Going to start dress hunting -- what should I expect?

[~Nicole~]

My advice is to be open to styles that are not what you're picturing in your head. What I thought I wanted DID NOT look good on me. I ended up getting something that was the complete opposite of what I thought I wanted. I also recommend not trying on a million dresses. I went shopping ONE time and probably could have tried on endless amounts of dresses if I wasn't careful as I never had that "this is the one" feeling. I think the more you try on the more you confuse yourself, just my opinion.

 

And I agree with not bringing too many people.

 

Good luck!

[roxyqt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lalanyc I am still in the process of dress hunting (and made the mistake of not doing much dress research before going to the first shops... but that's another story). One thing that has struck me is the huge variability in the vibe and helpfulness of each shop. I dont know if it's a Manhattan thing but I've gone to "high" end shops w/ very apathetic assistants or with very dirty, messy assortments of dresses. I never know what to expect walking into each store! Also, in some shops, you can browse and pick out the dresses yourself while in others they only allow the assistant to choose them for you (unless you ask for a specific dress). Finally, just because they carry a certain designer doesn't mean they have the full collection. Sometimes, they'll only carry a handful of dresses!!! The entire process has been quite an experience... good luck! ** Oh, one more thing - definitely take a strapless bra unless you don't mind showing off your assets. While some places give you bras, most I've seen do not.

Good call on the proper undergarment for undressing in front of the associate! You meet them for 5 minutes and they have already got your clothes off , so if you are modest make sure you have on covering intimates.
Also Good Call on the salons not carrying the full lines, I found that true at many places I shopped at. I thought maybe it was because I lived in a small town/area, good to know that is true in a big city as well.
I did prefer to look through the gown myself or have them walk with me to get a better understanding of what I was looking for I felt a bit taken back with the shops that wanted to pick them out for you after only asking a handful of questions. Though I trusted that they would only have my best interest at heart, a couple of the places associates only had my max budget in their mind, and 1 shop was so quick to get me in and out when I the dresses she selected didnt work... it was like telling me "I have nothing for you without you spending more!"
Oh and more thing, dont get discouraged if you dont find the dress right away, I agree with what Shellk said, most people dont walk out of there first experience shopping and find "the dress", try on as many as you need to to find your dress!!! I went Shopping with my BFF for her wedding and she must have tried on almost 200 dresses before finding her dress! She kept a positive outlook and didnt settle for anything less than perfect for her special day.

[RonNMel]

I have to agree with those who said to keep an open-mind. Like Nicole, the style I had envisioned really did not look good on me. I wanted the flowy dress, turns out it made me look pregnant.

 

As for the sitting in your dress, I probably should have thought about that. Though I don't think it would have given me a true answer, as the sample they had me try on was WAY too big.

[simplnsweet]

i am in the same boat. I don't have my family here but my sister did come to visit me and i scheduled dress shopping in the visiting plans. We went to three places and by the end of the day and 4 hours later, I was bagged. My sister brought her camera, thank God as I completely forgot. One place did not allow us to take pictures.

I did not bring any shoes as i still don't have an idea what type of shoes i want but in any case, at the begining it is not necessary I think since most dresses are designed for 5'7 or 5'9 ( can't remember which one now) so... it will have to be hemmed anyway, for most of us.

Good luck.

ps. be open to trying dresses you certainly think don't look great in a picture cuz...I had poo-pooed one dress i saw in a magazine and the assistant was sneeky and pulled it and it turned up to be one of my short listed choices.!

[tiffanyan02]

I agree 100% with all of the posters. I have only been dressing shopping to one store and I wish I would have known all of this before going. I had 5 people with me, which was too many. I did try on everything that was given to me and some of they styles I hated on the hanger I loved on. So just try it on before deciding. I'm going again this weekend with my Mom and Aunt and hope to find the DRESS!

[midnight24]

first off keep an open mind when you go into the store. tell them what you think you want, what type of wedding you plan on having (formal, casual, church, beach etc). look around and pick some out, let them suggest a few. i found most of the bridal shops i went into they recommended things i never would of picked and i liked them more on me than the stuff i picked.

 

in my opinion bring your mom. she has been waiting for this moment. she will be happy you asked her and to share it with you. don't bring too many people they will just confuse you.

 

just talk to your mom beforehand and say you appreciate her opinion and tell her to keep an open mind too. i thought my mom would be annoying but she was amazing.

 

one other thing...don't rush into buying the dress (no matter what the sales staff says). i found the whole experience to be overwhelming. i needed time to think about the dresses, look at the photos of me in them and then decide.

 

don't have dress regret!

[Sapphire723]

Quote:

Originally Posted by midnight24 first off keep an open mind when you go into the store. tell them what you think you want, what type of wedding you plan on having (formal, casual, church, beach etc). look around and pick some out, let them suggest a few. i found most of the bridal shops i went into they recommended things i never would of picked and i liked them more on me than the stuff i picked. in my opinion bring your mom. she has been waiting for this moment. she will be happy you asked her and to share it with you. don't bring too many people they will just confuse you. just talk to your mom beforehand and say you appreciate her opinion and tell her to keep an open mind too. i thought my mom would be annoying but she was amazing. one other thing...don't rush into buying the dress (no matter what the sales staff says). i found the whole experience to be overwhelming. i needed time to think about the dresses, look at the photos of me in them and then decide. don't have dress regret!

What she said.


Know what sort of things you're looking for (ie light fabric if you're anticipating a hot and humid wedding day or something that shows off one of your best features or something simple vs something bling-y) and communicate that with the staff. If you like/dislike something about a dress you try on, be very vocal about why. They may have a dress similar that incorporates the things you like and gets rid of something you may hate (like that huge bow on your butt... or whatever).

Also, bring your friends who are honest and have taste that you trust. I brought my FSIL who I love but who is a very nice and not very blunt person. I also brought my mom and sister who sometimes have questionable fashion tastes. They all basically told me that everything looked good on me, which was sweet but not very helpful in making a decision.

And don't give in to the sales pressure. I ended up buying a dress I really liked because it was on clearance for a great price and they told me that I probably wouldn't be able to get it later. It turns out that it's not THE dress, so I could have saved myself the money by not freaking out about the opportunity.