Wedding dress shopping -- sample sizes

LuckyBrideToBe0013

I have only started looking for dresses and I've been trying to pay attention to where you ladies are looking for dresses. Thank you all for posting about the different stores.

Would you ladies mind chiming in on the size selection at some of these stores? I am hoping to find some stores with small sample sizes. I think it is difficult to see how a dress will fit me by clipping a dress several sizes too large at the back.

I'd also love to hear about some of the policies you are or have run into at specific stores. Such as not taking photos of the gown or providing the name of the designer (did you know it is illegal for them to rip out the tags?).

Thank in advance for your input. Any tips you ladies can offer will definitely help.

sgdc2011

Good questions! I was thinking of some of these myself.  Except I was hoping to find samples around 10/12ish.... I hate trying things on that are way to tight, I can't picture what they will look like.

Laurms15

Most samples fall between an 8-10.

There are very few places that have anything smaller however there are some that have larger. In all of my shopping I never found a place that had samples smaller then that.

Most places only have one of each dress in stock.

Davids Bridal would have many different sizes. Surprisingly you go get a good idea of what a dress looks like even with the crazy clips on the back.

uppereastgirl

I think you'd actually be surprised at how well they can clip dresses.  Also, I think you'd be surprised at how small some of these dresses run.  I was very skinny (the good old days... sigh...) and a size 0 in most normal brands when I got married, but my size 6 dress didn't have to be taken in all that much.  You're dealing with runway sizes rather than vanity sizes when buying a wedding dress. 

I had no problem trying on 8s/10s and having them clipped -- I definitely knew what the dresses would look like on me from that.  The people who work at dress shops are pros at clipping dresses.

I went dress shopping at Vera Wang and Kleinfeld's for me, and at Kleinfeld's, Amsale, and Mark Ingram with my best friend.  We were able to take sneaky photos at Amsale, but not at the others.  There were no issues with designer names because two of the stores (Vera Wang, Amsale) only sold dresses from their own designers, and the other stores couldn't get away with it (who would pay $5000 for a Carolina Herrera dress without knowing that it was Carolina Herrera?)  Kleinfeld's did a bit of "This dress is by a couture designer in Rome" but I think that was because those dresses were by their no-name house designers (so "couture designer in Rome" sounded better next to the Carolina Herreras than did "Kleinfeld-exclusive no-name designer) and not because it was a secret.

My friend recently went dress shopping with her sister at Saks and she showed me like 50 photos of the dresses.  Guess they don't have that rule!

I bought my dress at Vera Wang and it came with tags, etc. and a certificate of authenticity.

ffbride_0813

I am a pretty small size (2-4) and everywhere I went for the most part they had to clip the dress back.  I could still see the dress shape with them clipping it back so I want to say most of the dresses were a size 10/12.  They were large.  The only place I went where they fit was Davids Bridal and Camille la vie. 

I only went to 1 bridal salon and they did not hide the designer of the dresses from me.  Also when I went to get my bridesmaids dresses they didnt hold the designer from me.  I have heard of places doing that though.  I went to the bridal garden in hamilton, nj to look at wedding dresses and park ave for bridesmaids dresses.  They were easy to deal with at both places and did not seem to hold back info or pressure me into higher price dresses. 

Julephenia

The East Brunswick, Rt. 18 DB has petite samples. I know there are a few other DBs carrying petite sizes around the state. Even wearing 3 inch heels, the petites fit me and gave me a very good idea of length and fit.

Denise91980

I went to True Love, Dolores, Bridal Fantasy and Russells. The sizes in all places ranged from 8-16. As others have mentioned, you can get a pretty good idea, as they clip pretty well. None of these places hid the designer, but they did not allow for photos.

gymchick05

I had the same concern since I'm a 0/2 usually in street clothes and five foot nothing. I went to three places and they really do a great job w/ the clips. The dress I ended up getting was actually a sample size 20 when I tried it on. I got it at Arlene's Bridal in Bloomfield and my consultant did a terrific job clipping. The onlly thing that is a bit hard to know when you try on a larger size is the weight of it. The dress I bought I was concerned would be so heavy since there was so much extra material when clipped. So I tried on a similar cut in a sample size 8 I think, and it was much easier to walk in. I was allowed to take pictures there too

