To Say “Yes to the Dress or Not to Say Yes to the Dress”…That is the Question. Introducing Ms. Chandy Lier

Via Tornabuoni, Florence’s street of dreams lined with luxury boutiques such as, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Enrico Coveri, Roberto Cavalli and Pucci.  In addition, the Casoni Café located on this Fashionable Street was the birthplace to the Negroni Cocktail.  Apparently one needs a good stiff drink after “spending” both literally and figuratively time on Via Tournaboni. Feeling a bit more comfortable with my surroundings on this trip I decided that I was on a mission to find this street.   Having mastered the three most important words in Italian when seeking directions sinistra, destra, and dritto (left, right, and straight) and armed with my nose’s ability  to sniff out expensive luxury goods I felt confident I could accomplish the task at hand.

After a few wrong turns I stumbled onto the Louis Vuitton store and knew I was in the right place. There it was, in the words of Albino,” to the left the Ferragamo to the right Versace.”  I was only a stoplight away from the home of Gucci’s flagship store and Italy’s top designers living harmoniously on one street. If you recall in one of the earlier chapters I never quite made it to the Prada outlet, but this time nothing is stopping me from getting to the Prada boutique. As I made my way down the street, there were those beautiful letters above the doorway, PRADA.  I walked into the store and was greeted by walls filled with handbags on both sides.  Suddenly one of their lovely associates broke my trance by offering her assistance.  My ADD was running rampant so I told her to give me some time to look around. Bags, wallets, perfume, shoes, clothes, sunglasses, I didn’t know where to direct my attention first.  I was looking for something to wear to a very important event I had coming up in May.  Looking through the ready to wear I remembered my husband’s voice saying, “Tara, please only purchase necessities on the credit card”. There was nothing I saw that was really worth the risk of divorce so I decided to make my way out and then I saw HER. One the right I spotted necklaces with big beautiful tear dropped shaped iridescent crystals sparkling from the chains.  As I approached them the sales associate approached me.  “Aren’t these beautiful”, she said while draping one around my neck.   My thought went back to, if I purchased this necklace at 500 euro was, what would be wearing to this event?  There went the budget.  Then the evil associate said “Oh, I have a very special piece that I need to show you from the window”. She returned holding HER, dripping with layer upon layer of those beautiful crystals sparkling like a chandelier in the light.

Before I knew it was around my neck looking spectacular.  Then she had the nerve to tell me there were only four others like her made in the world.  What a sinister, hateful sales associate! I finally mustered up the courage to ask how much? “Seven hundred and fifty euro”, she replied with an ever so sweet smile on her face.  “If I buy this I have no budget to buy a dress! “, I exclaimed.  “Miss Sixty and H&M are down the street “, she said so smugly with a slight grin, “just buy a black dress, no one will be able to get past the necklace”.  “Ok, sold!” I replied. As I walked out of the store I felt so incredibly chic with my large Prada shopping bag tied with a blue ribbon containing this rare piece of fashion.  Walking down the street my thoughts turned from ecstasy to fear, “what am I going to tell Greg?”  In deep thought I sauntered past the Bvlgari store with its employees chatting out front.  I gave them a smile as to say “I’m chic and fabulous with my big Prada shopping bag and exclusive necklace”.  It was at this time that the heel of my boot got caught in my jeans and I tripped to fall forward in front of Bvlgari, its employees and customers, only to be cushioned by my shopping bag. It wasn’t until that day did I realize the importance of accessories.  Every time I wear Chandy (as she is affectionately referred to) people are mesmerized by her beauty no matter what I am wearing, she is the main attraction.  Chandy is always there to save the day and will catch you when you fall, literally. So ladies before you say “Yes” to the dress, you may want to say “Yes” to the accessory.  They really can be a girl’s best friend, never go out of style and will help pick you up when you are down.