Despite my love affair with fashion, living in Maui has limited my opportunities to wear all my beautiful clothes. Flip flops and a cotton sundress seem to work everywhere on the island. On occasion, I can't resist donning a real dress or a pair of European shoes and heading for Safeway—the place, as everyone knows, to proudly show off the latest fashions, especially in the freezer isle where a shearling or puffy winter jacket helps stave off hypothermia!
On my third day in Firenze, as I stroll the main piazza, I spot a familiar shop sporting a 60% to 70%-off sale sign in the window. Why not take a quick peek? I think, although finding something in my small size is a bit of a challenge in the land of pasta and pizza and all things that start with the letter "p."
I am escorted to the lower level of the long, narrow shop, where the discounted summer offerings are on display. Fall merchandise in tones of cranberry, charcoal and navy blue are being unpacked and featured on the main floor. When I descend the winding stairs to the bottom floor, I am surprised and delighted to see a full line of very pretty summer dresses, shirts and skirts. So much to choose from! As I peruse the racks, a salesgirl accompanies me. In Italy, you only need two expressions when shopping: guardo grazie and provare—Looking thanks and Can I try it? As she assembles the garments I’d like to provare, the salesgirl, in her broken English, explains, "Madam, we have only a few dresses in your size as season is over."
She tells me that she will "control,” which I assume means to check the inventory that always seems to be locked up in a back room. Reappearing with five more beautiful dresses, she ushers me into the small well-appointed fitting room. A tightly nipped-in coral cotton sundress with white-lace trim, a soft-blue ruched sleeveless dress suitable for dining out and a sophisticated black-lace fitted evening dress all fit perfectly. Thrilled that these dresses are discounted an additional 10% on top of the 70% as they are the last pieces in each style, I immediately tell the salesgirl I’ll take them all. I dress quickly but then decide, given such reasonable prices for Italian-styled and manufactured goods, to have another quick look around to see if anything else catches my eye.
In the distance, I spot a cream lace dress so striking and special that I ask to see it. "Good news," the salesgirl says, "its your size, the only one we have left, far too zsmall for anyone to buy. Please try it as it is also a special price." When she hands it to me, it is so beautiful that my heart almost stops. Once again, I strip down and step gingerly into the long creamy lace dress fit for a princess.
The moment I step out of the fitting room, I hear gasps. Not sure if this is approval, admiration or dislike, I turn to find out where the reaction is coming from. Three smiling Florentine women are standing before me, cooing, offering their che bellisima. I turn slowly to face the mirror and am admittedly overwhelmed by the image reflected back at me. "A minor adjustment in the shoulders is facile," Carla, the salesgirl explains. Agreed, but given the limited services on Maui, I think it best I have a local seamstress nip and tuck and press as only can be done in Italy. Reassured that it will be altered and ready within a couple of days, I agree to purchase this last dress.
Carla disappears to contact the seamstress after accompanying me back to the main floor to pay for my purchases. "Madame, this is Stefanie and she will take good care to 'control,'" which again I assume means to take care of all the details. Smiling Stefanie ever so carefully packs the three pretty dresses in tissue and a garment bag. She types all the pertinent tax-free information into the computer and runs my credit card. Good to go and ravenous for a porcini pasta and insalata caprese, I thank both girls Florentine-style with warm hugs and kisses on both cheeks.
As I am about to leave, laden with my many purchases, Stefanie wishes me buona fortuna. A curious choice of words, or does this Italian expression have a double entendre, another meaning that eludes me? "Qua?" I reply, totally unprepared for her enthusiastic counter response. "Buona fortuna, madam. We are so 'appy for your beach wedding!" I stop dead in my tracks. The look of horror, confusion and disbelief on my face prompts Stefanie and Carla to quickly explain that the original cost of this designer bridal gown was €2,700 euros, that this special bridal collection was produced specifically for beach weddings, for casual,sophisticated brides, and that only one in each size has been made, by hand. "You are so lucky to find the last one in your size, and for only €200 euros!"
The irony is that the dress has found me, called out to me. Fear grips me when I realize that this extraordinarily beautiful, romantic, designer bridal gown fits me as perfectly physically as it does in the deepest part of my vulnerable and finally open heart.
