Ordering dresses before trying on?

ginadog

Is it common to buy a dress even though you've never actually tried it on?  I understand shops cannot carry every single line of a particular designer. 

The lady on the phone said she doesn't carry this particular model (she is an authorized dealer of this designer), but the plan is to try on dresses similar to it, see if that style suits me, then get measurements and order it.  She said it's pretty easy.

I guess I've always pictured picking the dress out at the store, trying it on, then getting it altered.  Of course every shop cannot have all the dresses in stock. 

Just makes me leary committing to buying a dress I haven't actually tried on.

I have no idea.  Someone clue me in!

LADY324

I would never feel comfortable doing this.  I would call up other stores until I found someone who carried the dress or else I just wouldn't order it.  There were several that I loved in magazines that just did not look good on me. 

ceglare4

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_ordering-dresses-before-trying?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:b7489faf-d2f0-46ad-8aa2-0b96e25d8465Post:63f4d2cc-e66c-40fa-8f4b-4e0c38fa4657">Re: Ordering dresses before trying on?</a>:
[QUOTE]I would never feel comfortable doing this.  I would call up other stores until I found someone who carried the dress or else I just wouldn't order it.  There were several that I loved in magazines that just did not look good on me. 
Posted by LADY324[/QUOTE]

I totally agree with this. Even if a certain style of a specific designer looks good on you, there are so many details to every single dress that you would want to make sure you like. Like LADY said, what looks good in a magazine won't necessarily look good on you, and that includes things like beading, lace, embellishments, things like that.

ginadog

OK, this is what my gut felt!

So all of your dresses were ones that were actually in the shop? 
Go in with a list of backups?

95% of the dresses in stock in my town are these Mormon temple dresses with capped sleeves.  NOT what I am going for.

littlemoments324

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_ordering-dresses-before-trying?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:b7489faf-d2f0-46ad-8aa2-0b96e25d8465Post:d6a35ef4-48ed-4009-a2d1-2f0555592b8f">Re: Ordering dresses before trying on?</a>:
[QUOTE]OK, this is what my gut felt! So all of your dresses were ones that were actually in the shop?  Go in with a list of backups? 95% of the dresses in stock in my town are these Mormon temple dresses with capped sleeves.  NOT what I am going for.
Posted by ginadog[/QUOTE]

No, not all of the dresses I wanted to try on were in the stores.  However, they had similar ones for me to try on.  So, you don't necessarily need a list of back-ups because I would say, 'i love the style of this dress...do you have this specific one? or do you have any that are similar?' 

How far away is the next city that has a trustworthy bridal store?

Madisonpenny

The salon where I bought my dress at carries a few different designers.  They suggested I go through the designers websites and write down the ones I I would like to try on.  Well its turns out that 1/2 of the dresses I wanted to try on, the store didn't carry, but they said that they could get the dresses I REALLY wanted to try on it in if I paid for the shipping.  Is this a possibility? 

ginadog

The lady I talked to in this post is 50 miles away and said she's a reputable bridal shop.  I'll have to research more outside of the valley.  Then Salt Lake is 90 miles away but prices will go up considerably.

Seriously the pool of non-capped sleeved gowns in town is ridiculous.  One store had zero and said they all can be turned into "tube tops" (aka strapless) if I wanted.  WTF? 

Madison, I can try offering to pay for shipping.  It wasn't mentioned but doesn't hurt to offer!

LADY324

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_ordering-dresses-before-trying?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:b7489faf-d2f0-46ad-8aa2-0b96e25d8465Post:52848ca2-9d9b-4da1-9361-64e9850be61c">Re: Ordering dresses before trying on?</a>:
[QUOTE]The lady I talked to in this post is 50 miles away and said she's a reputable bridal shop.  I'll have to research more outside of the valley.  Then Salt Lake is 90 miles away but prices will go up considerably. Seriously the pool of non-capped sleeved gowns in town is ridiculous.  One store had zero and said they all can be turned into "tube tops" (aka strapless) if I wanted.  WTF?  Madison, I can try offering to pay for shipping.  It wasn't mentioned but doesn't hurt to offer!
Posted by ginadog[/QUOTE]

Go on your local board and see what other girls recommend.  I went into the bridal shop with 5 magazine pictures and ended up buying one that the consultant begged me to try on.  It was nothing that I would have ever picked out myself and I loved it.  So it is good to have ideas but it is also good to have an open mind. 

ginadog

The average engagement time period here in Utah is like 2-3 months.  So they must be buying a lot of in stock gowns for their weddings. 

michelle11988

I definitely did not like all that I liked in magazines on me and my style changed as I tried them on.  Definitely try on your dress so you can see it in person!