Of Charity and Communal Dressing Rooms

LAURIE: I just returned from a preview of the Brides Against Breast Cancer (or BABC) Wedding Gown Sale, in which new and used bridal gowns have been donated, with the proceeds from their sale going to benefit Making Memories. I was invited to the preview because the publicist for the event had read my whining a few weeks ago on this very site about having to buy a second dress after realizing that the first one was more appropriate for a Third World honeymoon than the actual wedding event.

Here is what I liked about the event, which runs today until 8 PM and tomorrow from 9 AM to 6 PM at 15 East 27th street in Manhattan:

-There were just as many size 14s as size zeros, and the gowns were separated by size. -The prices on many gowns were a fraction of their (obviously inflated) retail value. -I was not the heaviest girl in the wide-open communal dressing room. -The volunteer who said to me, "I've seen way more thongs and tattoos in the last hour than ever in my life.". -There was no middle-aged saleslady slinging a tape measure around anyone.

(Aside: At the risk of sounding like a hugely insensitive bitch, I will admit, pace Barbara Ehrenreich, to having had mixed feelings about the way breast-cancer fundraising has attracted the lion's share of public sentiment, not to mention all that extra money from the beauty and fashion industries. Breast cancer charities have their own Kitchen Aid mixer, for god's sake.

But of course it occurs to me that just because the breast cancer people have been so successful in their public saturation campaign doesn't mean that the MS people, the cleft palate people or the Democratic National Committee can't take a lesson and step up their own game.)

Take it from the world's least enthusiastic shopper: if you are a bride-to-be looking for a dress and you've decided to give the summer share a rest, check out this sale. At the very least you'll get to see everyone else's stretch marks and weird body hair.