Trapped By Tradition
Pressure rises.
Too tight.
Too flashy.
Too boring.
Who cares?
It's a wedding.
You need a dress.
Just buy something.
Oh yeah, don't for get the heels.
And what about jewelry?
Dressing up is dumb.
Squeeze, strain, stress . . .
So much fuss.
Did patriarchy do this to us?
The beauty industrial complex wins.
Cultural norms constrict.
Women acquiesce.
Matrimony awaits.
The discomfort is temporary.
Wear the damn thing.
Smile.
Move on.
Background Information
My husband and I eloped 15 years ago.
Only he and I attended our wedding.
I bought my dress at Ann Taylor Loft for $60.
My bonus son will marry his fiancé during a destination wedding in Las Vegas next week.
The ceremony will be lovely and rife with expectations.
My fierce feminist spirit rejects social mores, yet I comply.
Love this!
ReplyDeleteYes, agreed, shopping is a pain. Best wishes to your family!
ReplyDeleteI can relate. My oldest daughter's is a destination wedding in Savannah on May 1st. I've shopped once and came home with nothing. Your words: "Too tight./Too flashy./
ReplyDeleteToo boring. summed up that shopping outing. I need to go again and I'll have your slice in my head when I do, especially the line: "You need a dress. /Just buy something."
Tenille, what a fun post. I love the background information that is a great confirmation of what the poem said. I loved: "Squeeze, strain, stress . . .So much fuss." Nice sounds there. All the best as you find the dress for the wedding. I hope you get it on your next try. (P.S. I really appreciated your insights and sharing at the Zoom meet-up this morning!)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the thoughtful comment. It was wonderful to meet you during our Slicer Zoom session! I ended up getting a dress delivered on Amazon today I think will do the trick. Your kind words are appreciated.
DeleteTenille, this poem shows your thoughts on shopping in quite blunt terms. Shopping can bring on stress as you note but for me it is so much fun to hunt down the just right item. My daughter says that she hates shopping because I used to drag her to Bloomingdales when she was a baby. How did she remember that? But she loves it now when I do shopping for her little girls. Enjoy the wedding and have fun in Vegas.It was great meeting you today.
ReplyDeleteCarol, what a wonderful surprise to find your comment here. Thanks for taking the time to swing by and say hello. It was lovely put a face to name during the Slicer meet-up. Your anecdote about dragging your daughter to Bloomingdales was precious. Hope you have a terrific week!
DeleteWell this was a delight. Not only was it a treat to see you rock out the poetry genre again, but then -- the backstory! Loved learning more about you! Believe me, I have A LOT of thoughts about marriage and weddings. A LOT! Stories for another day. It was fun to learn a bit more about yours... XOXO
ReplyDelete