First Dress?

[CrookedRock]

So I hit up the closest Saks earlier today after hearing about their sample sale. I tried on 4 dresses. Shockingly the ones I thought I would really like, I hated! I''m really hung up on the first one I tried on!
My questions are...
How many of you ladies bought the first dress you ever tried on?
And....
How many of you bought dresses that were totally different than what you thought you wanted?

 

[sunnyd]

I bought the second dress I tried, and it was just what I wanted. But I was really specific in what I wanted.

What''d you try?

 

[MustangGal]

I bought 4 dresses, so I''m not one to talk, but they were all completely different. The first 3 were what I thought I wanted. The last one was what ended up looking best on me and made me feel good.

If you loved it and felt like a bride, go for it. If you''re worried about finding a dress too quickly, could you maybe go to another salon in the next few days and go back and buy the first dress if you still like it the best?

 

[blondebunny]

The dress I ordered would have been the first dress I tried on but the SA wanted me to try on another one first... it was *kind of what I want* and kinda not what I wanted... but i love it

 

[CrookedRock]

Sunny~ Did you just buy it or did you keep trying things and then eventually come back to it. The SA was telling me that I''d be surprised how many people buy the first thing they try.
I think this is the dress... http://www.brides.com/fashion/dresses/gallery/wedding_dresses/runway/designer/ullamaija/detail/123344?offset=168#_chip=0

Mustang~ 4 dresses! My FI would kill me! Are you going to sell the rest? I really hope you got some good deals!
I am going to try to get an apt tomorrow at dress shop that carries a bunch of good stuff so that I can try and make a decision quickly here... I''m leaving Sat for 2 weeks and I don''t want to take my chances on missing a good deal.

Blondebunny~ I hear what you are saying about kinda what you wanted. That''s how I feel. It is strapless and it is fitted, but I thought I wanted satin, and this one is silk...

 

[panda08]

Date: 1/12/2009 3:13:49 PM
Author: CrookedRock
Sunny~ Did you just buy it or did you keep trying things and then eventually come back to it. The SA was telling me that I'd be surprised how many people buy the first thing they try.
I think this is the dress... http://www.brides.com/fashion/dresses/gallery/wedding_dresses/runway/designer/ullamaija/detail/123344?offset=168#_chip=0

Mustang~ 4 dresses! My FI would kill me! Are you going to sell the rest? I really hope you got some good deals!
I am going to try to get an apt tomorrow at dress shop that carries a bunch of good stuff so that I can try and make a decision quickly here... I'm leaving Sat for 2 weeks and I don't want to take my chances on missing a good deal.

Blondebunny~ I hear what you are saying about kinda what you wanted. That's how I feel. It is strapless and it is fitted, but I thought I wanted satin, and this one is silk...

I tried that exact dress on this weekend! It's really lovely. I don't know how much the Saks sample sale has it for and I don't know where you live but it's available as a sample in LA's Glamour Closet. I can't remember how much it is but you can ask them. They were really friendly and responsive.

ETA: the one I tried on had sleeves but they can be easily removed.

 

[emeraldlover1]

I bought the second one. I did not try on anymore after I found the one!

 

[Bia]

Its really beautiful. I love the back...

You may come back to this one, but definitely keep trying them on...

 

[diamondgirl4382]

I bought the first dress I tried on...I tried on lots after, but still went back to that first one.

 

[violet02]

I bought a dress that was completely different than what I was looking at originally which was empire, straps, a-line etc.

I got strapless, sweethheart, trumpet/mermaid skirt. I remember going in and saying NO MERMAID dresses when I did my first visit.

I tried on like 20 dresses before I bought the one I did.

 

[sap483]

I did love the first dress I tried on, but it was 10k and very out of my budget. My wedding dress, while it wasn't the first dress I tried on, was one of the first 10. I tried on so many dresses after that and kept coming back to my dress. I tried it on another 3 times before I finally ordered it. It was nothing like what I had wanted/envisioned, but it's the dress that made me giddy and feel like a bride.

