Running of the Brides

My parents are in town from that infamous big ol red state that is home to several generations of Presidents. I took the day off from work to pick them up from the airport and spend some time together. After lunch, I had to run an errand so I set them loose on State street to shop for about an hour. When we met up again at the Prescriptives counter at Macy's, my mom said she had gone over to Filene's Basement and there was a huge bridal event going on today. As it turns out, Filene's annual "Running of the Brides" event, which is held one day every year, was yesterday.

I had to see for myself.

If you have never seen this, then you have really missed out on a piece of bridal mania. In a section of the store, Filene's set up 16 racks of wedding dresses, in no particular order according to size, style or cost, and the cost-conscious, adventurous and hearty bride can spend the day wading through the ocean of lace and tulle and find a Priscilla of Boston or a Vera Wang for 250.00. The atmosphere was giddy and urgent-- after all, you only have until 10:00 pm to make this big decision. You can't take the dresses to the dressing room, so brides-to-be were standing in the middle of the racks in what can only be described as their underwear, trying on dress and after dress while crowds of shoppers who happened to be at Filene's for the day, offered unsolicited opinions. I saw brides who looked like they were no more than 100lbs trying on a size 14 dresses, trying to imagine how they could be altered. I also saw brides who belonged in size 14 dresses wondering if they could have a seamstress add enough material to make a Reem Acra dress work. I could feel the panic and the joy and the promise of finding the ultimate bargain. "I got my Vera Wang for 259.00 at Filene's Basement." I get a little adrenaline rush just thinking about it.

I wished that I knew a bride who needed something like that. I felt such a rush of joy that there is a way for the enterprising bride who is watching her pennies-- because she is young, or has been recently laid off, or has very little money for any number of reasons-- to have a gorgeous dress for under 300.00. I felt so happy about the prospect of someone with so few resources being able to have a taste of the designer world. There was something deliciously subversive about it.

It's a good thing it was only for one day because I keep thinking I should go back and get some wedding dresses to use for an art project or to wear to my shower. I joked with my mom that we should both get wedding dresses to wear to my bridal shower in September.