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My Dress Buying Experience- Opinions please

I keep thinking about something that happened to me on Saturday at the dress shop and want to get your opinion about it.  See if I should do anything about it or not.

I went to a smaller independently owned dress shop and had a really good experience until the very end.  The woman who helped me was fabulous and made me feel really comfortable.  She got what I wanted right away and was the one who found the dress I ended up buying. The size I tried on was a little snug in the hips and a little big in the chest. It still felt amazing though.

I've been working-out really hard to get back in to my pre-relationship shape and to just be healthy, again.  I gained that being in a relationship and being in-love weight. When I started thinking that my 35 birthday was coming up I knew it was time to get serious with my health and to stop yo-yoing. I cleaned up my eating in January which meant cutting down the sugar and alcohol and making sure I had correct portions. Then I joined a gym at the beginning of Feb and started working with a trainer at the beginning of March. I know work with my trianer, do the treadmill, elliptical and stairmaster, take yoga, pilates, and water aerobics and I swim. I also do a little work out in my office a couple days a week of sit-ups, push-ups, squats, lounges, jumping jacks and 100s. I've lost 20 lbs so far and have gained muscle.

Because I am literally working my ass off, I didn't want to go up a size on the dress so that it wasn't snug in my hips.  I knew the hardest alteration on the dress was going to be talking in the top and I didn't want a dress that was going to be even bigger in that area. Especially since I gain and lose in my chest.  Was a DD when I started working out and now I'm a D. I know I will get down to at least a C.

The other place I also hold weight is my hips.  Yes, I have an hourglass figure. I've already gone down a whole size in my hips since working out. I know I will lose more there.  Especially since I do have 14 months until my wedding.

I talked all of this over with the sales associate who helped me and she agreed I should not go up a size and should order the size I tried on. It wasn't like I wanted to order the size below that.

When I got up to the counter there was a "customer service rep" who answered phone calls, put orders into the computer and took payments.  She looked at me and then looked at my order and told me there was no way I was going to fit into that dress and I needed to go up a size.  I was so taken back, I couldn't believe it. The dress was so close to fitting me.  Everything hooked and laced up.  The dress was completely on me. She didn't even see me in the dress. I told her no, I wanted to order the size I tired on. She again told me that I needed to order a larger size and would need to lose 45 lbs for the dress to fit me. I was taken back by that, too.  My best friend jumped in and said to order me the size I wanted. I then told her I was working out and would have no problem fitting in the dress. We had to go through this two more times, before she finally ended up putting the order in for the size I wanted, but wrote in the notes that she told me to order a bigger size and I would need to lose 45 lbs to fit into the dress. This all printed up on my receipt.

I talked to my mom about it and she said I ordered correctly. I was so pissed at what that woman said to me that I went to the gym the next day and did almost 1300 calories in cardio.  There is no way I won't fit into that dress.

I talked to my trainer about it yesterday, too.  I think it pissed her off as much as it pissed me off.  I showed her the pictures of me in the dress and she thought the woman was crazy for telling me I needed to lose 45 lbs. She also said she would make sure I fit into that dress and had plenty of time to do it.  She thought by next month I would fit into the dress if I keep doing everything I am doing.

Anyway, I keep thinking about the stupid woman who said those things to me.  It was so rude! I can understand making sure to double check that the right size is being ordered, but to keep telling someone to order a bigger size and to lose weight is not ok. The thought even crossed my mind to leave without ordering the dress because she was pissing me off so much. If I hadn't had such an awesome sales woman help me, I would have left.

I was thinking about writing some on-line reviews saying the experience was great until the working with the woman at the counter.  Actually, I am going to at least do that. But, should I do more? Should I contact the manager or shop owner, too? Should I do anything else?

Re: My Dress Buying Experience- Opinions please

  • breanessbreaness member
    Fifth Anniversary 1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I would ABSOLUTELY contact the manager/owner. That is completely unacceptable. It's up to the person who worked with you to measure you and help you come up with the size. Yes, ultimately it does fall on you if the size is wrong, but you got help and you weren't ordering a dress that you have no chance in hell of fitting in.

    That's horrible, insane and I'm so sad that happened to you!

    When I tried my dress on in the store it was a sample size 0. According to my measurements, my hips won't fit in anything smaller than a size 4, but waist and bust are okay for a 0. The lady who helped me said that their 0 had never been tried on before and was not stretched out, but she recommended I get a 2 anyway. It's still an inch smaller in the hips (supposedly) than what I measured, but since I got myself into the 0 and it felt good she thought it was fine.

    I'm using it as motivation to not gain weight, but I'm not freaking out to lose any.