The dress you like is so elegant and classic. If you love it, then I say go with your instinct and how you feel when you wear it. So what if it's the first dress you tried on. If you do buy it though, stop trying on dresses if you don't want to become a two dress bride!

 

[MustangGal]

Date: 1/12/2009 3:13:49 PM
Author: CrookedRock
Sunny~ Did you just buy it or did you keep trying things and then eventually come back to it. The SA was telling me that I'd be surprised how many people buy the first thing they try.
I think this is the dress... http://www.brides.com/fashion/dresses/gallery/wedding_dresses/runway/designer/ullamaija/detail/123344?offset=168#_chip=0

Mustang~ 4 dresses! My FI would kill me! Are you going to sell the rest? I really hope you got some good deals!
I am going to try to get an apt tomorrow at dress shop that carries a bunch of good stuff so that I can try and make a decision quickly here... I'm leaving Sat for 2 weeks and I don't want to take my chances on missing a good deal.

Blondebunny~ I hear what you are saying about kinda what you wanted. That's how I feel. It is strapless and it is fitted, but I thought I wanted satin, and this one is silk...

I was an ebay addict

, the first 3 were less than $100 each. I also had 4 veils...

I traded 2 of the dresses and 3 veils to a small salon/bridal store in exchange for hair and make-up for the wedding, so that worked out good. I think they even gave me more credit than what I paid. The third dress I kept "just incase", since it fit fine and looked OK. I was paranoid that I would damage the real dress by spilling something on it before I made it down the aisle! I sold it on ebay later. The 4th dress I bought as a store sample, and it's the one I paid the most for, $375 (it was a Mori Lee). I had it cleaned and a bustle added, no other alterations needed! I sold it after the wedding for half what I paid. 4 does sound like a lot, but I think I came out about even in the end. The main problem was I didn't try any on in person before buying the first 3. After actually going to a bridal store and trying on lots of different styles I completely changed my mind on what I wanted!

Good luck!

 

[Clio]

I tried on maybe 10-12 dresses total, but I ended up buying the very first one.

The bodice of my wedding dress was quite different from what I thought I''d get, but it was just perfect for me. I had an excellent saleswoman helping me. All of the dresses she pulled were great, but the first one was the best.

 

[CrookedRock]

Date: 1/12/2009 3:24:49 PM
Author: panda08

Date: 1/12/2009 3:13:49 PM
Author: CrookedRock
Sunny~ Did you just buy it or did you keep trying things and then eventually come back to it. The SA was telling me that I''d be surprised how many people buy the first thing they try.
I think this is the dress... http://www.brides.com/fashion/dresses/gallery/wedding_dresses/runway/designer/ullamaija/detail/123344?offset=168#_chip=0

Mustang~ 4 dresses! My FI would kill me! Are you going to sell the rest? I really hope you got some good deals!
I am going to try to get an apt tomorrow at dress shop that carries a bunch of good stuff so that I can try and make a decision quickly here... I''m leaving Sat for 2 weeks and I don''t want to take my chances on missing a good deal.

Blondebunny~ I hear what you are saying about kinda what you wanted. That''s how I feel. It is strapless and it is fitted, but I thought I wanted satin, and this one is silk...

I tried that exact dress on this weekend! It''s really lovely. I don''t know how much the Saks sample sale has it for and I don''t know where you live but it''s available as a sample in LA''s Glamour Closet. I can''t remember how much it is but you can ask them. They were really friendly and responsive.

ETA: the one I tried on had sleeves but they can be easily removed.

How ironic! The dress is really elegant. I was kinda thinking something a lil less formal bc it is a destination wedding, but in the end I just want to feel gorgeous.

I just googled the Glamour Closet, and OMG! Do they have any of these types of stores in Florida? Anyone?

