We’ve all seen the t-shirts emblazoned with Retail Is My Cardio or Shop Till You Drop across the front. I’d have to say retail therapy is actually not the worst way to unwind (till you get the bill): there is a lot of exercise in walking around the stores per my Fitbit, which also tells me that my heart does spike here and there during these shopping outings. If I had to guess, I would say the heart rate movement is commensurate with the outfits I try on. Naturally, the more spectacularly priced the item, the higher the heartbeat jumps!

On this particular day, I met up with R, a fellow fashion lover and shopping partner in crime, at Dior where a dress had been flown in from NY specifically in my size. You know they’ve got me all figured out when the excursion began like this…

A couple of sips later and not only have I turned into lobster red (some call it the “Asian glow;” I call it mother nature’s way of keeping me from ever becoming an alcoholic) but also a giggly, overly animated version of myself…

Don’t you just love the shapely heels on those pumps? Wowza. That’s R making a heart by putting the shoes together; apparently neither of us should be unsupervised with a bottle of Moët around!

Anyway, the buzz wore off and we got down to the business of breaking down the dress. Would I get enough mileage out of this simple yet spectacular dress crafted from raffia? How would I care for that dress? Would it stretch to accommodate any weight gain since this dress cannot at all be altered? Could anyone with a non-celebrity life justify a dress in five figures?!

Ahhh, reality sets in and it’s much more daunting than coming off from a champagne high. Poo. For now the dress stays on the wish list (perhaps if no other Cinderella comes forward to fit it before sales hit?) since the pearl cuffs are about all I should swing at full price:

But what a fun break from a stressful week. Bubbly with a dear friend at an awesome house–doesn’t get much better than that! Definitely a Dior to remember.