Pretty Woman

Now, why I didn’t stop and snap a photo of the actual dress in the actual window, I’ll never know. Wasn’t on my blog game, I guess. But what happened was that Dave ‘n’ LuAnn and Bill ‘n’ I were touristing around Chicago on Friday, when LuAnn spotted a dress in a tony Oak Street shop window. “That looks like the outfit in Pretty Woman,” she laughed. And it did! It was hilarious that the very “dress” that was too trashy for Rodeo Drive back in 1990 is now being offered as couture in 2013.

And if this little irony isn’t enough for a quick lil ginnygram, there is also this…

On one of my many trips to Italy for the Children’s Book Fair in Bologna, my friend and colleague (yes, frolleague) Jennifer and I had just shopped for a Furla handbag for Jennifer’s mother. Jennifer was carrying the handsome white and black Furla shopping bag, as we chatted along the edge of the Piazza Maggiore.

“Excuse me,” said a young woman with a British accent, “but where is the Furla shop?” She nodded to Jennifer’s bag.

Jennifer explained there are actually two Furlas in Bologna, but we liked the one just around the corner, because they’re eager to practice their English and are very helpful.

“Oh, lovely,” the British woman smiled, “No one pays attention to me in most of these stores.”

She motioned to her outfit — t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers.

“You know, I’m looking pretty grotty, but I’m feeling Pretty Woman!”