Here we are sitting one month before the annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball and i'm not even prepared. For those who don't know much about it, its just an annual celebration of the birthday of the Marine Corps....errrr.... and excuse for most to get away for a night on the town and hopefully not wake up with a hangover. Its a very dressy event such as a prom would be.

My problem is that I havn't even bought my dress yet. There is one I really like:

http://www.discountdressup.com/noname124.html

The one pictured is white but i'd get mine in baby blue. So with no dress *for sure* decided that means no shoes, no jewelry, no hair style, no make up.... nothing decided! I get stressed about this every year and I really want things to go well. I want to be DHs princess for the night, the best dressed wife there. I know it makes him feel good to show off his "gorgeous" wife (in his words...lol) so I feel the pressure to try and look great for him. Last year I got so stressed that everything ended up being last minute... I didnt even know where I was getting my hair done until 2 hours before the Ball began.

Oh well.... just thought i'd vent and release some of my stress.

By Cakekisses324 on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 01:18 pm:

Good luck, I know how that can be. Sometimes I find some of my 'best' outfits, last minute! Hope everything works out for ya! -76'scorpio,lol

By Sue3 on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 01:18 pm:

That is a very pretty dress ! Why haven`t you purchased it yet?
My DH and I go to his work christmas party and it sounds alot like your Birthday Ball.
I love that it is in Feb. because usually the dresses are on sale.
You will have FUN !!!
You better get busy though because it`s only a month away !
I love the dress !! Get it ! Get it !! Lol.

By Boxzgrl on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 01:48 pm:

Okay... I DID IT! I sucked it up and bought the dress. I hope it fits right. It was a great price but I won't tell DH until he asks... LOL! 1 down out of the 500 other things to do! Thanks for the extra push to just buy the dress.

By Mommyathome on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 02:10 pm:

Very pretty dress, and a great deal too!!! Now you can check that off your list
Call right now and make your hair appt. You already know the date/time of the ball, so you can schedule your appt. way in advance
Ohhh....be sure to take pictures and post them after the ball!

By Boxzgrl on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 02:29 pm:

Okay, now that i've purchased the dress and i'm cleaning the house giving myself time to think, does the dress look too high school to wear to the ball? Am I getting too old to wear the poofy bottom dress?

Kristie help, you would know best!

Oh, and my best friend is a hairstylist so I just to confirm that she can do my hair that weekend.

By Rayanne on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 02:38 pm:

No way are you too old to wear that dress Melissa!! You will be a "princess" in it, just like your DH calls you. You have to take pictures.

Where are you getting your shoes from? If they need to be dyed, payless, does it for free if it's their shoes. This is where my girls got their shoes from for my wedding.

Good Luck and have fun. You deserve it sweetie.

By Boxzgrl on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 02:55 pm:

You can dye shoes Rayanne? I never knew that. So if I go in and see shoes I like but need a different color, Payless will dye them?

By Rayanne on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 02:59 pm:

Yes. They have to be the dyeable kind of course. Ask them when you go, because sometimes they keep them in a different area.

By Kernkate on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 03:09 pm:

Melissa, that is a beautiful dress and the price is great!!
Payless does a great job with shoes.
Get everything in order so you are not rushing around last minute and you will be much more relaxed to go out that evening

By Emily7 on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 05:53 pm:

You are going to look great in that dress

By Christylee on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 06:32 pm:

The dress is gorgeous, definately a "princess" dress. I had a purse and shoes both dyed for my prom way back when. You might be able to kill two birds with one stone there.

Make sure to post pictures!

By Bobbie~moderatr on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 09:46 pm:

Love the dress, for sure. You will be a knock out.. And you MUST take a picture and post it for those of us that have never worn a formal..

By Boxzgrl on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 11:31 pm:

Thanks girls, i'll definitely post pictures. I cant wait.

Kristie, you out there? I want your advice too.

By Marg on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 07:27 am:

You are way to young to be thinking you are to old for a dress (((Melissa))). I'm laughing right now from the 'dying shoes' thing.

My prom was in the early 80's and that was a rage back then dying shoes to match your dress!

You will look beautiful

By Bellajoe on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 07:35 am:

Beautiful dress, that will look great in blue! Just a head up though, those payless shoes that you can dye are SO uncomfortable. Not something you want to wear if you are going to be standing a lot. I had to get them dyed and wear them for several weddings i was in, and i think my prom too. Ugh, i hated them. I just wanted to warn you of that.

Have fun, and post pictures!

By Karen~moderator on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 09:03 am:

Melissa, if you wear white gold or silver jewelry, I'd get silver sandal type shoes, that way you can use them again. The dress is so pretty! Do post pics of both of you all *dolled up*!

By Insaneusmcwife on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 09:58 am:

Sorry, I've been in bed with the blankets over my head. I love the dress. As for the shoes, do you even keep them on? I take mine off when we sit down for dinner and last year I almost forgot to get them before we left, lol. I agree with Karen about the shoes. Last year I spent $80 on shoes that I will probably never wear again, and I only wore them to walk down from the room and for pictures. Dh flipped. Where is your ball going to be? Are you going to take Kaitlyn? If so does she have a dress yet????

By Boxzgrl on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 10:01 am:

Our Ball is at Pechanga in Temecula. We will definitely not take Kaitlyn since it will always be a night for Steve and I. But thanks for the dress advice, I feel better I'm off to make a cup of coffee

By Insaneusmcwife on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 10:13 am:

what no Starbucks???

By Kay on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 11:47 am:

The clear party sandals are really cute, especially with some sparkles on them - that's what my oldest dd does now with her sorority formals - and she's much more comfortable!

By Tonya on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 12:44 pm:

I say definately deck yourself out with silver accessories. You will look georgous. And that dress as my 10 yr old niece would say is the bomb!! You will have a ton of fun and I don't know who suggested it but get those clear dress shoes and do a french manicure on your feet it will look awesome!!! And maybe add a silver toe ring for the night.

By Boxzgrl on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 01:04 pm:

When I get the dress i'll have to try it on first to decide what size heels I need. I usually have to skip the comfy shoes for big heels since i'm 5'8" and DH is 6'6"... it would look really funny in the pictures...LOL!


And Kristie.... DON'T TEMPT ME!!!! I'm off to run to Walmart and Starbucks is right next door.

By Karen~moderator on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 02:27 pm:

Wow, Melissa, you're the same height as I am! Somehow, looking at your pic in your profile, I pictured you to be about 5'3" to 5'-04" or so, and your DH about 5'11" to 6'-0"! LOL Pics are deceiving!