Seven miles to Paree

Having survived two hunts for the Mother of the Groom dress, hereafter known as the MOG, I was invited to join a friend for the MOB hunt. This should be better, I thought, because any color and style she wants, she can have. She sets the tone, instead of following along.

But also being one to get right to the hunt, and not dither around about it, I decided to do a little online looking first. I have a skirt, jacket, and camisole, which, in a different color, I thought would be perfect for the occasion. I set about looking it up and successfully found the site of the dress line.

I should have taken a hint that all was not going to go well when the latest collection I was offered to look at was Spring 2007. And there wasn't much of that. Not to be stopped by a little thing like current inventory and un-updated websites, I searched for a location which would sell the collection. I typed in the zip code of a city in the middle of where we'd be going and two stores came up as being within 25 miles. One was in the town. The other was in Paris FC.

Now, there is a Paris Texas. It is further than 25 miles. Also, it doesn't use the term "rue" in its street addresses nor do its telephone numbers divide strangely.

After an unsuccessful afternoon trying to bag this dress--and finding out from a store that the line in question is no longer carried because 1) they didn't change their merchandise and 2) there were issues (!)--I thought about proffering the website's other suggestion anyway.

Paree, anyone? Think the father of the bride would go for that? There were only four of us shopping. All opinions were needed.