One of the many perks of living in NYC is all the sample sales. I'm not able to go to many due to the fact that they often take place during work hours, but the Club Monaco sample sale was one I was not willing to miss. I arrived with the first rush of customers and my eye immediately went to this white bow dress. 

I had actually seen the dress in Club Monaco stores previously at its $300 retail price, but there it was, $200 less, with exactly one in my size. I had wanted it then, but now, I needed it. There were just a couple of problems, the first being that there was a hard rule against trying on garments as well as a strict "No Returns" policy. Second, everyone knows sample sales do major price slashes over their three day span, so I could very well buy it the next day for $40 or less. This may not make much of a compelling story, but the whole thought process took the better part of an hour. I am going to assume you figured out my final decision based on these pictures.

Anyway, I just figured I'd give you some background so you could understand the disappointment I had after I got home and excitedly threw on this dress only to discover that the straps were so long that the bow fell below my chest. It was literally a sample dress gone wrong. So I spent the next thirty minutes pinning and tucking and pulling on this dress to get it to the perfect fit. I'd like to say it was a success, so I took it off, ready to call it a night... when I saw that little Club Monaco label sewn behind the bow. The entire time, I had been wearing the dress backwards!

After the initial shock passed, I figured I may as well see how the dress looked the right way. The verdict: The straps are actually not too long and the bow falls to that perfect little spot on my back. I admit, it looked adorable, but I still had one problem. The next day was my interview and photoshoot with Ralph Lauren model, Ian Mellencamp, and I still needed an outfit. The white dress is beautiful, but with the bow in the back, it's not too exciting to look at. So I switched it back around and got to pinning and tucking and pulling on this dress to make it photoshoot ready. And I am very happy with the result. What do you think?

OUTFIT BREAKDOWN:
White Bow Dress: Club Monaco
Black Leather Jacket: Zara
Teal Snakeskin Clutch: Club Monaco
Clear Sunglasses: JCrew
Gold Rings: H&M
Jeweled Bracelet: JCrew
Black and Gold Stilettos: Zara

PHOTO CREDIT:  Kyle Aaron Lacy Photography

xx Esther