Oh crap. MIL gave me a very expensive dress, I gave it to charity shop, she wants it back......

[DrNortherner]

She put on weight and it no lobger fitted her. Was a very expensive long burgundy evening frock with bolero jacket. She said it was too expensive to give away, but she wanted me to have use of it.

It was too old fashioned for me, and she often dumps her cleared out stuff to me.

Anyway, she is off on a cruise next month, has lost weight and now thinks she'll fit into it. I did not have the heart to say I donated it to a charity shop.

She's coming round on WEdnesday to collect it.

Should I tel the truth, or say I can't find it, or I lent it to someone else.....?

HELP me.

Get her trollied then fess up. Find my MIL 'softer' after a couple. Works for me too!

Mind you, if she thought her clothes would suit me, I'd shoot meself.

I am here, was in London for work do and am knackered after walking what ust hav ebeen miles and miles and miles in shoes with too high a heel. What ever possessed me?

Anyway, came back to dh tellimg me that his mum has rung and invited us to hers for sunday lunch, so this will be the day when I tell her. Can't beleive this thread has over 200 posts - you have all made me larf so much.

Good luck Sunday.

OOOooo forgot to say my MIL although softer after a couple, positively primal after a bottle. Maybe my suggestion not the best.

This and the butter dish talk have made my day. Sad muppet.

Ah, you may have already had this suggestion and I haven't read the whole thread so probably very unlikely BUT, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED that she SAW the dress in the charity shop herself (or one of her friends did) and wants to know how you will respond???!!!! ie she is TESTING you and therefore DON'T DIG YOUR HOLE ANY DEEPER!!!!

oh my god!!! that is it!

SIl is rubbing hands tog

Options include:
You lent it to someone?
It never suited her anyway?
There are lots of lovely dresses in a more modern style now?
The dry cleaners lost it?
Or simply that you felt that it was a shame to keep such a nice dress for yourself, when that nice Mary Portas said on TV that charity shops need good designer clothes, you came over all charitable and donated it?
Or... your husband said it was awful and gave it to charity shop for you

Good luck.

Right I've asked my mil what she thinks and she said she would think it was her fault for giving you the dress and not 'loaning' it. Mind you - she is a reasonable human being - and not prone to bolero wearing anyway!

arrg. You're a bit stuck aren't you as you've already half lied that you can't find it so you can't just come out and say - because it's in the charity shop.

Could you say you lent it to a friend ages ago (who was going to a really smart do - and you told her it suited her loads more than it did you) and was sure she gave it back to you. But now you've had a really good look and you can't find it - the only answer must be that she didn't give it you back?

Oh and now she's moved away ... so even if she does still have it - it is too far to get back. This leaves open the possibility that friend had a clear-out before moving and put the dress in the charity shop herself.

too much lying or good enough??

Oh dear.

I don't give advice on threads such as these after the LisaLisa knicker fiasco, but wishing you all the luck in the world for Sunday lunch...

(and marking my place )

eh what was that then?

Oh I remember LisaLisa knicker fiasco [off to search classics]

How was Sunday lunch DrNortherner?

So what happened?!

Well. I have worried about telling her all day. I bought her a box of chocs to soften the blow. We arrive at her house, she opens the door and shouts 'Suprise'.........

It turns out she had planned the family meal as a belated birthday suprise for me as she did not get me a gift for my birthday, which was in August FGS. Anyway, she'd put up banners and made a cake. So imagine how bloody awful I felt at what I had to tell her. So I just came out and said, 'Im really sorry, but I can not find your dress anywhere, I have hunted high and low, I am so upset'I think I went as red as a tomato at this point. Before I even started to explain what must have become of it she simply took the chocs from my hand, saying 'never mind, I'd probably never fit in the bloody thing again anyway.'

I was [shocked] that she didn't say a word.

I think she sussed I didn't like it and had given it away, but she never said a word.

I have learnt a very valuable lesson though

Oh Phew! But how much of a heel did you feel?!

You have a lovely MiN DrN

I'll be like that when I'm a MiL i reckon

So glad it went better than you expected especially after arriving to find a surprise birthday meal .. Now she'll have an excuse to buy a new frock too

...you should have said you can't find it lol or took it to dry cleaners and lost receipt lol mind you if she can ask for something she has given she may show up at dry cleaner's and demand it back.

You sound a terrible liar so I think you should just fess up lol.

So glad it went well. I have lurked, laughed, shared with dh and commiserated with you - well as much as possible as my MIL passed many years ago.

Think this may well be an MN classics thread

yay for happy endings and mils who read mumsnet turn out to be stars in the end.

Ahhh thank goodness for that. A happy ending and we hear about a generous lady is gracious to the end. Lucky you!

Oh, happy ending - well done! And Hurrah for your MiL!

(Aren't you just a teeny bit sorry you couldn't use the aliens took it/ small highly localised fire/ eaten by vampire moths excuses?)