Buying a dress from esty?

ellebailey · May 2011

So I can't stop thinking about this dress I saw on etsy. Polka dot wedding dress have always been a dream of mine. I have done all the research the reviews are very positive the website professional. But I would be buying a dress without trying it on or seeing the fabric.

I know there have been other posts about this topic but were all looking for someone who had already done it. I'm wonder would you?

LilMissScareAll · May 2011

You could aways ask the seller to send you a swatch of the fabric to make sure you like the color/feel of it.
If the reviews are good, then I say go for it.

ellebailey · May 2011

Thanks LilMissScareAll unfortunately she doesn’t send fabric swatches

j_jaye · May 2011

I was all set to order a dress off of etsy (same sort of style) because basically you can't get that 50's style here anywhere (and I tried sooo hard). I ended up getting a different dress (more Marilyn 50's).
This was the etsy seller and dress i was going to get
http://www.etsy.com/listing/62924649/1950s-style-wedding-gown
She was wonderful to communicate with and has good reviews. unfortunately she was already all booked up for the months leading up to my wedding

I think the thing to consider when buying a handmade dress is that it is handmade in someones home and not a factory. This means that it may not have perfect machine lines etc. But I think the quality is generally better and it is more unique!

Natrasha · May 2011

Would you be buying a premade dress or does she make it to your size? Either way, order by measurements, not by sizes, like size 12. Give her your bust, waist, and hip measurements. Looks like that dress will be most fitted in the waist, so make sure it fits you there. Then plan to have it tailered/altered once it arrives. The straps may need adjusting, or you may want to slightly alter the length. I think if you have realistic expectations, this is a great way to get a dress!

You could also go to a dress store (like David's Bridal) and try on dresses with this kind of neckline so you know how it looks on you. That could give you some assurance too.

Good luck!

ellebailey · May 2011

Thanks guys!!

So you don’t think it’s completely crazy. I think I'm going to try on more dresses here in Toronto (in that style and with that neckline) and if I don’t find something I like better I’ll do it. And I’ll know if it will look good on me or not. But for now it’s the one to beat.

ellebailey · May 2011

@ j_jaye I love that dress too!!! But as I’m a little busty i prefer straps

MizLynn · May 2011

Well, I ordered my dress off of ebay sight unseen, so I don't think you're crazy. :-)

I hadn't even tried the dress on, but I just knew it was me, so I went for it and I'm happy to say, I love my dress.

I would ditto PPs though, make sure you get accurate measurements of yourself. And have realisitic expectations -- you will probably need it altered by a tailor somewhere once you recieve it.

On the upside, since your dress isn't so obviously wedding-y, you could probably save some money by telling the tailor that it's a party dress instead of your wedding dress ( I think anything associated with weddings gets an automatic 20% markup in price)

HTH!

ellebailey · May 2011

great tip MizLynn. I bet you're right, you say wedding and people just hear $

queenklm33 · May 2011

If you wanted to go a more "retail" route, have you looked at Unique Vintage? I am getting my dress from there. Fortunately I live close to their store, but they have an awesome webstore as well and have a decent return policy.
www.unique-vintage.com

ellebailey · May 2011

Wow queenklm33 i am in love. Haven't seen "the" dress on it yet but i saw a couple engagement photo/party dresses and very reasonable prices. Thanks for the hook up!! Guess what i'm going to be doing for the next hour or so.

Buying a dress from esty?

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