A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments. I decided to go the fashion route. And I am cheating a little… Wasn’t quite an empire waist 😉 Apologies on the quality of the photo below. Picture of a picture and all that 😉 Should you wish to participate in this challenge, click here to add your link. Thank you, Sammi for your weekly challenge!
Benefits of an Empire Waist
It’s a second marriage; you’re wearing white?
Not white, ecru.
Hmm.
What? Would you have me wear red, since I’m a divorcée, who then had three children out of wedlock?
Don’t be silly. You’re marrying the father of your children.
That’s right. Anyway, what do you think of this one?
I like the style. Sort of Grecian.
I like the empire waist.
Hides your lumps.
Hey!
What?
So not cool.
A Dalectable Life 
Q
The boys are like “Hey, dude? Uh . . we have the hot mom,”
How cheeky and sneaky of you to figure out Empire this way. I’m not the least bit surprised though. You always manage to come up with something different. And Ecru huh? You make it look goooooood.
And you know what tailors say, waist not want not. 😉
B
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B,
At two and three years old, I am sure I was nothing but Mom in a weird dress 😉
It was too obvious to use empire in the classic sense… you know me 😉 I do try to go any other route, if possible. Ecru – so much nicer than off-white, don’t you think? And thank you, glad you think so.
Hyuck hyuck hyuck! 😉
Q
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Of course, how silly of me.
You want the any other route sublimely. You really wouldn’t have needed the dress as evidence of that, but it didn’t hoit.
Ecru is a cool word. Short and sweet and FULL of color, oh . . the irony.
LOL. I’ll be here all week!
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You are adorable.
Well, yanno… I could have used some internet image but, yanno as well, that is not my style so.. glad you enjoyed the dress…
Ecru is so full of colour! I love it!
We could be!
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That’s good right?
No, that would NOT have done. And who would have rocked that dress better than you? Trick question, the answer is nobody.
It is! And the name is as well.
Uh huh.
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It’s very good.
Aww shucks. You really are the sweetest!
Indeed!
Uh huh…
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Good. Very good.
I’m just speaking the truth.
We seem to be on the same page.
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Uh huh.
I love your truth.
We are, without a doubt, on the same page.
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As long as you love it, I’m good.
I thought so too . . .
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It’s a beautiful dress 😘
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Thank you, my friend! 😘
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A great take on this challenge. Those kids are so spiffy and you look fab in your ecru! Who said “lumps”? That’s fighting words.
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Thank you, Holly Rene! They were so handsome and Iain LOVED the shiny shoes and was so disappointed that they had to be returned. I did feel rather good in that dress 🙂
Right? How dare they! LOL!
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How dare indeed! You are gorgeous and so is the dress. Love this pic! 🤗
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He he he! Thank you. You are most lovely and kind to say so! xoxo
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Just truth. I’ve got your back if you need it. Some visual right? 😊👭 xo
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You are lovely. And always good to know! 😉
xoxo
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Ditto 🤗
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🤗
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Your use of the prompt was good. The photo was spectacular. NIce job, Dale
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Thank you, lovely John! You are so sweet… Can you believe that was over 20 years ago?
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Yes hard to believe. There are things that I can’t believe like oldest daughter turning 50 and youngest turning 32.. Seems like yesterday.
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That’s what my mother says. She says she’s too young to have a 57 year old daughter 😉 She’s the same age as you. Her baby is now 51 so fuggetaboutit!
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😁
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😉
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Great comeback on the color. It is a beautiful dress in ecru. Scarlet Letter Puritans still with us to this day?
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Thank you, Timothy! And thank you. I dunno about that but it worked for the story, right? 😉
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Such a fun take on the prompt, Dale. And I love the photo. It looks like you’re laughing at something the kids said. You look so happy and so beautiful. The dress is gorgeous.
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A lovely, happy-day photo – and those dapper young dudes are all grown up now, where does the time go?
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Thank you, Eliza. Weren’t they so? 24 in a few months and 22… time.. Poof!
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Lovely photo, Dale. You looked so happy. What a beautiful and elegant wedding dress. And the boys looked absolutely adorable in their little outfits 🙂
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Thank you, Adele. I can’t believe that is over twenty years ago. They were so lovely in their matching to their father’s tuxedos!
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You’re welcome, Dale. And, the bride of course, stole the show. You looked stunning and radiant.
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Hey, great picture, Dale. And the big, always there, smile. I had to ask about empire today. I’ve never sewed or bought dresses. Is that pronounced differently?
Great story, too. The dialogue works great. Well done.