 

[sba771]

Mine was the first one. I had imagined myself in a big ball gown bottom and strapless dress. Instead I have a beautiful cap sleeved lace top and a simple skirt. It was the first time I ever felt like a true grown up as silly as that sounds, I didn''t feel like I was just playing and trying on dresses. No matter what, when the right one for you comes along you will know

 

[CrookedRock]

I''m pretty amazed how many of you bought one of the first dresses you tried on, if not the first.
I think I wasn''t really ready when I tried it on. I stopped on a whim, just to give it a shot. I even told my best friend she didn''t need to go with me bc I was sure I was just wasting time by looking. Then when I tried it on the first time (I tried it twice) I was so shocked I didn''t know what to think. I wasn''t sure if the reality of looking at dresses got me or the dress itself. The second time I knew it was the dress. I keep looking at the pics and I really think it''s gorgeous. So now I''m taking her back to see it.

Am I crazy considering this dress for a destination wedding?

 

[panda08]

Date: 1/12/2009 5:23:56 PM
Author: CrookedRock

Date: 1/12/2009 3:24:49 PM
Author: panda08

Date: 1/12/2009 3:13:49 PM
Author: CrookedRock
Sunny~ Did you just buy it or did you keep trying things and then eventually come back to it. The SA was telling me that I''d be surprised how many people buy the first thing they try.
I think this is the dress... http://www.brides.com/fashion/dresses/gallery/wedding_dresses/runway/designer/ullamaija/detail/123344?offset=168#_chip=0

Mustang~ 4 dresses! My FI would kill me! Are you going to sell the rest? I really hope you got some good deals!
I am going to try to get an apt tomorrow at dress shop that carries a bunch of good stuff so that I can try and make a decision quickly here... I''m leaving Sat for 2 weeks and I don''t want to take my chances on missing a good deal.

Blondebunny~ I hear what you are saying about kinda what you wanted. That''s how I feel. It is strapless and it is fitted, but I thought I wanted satin, and this one is silk...

I tried that exact dress on this weekend! It''s really lovely. I don''t know how much the Saks sample sale has it for and I don''t know where you live but it''s available as a sample in LA''s Glamour Closet. I can''t remember how much it is but you can ask them. They were really friendly and responsive.

ETA: the one I tried on had sleeves but they can be easily removed.

How ironic! The dress is really elegant. I was kinda thinking something a lil less formal bc it is a destination wedding, but in the end I just want to feel gorgeous.

I just googled the Glamour Closet, and OMG! Do they have any of these types of stores in Florida? Anyone?

Sorry, I don''t know any sample stores in Florida.

My friend and I thought the dress was very glamourous, in a va-va voom way

The cut of the dress is very flattering. I think don''t think you''re crazy for considering it for a destination wedding. If you love it, go for it!

 

[elrohwen]

Well, I didn't buy the first dress I ever tried on ... but I did buy the first one I ever saw a picture of and fell in love with. It would've been the first one I tried on if I had known it could be in my price range and had found a place to try it on! Does that count?

I don't know if I ever had a vision of my wedding dress going into the shopping, but I think I always assumed it would be long, not tea length. So while it was love at first sight, if you had asked me a year ago what kind of dress I would get, "a short one" would not have been my answer I guess I did just fall in love with it despite what I had imagined I would get.

P.S. Do you have pictures of the dress you love? I'd love to see it! I'm also curious to know what you originally thought you would get vs what this dress is like.

ETA: Just saw your link and that dress is fantastic. I don't think it would be out of place for a destination wedding! It's very understated and has a simple elegance, which I think fits the destination wedding vibe perfectly. I also wanted to add that I don't see anything wrong with loving the first dress you try on! Some people just know what they want going in and pick it right away (or get really lucky!

) I don't think there's any kind of precident that says you have to try on a certain number of dresses.

 

[Gypsy]

Tried on 100’s across two coasts. Bought 4.