    I would say, stay motivated, and keep up the great work of being healthy and fit, and when you get the dress and it needs to be taken in, if she's still working there be sure to rub it in her face :D
  • AKWinterBrideAKWinterBride member
    Knottie Warrior 1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I think you should definitely contact the store manager, cause this girl is beyond rude.  She could potentially affect their business, so I think it's good to let them know.  Plus, it sounds like she was a total b!tch, so it's good for someone to let her know she over stepped her bounds. 
    I can't believe she would have said that!!  And, don't order a size up - I did that and now I have to have it taken in 2 sizes, which is going to be costly due to the detail on my dress.  Yikes!  But, I was scared since I ordered it a year and a half before our ceremony that I may gain some weight - but I haven't. 
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  • TashaK24TashaK24 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Wow, DEFINITELY contact the manager/owner, that is NO way to treat a customer!!  She may have just wanted you to buy up so they could charge you more on alterations :P
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • kimmykupcakeskimmykupcakes member
    2500 Comments Third Anniversary 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011

    Ladies I really appreciate your support and knowing I am not over reacting makes me feel better, too. 

    So surprise, surprise! The woman I thought was a customer service rep is the store manager!!!! Holy!!!!!! Ugh, I so don't want to deal with her, again.  I will see if I can get a holdof the owner. If not, I am at the very least going to write reviews on every board.

    http://bridalexclusives.com/bridal/index.php/aubrielle

  • breanessbreaness member
    Fifth Anniversary 1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    YIKES! That's awful :( I'm so sorry to hear that and I hope she doesn't ruin the rest of your experience!
  • edited December 2011
    I am so sorry that you had the experience! I think you did the right thing and ordered the dress size YOOOUUU wanted. I just went to my first fitting yesterday (after receiving the size the store rep thought I should get). Turns out its 2 sizes too big and my alterations are going to cost around 600 dollars. Point being, if I would have trusted my instinct and not listened to "its easier to take in than take out" I would most likely fit into my dress. I hope that everything works out. Your workouts are awesome so I am SURE you will look great =) 
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  • TripleAubsTripleAubs member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I think they were incredibly rude and unprofessional with you. Sure, maybe they were being realistic in that most brides say they will lose weight (and some don't), but if you firmly told her what you wanted and have the willpower to work out, you should get what you want and what you pay for, especially if they want your business.

    I forget what size I tried on for my dress, but it seemed a little big. The saleslady said that sometimes the samples get stretched out after so many people try them on. Perhaps that was what the manager was thinking??

    Anyways, I had to give my measurements over the phone to my saleslady to get the correct size to order. The sizing was SO weird, and I am an athletic person that has stayed the same weight for a very long time, so I knew my weight wasn't going to fluctuate. 
    I was a size 2 and they made me order a size 10 based on my measurements (and it was my waist size that made it go up, which is so weird, and there was no way my waist was going to get any smaller). I didn't really know any better so I just went with it because they saleslady said that the sizes are different in the bridal world. that ended up costing me a good amount in alterations as the seamstress had to take in the not only the hem but the sides too since it was so big. It was a pain in my wallet! I wish they would just custom make each dress :(

    I'm glad you got the size you wanted though. Way to hold your ground, girl!
    10.9.10

    a+k

    Photobucket

  • ESquared423ESquared423 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    She's the manager?!?!?! Wow, I was appalled reading this and I would have been even more appalled had I been the one experiencing it. I'm the type of person where if that happened to me, I would not give them my business. But I guess it's too late for that.

    Definitely spread the word about the experience you had and try to reach the owner of the store. That is horrible! I can't wait for you to go back in and prove them wrong when you look amazing in that dress!
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  • edited December 2011

    Kimmy, I am SOOO sorry. That is so incredible rude of them. I would contact whoever you can. I’m pretty sure Bridal Exclusive is a chain right I think they at least have 2 locations? If so you should be able to contact her manager and make a complaint, I know I would. I think the fact you are so dedicated to your works outs is amazing and I am really sorry someone made you feel bad. I live in Vancouver (close to PDX) I went to the Hostess House here and was pretty happy. But I will make sure to let and newly engaged friends/family know about this when they go to look for a wedding dress. This should have been a really positive experience and some people have no concept of that. At the end of the day their job is to make sure the customer is happy and that doesn’t seem to be the case here. L I hope you get a hold of someone who can listen to your concerns and deal with them appropriately!

  • kimmykupcakeskimmykupcakes member
    2500 Comments Third Anniversary 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Thanks again, ladies.  I love my dress and did have a great experience until the very end. I'm not going to let one bad apple ruin that day for me!  But, I'm also not going to let that bad apple off, either.  I'll make sure to write the reviews and contact the store owner.
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