Wedding Shopping in Hungary
It’s somewhat abrupt to write about events in the past, but here goes. The entirety of March and April was spent searching for the perfect bridesmaid dress. I felt graced with a lot of power as I searched for the perfect tan/beige/brown/earth tone outdoorsy bridesmaid dress under $50. Michelle Stevenson, one of my dearest friends, gave me a lot of leeway…..
I first hit up all of the formal dress shops in Debrecen, little shops or ‘bolts’ tucked away on the square, full of old ladies that need no translation. I would go into a shop, recite my memorized bit about finding a ‘szep ruhat’ or ‘beautiful dress’ for a wedding, and let the ladies do their work. Funny enough, most of the shops had a lovely selection of dresses, but none in the color brown. Time and time again the ladies asked disgustedly, “What kind of wedding color is brown?!” They draped me in countless types and colors of cloth, each more horrifying than the last. The final straw was in a dark store down an alley of Budapest as the very forceful woman tried to zip me up into a SKIN TIGHT red cocktail dress. As I stood there half naked and she proclaimed me a god, I decided to investigate stores of a less obtrusive nature.
In Debrecen I found a very fancy dress of dark brown material and for a great price of $50. I bought it, even though it would require alterations. As time passed and I gazed at the dress in my closet, all the while hearing more wedding plans and getting the ‘vibe’ of the ceremony, my love decreased to like, and then to outright disenchantment. Add to the fact that I found a simple, casual burlap-colored dress at the local TESCO, I decided to return it. At this point, several of the bolt owners recognized me on the street and were forever promising me great deals at random times while I walked.
The dress hunt needed to be finished.
With two days left in the country, armed with my super friend and translator Viki, we headed into the small store manned by the lady with red hair. Of course, nearly half the women in Hungary possess heads of hair that could be used as SOS beacons, yet this one was an even more interesting burnt red. Viki explained that I wanted to return the dress as I murmured the appropriate “Igen’ and “sajnos” (Yes, unfortunately). The woman, face of stone, shook her head and said she wouldn’t give me the money back, I could simply choose another dress. We explained that I already had a dress, but she insisted. I dishearteningly pawed through the selections on the rack, with none in the color brown, and really nothing attractive at all. As I tried on one possibility, the shopkeeper woman of red and Viki had a conversation, but I didn’t listen. In the end, frustrated, I through up my hands and said I’d just keep the dress I had.
As we exited, Viki muttered, “Did you hear what she said to me? She asked why I dared to bring a drink into her shop, hurry up and drink it, and why did I have such dirty hands? How dare I come into HER shop with dirty hands?”
I looked at her in astonishment. Viki, impeccably dressed, being called dirty?
This was the end of the Debrecen dress hunt for me.
Where is said dress now? Sold, in a consignment shop in central Illinois. I wonder who the lucky buyer is, and if they wonder of their ‘szep ruha’s’ journey to Sherman, IL!!!!!