First dress I fell in love with had alencon lace and silk Mikado fabric—an over skirt and underskirt and was a empire waist, strapless. Didn’t buy it as DH thought it looked like cleric’s robes. NOT what you want to hear.

First dress I bought was organza and lace Christos was a empire waist, strapless . Cancelled the order.

Bought a Mikado silk box pleat ball gown by Christos. Very simple dropped waist with tiny spaghetti straps. It’s still in storage. Sample gown. I was delusional about losing weight. HA!

Bought a gorgeous silk Rivini, also simple glowing fabric, drop waist tailored A line with an amazing back, strapless. Also delusional about losing weight. HA! HA! It’s still at my grandparent’s house in the closet.

FINALLY bought my *real* gown. Alencon Lace… V neck, empire waist but with a sash.

Point. Be open minded about silhouettes, I found one dress in each silhouette I tried on (didn’t try any trumpets on, they weren’t “in”) that I adored and that I looked good in. But with the details that matter, be true to yourself. For me, ultimately… I wanted the lace. I kept thinking that I *should* be tailored and put together because that’s what I’m supposed to be. But that’s not who I wanted to be for my DH that day. I wanted to be the romantic dreamer he brought out in me, the person only he really gets to see . And of course, ordering a dress in a size that fit was important. LOL. If I hadn’t cancelled my order for the original Christos, I would have happily worn it. I panicked because it was too soon after I started looking. It was an amazing gown, romantic and gorgeous. I would have worn the Rivini if it had been in my size as well, I paid too much for that dress not to. But my real dress. It felt right. It wasn’t a lovely expensive dress (the Rivini) or a costume (the ball gown).

When I was choosing my real gown my salesgirl was great… she asked me one question that clarified it all for me… especially as I was torn between my dress… and a SIMPLE, unadorned, tailored, ALINE, strapless wrap gown at the time. She said… “close your eyes… imagine yourself on your wedding day… the music starts and your walking… you see your groom and he’s staring at you… now look down, which gown do see? Which one are you wearing when he sees you for the first time” … and immediately: the fog cleared. I knew which one I was right. I knew what I wanted him to see, WHO I wanted him to see. I don’t know if this is applicable to anyone else. But… you never know.

 

[CrookedRock]

Date: 1/12/2009 5:55:07 PM
Author: elrohwen

P.S. Do you have pictures of the dress you love? I''d love to see it! I''m also curious to know what you originally thought you would get vs what this dress is like.

ETA: Just saw your link and that dress is fantastic. I don''t think it would be out of place for a destination wedding! It''s very understated and has a simple elegance, which I think fits the destination wedding vibe perfectly. I also wanted to add that I don''t see anything wrong with loving the first dress you try on! Some people just know what they want going in and pick it right away (or get really lucky!

) I don''t think there''s any kind of precident that says you have to try on a certain number of dresses.

Thanks so much. I''m really just in shock that I''m considering buying a dress. I feel like we''ve been engaged forever (Since May) and we finally set a date picked a destination, and it''s dress time. I guess I''m still early on this, I have plenty of time, but it would be nice to get it over with.

This is the dress I thought I wanted...
http://www.brides.com/fashion/dresses/gallery/wedding_dresses/runway/designer/amymichelson/detail/124441?offset=45#_chip=0

Also, this dress is a size 10. I''m a 2 IRL, and I know dresses run small, but this one needs to be taken in a lot... Have any of you sized a dress this much before?

 

[Bliss]

I also bought the first dress I tried on! (At Saks, too!)

Those ladies at Saks are awesome at pulling the right dress, aren't they?

Many of them have been in the biz for 20-30 years and know what looks good on a girl.

My bridal consultant had been doing it for 30 years. The dresses she pulled, I shook my head at -- and ended up LOVING THEM!!!!!

Congrats! What a special day when you find the one! When I bought my dress, my mother and I went to a champagne lunch to celebrate. It was a very special day!!!

