So I ordered a dress from the States for the wedding. It came this week and looks lovely.......well that was until I put it on....... It was a perfect fit on the chest but was way too tight on the stomach area, which is where I carry my weight. So I have to send it back and if I reorder it in a larger size, it is going to be too big on the top, so I am not convinced it would work.
So last night we went to a Bridal store to check out their Mother of The Bride dresses. First of all the majority of the dresses were in a sample size 10. Yes I would love to be a size ten but I'm not even close to being that, so of cause I couldn't try any of those on. There was one bigger sized dress I tried on but it was in a shiny satin fabric that reminded me of a table cloth.
Anyhow I fell in love with this one dress, couldn't try it on, but held it up to me and I loved it. However, and there is always a however. If I ordered it regularly it wouldn't come until middle of October and that is cutting it fine, so it would have to be a rush order and that costs an extra $50, add that to the price of the dress and taxes that would bring the dress up to $500!!!!! Then when she took my measurements I of course don't fit one size in particular and so she is upgrading me to a plus size so another $60 tacked on there.
However with her ordering me the bigger size, the bust would have to be taken in by at least 6 inches and the hips were going to be 9 inches too big. The smaller size fit alright on the bust and hips, but were two inches too small on my waist. So then you can tack on another $100 - $200 for alterations. I have paid $145 for the fascinator, still have to get shoes and a handbag, all in all I would be spending $1,000 on a bloody outfit that I will wear only a couple of times.
I told dd this and she knows of a store in downtown Toronto where they carry a lot of fancy dresses, so we are going to check that out. So now my project for the next couple of weeks in between the jam making is to try and find a dress. Will say the woman who served me in the store also said there were cheaper places to buy a dress from. I think they tack on an extra 50% when it's for the mother of the bride!!!
Wish me luck.......
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14 comments:
I made my own mother of the groom dress as I couldn't find anything I liked in the stores.
It's a lovely blue, sccop neck, sleeveless, with a matching jacket, size 14 - 16 I think. Picture here, but hard to see what the dress looks like.
http://ex-shammickite.blogspot.com/2007/10/wedding.html
If you want to borrow it, you are welcome, I am often in your area, my son lives in Tottenham.
This was me last year! when my son David got married, on 30th July. I was in America at the time and found, like you, that the Bridal shops only carried size 10's and it took at least 3 months to have a dress in my size made up. I decided I couldn't risk it because it would have to be sent to England in any case and that might hold it up - it might not even arrive.
Finally, after much searching, Larry took me to Dillards and I bought something off the shelf. I was very pleased with it, a long dress with a shortish jacket over the top.
I love the dress you have picked out. The colour is gorgeous and so is the style. However, like me, you know you will only be wearing it for special occasions and let's face it, they don't come up too often, do they!
You can see the dress I chose on my Blog if you go to the section re: David.
Good luck!
That dress is absolutley gorgeous!
I'm sure if it says "Mother of the Bride' then it is WAY more expensive. Yo could perhaps get one made for less. Have a look at seamstresses and see what they could do. Or get a regular evening dress and have a seamstress alter it, I think it would be cheaper that going "in store" at a bridal place.
Stay cool this weekend.
Jane x
Ugh! What an absolute pain! And sooo expensive!! Thats not fair that they tack on so many extra fee's for a larger size! I hope you're able to find an affordable dress at the other shop!
I think that bridal shops make most of their money of the alterations, not the gowns! I mean seriously, how often does it happen that you fit in a gown perfectly??? Or any piece of clothing for that matter...My big problems are with pants and skirts. If they fit at the waist, they don't fit at the hips and vice-versa, that and the fact that I pretty much always have to have my pants shortened.
The dress is gorgeous but I think you might do better finding a seamstress to make it for you rather than all the alterations and ordering sight unseen. I, like Star, bought both of my "mother's" dresses at Dillards -- right off the rack. One was a short, dressy day dress, the other was a long thing with a separate jacket. Funny thing was -- my mother in law almost bought the same dress! Both of my dresses worked fine as I figured nobody was supposed to be looking at me anyway, all eyes were supposed to be on the beautiful brides!
That dress is gorgeous Gill but what a price!
It's over 10 years ago now & I have to say I avoided specialist shops. I just went to Bainbridges outr local department store (now known as John Lewis)and looked at the up market ranges of clothes I never usually bother with. I bought a matching tailored Vyella dress & coat (Mid September in the North can be quite chilly as you know) which was really lovely. Even better was they had reduced it. I'm not a hat person but I was walking through a different department store & amazingly saw the hat that matched the outfit, also reduced. I wore it again to my niece's wedding.
There are lots of gorgeous evening dresses now with matching boleros in places like M&S, Debenhams & John Lewis so I bet it's the same in Canada. Best of British!
That is a beautiful dress but the price they want to charge you is ridiculous!! I am sure you could find something downtown Toronto or it might be worth a trip to Buffalo.
Or check out Shammickite's offer!
P.S I got my mother of the groom dress at Melanie Lynn and it was reasonable to have altered.
wow they charge you extra for plus sizes and then take it in??? I have not been a mother of the bride yet (come to think of it i never will be, I have boys) but with my cheapskate manner will probably shop thrift stores or off the shelf
Ah friend, I hope you can find one that works. Like you, it was hard for me to find a dress that fit for our oldest's sons wedding. Not sure why they don't make dresses to fit us bigger women. Hugs
With that kind of money maybe a dress made for you would be better. Im sure even a professional seamstess wouldnt charge that! Good luck in the dress department. I have the same problem. My spare tyre!
This may sound weird - but I saw quite a few nice bridal dresses in the Sears catelog - couldn't hurt to take a quick peak at Sears.ca
My 'middle' is my trouble too! I am quite large up top, a barrel around the middle but my butt and legs are quite trim - they just don't make clothes to fit my shape! I HATE CLOTHES SHOPPING!
Best of luck finding something that you like and it's not too exxy!
Cheers - Joolz
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