Natalia stood in front of the bedroom mirror, assessing her appearance. The dark-blue dress with an elegant stand-up collar fit her perfectly, accentuating her waist and concealing small imperfections. It hadn’t been cheap—Natalia had spent almost half of her monthly salary as a design engineer on it—but her mother-in-law Raisa Dmitrievna’s jubilee seemed a worthy reason for something new.
Natalia and Pavel had been married for two years. The young couple lived separately in a rented apartment but regularly met with Pavel’s relatives for various occasions. His mother’s birthday was always celebrated on a grand scale—the family rented a banquet hall and invited every relative near and far.
Natalia had prepared carefully. Her hair was styled in an elegant updo with soft curls; her makeup looked natural yet striking. She paired the dress with a delicate chain and a small pendant, and stud earrings with cubic zirconia. Low heels completed the look.
— Do you think I look all right? — Natalia asked her husband, smoothing the dress.
Pavel looked up from his phone and nodded.
— You look good. Beautiful. Let’s go or we’ll be late.
By the time they reached the restaurant’s banquet hall, Pavel’s relatives had already gathered. At the long table sat Raisa Dmitrievna with her husband, Nikolai Vasilievich; Pavel’s aunt, Zinaida Petrovna, with her spouse; his cousin Svetlana with a friend; and several other middle-aged female relatives. The atmosphere was festive—bouquets decorated the tables, and waiters circulated with drinks.
As soon as Natalia entered the room, several women turned their heads at once. Their eyes slid over the new dress, lingered appraisingly on her hairstyle and jewelry. Natalia noticed Aunt Zinaida lean toward her neighbor and whisper something in her ear.
— Natalya dear, come in, sit down! — called her mother-in-law, pointing to a free seat beside her.
Natalia greeted everyone and took her place at the table. Pavel sat opposite, between his uncle and his cousin.
— Raisa Dmitrievna, happy jubilee! — Natalia handed her mother-in-law a beautifully wrapped gift. — I wish you health, happiness, and many years to come.
— Thank you, dear, — the mother-in-law accepted the box and set it with the other gifts.
The usual family chatter began. Relatives traded news, shared family updates, reminisced about past celebrations. Natalia joined in, answering questions about her job and vacation plans.
When the mains were served, Raisa Dmitrievna suddenly set down her fork and fixed her daughter-in-law with a steady look.
— Is that a new dress, Natalia? — she asked loudly enough to draw the whole table’s attention.
— Yes, I bought it especially for the occasion, — Natalia replied.
— Must have been expensive, I suppose? — Raisa pressed on.
Natalia felt slightly embarrassed by the direct question.
— It’s ordinary. Within reason.
— It’s just that, you know, — the mother-in-law leaned back and gave her an evaluating once-over, — a married woman should dress more modestly. Not so bright and provocative.
Her words were loud enough for everyone at the table to hear. Conversations hushed; a tense attention settled in. Aunt Zinaida nodded approvingly; cousin Svetlana looked at Natalia with interest.
Natalia felt the blood rush to her cheeks. The dress was entirely proper—knee-length, a high neckline, nothing revealing. Calling it “provocative” was unfair.
— In what way exactly is it provocative? — Natalia asked calmly.
— Oh, the overall impression, — Raisa waved a hand. — Too fitted, the color’s too bold. A married woman should think about the family’s reputation.
At that moment Pavel was engrossed in discussing fishing with Uncle Nikolai Vasilievich and pretended not to hear his mother’s conversation with his wife. He clearly had no intention of stepping into the conflict.
— Raisa Dmitrievna, it’s a perfectly ordinary dress, — Natalia objected. — I don’t see anything inappropriate about it.
— There you have it, — the mother-in-law turned to the others, — young people today don’t understand how one ought to look in polite society.
Aunt Zinaida chimed in:
— Raisa is right. In our day girls knew how to dress for family celebrations. Now they wear whatever.
— And then they wonder why men look elsewhere, — added cousin Svetlana, casting a meaningful glance at Pavel.
Natalia clenched her fists under the table. The insinuation was more than clear, and Pavel still pretended to be absorbed in conversation with the men.
— Perhaps that’s enough of telling me what to wear? — Natalia said distinctly, lifting her gaze to her mother-in-law. — I pay for my own clothes.
Silence fell over the table. Raisa Dmitrievna arched her brows; the other relatives froze with their forks in midair. Even Pavel tore himself from his chat and looked at his wife.
— I see, — the mother-in-law said slowly. — So because you earn your own money, you do whatever you want?
— Exactly, — Natalia replied evenly. — I’m an adult woman; I work; I pay taxes. I believe I have the right to choose my own clothes.
— But you’re married to my son, — Raisa straightened in her chair. — Which means you represent our family.
— And I represent it with dignity, — Natalia countered. — In a proper dress, with good manners, bringing a gift and congratulations.