In the end, I leave the dress in the shop. Despite my desire to own it, inhabit it, the symbolism and message are far too potent. Am I truly ready, open and destined to stand on the beach and commit my life, my love to someone? When I am, I'll just need to be sure that he is also dressed in something that fits like a suit of commitment, honesty, integrity and love. And it won't even have to be made in Italy!
I am escorted to the lower level of the long, narrow shop, where the discounted summer offerings are on display. Fall merchandise in tones of cranberry, charcoal and navy blue are being unpacked and featured on the main floor. When I descend the winding stairs to the bottom floor, I am surprised and delighted to see a full line of very pretty summer dresses, shirts and skirts. So much to choose from! As I peruse the racks, a salesgirl accompanies me. In Italy, you only need two expressions when shopping: guardo grazie and provare—Looking thanks and Can I try it? As she assembles the garments I’d like to provare, the salesgirl, in her broken English, explains, "Madam, we have only a few dresses in your size as season is over."
She tells me that she will "control,” which I assume means to check the inventory that always seems to be locked up in a back room. Reappearing with five more beautiful dresses, she ushers me into the small well-appointed fitting room. A tightly nipped-in coral cotton sundress with white-lace trim, a soft-blue ruched sleeveless dress suitable for dining out and a sophisticated black-lace fitted evening dress all fit perfectly. Thrilled that these dresses are discounted an additional 10% on top of the 70% as they are the last pieces in each style, I immediately tell the salesgirl I’ll take them all. I dress quickly but then decide, given such reasonable prices for Italian-styled and manufactured goods, to have another quick look around to see if anything else catches my eye.
In the distance, I spot a cream lace dress so striking and special that I ask to see it. "Good news," the salesgirl says, "its your size, the only one we have left, far too zsmall for anyone to buy. Please try it as it is also a special price." When she hands it to me, it is so beautiful that my heart almost stops. Once again, I strip down and step gingerly into the long creamy lace dress fit for a princess.
The moment I step out of the fitting room, I hear gasps. Not sure if this is approval, admiration or dislike, I turn to find out where the reaction is coming from. Three smiling Florentine women are standing before me, cooing, offering their che bellisima. I turn slowly to face the mirror and am admittedly overwhelmed by the image reflected back at me. "A minor adjustment in the shoulders is facile," Carla, the salesgirl explains. Agreed, but given the limited services on Maui, I think it best I have a local seamstress nip and tuck and press as only can be done in Italy. Reassured that it will be altered and ready within a couple of days, I agree to purchase this last dress.
Carla disappears to contact the seamstress after accompanying me back to the main floor to pay for my purchases. "Madame, this is Stefanie and she will take good care to 'control,'" which again I assume means to take care of all the details. Smiling Stefanie ever so carefully packs the three pretty dresses in tissue and a garment bag. She types all the pertinent tax-free information into the computer and runs my credit card. Good to go and ravenous for a porcini pasta and insalata caprese, I thank both girls Florentine-style with warm hugs and kisses on both cheeks.
As I am about to leave, laden with my many purchases, Stefanie wishes me buona fortuna. A curious choice of words, or does this Italian expression have a double entendre, another meaning that eludes me? "Qua?" I reply, totally unprepared for her enthusiastic counter response. "Buona fortuna, madam. We are so 'appy for your beach wedding!" I stop dead in my tracks. The look of horror, confusion and disbelief on my face prompts Stefanie and Carla to quickly explain that the original cost of this designer bridal gown was €2,700 euros, that this special bridal collection was produced specifically for beach weddings, for casual,sophisticated brides, and that only one in each size has been made, by hand. "You are so lucky to find the last one in your size, and for only €200 euros!"
The irony is that the dress has found me, called out to me. Fear grips me when I realize that this extraordinarily beautiful, romantic, designer bridal gown fits me as perfectly physically as it does in the deepest part of my vulnerable and finally open heart.
In the end, I leave the dress in the shop. Despite my desire to own it, inhabit it, the symbolism and message are far too potent. Am I truly ready, open and destined to stand on the beach and commit my life, my love to someone? When I am, I'll just need to be sure that he is also dressed in something that fits like a suit of commitment, honesty, integrity and love. And it won't even have to be made in Italy!
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