Hi Brides,
If you were looking to buy a designer gown and don't have much to spend, or just want to get a great bargain and you are a street size 4-10, check out the Glamour Closet Sample Sale in San Francisco next weekend, the 13th and 14th.
Get there early, there is normally a line out the door by the time it opens, and it isn't for the modest, people just start stepping into gowns in the middle of the store, so bring your own bra, etc.
Dresses can normally be altered 1 size up or down no problem but be careful that the dress is alterable before buying because all sales are final.
Glamour Closet is an awesome store that miraculously finds sample gowns that haven't been worn and sells them at amazing prices. At the sample sale, dresses are even less expensive than normal- from $400 to $1400 for dresses that are normally 1500 to 8-10,000 dollars! There are some fabulous designers.
http://glamourcloset.com/closet/index.asp
Note- at these samples sales most dresses will be 8 and 10 bridal sizes, and some 12's but generally there are no 14, or 16 dresses, which again to reiterate means street sizes, 4, 6, 8, and borderline 10.
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
Showing posts with label bargain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bargain. Show all posts
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Bridesmaid dresses, love em or hate em, they happen
Bridesmaid Dresses,
Just a heads up.
So I always recommend that if you have girls who are "regular sizes" i.e. 0-14 or 0-16 that you are better off buying dresses off the rack in a department store. Here is why.
1. you are more likely to get a better bargain
2. the dresses are more likely to fit better
3. you are more likely to find a more stylish dress.
Here are the problems that I see most often with buying a true bridal shop bridesmaids dress.....
the sizing!
oh my gosh, your size 2 friend will be told to order a size 10, and then it shows up and is too big on top too small on the bottom and 6 inches too long.
The reality is that many bridesmaids specific dresses are sized awkwardly and are made in pattern sizes, which is the size pattern you would sew for yourself not the size you buy at banana republic.
Even I have fallen into the trap as a sewer, fashionista, and wedding coordinator. For a friend this year she was hellbent on having a specific color gown, the color of which was not in style this year so we bought bridesmaids dresses.
A very reputable bridal shop had me order a dress 4 sizes larger than my street size. I talked them down to 3 sizes larger, looking at the sizing chart. The dress came in and I could have housed my harem, 3 camels, and a league of Arabian horses in the dress, it was huge. It was so huge that I could barely get it cut down and still look normal. In addition, I spent a ridiculous amount on alterations.
This tale happens time after time in many bridal shops. And yet, if I had bought it off the rack I could have tried it on right then, paid Nordstroms a paltry sum to alter it perfectly and would have been a much happier camper not buying a tent.
So buyer beware, the sizing on many bridesmaids dresses is quite strange, the fit equally strange and it is very stressful not only on the bride but the bridesmaids.
Think about buying an off the rack dress instead and personalizing it with a sash, a pin, a flower, putting an underskirt with a flash of color or some other personalized touch on the dress. You are guaranteed better more predictable and sometimes more cost effective results.
Some great resources for bridesmaids dresses
Nordstroms
www.nordstrom.com
J.Crew (basic but functional)
www.jcrew.com
Neiman Marcus (check out last call, fabulous dresses at fabulous prices)
www.neimanmarcus.com
Saks Fifth Avenue (check online sale section)
www.saksfifthavenue.com
Bloomingdales.com (check sales)
www.bloomingdales.com
Barrie Pace (hidden gem, hit or miss but when a hit a real hit)
www.barriepace.com
Dillard's (owned by Macy's but carries often different colors in same gown)
www.dillards.com
Macy's (love it but hate it... but it is a standby)
www.macys.com
Just a heads up.
So I always recommend that if you have girls who are "regular sizes" i.e. 0-14 or 0-16 that you are better off buying dresses off the rack in a department store. Here is why.
1. you are more likely to get a better bargain
2. the dresses are more likely to fit better
3. you are more likely to find a more stylish dress.
Here are the problems that I see most often with buying a true bridal shop bridesmaids dress.....
the sizing!
oh my gosh, your size 2 friend will be told to order a size 10, and then it shows up and is too big on top too small on the bottom and 6 inches too long.
The reality is that many bridesmaids specific dresses are sized awkwardly and are made in pattern sizes, which is the size pattern you would sew for yourself not the size you buy at banana republic.
Even I have fallen into the trap as a sewer, fashionista, and wedding coordinator. For a friend this year she was hellbent on having a specific color gown, the color of which was not in style this year so we bought bridesmaids dresses.
A very reputable bridal shop had me order a dress 4 sizes larger than my street size. I talked them down to 3 sizes larger, looking at the sizing chart. The dress came in and I could have housed my harem, 3 camels, and a league of Arabian horses in the dress, it was huge. It was so huge that I could barely get it cut down and still look normal. In addition, I spent a ridiculous amount on alterations.
This tale happens time after time in many bridal shops. And yet, if I had bought it off the rack I could have tried it on right then, paid Nordstroms a paltry sum to alter it perfectly and would have been a much happier camper not buying a tent.
So buyer beware, the sizing on many bridesmaids dresses is quite strange, the fit equally strange and it is very stressful not only on the bride but the bridesmaids.
Think about buying an off the rack dress instead and personalizing it with a sash, a pin, a flower, putting an underskirt with a flash of color or some other personalized touch on the dress. You are guaranteed better more predictable and sometimes more cost effective results.
Some great resources for bridesmaids dresses
Nordstroms
www.nordstrom.com
J.Crew (basic but functional)
www.jcrew.com
Neiman Marcus (check out last call, fabulous dresses at fabulous prices)
www.neimanmarcus.com
Saks Fifth Avenue (check online sale section)
www.saksfifthavenue.com
Bloomingdales.com (check sales)
www.bloomingdales.com
Barrie Pace (hidden gem, hit or miss but when a hit a real hit)
www.barriepace.com
Dillard's (owned by Macy's but carries often different colors in same gown)
www.dillards.com
Macy's (love it but hate it... but it is a standby)
www.macys.com
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