Aunt Zinaida shook her head in indignation:
— Listen to her, so independent! And if your husband says he doesn’t like how you dress?
Natalia turned to Pavel:
— Do you not like my dress?
Her husband faltered, shifting his eyes from his wife to his mother.
— Well… the dress is fine, — Pavel said uncertainly. — It’s just that Mom means…
— Means what exactly? — Natalia cut in. — That I should dress like a nun? Or that my own opinion doesn’t matter?
— How dare you! — Raisa raised her voice. — At my jubilee, at my table, you’ll teach me how to live?
— I’m not teaching anyone, — Natalia replied. — I’m simply stating my position.
Cousin Svetlana couldn’t hold back:
— “Her position,” listen to that! She got married and right away started throwing her weight around!
— And what, after the wedding I was supposed to lose my rights? — Natalia asked, genuinely surprised.
— You should have used your head, — Aunt Zinaida put in. — Realize that you’re not living alone anymore.
— I’m not living alone, — Natalia agreed. — I live with my husband, who loves and respects me. Right, Pavel?
All eyes turned to him. Pavel clearly felt uncomfortable, caught between his wife and his kin.
— Of course I love you, — he mumbled. — Let’s just not fight on a holiday.
— No one’s fighting, — Natalia observed. — We’re simply discussing my right to choose my own clothing.
— What “right,” indeed! — sniffed Raisa. — A married woman must take her husband’s family’s opinion into account!
— And the husband’s family should respect the wife as a person, — Natalia shot back.
— Oh, you’re so clever, — cousin Svetlana snapped. — They must teach that at university.
— At university they teach you to think for yourself, — Natalia agreed. — And to stand up for your point of view.
Raisa set her glass down with a sharp click:
— Pavlik, do you hear how your wife is speaking to her mother? It’s outrageous!
Pavel flushed and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck:
— Mom, let’s keep it calm… Natalia didn’t mean to offend you.
— I truly didn’t want to offend anyone, — Natalia confirmed. — I simply expressed my opinion about criticizing my appearance.
— “Criticizing”! — the mother-in-law bristled. — I gave you a motherly correction!
— A correction should be justified, — Natalia countered. — And calling my entirely proper dress “provocative” is hardly that.
Aunt Zinaida shook her head:
— That’s today’s youth for you! No respect for anyone, they don’t listen to their elders!
— Respect should be mutual, — Natalia answered calmly. — Respect my choice, and I will respect your opinion.
— How dare you! — Raisa finally lost her temper. — I’m your elder, more experienced!
— You’re my mother-in-law, — Natalia corrected. — And yes, older. But that doesn’t give you the right to dictate what I wear.
The entire table froze. Relatives exchanged glances, clearly waiting for the conflict to continue. Pavel sat red as a beet, not knowing where to look. The waiters, sensing the tension, tactfully withdrew.
Natalia lifted her eyes to her mother-in-law, inwardly weighing how to respond so the conversation wouldn’t turn into an outright scandal and fodder for gossip behind her back.
— Raisa Dmitrievna, — Natalia explained in an even tone, — I’ve been working as a design engineer for five years. I earn a decent salary and buy my clothes with my own money. I believe I have the right to choose what I like.
There was calm assurance in Natalia’s voice—no excuses, no excess emotion. She didn’t raise her voice or gesture; she simply stated facts.
— It makes me happy to dress the way I like, — Natalia went on. — It’s part of my personality, my self-expression. I don’t wear anything indecent or provocative; I just choose beautiful things.
At the next table, a group of corporate clients coughed awkwardly, as if to dissipate the heavy silence. The clink of dishes and low conversations from other rooms reminded everyone that life was going on despite the family drama.
Raisa slowly pushed aside her glass of juice and studied her daughter-in-law. It was clear that Natalia’s calm response had wrong-footed her and disrupted the usual trajectory of such arguments.
— All right, — Raisa said at last. — Why don’t you tell us how things are at work. I heard you’ve started a new project.
She had clearly decided to change the subject, realizing that pressuring her daughter-in-law wasn’t producing the expected result. Natalia exhaled inwardly with relief but showed no outward satisfaction.
— Yes, we’re designing a new shopping center, — Natalia replied readily. — It’s an interesting brief; it requires many non-standard solutions.
Aunt Zinaida and cousin Svetlana exchanged glances but kept quiet. The other relatives, relieved, took up the neutral topic and began to ask Natalia about her work.
Natalia behaved as if nothing unusual had happened. She kept chatting with the guests, spoke about her profession, asked after the relatives, and laughed at Uncle Nikolai Vasilievich’s jokes. You’d never have guessed that a serious conflict had played out at the table just minutes before.
When the cake was served and it was time for the traditional congratulations, Natalia sincerely joined in the warm words for Raisa Dmitrievna. She spoke about the importance of family values, thanked her mother-in-law for raising a wonderful son, and wished her many years of good health.
— Very lovely words, — Aunt Zinaida nodded approvingly.