YAY FOR YOU! Well, keep trying them on to be sure... but sometimes it's the first one.

 

[CrookedRock]

Date: 1/12/2009 6:03:00 PM
Author: Gypsy

Tried on 100’s across two coasts. Bought 4.

First dress I fell in love with had alencon lace and silk Mikado fabric—an over skirt and underskirt and was a empire waist, strapless. Didn’t buy it as DH thought it looked like cleric’s robes. NOT what you want to hear.

First dress I bought was organza and lace Christos was a empire waist, strapless . Cancelled the order.

So obviously you had discused with him what you both had pictured. We''ve done the same thing, and we always both liked dresses like the one in the link I just posted. I don''t want him to see me that day and be dissapointed bc he had a preconceived notion of me on our wedding day. How do you handle that?

 

[Bliss]

ETA: That dress is GORGEOUS and so perfect for a destination wedding. Glam and romantic.

 

[sunnyd]

Date: 1/12/2009 3:13:49 PM
Author: CrookedRock
Sunny~ Did you just buy it or did you keep trying things and then eventually come back to it. The SA was telling me that I''d be surprised how many people buy the first thing they try.

I tried on one more after that, but I knew it wasn''t the one.

Very pretty dress!

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 1/12/2009 6:15:44 PM
Author: CrookedRock

Date: 1/12/2009 5:55:07 PM
Author: elrohwen

P.S. Do you have pictures of the dress you love? I''d love to see it! I''m also curious to know what you originally thought you would get vs what this dress is like.

ETA: Just saw your link and that dress is fantastic. I don''t think it would be out of place for a destination wedding! It''s very understated and has a simple elegance, which I think fits the destination wedding vibe perfectly. I also wanted to add that I don''t see anything wrong with loving the first dress you try on! Some people just know what they want going in and pick it right away (or get really lucky!

) I don''t think there''s any kind of precident that says you have to try on a certain number of dresses.

Thanks so much. I''m really just in shock that I''m considering buying a dress. I feel like we''ve been engaged forever (Since May) and we finally set a date picked a destination, and it''s dress time. I guess I''m still early on this, I have plenty of time, but it would be nice to get it over with.

This is the dress I thought I wanted...
http://www.brides.com/fashion/dresses/gallery/wedding_dresses/runway/designer/amymichelson/detail/124441?offset=45#_chip=0

Also, this dress is a size 10. I''m a 2 IRL, and I know dresses run small, but this one needs to be taken in a lot... Have any of you sized a dress this much before?

I definitely like the one you picked much more than this one. Good choice!

And I know what you mean about buying the dress ... it is a little scary! But I think if you take a little time (maybe a week or so) to think about it, you''ll find that you know exactly what you want to do. Unfortunately I can''t offer any advice on your last question. Hopefully someone with more experience at alterations will chime in.

 

[AmberGretchen]

I tried on many dresses (and bought one other) before I got the dress that ended up being mine. It was pretty close to what I originally envisioned, but in retrospect, I am not sure I would have gone with the same dress again...

 

[OUpearlgirl]

I work in a bridal boutique.. I would say that about 50% of the girls that come in buy the first dress they put on. Sometimes I think that''s because it is the one they are most excited to try on!

Also, a vast majority of the girls end up buying something completely different than what they say they want when they first come in. I think part of that is actually trying them on and seeing what they look like on you. Also, on a hanger or a super thin model, sometimes the beading and lace is overwhelming. When you see yourself in the dress it can appear much more understated.

 

[galvana]

I bought the 2nd dress i tried on, it was totally different than what i wanted AND i hated it on the rack and online.
if you feel its THE ONE, then get it

 

[cocolaw]

I did!!

 

[SunShyne83]

I went through about 30 before I narrowed it down to 3... I''m still very stuck on the three I picked out.. my mom flies out to me in a week to help me decide.

I am in love with Sophia Tolli but she is so out of my price range.