Dress HELP!

Knottie35128127

I need to vent a little about my dress issues! It's a long story but I would LOVE any advice or help anyone can offer. 

I bought a beautiful wedding dress for my July wedding at a high end shop near my house. They're supposed to be a really great store and have fabulous customer service. I purchased back in October during a trunk show with the representative from the designer. While in the sample, my mother and I had a long conversation with the rep about added length, and I tried on a 3.5" heel and the dress was the perfect length. I didn't intend to wear a 3.5" heel so we all agreed I'd be ok. I'm fairly tall and the rep told me based on my height I'd be fine. So, they took my measurements and we decided to order a size up from the sample, even though the sample (a 10) was hanging off of me. I figured, I would rather have it larger than not and measurements are measurements. 

Fast forward to this weekend (May), when I had my first fitting. I was so excited to put my dress back on, I stepped into it and was zipped in. I immediately told the seamstress this wasn't the right size. She just went "you ordered a 12? This is a 12." It was so tight on me, I couldn't even sit down. I put my shoes on, a 3" heel that I spent some money on, and suddenly the dress is 1.5" off of the floor. I didn't say anything, but kept thinking how short the dress was. When I came out, the first thing my mom mentioned was that it's too short. My seamstress told me she'll have to let the dress out and it will get longer and be fine. Then she told me to buy new shoes, and brought in a pair of 2" heels and the dress was still too short! She kept telling me it will be fine, and it won't touch the floor but it will come close. It should touch the floor, I don't want to see my shoes. After the fitting we spoke to the girl who ordered the dress, and she told me she'd compare the sample to my dress. My mom is very upset, as am I, that this happened and I'm mostly frustrated that everyone keeps telling me it'll be ok. I truly, in my gut, feel they are trying to avoid doing the hard work to correct the issue. They want me to wait until a month before my wedding before coming back in - if I do that and it doesn't work I don't have any options at that point. 

I called the manager of the store yesterday, and she told me it's the first she's hearing (annoying). She put me on hold briefly and spoke to the girl who sold me the dress, when she came back she told me the dress I have matches the sample exactly. Which for two reasons is incorrect, 1. I ordered a size up 2. the sample is gigantic on me. They told me the only thing they can do is have me come in and get re-measured which is fine. I know I've lost weight recently, and I measured myself and am actually a little smaller than what they had written down for me. I'm going in today to get re-measured and hopefully see if it's possible to rush a new dress. I know they're not going to work with me on this, so any advice to get my way I'm all ears. This wasn't my fault, and I feel very strongly they should fix it. I intend to try on the sample then my dress again with and without shoes.
I'm so sad and disappointed in this, and it's making me feel less in love and happy about my dress. Picture of the dress below.

The only plus side is my fiance spent the whole day trying to cheer me up, which really reminds me WHY we're getting married. But still, it's hard not to be disappointed by this!

lnixon8

I don't know you personally so take this with a grain of salt, but if it were me I would probably be crying and flustered next time I went in. Can you write down and  practice what you will say? What exactly you want them to do (order a new dress, fix this one, money back, combination of the 3?) When you expect this to be done? Just something more than "Fix this!"

Sorry you're going through this.

MesmrEwe

One thing I will say is in regards to length, better to be short than long...  By the time you're in those 3" heels 10 hours you may be rethinking them and having the shorter dress makes it easy to put on a pair of slip-on comfortable shoes later and enjoy. 

But, that said, I'd insist on trying on both, in-store, then stand your ground, you ordered a size up from the sample, the sample fits loose while the dress you got - a size up - is too tight...  If you can prove that it's not your mistake to them and the dress sent is the wrong size, stand your ground and insist they correct the problem with either a replacement dress or give you a discount to take the sample dress instead (since you'll likely want it dry cleaned)..  No BS excuses - talk to the owner or head manager to handle this - it's not time for being pushed around, you want the end-all-be-all decision maker (like when purchasing a car - don't bother meeting with anyone who has to "ask permission")...  You're not there to play PPP, you're there because they screwed up, doesn't matter the reviews or other people's experiences, this is yours, it's a business transaction, and not emotional one.  You paid a huge mark-up to go with them, they need to provide the service...

kvruns

any chance you took pictures the day you ordered which might show that it was longer? Although I guess you can't really prove the shoes you had on that day.

