Disney's Boardwalk

The Accidental Dress

Stop Staring Boardwalk dress

Disney's Boardwalk

Disney's Boardwalk

Stop Staring Boardwalk dress

[Dress: Stop Staring ‘Boardwalk’ dress // Shoes: Paris Hilton (yes, really) via TK Maxx]

This dress is Stop Staring’s “Boardwalk” dress. And I wore it to… Walt Disney’s Boardwalk. Yes, I went there, with the matchy-matchy. Yes I did.

My tendency to be over-enthusiastic about matching my outfits to my surroundings, however, is not the subject of today’s post. (Although, let’s all hope I never go to see the circus, say, because God knows what I’d deem “appropriate” for that…)

No, the subject of today’s post is how I managed to buy this dress completely by accident. Yes, you heard me: it is an accidental dress.

Disney's Boardwalk

The Boardwalk

OK, I’m sensing some reluctance to believe me here. You’re thinking this is going to be some kind of transparent way to justify my dress habit: it’s OK, I understand. I would think that too. But seriously, you guys: I REALLY DID BUY THIS DRESS BY ACCIDENT. No, I did. And I will tell you how I did it…

(You know, just in case you want to buy a dress by “accident” too, one day.)

(OK, the inverted commas were a joke. It really WAS an accident. Pinky swear.)

So! I first met the dress last summer, at the Unique Vintage store in L.A. I loved it, but they didn’t have it in my size, so I came home without it and resigned myself to spending the rest of my life searching for either a UK Stop Staring stockist who wasn’t charging a small fortune for a dress, or a US stockist who wasn’t charging a small fortune for shipping. Obviously I was more likely to find Nigel, the International Man of Mystery hiding in my attic than I was to find either of these things, so I had actually pretty much given up my search. UNTIL ONE FATEFUL DAY.

Crest O' the Wave

Dance Hall

That day started out just like any other, with nothing whatsoever to indicate that I would soon be buying a new dress totally by accident. There I was, sitting at my desk, diligently searching for items to feature on my various blogs when suddenly there it was, right in front of me:

THE BOARDWALK DRESS. OMG!

Now, I’d come across the dress before, of course, but it had always been too expensive to justify buying, on account of the whole shipping/customs thing. This time, however, it had popped up on a European website (Before I go any further here, let me just confess that I don’t remember the name of this site, and didn’t bookmark it or anything. Because I was on it totally BY ACCIDENT.), which piqued my interest, because perhaps the shipping from Europe would be slightly less extortionate than shipping from the US?

Therein, however, lay the problem.

The website didn’t seem to have International shipping prices listed. So, in order to find out how much it would cost, I had to do that whole “adding the dress to my basket and pretending to go through checkout, only stopping at the last moment” thing.

You can see where I’m going with this, can’t you? Which is great, because I certainly didn’t.

Well, I went through the process of adding the dress and typing in my details. It seemed to take an extraordinarily long time to get to the bit with the shipping details, though. In fact, I might have had to input my payment details to get to that piece of information. It was OK, though, because as soon as the shipping costs came up, and I talked myself out of buying YET ANOTHER dress, I hit the back button and exited the site. No harm, no foul, definitely no dress. So I closed down the browser and I went about my business.

A week later, the dress turned up.

totally accidental dress

WHOOPS.

I’d like to say I have no idea how it happened, but well, I’m not THAT stupid. Obviously I didn’t exit the website in quite as timely a fashion as I thought I did, and given that I HAD typed in my payment details (Only to get past that bit so I could get to the shipping costs, though!), I guess it wasn’t SO surprising that here was the dress on my doorstep. By accident.

(Or! Or! Maybe I slept-walked to my computer in the middle of the night and went online and ordered it? Or… Rubin did it?)

I really should’ve sent it back, of course. But .. meh. These things happen for a reason. That’s what my granny always told me, anyway. And who am I to argue with the mysterious forces of fashion?

Forever Amber

Disney's Boardwalk

Let this be a warning to you, though, people: accidental dress purchases can happen to anyone, at any time.

(But let’s face it: they’re probably most likely to happen to me…)

P.S. Bonus out-take:

Disney's Boardwalk

“Showplace of the Hore”. Well, isn’t that interesting…

P.S. If you'd like to hear more from me, please consider subscribing to my newsletter…

books by Amber Eve
COMMENTS
  • Erin via Facebook

    REPLY

    What a lovely accident!

