Tomorrow I’m going to be meeting up with three girls who I’ve known since somewhere around the second grade. I mentioned it a while back, but the last time I saw any of them was sometime in 1993 or ’94. So, about 15 years ago? The whole thing is very weird, and I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t wigging out just a teensy little bit about our get-together tomorrow night.

So, besides the new haircut that I got last week, yesterday and today I’ve gone shopping during Catie’s naptime. (My parents were here, it’s not like I abandoned her.) Everything in my wardrobe is pretty casual, to put it mildly. I own way more hoodies than anyone should, and during the summer I often wear Dave’s old t-shirts with a pair of jeans and consider myself good to go. I very rarely go shopping for myself, and when I do, it’s usually to scour the out-of-season clearance racks. (Two of my favorite long-sleeved shirts I found at Kohl’s last spring for $2 each. Score!)

Anyway, since I’m a neurotic weirdo who feels like I need to prove that I’m not the same boring fat nerd that I was in high school, I’ve been looking for something that screams fabulous. (Or fierce. Where’s Christian Siriano when I need him?) I found a couple of cute tops, and one unbelievably fabulous shirt that does everything I could want it to do: it’s a bright print (I only wore dark solids in high school, the better to conceal my weight), it hides the tummy area without making me look pregnant, and it gives the illusion of boobs. It’s perfect. I would daresay that I look pretty smokin’ hot in it. Problem is, it cost $72. I haven’t spent that much on one article of clothing for myself… um, ever? (Well, there was my wedding dress, of course. But generally, I’m a $20-and-under type girl.) Oh, and it’s hand-wash only, which is totally impractical with my current life.

I took a deep breath and bought the shirt anyway, figuring that I’d try it on again when I got back to my parents’ house, and I’d find some huge flaw that would allow me to return it and never think about it again. Instead, what happened was that I tried it on, I modeled it in front of my parents, and my dad told my mom to write me a check to cover the cost of the shirt. So I think I’m keeping it.

I’ll take pictures before I go out tomorrow so y’all can see what I mean. Now I just have to find some fancy occasions so I can hopefully wear this shirt more than once. I’m thinking Dave and I might have to have a Date Night when we get back to North Carolina.