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Thank you, Bill. The smile is kind of my signature 😉 Did you really? Think dresses in Jane Eyre 😉 Nope, same pronunciation.
And thank you. Glad my story came across with dialogue 🙂
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True about your smile. Of course, you’re welcome. I like that kind of back and forth dialogue. I need to write some.
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Thank you, kind sir!
I love writing dialogue. It’s always nice when it actually tells the story at the same time. 🙂
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This is beautiful, love the photo.
My wedding dress had an empire line and leg of mutton sleeves 💜
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Thank you, Willow.
It was a bit of a cheat as it was not a true empire waist but we won’t tell, right?
I’m sure it was all the rage! 💖
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It certainly was and you know I can keep a secret 😉
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Ecru is a cool word. I will concur with the others—beautiful dress.
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I love it as a word 🙂
Thank you, Laurie! I rather loved it 🙂
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Empire never looked better. Good use of the word and beautiful picture of an Empire.
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Aww shucks. Thank you, Jan!
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Dear Dale
Perhaps the bride should’ve worn a scarlet letter instead of an ecru, empire waisted dress and that brilliant smile. Love this.
Shalom and lotsa off-white hugs
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Perhaps she should’ve. 😉 So glad you do!
Shalom and lotsa eggshell love,
Dale
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That made me chuckle out loud! Smart woman.
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Haha! Thank you. Glad you enjoyed 😉
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Your young lads looking in awe at the princess 😉
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They were the perfect little princes! 🙂 Thank you!
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So… very very cool and I love ecru and I adore that photo!!!!!!! That dress is perfect on you!!!!! Great big hug your way and brilliant take on empire!
💖🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗💖
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Thank you most kindly lovely lady! I had trouble finding a decent photo without the damn flowers in the way 😉 Glad you liked!
💖🤗🤗💖
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I loved it!!!!!! 💖🧡💖🧡💖🧡💖🧡💖🧡💖
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You are adorable! 🤗🤗🤗
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Look who’s talking!!!!! 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
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Alright, alright, alright! xoxo
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xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
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🙂
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🙂
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Thanks for the flashback. Love your knack of working bits of your life into the theme/challenge. Thumbs up on the dress!
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Thanks for the visit. I somehow do that, don’t I? Well, parts of it, anyway 😉
Thanks for the thumbs up!
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One takes its lumps, doesn’t one, for the big ‘L’.
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Yes, one does… sisters are particularly great at removing any illusions you might have 😉
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A lovely picture 🙂 Yes, it is quite Grecian. It’s a classic style, the Empire dress!
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Thank you, Sunra. It is a classic style! 🙂
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It is a lovely dress and a charming family picture. I like your play on words.
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Thank you, Ina. I supposed I could have been nice and included a picture with Mick 😉 But hey, it was all about the dress… this picture did not have the darn bouquet in the way!
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What a lovely photo to accompany this remembrance! Love the clever dialogue!
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Thank you, Jan. I do love to use dialogue at times 😉
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Well aren’t you just too clever in your use of the word Empire! Well done.
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Well, you know me. If I can go outside the box, I will 😉
Only so many stories of empires created or taken over 😀
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Lovely Dale.
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Aw, so sweet and fun. Love the picture.
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Thank you, Gabi. So glad you like!
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Beautiful pic! You are truly an AGM, and Empress of her Empire! ⚡️💥
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Thank you, lovely lady! It was a special day. Kinda hard not to look one’s best 🙂 I’ll definitely accept the AGM title here 😉 🧚♀️🎇
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Cool!
I had you AGM pegged early on!
Did you know that Josephine Bonaparte created the Empire waist? She hated corsets, so got rid of them in favour of slips under the empire waist. It caught on like fire.
When Napoleon was defeated, and she was no longer a power figure for women, MEN reinstated the corset!
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You did!
I did know that! Smart woman. Damn men for not minding their own damn business, anyway.
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Yeah!!!! xoxo
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So, you’ve done it again… excellent inclusion of personal history. I love how you do that
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Why thank you, my friend. It seems to be all I can do 😏 I am glad you love it!
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🙂 Yes! 🙂
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Excellent. No complaints 😉 I like that! 🙂
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I enjoyed the poem Dale but the picture is glorious. Your joy is infectious and the expressions of the boys is delightful!
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Thank you, Andrea. It was hard to find a decent picture of the darn dress. I thought this would do and including the boys couldn’t hurt 🙂
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You look absolutely beautiful – the pose accentuates that!
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You are so lovely! Thank you. 🤗😘
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