Vendor Review: Seamstress at Cynderellie’s Closet~Barbara’s Bridal Alterations (Bustles by Barb)
too tight and crease across the middle:
I purchased a dress at Cynderellie’s Closet in Edmonds after working with a sales person that only works there one day a week. She took my measurements and decided I needed a size smaller than the dress I tried on. Needless to say, I was very nervous at my first dress fitting. When I put the dress on for the first time it was too tight in the hips. The seamstress, Barb, didn’t reassure me at all that it wasn’t a big deal and she could fix it. Her solutions were: get a shaper to wear, maybe shorten the boning, or lose 3 pounds. After having tried for months to lose some weight this was very upsetting to hear. I felt like I’d failed. I had to ask her to let the dress out! My Mom called the owner, who said they ordered the smaller size knowing that it would be tight in the hips but would fit well on top. She was very nice to work with. That tidbit of info would have been nice to know and would have made me feel much better had I known that going in. Not sure why Barb didn't mention it.
Dress try #2-Barb lets the seams out but now there is a weird crease across the middle. When I asked if she could fix it, she said she would try letting it out some more and move the panel in the back to give me more room. While I’m getting very upset she’s talking to other girls and yelling toward the front of the store. I didn’t feel like she was listening to my concerns at all. She was also determined to tie my corset as tightly as she could even though I’d expressed that I wanted to be able to move and breath easily. And too tight =back fat bulge so I was trying to avoid that.
Final fitting a week before my wedding-Barb didn’t move the panel and the crease was still there. Her solution to the crease? Hold your bouquet in front of it there’s nothing more I can do!!!
My solution to the crease? I took my dress to Elizabeth Parks in Tacoma after a very reassuring phone call that she knew what the problem was and could likely fix it in time. She had me get in the dress and immediately knew what the problem was. Barb hadn’t let the seams out high enough and had only let out the underneath layers. There was also lace coming detached that I’d ask Barb to fix-Elizabeth noticed it right away and said it was fixable. Elizabeth made me feel SO much better! A little bit of kindness and understanding goes a long way for a nervous bride.
My advice to any of you getting your dresses altered is to go with your gut. If anyone makes you feel uncomfortable or doesn’t listen to you, take your dress somewhere else. To Barb’s credit, she did do a lovely bustle.