Picked up my dress.....but....(sorry, kinda long)

lamoeller · August 2012

Ok, so I got the call today that my dress was in! The place I went is a little boutique and only open by appointment. So between the owner's schedule and mine (going out of town for 10 days for vacation) and needing to either pickup or pay the balance within 10 days, only tonight worked to actually go pick it up. No one could go with me so I went by myself.

I got there and tried on the dress. I noticed the same couple things about the dress that I noticed with the sample -- the appliques weren't totally "tacked" down on the hip and the train was all wrinkly but the skirt wasn't at all. I mentioned both of these things to the owner, and she assured me "Oh, that's how they are done - everyone's body is different so they don't tack down the ends so they don't pull funny. You can have whoever does your alterations tack them down." And then for the train she just they steam them after the alterations are all done. I just thought it was weird the skirt was nearly flawless but the train was seriously wrinkled.

So I didn't think a lot of it all until I got home and realized there were no tags on it, and then I started to wonder if she sold me the sample and was trying to pass it off as a new gown. Do wedding dresses come with tags?? Like on the outside? This has the size/designer/care tag on the inside like it should, but no hangtag on the outside. Obviously it will be an uncomfortable conversation to "accuse" her of selling me the sample, but I ordered a new dress for a reason, and I just get the feeling it's not all on the up and up.

Thoughts?

[Deleted User] · August 2012

Yes my dress came with tags. I would definitely confront the owner.

Cackle6 · August 2012

Yeah, it should have tags on it. If you don't want to accuse her, you could call and ask if they have that style dress in the store to try on. If they say they just sold it, then you'll have a little more "evidence" to confront the owner with.

As far as the train being wrinkled - since the train kinda gets smooshed in the bag, but the skirt hangs more straight down, I'm sure it's hard for the train not to get wrinkled (did that make any sense? I can picture it in my head but it's hard to explain

) Anyhow, you'll have your dress pressed after alterations anyway, just be sure to ask your seamstress what the best way to pack the dress so you don't get wrinkles.

Good luck!

wittyschaffy · August 2012

You could also say "hmm, this detail doesn't seem quite like I remember - can I see the sample one more time?" and you'd know that way too. I honestly don't remember if my dress had a tag on it or not but if you're at all worried, just ask to see the sample. If she did sell the sample and passed it off as "new", you've got some $$ coming to you.

As for the flyaways, that is indeed totally normal. They leave the ends incase you need to have extra beading added (or removed) and they'll be tucked away by your seamstress or alterations person. The wrinkle part, I wouldn't sweat. Mine was kind of a smooshed mess when I first got it but after pressing/steaming, was totally fine.

Lang125 · August 2012

My dress did not have a tag, but I bought the sample from my store.....

harr0610 · August 2012

Yeah mine came with tags on it.

jlk13 · August 2012

yep, mine had a tag. There is a chance the owner lacks ethics and sold you a sample. I can't even imagine how upset I would be.

lamoeller · August 2012

Well, I've been trading calls and emails with her all day today. I had come to the conclusion this morning that if she didn't come clean, I wasn't going to push it -- the small things that are wrong with it from being a sample can be fixed or would only be noticed by me. However, after talking with her, I just got more and more upset. So I was as polite as I could while she was basically telling me I'm being a crazy bridezilla.

She gave me a story about a girl who bought the sample b/c her grandmother was hemming her dress and hemmed it too short, so that's why the sample isn't in the store anymore. So side note, if that's you, please let me know - haha!

So anyway, the sample is not there, she said everything else I found was a complete coincidence....basically just trying to say whatever will get her out of it. She claims she'll find the tags and invoice/packing slips from my dress shipment and mail or fax them to me. So I guess stay tuned to whether she's unethical (in which case I'll reveal the shop name in a review or 12), or whether I owe her a big, fat apology! Thanks everyone for the input!

Cackle6 · August 2012

Yeah, going into a big long story about why she sold the sample sounds like a big old lie to me. If she had simply said "we sold the sample" I might have been more inclined to believe her, but it really sounds like she's lying. Also, I would make sure she mails you the tags - she could def fudge it via fax.

Bottom line, there is no reason the tags should have been removed. If she can't produce the tags, I would ask for a few hundred dollars refund since she can't prove it's a brand new dress without the tags.

lamoeller · August 2012

Well, big, fat apology it is.....

The owner's daughter faxed me the shipping invoice...I had to eat some serious crow and apologize. The invoice clearly said the designer, style, size, color, etc. The shipping date was 8/2/12, which is entirely consistent with receiving it just under 3 weeks later given time to get through customs between Canada and the US. I am so glad I kept things polite and posed the question like it could have been an honest mix-up, but I am still flabbergasted how the two dresses could be SO similiar in the areas I found the loose/ripped threads and creases! Well, I'm sure they both think I'm just absolutely nuts now....and hopefully the seamstress that is putting in my bustle can fix the ripped threads easily and will steam it, because I want to avoid having to go back to the shop ever again!

The only thing I am glad about this whole situation is the invoice said "with Shawl" and they did not give me the shawl. It's an April wedding in Minnesota, so chances are with any outdoor pictures, my shoulders could get cold and it will be nice to have that in between pictures.

Picked up my dress.....but....(sorry, kinda long)

Re: Picked up my dress.....but....(sorry, kinda long)

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