Light In the Box dresses - sorry, dbl post from hair and beauty

rose0068

So my MIL and a few other people have mentioned something about a site called Lightinthebox.com and they have wedding dresses for a very.. very.. VERY good deal. They've got the kind dresses that you pin about. However, I have this feeling that the site is too good to be true and I figured someone on The Knot has had some kind of experience with them. So is it too good to be true or is it worth working with?

JennyColada

http://forums.theknot.com/discussion/979709/faq-for-attire-and-accessories#latest

QueerFemme

rose0068 said:

So my MIL and a few other people have mentioned something about a site called Lightinthebox.com and they have wedding dresses for a very.. very.. VERY good deal. They've got the kind dresses that you pin about. However, I have this feeling that the site is too good to be true and I figured someone on The Knot has had some kind of experience with them. So is it too good to be true or is it worth working with?

They are a chinese knockoff dress maker.  They steal photos from designer's websites and post them on their site.  So, when you order the dress, they attempt to make a replica of the dress based on a photo.   They rarely turn out exactly like the photo, and they don't use the same quality of fabric or embellishments (crystals, etc.) as the real designers do.

Sometimes, the dresses are unwearable.  the sizing is often WAY off and sometimes, they are just horrible.

This is an example of a knockoff that was sent to Mori Lee.  The dress on the left is a real Mori Lee gown. The right is a reallllly bad knockoff.

 

QueerFemme

I'm not sure why the picture wouldn't post previously.. but here it is.

rose0068

@QueerFemme I still can't see the picture?

However I get what you're saying. I've been doing a lot of research on the company and I've seen many good reviews to outweigh the bad. Most of the bad I've seen is just color coordination or sizing. And I've also seen a few bridal photos that show their actual dress compared to the one ordered. And I know these sites make knock offs. If the material isn't made for Kate Middleton, I could care less. As long as it wears well and looks good and serves its purpose for our wedding, I'm fine with it being cheap.

It's a big leap of faith if I do it but I've got a year and a half until our wedding so I've got time to look around actual shops and see if I find something I fall in love with before going the online route. I am going to keep researching on it though.

bunni727

In addition to QF's points (which are all true, and don't be fooled by reviews: it's not unheard of for these companies to write their own), knock-offs are also problematic for me ethically. I'm just not cool with paying someone to rip-off someone's design with questionable at best working conditions for their seamstresses.

If you fall in love with a dress that is out of your price range, you could always try to find it used. Or even tell a local seamstress what you like about the designer dress, and come up with a custom design together.  Davids Bridal has some pretty options for an affordable price, as does Alfred Angelo.

hyechica81

i would stay away from it. not only will the fabric be cheep and not like the designer dress  most of the fabrics are lining fabric and very flammable. 


i would look at smaller shops if you are on a tight budget ask them to show you discontinued sample sizes and check out bridalpower.com its the website from the hit tlc show i found the gown they sell sample gowns at huge discounts and they ship

QueerFemme

It's not that the fabric isn't kate middleton quality, it's the difference between wearing a fabric that lays right and is sewn right, and one that might be see-through, thin or the lace patterns are off.   Trust me, I'm a bargain hunter and if I'm wearing something once, I'm willing to let it be a "throw-away" and not worry about it holding up after washing/cleaning. But, I don't want to get it and have it be sewn incorrectly, or have pieces of fabric not match in the same garment. 

I'll try to attach the file again, but there are lots of other horror stories out there if you just google "knockoff wedding dresses".  

And yes, a lot of the knockoff stores fake their reviews.  They've been caught doing so.

 

rose0068

Thank you ladies! @queerfemme and @hyechica81 I'll take a look at that site.

hyechica81

check out this facebook website https://www.facebook.com/BridesBeware they will show you the dress you fell in love with then they will show you the dress u recieived nothing like what u ordered

rose0068

@hyechica81 just looked at that page and thank you for sharing that! Definitely just going to stick to the bridal shops around town instead. So glad I asked on here first!