junior wanted this dress:
She saw it on a show called America's Prom Queen (what the fuck? right) and she had to have it. Only she didn't want it in aqua (which was the only color it came in), she wanted it in canary yellow. I told them it was too much work (the beading alone would be a lot of work) for two weeks. Their mother explained that no one else would do it and that they were desperate so whatever price I named they would pay. I told her I'd think about it once I saw the next dress.
The second girl wanted this dress:
The moment I saw this I told her no. Making these two dresses in two weeks would be impossible unless I didn't eat or sleep for those two weeks straight. She immediately said she was willing to give me $1,500 for both of them and then I started to take another look. The second girl wanted the green dress in a champaign color. I started thinking about it again. My weekend was completely full already and I had no intention on leaving my prior commitment to my friend and her mother. I told them no again and the two daughters freaked out and nearly started crying. Their mother upped the offer to $1,000 for each dress and by then, the offer was too good to refuse. I told them to buzz off for an hour or two while I thought and sketched out the dresses to see if they were ok with the small changes I made so there would be less beading for me to do.
I started thinking about it started laughing because I couldn't believe it. Were people really willing to spend that much money on prom. Young people were getting ridiculous. It's one night. One night that isn't even all about you. Chances are, that dress will only be worn one time. It's absolutely ridiculous. Then I started laughing because not only was it ridiculous how much they were willing to spend, but it was ridiculous how big of an idiot I was for agreeing to do this.
When they came back, I showed them the sketches and they were happy to see them. I was relieved. I had made them in the right color and they didn't mind that there was less beading. They said the important thing was that it had the essence of the original dress. Essence. It reminded me of perfume.
I took their measurements before they left, and now I'm in my way to the fashion district here in Downtown to go look for fabric.
Let the insanity begin.
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