Wedding Etiquette Forum

The seamstress assumed I'm expecting

This is a fairly long story, so I apologize. I believe this falls under etiquette, but if it doesn't, please let me know. 

I went in today to get the bustle put in my dress, and my mom and I decided to get a corset back put in so I wouldn't have to worry about zipping it. We bought the dress in October, so I have gained a little bit of weight since then. The dress still looks good on me; it was just a little too tight for my taste, and I knew I wouldn't last the whole day with limited breathing ability. The "slip" (I call it a crinoline) I bought in October was also a little small, but I wasn't too concerned about it. 

I went in the dressing room and got myself into the crinoline and dress (no one could come with me to the appointment), even though I couldn't zip either up all the way by myself. I went outside of the dressing room and waited for the seamstress. She came over and immediately started messing with the crinoline. She offered to exchange it for a bigger size since I still had the price tag on it, and I thought it was really nice of her, so I said sure. She told me she was going to double-check with her manager, but she'd be back in a second.

She went in the other room to her manager and got the okay, so I was happy about that. She came back out and started working on pinning the bustle for me so I could okay it, and the manager came out to talk to her. The seamstress, without even looking up from her pins, said, "Well, she's expecting, and I just don't think the slip will look good under the dress because I can't get it to stay down without wrinkling." I just kind of stood there, wondering if I'd just heard her correctly. She continued to repeat that I was expecting to every seamstress that came in the room to inquire about my dress (three or four in total, I believe), while I just stood there with this shocked look on my face.

I don't want to cause a fuss until after I pick up my dress, but I do feel like I can let them know I was upset by their assumptions. Am I allowed to do this after the fact? I realize I should have done it right then and there, but I was honestly so surprised by it that I couldn't think. 

I'm just really curious about how I should handle this without coming across as either a bridezilla or just a chubby bride who takes everything personally. How do you think I should handle this while still being polite? Or should I even handle it at all, even on a customer service survey or whatever?
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Re: The seamstress assumed I'm expecting

  • I don't think it was done in malice; I honestly just think she really thought my crinoline wasn't zipping all the way because a baby was in the way. I half wondered if she said it to her manager so I could actually exchange the crinoline, but then she kept saying it. 
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  • I would've corrected them right there and then! But since you didn't I would call and speak to the manager. You're not being a bridezilla, or being sensitive. People should never assume someone is pregnant.

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  • phiraphira member
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    I'm so sorry this happened to you! I would do what @Bubbles2014 is suggesting: call and speak to the manager about it. You can be clear that you don't think the seamstress meant to offend you.

    But unless someone tells you that they're pregnant, or there's a baby coming out of them, you should NEVER assume someone is pregnant.
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  • edited July 2013

    If you feel compelled to call (I personally would let it go and just chalk it up to a) that woman being an idiot or b) her actually being a genius and saying that so you could trade out your dress free of charge), I would just say you don't think that she meant it to be offensive, but that maybe the manager should speak with her staff about these types of assumptions.  You were upset by it and it could lead to other customers have their feelings hurt. That way, you may be able to spare another bride from being embarrassed like that.

     

    ETA: Actually, ignore me. I've decided this is bad advice after reading some of the comments below.

  • I'm suddenly very glad that my seamstress just assumed I was chubby when I had to have it let out...apparently it could've been worse.
  • Okay, I get being insulted, but if you didn't correct her, how was she supposed to know? She wasn't repeating it to be mean or rude. She thought it was true (and your silence confirmed this) and thought she was helping. I think calling the manager after the fact and getting her in trouble because she repeated an honest (albeit rude) mistake and you were too whatever to say "I'm not actually expecting" is spiteful and vindictive. When you go for your final fitting, tell HER that you aren't pregnant and were offended last time.

    That's a super good point.  I change my vote to Stage's advice.
  • I agree with Stage--the woman was rude, but I don't think this is worth going to her boss and telling on her.  If you overheard her saying "She needs to exchange sizes because she got fat" then YES, that would be worth the effort.  Would you be this sensitive if you were getting a non-wedding dress altered at a non-bridal shop?  I know that this is something that you're paying loads more money for and you should expect better service, but you let her think she was serving you well by not correcting her.
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  • Let it go.  Unless you correct her right when she said it then how is she supposed to know any different.  Was it a bad idea on her part to assume that you are pregnant?  Yes.  But calling and getting her in trouble with the manager when you didn't even try to correct her when she first said it is kind of bitchy.

  • Yeah, I would just let it go at this point. You should have said something at the time, but you didn't. As Stage said, at this point it would seem kind of spiteful.
  • Ick. That was pretty dumb of her. Calling the manager would be taking it a little far, though. I agree with PPs that the best route is to let it go, but at your next appointment, if she talks about it again, politely correct her this time.
  • Let it go.
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  • You are not allowed to be angry at someone, or to get them in trouble, for something you didn't correct them about. Was it rude of her to "assume" you were pregnant? Yes, horribly. But when you didn't correct her, you in effect tacitly confirmed what she was saying. People are not mind readers. 

    Let it go. If she mentions it at your next fitting, say, "I'm sorry, and I should have corrected you last time, but I'm not pregnant." She will probably feel awful and apologise profusely.
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  • Thanks for all the advice!
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  • Stage, stage, a million times, stage.


  • Stage, stage, a million times, stage.



    Yup!

    Don't be afraid to speak up for yourself. When DD was 9 mo, a random woman asked me when I was due as she patted my belly. I responded "9 months ago!" rather quickly and didn't say much else. She knew I was pissed.
  • banana468 said:
    Stage, stage, a million times, stage.


    Yup! Don't be afraid to speak up for yourself. When DD was 9 mo, a random woman asked me when I was due as she patted my belly. I responded "9 months ago!" rather quickly and didn't say much else. She knew I was pissed.
    OMG. I hope she was horrified. This happened to a friend of mine after her baby was only 3 months. I felt terrible because my friend felt terrible about still having baby shape, but hellllooooo.... her baby (and yours, banana!) were brand new!!
  • I wonder if she misunderstood something you said. For her to keep repeating it, she must have been pretty confident it was the case. Most people know better than to say something if a woman looks pregnant.

    I agree that addressing it directly would have been the best approach. Either she'd be put in her place if she just assumed or she'd say something like I thought your mom said you were expecting (and it turns out your mom really said you were expecting the dress to fit).
  • Yikes! I feel that if you didn't say anything at the time it's too late now. Unless she mentions it again and then I would inform her that she's quite mistaken.
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