— Spoken from the heart, — Uncle Nikolai Vasilievich agreed.
Several relatives, noticing Natalia’s poise and dignity, later came over to chat with her on neutral topics. Pavel’s cousin Elena, who had been quiet until then, struck up a conversation about books. It turned out their literary tastes aligned.
— I’ve long wanted to ask where you buy such beautiful dresses, — Elena admitted. — Your taste is always impeccable.
— Thank you, — Natalia smiled. — I go to different shops and look for interesting pieces. The main thing is that it fits well and that I like it myself.
Nikolai Vasilievich’s young wife, Oksana, joined in:
— I agree! A woman should like how she looks first and foremost.
From the opposite end of the table, Pavel watched his wife. He saw how calmly and with dignity Natalia had handled the unpleasant situation and how easily she now chatted with his relatives, as if there had been no conflict at all. But there was worry in his eyes—he understood that at home she might tell him exactly what she thought of his behavior.
When the celebration wound down, the relatives began to disperse. Natalia said warm goodbyes to everyone and thanked them for a lovely evening. Raisa Dmitrievna gave a curt nod in response to her daughter-in-law’s farewell, but the anger was gone from her eyes.
— Goodbye, Raisa Dmitrievna, — Natalia said politely. — Thank you for a wonderful party.
— Goodbye, — her mother-in-law replied shortly.
On the drive home, silence hung between the spouses. Pavel drummed his fingers nervously on the steering wheel, sneaking glances at his wife. Natalia looked out at the nighttime city, turning over the evening in her mind.
— Natasha, — Pavel finally ventured quietly, — maybe you should’ve kept quiet? It was Mom’s jubilee, after all, a celebration…
Natalia turned her head and looked at him calmly.
— What exactly was I supposed to endure? Accusations that I looked indecent? Orders about how I should dress?
— Well… Mom just worries, she wants what’s best…
— Pavel, your mother publicly criticized my appearance in front of all the relatives. If I’d stayed silent, it would’ve become a pretext for more sermons.
Her husband fell silent, recognizing she was right but not ready to admit it aloud. Natalia decided not to continue—the essential things had already been said at the table.
At home, Natalia changed into loungewear and made tea. Pavel turned on the TV and pretended to be absorbed in a football match. They spent the rest of the evening in silence, each reflecting on what had happened.
The next day Pavel went to his parents’ to pick up the car keys they’d forgotten at the restaurant. He returned grim as a thundercloud.
— Mom said she won’t invite you to family celebrations anymore unless you apologize, — Pavel reported.
— Fine, — Natalia answered calmly. — Then I won’t go.
— What do you mean, you won’t? What about Dad’s birthday? New Year’s?
— Pavel, I’m not going to apologize for standing up for my right to choose my own clothes. If your family can’t accept that, I’ll spend holidays differently.
He realized she was determined. Pavel spent a restless week, torn between his mother and his wife. In the end, he was the one who couldn’t stand it and went to his parents to explain.
— Mom, Natalia’s right, — he admitted. — The dress was normal, beautiful. And she really does earn her own money.
— Oh really? — Raisa was surprised. — Then why were you silent at the time?
— I didn’t want to quarrel with you on your birthday.
— And you didn’t want to quarrel with your wife either, — his mother guessed. — Caught between two fires.
Pavel nodded.
— She’s a good girl, — Raisa said thoughtfully. — I’m just used to daughters-in-law obeying their mothers-in-law without question. But yours has a mind of her own.
— Mom, times have changed. Women are independent now; they work on par with men.
Raisa fell quiet, mulling over her son’s words.
— All right, — she decided. — She can come to your father’s birthday. Just no unnecessary arguments.
— I’ll tell her, — Pavel said, relieved.
A month later, at Nikolai Vasilievich’s birthday, Natalia arrived in an elegant burgundy dress. Raisa gave her a once-over but said nothing. All evening, the mother-in-law didn’t comment on Natalia’s appearance even once.
After that, neither Raisa nor anyone else in the family permitted themselves public remarks about what Natalia wore. She proved she could calmly yet firmly defend her boundaries without descending into scandal or hysteria.
Family relations improved. Natalia continued to come to celebrations and chat with her husband’s relatives, but now it was on the basis of mutual respect. Her mother-in-law understood that modern daughters-in-law are not voiceless executors of someone else’s will but independent individuals with their own principles.
And Natalia realized that sometimes it’s enough to clearly and calmly state your position once for others to start taking your opinion into account. The main thing is to do it with dignity—without aggression, but without ceding on matters of principle.
read a new story…
— Mom? — the daughter called out in surprise. — What are you doing here?
Valentina Sergeyevna finished her call and looked up at Lera. Despite the carefully applied makeup, her face looked tired.
— Lera! At last you’re here. I’ve been sitting here for two hours, — her mother rose from the bench and brushed off her dress. — I’m out of money, I’ll stay with you until I get settled
