When I was a little girl, I always thought how wonderful to attend a ball. Pretty women all dressed up in long silk gown, companied with handsome gentlemen. Delicious dishes were served in marvelous plates, and gallantries were displayed in whispers. People were dancing, chatting and drinking gracefully. It is a scene that often told in fairy tales and movies fascinating me. I had a secret dream (I think, dream of a lot of girls) that one day I would dress like a princess to attend a ball, and that day I would be pretty, charming, elegant,  and drawing all the attentions. Three years ago, when we were first ask to dress formally to attend New Year ball, I felt excited as if my girlish dream would come true. I bought a long evening dress, and a pair of new shoes. I even went to a beauty salon to do my hair and make up before attending the ball.

    Three years later, once exciting and interesting thing has become just tiresome. First, it is almost impossible to find a suitable dress not at a frightening price. The affordable one is either gaudy or cheap-styled. Considering no other occasion for such dress, it is totally a waste on money. I thought about wearing the dress I bought for the first ball. We are not some celebrity. Who said we should not dress the same? But I couldn’t remember where I put it. Besides, it is a pink silk dress. The more I think about it, the more it looks like a wedding dress. Second, I have to wear suitable make-up and do my hair to match my dress. It’s really troublesome for me. I even don’t wear lipstick in normal days. Third, to be honest, it is really uncomfortable for Chinese to standing on the great hall, chatting to each other with a cup of drinks on hand. We don’t have such background and culture. So forget about sphinx-like smiles, natural fineness and instinctive elegance. They exist only in novels not in reality. Most of the time, you just feel silly.

       Finally I decide to wear my purple short skirt to the ball. Formal or not formal, who cares? The spirit of the ball is not how many attentions you can gather, but what kind of luck draw you could win!