About 3 weeks ago in the middle of the fiercest heatwave of the summer I decided to take a trip to downtown Toronto with my hubby and spend a bit of time shopping on my own before meeting up later for supper.
It seemed like a great plan. Some light shopping, drinks and dinner.
Nice right?
Except no one told me it was Christmas in July at the malls. I have no idea why on a Tuesday afternoon there were so many people jammed into Eaton Center, each store I visited had line-ups to pay, line-ups to get into the fitting rooms. WTF? Doesn't anyone work or go to school anymore?
That's okay I thought, I'm going to leave these high strung over caffeinated school skipping work dodging mall shoppers behind and head out to Queen Street West where the hip cool granola munchers shop in smaller independent boutique stores. It'll be fun!
As soon as I pulled open the huge doors to exit from the Bay onto Queen I was hit in the face with a hot sweaty slap of Toronto summer. I'd opened the doors to the outdoor sauna, 46 C ( 115 F) and 100% humidity.
Hmmm I thought, this could be tad "warm" to be walking outside in the cement jungle. That's okay I convinced myself, the stores I wanted to see were only a few minutes down the road. Stop being a baby and get a move on.
That was before I saw that they had ripped up 2 blocks of Queen St. so I had to detour 2 blocks in the wrong direction, full sun, hot retched air squishing into my lungs like wet cotton balls. It felt like a sweaty sumo wrestler was languidly lounging on my chest.
I had no hat, no cool drink in my hands and no cabana boy gently fanning me with palm fronds. I was alone in this hell hole surrounded by tribes of construction workers gesticulating and crying out like monkeys in the Amazon.
That was before I got to the shoe store and they told me they didn't have the size of the shoe I'd come downtown for but if I just walked oh, 15 minutes up the road to their other store they would be able to help me.
That was before I started to sweat through my dress like I'd just run 10 km, my face and neck turning deep red in the midday sun like a ripening tomato.
That was before the 15 minutes up the road turned into 50 minutes of anguish. My swollen sweating tootsies growing larger by the minute. By the time I made it to the store I'm sure my feet would be 6 times their normal size.
That was before out of necessity for fear of heat exhaustion I had to visit every other store on Queen St. West just so I could step inside and breath some cool AC, casually wipe my face with my sweaty palm and try desperately not to look like my head was about to explode.
This was when I decided that wearing my 100% polyester dress was about the worst decision I'd made in my life.
This was when I went into Kind Exchange consignment store, was lucky enough to find one item, a silk dress by Tristann to try on. I took it back to the change room and peeled off my sticky wet polyester plastic bag of a dress, wiped off my sweaty body with it like a sports towel and tossed it into my bag.
The silk dress stuck a bit when going over my head. My body was still a bit damp with perspiration. But once I got it over my head, the heavens opened up and the non existent birds of downtown Toronto started to sing.
It was cool. It didn't touch my body. It was light as a feather. It breathed. I was saved. I wouldn't die on the sidewalk in downtown Toronto surrounded by hot dog stands and pigeons.
I walked out of the fitting room, price tag hanging off the back of my neck. I told the guy at the cash,
" Don't worry, I'm not trying to steal this. I would have died if I kept that polyester self contained heating pad on one minute longer."
And that my friends is how you justify buying yourself a new silk dress. It's death or a new dress.
Simple.
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Perfect justification for such a pretty dress!
Debbie 🙂
http://www.fashionfairydust.blogspot.com
Best. Story. Ever.
Also, pretty dress! 😀
Love your dress and wedges!
what a wonderful dress
Lovely dress and shoes!
Tiffany Ima
Style Honestly
That dress has a great print 😉
ROFL–I’m with you–we had that horrific weather last month!!
The new dress is GORGEOUS!!
Oh my goodness! I was dying just reading this. That’s awful girl! I’ve had to make an emergency purchase like that before haha 🙂 And hey, it just happens to be gorgeous as well! It’s a win-win.
Jessi
http://haircutandgeneralattitude.blogspot.com
You are hilarious! I was laughing my rear end off reading this (not about you dying in heat, but the way you told the story)! You really should write a book. I’d be the first one to buy it. You have one heck of a sense of humor. And I love funny women! They’re rare like gemstones.
Hi Suzanne- forgive my way of contacting you but I just tried to email you and it got bounced back- which brings me to… your package was returned to me- I didn’t put enough postage on it! I will re-send when I get back from vacay- (I’m leaving in the morning) and will ship by August 13th. Forgive the delay! -Bella
That dress looks fab and looks like it FEELS fab. Some polyester you have to pass on- the old thick 1970s era polyester is torture in the summer (you sweat) and torture in the winter (you stick) There are some breathable microfibers I can live in, but they are a different beast than the frock you almost cooked in.
No worries : )
Agreed.
Haha, love the story and the dress! You look cool and marvelous, Suzanne!
I know what you mean, girl, I don’t know how people manage wearing poly dresses around when it is hotter than Hades outside. You look gorge in that new dress!
The story. LOL The dress. Perfect.
Excellent! As if you needed an excuse. I love your story, I could almost feel the heat and the sweat, and I know I would have felt the same in polyester.
The dress is gorgeous on you, and I also like your hair like that.
I was getting sweaty just reading your story! I can’t imagine how horrible it must have felt to wear polyester on such a hot day, I’m glad you found a beautiful dress to wear in it’s place 🙂
xo
Ashley
Southern (California) Belle
This might be my favorite post of yours ever. Love it. And puh-leeeeze – don’t even get me started on that dress. Fan-frigging-tastic.
I always think the same thing! driving in LA there is ALWAYS traffic at every time of day… I always think to myself… like does anyone actually work? who the hell are all these people! and, it’s the worst when malls or stores are busy… way to overwhelming! you looked cute though… that dress is a keeper!
xxx
Lady à la Mode
LOL, great story! I would’ve done the same thing. Plus the dress is just so darn gorgeous, how could you resist? Glad you found a way to cool down in style. 🙂
Hilarious story! I love it.
That’s one HOT day to be shopping outdoors! Lucky for you that this beautiful dress saved your from death.
Alice
http://www.happinessatmidlife.com
Great story! And I adore this dress. It fits and flatters!
Love the story, and this dress is incredible!
What a great dress, perfect for hot weather!
blue hue wonderland