I definitely wouldn't let it go another month before getting a solution in place

SP29

Glad you are getting re-measured. Ask to see the original document that has your measurements listed, then compare that to what their sizing chart suggests. I agree about going back now and being VERY clear about what you'd like to have done.

Sample dress can fit larger as they get stretched out being tried on regularly, but I can't imagine the difference would be THAT much. Also, the sales person should have made a recommendation on what size to buy based on your measurements anyway (they know samples get stretched out).

charlotte989875

Knottie35128127 said:

I need to vent a little about my dress issues! It's a long story but I would LOVE any advice or help anyone can offer. 

I bought a beautiful wedding dress for my July wedding at a high end shop near my house. They're supposed to be a really great store and have fabulous customer service. I purchased back in October during a trunk show with the representative from the designer. While in the sample, my mother and I had a long conversation with the rep about added length, and I tried on a 3.5" heel and the dress was the perfect length. I didn't intend to wear a 3.5" heel so we all agreed I'd be ok. I'm fairly tall and the rep told me based on my height I'd be fine. So, they took my measurements and we decided to order a size up from the sample, even though the sample (a 10) was hanging off of me. I figured, I would rather have it larger than not and measurements are measurements. 

Fast forward to this weekend (May), when I had my first fitting. I was so excited to put my dress back on, I stepped into it and was zipped in. I immediately told the seamstress this wasn't the right size. She just went "you ordered a 12? This is a 12." It was so tight on me, I couldn't even sit down. I put my shoes on, a 3" heel that I spent some money on, and suddenly the dress is 1.5" off of the floor. I didn't say anything, but kept thinking how short the dress was. When I came out, the first thing my mom mentioned was that it's too short. My seamstress told me she'll have to let the dress out and it will get longer and be fine. Then she told me to buy new shoes, and brought in a pair of 2" heels and the dress was still too short! She kept telling me it will be fine, and it won't touch the floor but it will come close. It should touch the floor, I don't want to see my shoes. After the fitting we spoke to the girl who ordered the dress, and she told me she'd compare the sample to my dress. My mom is very upset, as am I, that this happened and I'm mostly frustrated that everyone keeps telling me it'll be ok. I truly, in my gut, feel they are trying to avoid doing the hard work to correct the issue. They want me to wait until a month before my wedding before coming back in - if I do that and it doesn't work I don't have any options at that point. 

I called the manager of the store yesterday, and she told me it's the first she's hearing (annoying). She put me on hold briefly and spoke to the girl who sold me the dress, when she came back she told me the dress I have matches the sample exactly. Which for two reasons is incorrect, 1. I ordered a size up 2. the sample is gigantic on me. They told me the only thing they can do is have me come in and get re-measured which is fine. I know I've lost weight recently, and I measured myself and am actually a little smaller than what they had written down for me. I'm going in today to get re-measured and hopefully see if it's possible to rush a new dress. I know they're not going to work with me on this, so any advice to get my way I'm all ears. This wasn't my fault, and I feel very strongly they should fix it. I intend to try on the sample then my dress again with and without shoes.
I'm so sad and disappointed in this, and it's making me feel less in love and happy about my dress. Picture of the dress below.

The only plus side is my fiance spent the whole day trying to cheer me up, which really reminds me WHY we're getting married. But still, it's hard not to be disappointed by this!

It sucks when you wait so long to see your dress and it doesn't fit quiet right. This might be blunt but if they took down the measurements, ordered the right size based off the measurements, and the dress is that size it just doesn't fit you I don't see how it is their "fault". Samples are always looser and less structure than a custom order because they are handled more, tried on more, etc.  Also, have your worked out more (added muscle) or changed shape at all? Even if your weight hasn't changed that may change how the dress lays. 

That being said I really do think letting it out should make a huge difference. It will lay completely different when it's not too tight, which will give it more length. Depending on the hem they may be able to let that out as well. As PPs have said, you need to think about what you would like them to do; ordered a larger size, rush order a different dress, reduce the price of your alterations if they took the measurements down wrong? It's inlikely they will refund the dress, but you need to have concrete examples of what you like besides "fix it" especially if there really isn't a problem (as in there were no error in the measurements, it is the right size, etc).