    August 1, 2012
  • ha! I do fear this happening to me because I often do this on Modcloth and Pinup Girl Clothing!! In the end though, was the shipping extortionate? And you were totally justified in keeping it – you’d been after it for a year and there it was! You’d have been tempting fate to send it back x

    August 1, 2012
    • Oh, and was the website Formosa Fashion? They’re based in Dublin so price in Euros…. and they have a sale on at the moment? x

      August 1, 2012
  • What a completel gorgeous “accidental” purchase! That one definitely happened for a reason.

    August 1, 2012
  • Lindsey

    REPLY

    I really need to start buying things by accident! The dress is stunning. Also, congrats on your 1000th post! I only recently discovered this blog and Hey, Dollface! and have thoroughly enjoyed working my way through your archives 🙂

    August 1, 2012
  • Renee

    REPLY

    Amber, enquiring minds want to know – what trends are you most excited about for AW 12/13? 🙂

    August 1, 2012
  • Jessica

    REPLY

    I kid you not, my brother bought a MOTORCYCLE by accident from ebay. Luckily the seller understood what had happened and let him back out of the purchase!

    August 1, 2012
  • Well, I’m glad about this “accident” as you totally rock this dress! Matchy match, yes, keep them coming! These pics and surroundings are just perfect. And talking about accidents, I just recently found your website by accident and I am glad I did, I had a (deep!) look around and lots of reading and I am already astonished, amazed, in love with your style and your totally fun blabbering! Much love, and congrats on your 1000th post too! <3

    August 1, 2012
  • Laura

    REPLY

    You look stunning in that dress, a happy accident that was obviously meant to be! Did you visit the boardwalk specifically to justify the dress purchase?! xxx

    August 1, 2012
  • Panthera

    REPLY

    That’s one of the prettiest accidents I’ve ever seen!
    When the first photo appeared I let out a gasp!

    Also the Broadwalk pictures are really pretty. I’m a huge Disney/Pixar/animation fan, so I’m always soo envious of people who get to go to Disney! It’s one of those places I really, really want to visit some day (even though I can’t stand crowds and probably wouldn’t do very well when I’m actually there..).

    August 1, 2012
  • Stacey

    REPLY

    That’s a fear of mine, what with me being a poor college student with a horrible online window shopping habit. I hate it when places won’t tell you how much the shipping or tax will be until you put the item in your cart. I’m always afraid that I’m accidentally going to hit the “confirm payment” option and be charged money I don’t have! Amazon has gotten horrible about this lately about their electronics, I almost “accidentally” bought a $4,000 TV because the site wouldn’t tell me the price until I put it in my cart! That was a major panic attack!

    Congrats on your now 1,001th post!

    August 1, 2012
  • Steffi

    REPLY

    I’m madly in love with that dress and the second photo from the top.

    August 1, 2012
  • This is one of your best ever stories – I laughed out loud with joy in fact. Never will you see that acronym beginning with ‘L’ in one of my comments though. The photos are divine and so lovely to see Terry in there with you.

    Now the question on everyone’s lips is:

    How on earth did you end up buying a pair of Paris Hilton shoes?

    😉

    August 2, 2012
  • All I can say is, you’re not the only person stuff like this happens to. And it was worth it for a great dress.

    August 2, 2012
  • Tim Jinkerson (@timjinx)

    REPLY

    This is one of the nicest dresses I’ve seen you wearing, and the colour is perfect for you – really brings out your hair colour. I’m not surprised you kept it!

    August 2, 2012
  • I love the second and third photos so much! The setting, the dress, the composition…everything works together so well!

    http://fieryfinish.blogspot.com/

    August 3, 2012
  • Just thought I’d let you know that I’ve included you in my Friday Top Five. That dress was made for you. It is obvious that the “accidental purchase” was the fashion Gods telling you that.

    Bisous
    Suzanne
    http://bisous.typepad.com/bisous/

    August 10, 2012
  • Maria

    REPLY

    You look so beautiful!!!!! love the dress, i am looking at buying the same one but i can only find an XS online. do you mind telling me what size you have on? thank you

    October 26, 2012
POST A COMMENT