Dress Shopping Worries

Shaye526

I don't know if this is going to sound really weird but I'm going to throw it out there anyway. I'm just under a year away fromt he wedding and I'd like to start going dress shopping soon. Aside from the fact that I'm just worried that I'll have trouble finding a dress I have a bigger issue that terrifies me.  So let me ask, when you go to try dresses on, does the sales associate always go in with you to help you put the dress on? I am horribly unconfident about my body and I would really not want to have a stranger in the dressing room with me. I guess when I watch shows like Say Yes to the Dress, this always happens, so I just assume that it's the way it goes. And I don't want to go in and turn to the sales person and be like "Uh-uh lady, you're not coming in there with me."

Is this really strange and ridiculous? It's ok, you can tell me. It's just how I feel. I've been putting off shopping for this specific reason.

anna.oskar

Not ridiculous at all.  I brought my sister with me for just that purpose.  My problem is that I have issues with being touched.  There was no way in hell I would have been able to handle a stranger touching my naked back as they laced up a corset.

sarah0725

I'm sorry to say, but the one time I went, there was no stopping that saleslady from barging in, and I'm also not a fan of letting strangers look at my underpants. It gets me flustered and then I make weird decisions. Maybe the best thing is to bring a friend or two who will keep you positive no matter what is going on with the saleslady?

barbbhoww

I don't like my body, of course, but i asked for help.  They let me use a corset and a slip so I was pretty much covered.  It was very helpful because some of those are really hard to get into. 

If you bring in a slip, even a small one, it will cover you up.  You don't NEED help but you might want it.  They've seen all kinds, trust me.

K Byte

I don't think it's ridiculous. I wouldn't want to strip down to my undies in front of a stranger either. When I went shopping I wore a regular strapless bra and a pair of boy short undies that definitely covered everything. The saleslady let me get 90% of the way into the dress on my own and then just helped out zipping or lacing the back or whatever. I think it does depend on the store but the salespeople weren't all up in my business at the store where I bought my dress or where we looked for bridesmaids dresses.

number55

I will be honest and say that I am not all that uncomfortable with other people seeing me in my undies (even though I am not slender by any means) and I was wearing my spanx each time I tried on dresses and they are NOT attractive looking in the least! But I totally get how you feel. I took my MOH (or another friend)with me and she helped me into most of my dresses. If my mom were still alive I would have brought her.

I think the hardest part for me is that almost NONE of the dresses fit me. I was way bigger than most sample sizes and the few dresses they did have in plus sizes were much too big. I do think that it is interesting that the dress I ended up buying was the only dress I really tried on that was anywhere close to fitting me (it was a size 16 and I STILL ordered a size up from that). I understand why salons can't afford to have many samples but I really found it demoralizing trying on so many dresses that didn't fit me and therefore didn't look right. After about 30 dresses though I got over that and just started to try to imagining it if it fit.

It really bothered me though that I was a size 12-14 (now a solid 12) and there were NO dresses that I could try on that fit. 

I am not totally sure I helped you other than to say you are not alone in having dress shopping worries. Try not to let it get to you though, I wish I had tried on more. 

Shaye526

Ahh, thank you SO much ladies. I feel much better about it.  : )

I think I just assumed from watching all these stupid wedding shows, that it was just what happens. I will probably bring my sister (MOH) with me to help out.

polichik

When I went, the women asked me if I would like any help trying it on. This is going to sound weird, but the more high-end the salon I went to, the more willing they were to leave me alone. I think it was that the appointments were longer, so they weren't tryign to rush me into a dress.

I'm sure that if you just give them a polite but forceful "I'd like some privacy, please," they'll back off. They do work on commission, after all

jasmineh7777

Not strange at all. PPs are right, just let them know you want to handle dressing yourself, and bring some friends if you can.

Anysunrise

Mine let me put it on by myself, and just had me call them when I was ready to be tied up. They did see my booty when they took my measurements though.

thesuninherhead

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_dress-shopping-worries?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:aad192bb-713a-4386-b1a8-63578bba316bPost:a079fa07-62c4-4397-8cad-651ecf026226">Re: Dress Shopping Worries</a>:
[QUOTE]When I went, the women asked me if I would like any help trying it on. This is going to sound weird, <strong>but the more high-end the salon I went to, the more willing they were to leave me alone. </strong>I think it was that the appointments were longer, so they weren't tryign to rush me into a dress. I'm sure that if you just give them a polite but forceful "I'd like some privacy, please," they'll back off. They do work on commission, after all :)
<p>Posted by polichik[/QUOTE]</p><p> </p><p>I found the opposite. On the lower end of the scale they were too happy to let me do what I wanted in the change room- so long as I wore their gloves. On the higher end, they were there making me try on their underwear and acting as though them seeing me in nothing bar my underpants was no biggie. It was awkward.</p><p> </p><p>*particularly so when I went in on one occasion and an older lady served me, who then started making comments about my lack of bust and tiny figure/ribs. Yeah, inappropriate. </p>

katiewhompus

I had my mom with me to help me get into things. I did try on a corset dress that we couldn't figure out though. I just pulled it up so I was covered, then asked the lady if she could please show how the back is tied. That way she didn't see anything but the back of the long line bra I was wearing.

Daggy underwear? I think I want to make a book of "Sun from down under" sayings to cheer me up on bad days.

thesuninherhead

Uh oh, do you guys not use the term 'daggy'? Probably not, now I think of it! haha. Sorry!

katiewhompus

I love all your terms. So much better than what I hear every day. It reminds me of when my friend did a semester in London and for months would say "Let's take the tube into DC" or "Throw the suitcases in the boot please". I was the only one who knew what she was talking about.

JennaV26

I went to so many shops that I experienced it all: Sales Associates that insisted they were in the dressing room, associates that didn't care to help at all and associates that would let you get in the dress and then come help get it the rest of the way on.

I'm not a fan of anyone seeing me without clothes on so it was somewhat awkward at first but the truth is that I couldn't get into any of the dresses without help! All the corsets and tiny buttons  - no ma'am! Also I kinda figure they've seen so many different body types that it was highly unlikely mine would make any impression at all, good or bad.

katiewhompus

Yep, here boots are the things that go on your feet.