Wrong color dress ordered

mc123mc

I am concerned I am going to have to return my dress. 

Went dress shopping and found a dress at this very nice salon. 
I ordered a Martina Liana dress, style number 500, see pic below. In the picture below the color is ivory with what I thought was a pinkish undertone. I had some concerns about the color when I ordered it because in some light it looked a little brownish. Consultant assured me it was not at the time. 

Fast forward a few months, my mom and sister are in town and want to see the dress so we make an appt and are told the location of the salon has moved. No big deal! We go to the new location, it's much nicer than the original one, tons more room etc. I go into the dressing room where the sample is for me to try on as my dress hasn't arrived yet and I see that the dress looks very brown. I go out to the salon and it still looks brown. Family agrees, it's brown. 

The consultant is trying to tell me that it's because of the lighting they had put in the salon, it's an amber light and makes the dress look a different color than normal. I am totally freaking out at this point and try to get her to return the dress or call the manufacturer and change the color. Apparently it's too late and the dress is already on it's way to me from Australia (although not arriving until April - it was first week in March at this point 

I'm concerned that it was not actually the lighting in the second store and that the dress is really not the color I expected. When my dress does come in I am going to insist I take it out to natural light, if they haven't fixed their lighting issue and if the dress is really brown I don't know what I will do. 

Anyone have suggestions on how I can have a dress re-made? I know the salon will tell me that I ordered that color, and I did but it really did not look brown in the first location. I feel taken advantage of but I don't know if I have anything to go on to get the dress that I really want. 

Maggie0829

First, it is a gorgeous dress.  Who is it by?

Second what did the description of the dress color say? I can pretty much guarantee you the underlining isn't brown but rather a dark champagne.  In the picture it doesn't look brown just that the overlay is ivory and the underlay is a dark champagne/gold.

I am not sure there really is anything you can do at this point.  I would just wait until your dress comes in, try it on and step outside in the natural lighting and see what you think.  If you still do not like it then your best bet is to try and sell it and start over because I don't really think there is a way to change the underlining unless you want to shell out a lot of money on alterations.

lkristenj

I agree that it does look dark in the photo.

BUT

I also think it looks beautiful! I love the contrast the darker underlay gives the lace on top. It makes things pop. I wonder it if would look the same in bright sunlight? What kind of lighting are you expecting at your wedding?

I understand being frustrated with not getting the color you thought you were getting, but I really do think (personally, just my opinion) that it is a beautiful color. It just doesn't look like ivory, though I understand many there are many shades of ivory. It looks like my dress in color, actually, so I may be partial to it for that reason. I ordered an Allure gown in ivory/cafe (ivory lace, cafe underlay), so it looks much the same as yours. I think it's a gorgeous dress!

The store probably cannot have the dress remade without some extra cost. It's for their own protection that they make you sign and initial by your choices because they can't afford to be held accountable for every bride that changes their mind or goes against their advice (ordering sizes too small). The best you can hope for, I think, is that they can order additional fabric in a lighter color and remake the underlay. I'm not a seamstress and have no experience in the way alterations work (haven't gotten my dress yet), but it may be worth talking about with them. It will also probably cost quite a bit of money for them to do it. Otherwise, you might have to order a whole new dress. Perhaps, if you really hate it, you can sell it for a slight loss to another bride who might love it and use that money to help purchase a new gown?

ElcaB

When the sales associate assured you it was the lighting in the salon, I'd have said, "Can I get that in writing?"

mc123mc

Thanks ladies. The picture attached is from the first store where the lighting was apparently correct. I was too upset to even take a picture in the second store when the dress looked even darker! 

I also agree- worst case scenerio is just having to sell the dress and order a whole new one. UGH, how can lighting make that big of a difference!!!! 

Maggie0829

Did the store by any chance tell you that you had like 7 different color combinations for that dress?  You most likely ordered the dress with the pewter color underlining.

mc123mc

They actually didn't ask me anything about the color combinations. What was ordered was Oyster underlay with cognac overlay. The cognac I think is what's making me think it's brown. I wish I had been given options because I like the oyster and would have probably opted for an ivory overlay. 

Oh well. It's done already so I hope I do like it again once I get my dress and see it in natural light! 

lkristenj

Thanks for saying that, Maggie. I think it crossed my mind, but I ended up not saying it.

If you ordered "ivory", maybe the dress that comes won't look like the sample? Because the sample does not look 100% ivory. The lace looks ivory. The underlay, not so much. Maybe it is a different color and maybe you didn't actually order it in that color? I'm just trying to be positive.

I had the option of getting my dress in white over white, ivory over ivory, and ivory over cafe. The sample was ivory over cafe and I loved the way it looked with the darker underlay, so that's what I ended up ordering. I could have gotten all ivory though. Maybe that's what you did and you'll be pleasantly surprised when it arrives next month.

missnc77

I don't think there is anything wrong with the dress if that's your concern. It's an intentional thing to have it be a nude/champagne color, and some people really go crazy over that look. It may not be your preference, but the dress is lovely.

Example (not me): https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151286482045682.500062.198635155681&type=3

CaliMel11

I think it's beautiful, for what it's worth it looks like a pretty nude color to me.

hyechica81

most samples are faded and worn so many times by brides trying them on that they dont look 100% like the true color of the dress.

wait till the dress comes in and see if you still like it in normal natural light

[Deleted User]

I actually tried on that very same dress when looking and I am going to be honest, it was kindof a brownish champagne color.  It was still really pretty though! I really liked it but it just didn't go with my outdoor wedding.  Hopefully it works out for you!