Polka Dotted Dreams

I pulled the taffeta fabric out a few feet from its bolt and smiled. It was white, with sea-foam green circles of different sizes and shades floating on the fabric like bubbles on the surface of the ocean. "This one," I said to my mother, who was scanning a selection of fabrics a few feet away.

When she looked over, I wasn't sure what she was thinking, but I knew I had found the fabric for my prom dress. "It's polka dotted," she said. I could hear hesitation in her voice as she walked over to take a closer look.

"I know. Isn't it cool?" I lifted a piece of sea-foam green taffeta from a near-by bolt and said, "And this can be the accent fabric for the shoulder pieces and that one layer of the skirt." It matched the polka dots perfectly.

She held up the torn magazine page with the advertisement for the prom dress I was having made and placed it next to the polka-dotted taffeta. The bodice of the dress was fitted and had a slight drop waist. The skirt had three layers, the top two layers rising on the left side to a tastefully sized taffeta flower. The sleeves were off-the-shoulder poufs, reminiscent of swimming wings, but at the time seemed perfectly fashionable.

"I guess it might work. You're sure you want to do the polka dots?" She set the fabric down and started sauntering up and down the aisles again. "Maybe we should look around a little more before you decide. There are lots of colors and patterns here."

She tried to guide me toward something more reasonable. She suggested less bold and obvious choices, fabrics in more muted, solid shades. But I wouldn't have it. My prom fantasies were already floating among sea-foam polka dots. Nothing else would do.

---

This is my response to the prompt, Polka Dots, at Creativity Corner, a new series of creativity prompts at Write Out Loud. If you'd like to join in, write your own response to the prompt and then head over to Write Out Loud and leave a link in the Polka Dots comments.