Who knew sweet Katie Couric was a THIEF? She STOLE the TRD from me!  (Part one)

A sister's tale aka Big Sisters are Bossy!  (Part two)

I have no idea how many women have worn and been photographed in the original Traveling Red Dress, but their dress sizes range from 6 to 18 or so. Some would say that's the magic of the dress….

But I don't buy it.

 

Traveling Red Dress in Europe.

July, 2012, Burghausen Castle. The Traveling Red Dress gets the royal treatment!

I call it determination.


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TRD

I have no idea how long I carried the dress like this before my sister noticed I was flashing everyone behind me. The only way I was able to hold my head up and keep going was I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE UNTIL WE GOT HOME AND I SAW THE PICTURES!

How else do you explain enduring two hours of my sister bossing me around while I simultaneously sucked in stomach and back fat, tugged the dress up to hide padding and bra, and carefully carried the dress's train so as not to flash my turquoise underwear at ALL THE PEOPLE STARING AT THE LADY IN THE SHOCKINGLY RED GOWN.  

Grueling work, people.  I no longer snort with disdain when a model whines about how hard her work is; I give her a sympathetic nod.  Or I would if I ever actually heard a model whining.

The magic of the red dress isn't that it's one size fits most; its magic is what happens to the wearer when she puts it on.

It is as unique for each woman as her own thumbprint, but I'm inclined to think for all of us it represents much more than meets the eye.

* * * * * * *

I'll be 50 next year.

Fifty.

I've never dreaded milestone birthdays or getting older; realizing how young my mother was when she lost her battle with cancer I'm thankful for each year!  The year I turned 38–the age she was when she died–something happened inside of me: My perspective shifted.  No longer was growing older something that happened to me; it was the price I had the privilege of paying to enjoy life.

But 50 is a Big One and let's just say I'm a w a r e.  

So.  The Traveling Red Dress…

For me it was a matter of a few wonderful things ~ 

Simple j'oie de vivre.  

 

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Discovering I have more wrinkles than I realized but being pleasantly surprised not to mind them; I decided they're simply the wake of my smile :).

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Seeing myself through my sister's eyes.  

traveling red dress

"Put your hair up!" my sister demanded. So I did–no mirror, no help, just twist and clip. Good gravy, if I had tried to do this at home, it would've taken forever and looked like crap. I was shocked to see it turned out as well as my sister insisted it did.

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Being brave and comfortable…and a little flamboyant in my 49-year-old skin.  

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Traveling Red Dress

This is my daughter's favorite so I had to include it. It was funny to see which pictures were favorites of my family's (especially the ones that I didn't care for).

 

As I've shared before, my Word for 2012 is Adventure; putting on this dress and wearing it in public certainly made for a fun one.  That's a whole 'nother story in and of itself–something happened that has never happened to me before!

I hope you'll make a new entry for your bucket list that includes a Princess Dress; and that you wear it some place special and have someone you love or trust capture the moment for you.  You'll thank me, I promise.

Who knows–maybe Katie Couric will hear about it and beg you to be on her show….

* * * * * * *

The Katie Couric Show is offering viewers a red dress giveaway–click for details!

 

 

 

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