I have been to places where they say no pictures and I remember that when we went w/ my sister too a lot of places wouldnt let you. They usually dont notice if you take a picture w/ your camera and no flash though   No one held any designer names from me, but I wasnt looking for super expensive designer dresses though and to be honest, I know nothing about bridal designers so you could tell me who it is and I wouldnt know what that meant. I did fall in love w/ Maggie Sottero dresses when looking online and that is what I ended up with

PS_ Im pretty sure my consultants name there was Jackie- have to check the receipt- sooo nice and helpful!  I think this is a place in Paramus that has petite sizes too

LuckyBrideToBe0013

Thank you all so much for the input!

Part of my concern with the clips is I was hoping for a fitted dress that is simpler in the front with a cool looking back. So, I think it'll be difficult to really judge the back if the dress is super huge.

I'm curious, did any of the shops say why they wouldn't allow the cameras? From what I've read it is because they don't want you price shopping, but you could do that if you know the name of the dress anyway.

I just don't see how you can remember all the details of the different dresses after the fact. I know I will probably labor over the decision more than most people do, but that's just how I am. Did any of you have tips on how to keep all of those details straight after the fact? Maybe I should bring a notebook, lol.

Thanks again ladies!

37 Butter Knives

The Pronovias flagship in Manhattan has a few samples in "runway" sizes - I think bridal 4 or 6. They also let you take photos.

(A heads up - they don't carry every dress shown on the Pronovias website.)

gymchick05

I also wanted a really cool, detailed back- and you can sorta tell when you try on a larger size what it will look like since you can see the dress before trying it on and the details, then pinned you can see the shape of the back. You can also ask if they have pictures of the dress to show you to see if on someone as well. I printed pictures of the type of back I wanted and brought them w/ me so they would pull similar things. I am still a tiny bit worried about what it will look like in my size, but I think if liked it 18 sizes too big, I should LOVE it in my size

kasabby

When I went there were signs all over the store that stated you could not take pictures. I think once you purchase it you can, but not while trying on. I went to La Belle Boutique in Jersey City. 

Most of the dresses were 8-10 but they do a really great job clipping them so you can't even tell!

ahhndrea

I wasn't able to take photos until we actually purchased the dress (same thing happened to my sister when she got her dress). I was surprised at the sizing, the size 10 samples fit perfectly (I'm a 4/6 street). I debated actually trying my luck at a sample sale but the dresses were always so worn out. My sister has a slightly larger size and she did well at Bijou bridal becasue they actually had size 16 samples and she was able to try on dresses without some of the issues she had elsewhere.

jrgoogrl

When I went most of the samples dresses where either an 8 or a 10. I went to Exquisite Bride in Millburn and the ladies there are very helpful. I wasn't allowed to take pictures while trying on the dresses. But now that I purchased it I will go back and try it on and take photos!

uppereastgirl

In Response to <a href="http://forums.weddings.com/Sites/Weddings/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_wedding-dress-shopping-sample-sizes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:db404183-4745-45ed-bfcb-8e35c1129021Post:de5e65e8-5acf-4945-94f8-8bdb66d048f8">Re: Wedding dress shopping -- sample sizes</a>:
[QUOTE] I'm curious, did any of the shops say why they wouldn't allow the cameras? From what I've read it is because they don't want you price shopping, but you could do that if you know the name of the dress anyway. 
Posted by LuckyBrideToBe0013[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>They didn't say why, but that's why.  I didn't hear the name or style number of any dress that I tried on, so I couldn't have gone by that.  It isn't hard to find a dress on a designer's website.  But on the Vera Wang website, no names or numbers are listed so if I was going to call around, I would have had to describe the dress to whoever. 
</div>

kristen8040

I went to DB in Paramus, Sandreen's in Saddle Brook, and Brielle's Boutique in Dumont.  I'm about an 8/10 in regular clothes and ended up being between an 8-12 in wedding dresses depending on the brand, so I don't know too much about using clips.  DB actually wouldn't let us take pictures which I thought was strange for them, and they did have many sizes.  Sandreen's also wouldn't allow pictures and would not tell me the brand of the dress.

I know I talk about them a lot but I can't say enough about Brielle's.  They had no problem's with pictures or telling the brand and were really genuine ladies.