So, our company has an Annual Party instead of a Holiday Party because December's always too busy to try and get everyone together (80+ staff, 120+ faculty). We've all been looking forward to the party, which was Saturday, 2/26, because the Art Institute is definitely a party crowd.
The party was a 50s and 60s theme and I'm not really into dressing up in costumes, so I thought about wearing something black, off the shoulder, and kind of slinky, a la Olivia Newton John in the end scene of "Grease." However, few days before the party, my best friend reminded me of "the dress" - my sister had given it to me a few months ago and I'd forgotten about in the back of the closet. It's a size 7/8 from Express and is an electric blue wraparound with navy blue zebra stripes - very retro. I last tried it on about 25-30 lbs ago and the top gaped so much that I knew I couldn't wear it without a tank top underneath. Well, Leland got me to try it on on Thursday with my knee-high black leather go-go boots - when I answered the door as he arrived, he walked in and said, "You're wearing that dress and I'm coming to the party with you so that I can see everyone's reactions."
It definitely showcases the cleavage (I'm cleavage-less nowadays, but a Victoria's Secret push-up bra tells a different story
), and is pretty slinky and tight, and I started to have second thoughts as Saturday rolled around... Thoughts like "I'm too fat to wear that" "the cleavage will make everyone think I'm a slut" "it doesn't look good on me" blah blah blah I tell Leland about my misgivings but he says that I HAVE to wear it, that it will be good for me.
So, my new friend Matt comes over to my place a few hours early so that we can have a few drinks and talk before we have to go pretend that we're not totally into eachother in front of everyone that we work with.
He's heard about the dress and I tell him of my hesitation to wear it and he tells me that he respects Leland's opinion but that he will give me an honest answer of how things look because he knows the people we're going to be hanging out with all evening. So, I go and do the magic show (glittery eye makeup, undergarments, shiny leather boots) and come out of my room and the first thing he says is, "HOLY F'ING SH**"... a great reaction in my book. He tells me to bring a jacket in case I'm cold or don't feel like exposing myself and we're off to the party - him staring at me all the time and telling me repeatedly how incredibly hot I am. He says more than once, "It's going to be a LONG night."
We get there, and I'm not brave enough to take off the jacket until I've finished a drink, then it comes off. Within minutes I had a pack circling around me, "Oh my god!" "I'm SO jealous!" "If you've got it, flaunt it!" "That's the BEST dress of the party" and a few, "So, can I have your number?" We had a GREAT time and I came in today to have my friend who didn't attend the party say, "So, I heard all about this dress you had on..."
Here's a pic - it's not a great one, but I've been hearing about a few more pictures that I may post as well.
Even with all of that attention, the best part of the whole evening was when one woman who is probably close to 400 lbs and who I've worked with sparingly, grabs my arm and says, "I need to talk to you." I smiled at her, gave her a hug, and said, "You most DEFINITELY do need to talk to me." We briefly discussed the surgery and I told her that we could start doing lunch or coffee breaks so that I could answer any question she might have. That interaction had nothing to do with a dress or a party - it was about life changes and inspiration, and it made my whole night!
"The Dress"
Jeanie 
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