Gutsy dancer Adrianne Haslet-Davis made a triumphant return to Boylston Street less than a month after the marathon bombings to indulge in a much-needed day of shopping therapy, courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue.
“Considering my life has been hospital gowns and H&M leggings, it feels really good to be back to this,” said the 32-year-old, who lost her left foot and part of her lower leg to the blasts and was recently released from Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston.
Saks, located half a block from the bombings, was eager to offer a day of pampering for Haslet-Davis and her mom, Chauni Haslet, who was visiting from Washington state.
Their first stop Thursday was the Christian Dior cosmetics counter — “I love their mascara,” Haslet-Davis said — where makeup artist Alecia Lynshue gave her a mini facial, shoulder massage, makeup application and penciled in her eyebrows. (The bombing had singed off a lot of hair.)
“It’s so nice to be out and feeling the energy of people. It makes me feel normal and like I’m not without a leg,” said Haslet-Davis, who graciously greeted a stream of well-wishers. “You have a lot of courage,” said a woman who introduced herself as Pam.
Haslet-Davis has become a Hub hero for her indomitable spirit, vowing early on to run the marathon next year. She was also profiled on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.”
At Saks, she pulled a pair of comfortable black leggings and a flowy Vince blouse she could imagine wearing to work teaching her ballroom dance students at the Park Plaza Arthur Murray Dance Studio.
“I’m a big fan of anything that can look classic, but a little rock and roll. I like a little edgy,” she said.
Back in the dressing room, she stopped to take her pain medication. Opening a Ziploc bag full of white pills, she admitted having taken her first spill the night before.
“I was being stupid. I was hopping when I should have been using my crutches,” she said.
The size 2 dancer, who is a few weeks away from her first walking prosthetic, was enamored of a slouchy black cardigan: “Very cute. Love, love.” She struggled to get her arm into the sleeve while her mother helped her balance.
“How long has it been since we’ve had our moms help us dress? It humbles us,” she said.
Saks wanted Haslet-Davis to have a complete outfit — in the end, they gave her two — so she headed to the shoe department.
“It’s hard for me to look at shoes,” she admitted. But prosthetics companies have told her that high heels will be in her future.
Haslet-Davis looked at a pair of Chanel sneakers, which reminded her of her plan to run next year’s Boston Marathon, declaring: “If they’re a legit running shoe, I’m running in these!”
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