I DID work at a bridal store...and here are some helpful hints!

[Amandine]

In trying to help Starchild, I realized that my two years of working at a bridal shop could help some other ladies, too. So here is some advice that I like to give to my newly engaged friends...

1. Wear underwear you want to be seen in. Trust me, it won''t shock the saleslady, but you may be embarassed. And yes, some girls do come commando! And you may want to bring your own strapless bra, too, even if it isn''t the one you will be wearing.
2. Wear your hair up when trying on dresses if you mean to wear it up, down for down, etc. It will help you see a fuller picture.
3. Don''t bring a lot of people with you. Two to three is perfect. The larger your "helpful" friend/family group is, the more likely your opinion (and you are the one that matters) will get lost in the hubbub. Trust me, when you bring your fourteen bridesmaids, FMIL, three aunts...no one listens to you. And again, yes, people really do bring that many with them!
4. Try to bring the same people with you each time. Consistency helps.
5. Be open-minded! LOTS of dresses look much better on then on a hanger. If you have a great saleslady (and I hope you do!), trust her to bring dresses that you might not have noticed right away. I always tried to keep a mental picture of what a girl wanted, and see if all the parts she liked from different dresses added up to one that had everything was something we kept in stock. And take notice yourself of the parts you like, even if you don''t like the dress. It may help you find the dress you do like.
6. Alterations! Soooo important. If your dress doens''t fit well, you don''t look as beautiful as you could. Be picky! Unfortunately, I don''t have any advice on finding the world''s best seamstress to do this.

7. Check out your dress shop with the BBB...save yourself some heartache.

Wow, I guess that is long enough! If I think of anything else, will post.

Feel free to ask questions!

And no, I no longer work in a bridal shop, but it was recent. I am still in retail, however.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks Amandine! I totally agree with #5. I tried on lots of different styles, even ones I wasn''t crazy about. I wound up with a strapless dress, which I NEVER thought I would ever do. I also chose to get a wrap, just in case. The sales girl who helped me pick my dress is great and she put my fears about dress shopping to rest.

 

[luckystar112]

Thank you Amandine!

I was going to post a thread asking how I should prepare before dress shopping. Strapless bra...hair...great ideas! I was worried about the underwear thing too.

What if we don''t WANT a saleslady (or anyone else) to see us in our underwear? Is that pretty much unavoidable in order to get the dresses on? Obviously, I''ve never put on a wedding dress so I have no idea. Are most dresses pretty hard to put on minus the zipping up part?

 

[Amandine]

Date: 9/18/2007 8:27:07 PM
Author: luckystar112
Thank you Amandine!

I was going to post a thread asking how I should prepare before dress shopping. Strapless bra...hair...great ideas! I was worried about the underwear thing too.

What if we don''t WANT a saleslady (or anyone else) to see us in our underwear? Is that pretty much unavoidable in order to get the dresses on? Obviously, I''ve never put on a wedding dress so I have no idea. Are most dresses pretty hard to put on minus the zipping up part?

Luckystar...unfortunately, someone will probably have to help you into your dress. They are usually kinda heavy, ungainly, and just not something that you are accustomed to (except for the slim fitting, sheathe ones--much easier to manage on ones own). I did have brides who were pretty self conscious, but as the saleslady, you see soooo many ladies in their undergarments, its just normal to you. Kind of like a waitress is used to getting the glass of water, I was accustomed to half-naked women. And the best part was...it helps you with your own body consciousness. You see that no one is perfect, and you can realize that that imperfection is, well, perfection!

Lets see if I can explain how I helped girls into their dresses. Sorry if it doesn''t make sense, it is much easier to show someone! As the saleslady, I had the dress''s front facing my front, and would reach into the open waist/middle area and gather it up all small on the length of my arm (trying to include the train, or keep it out of the way), and keep it spread apart so that it was easier to slip on. I had the bride put her arms straight up, like when you were learning to dive into a pool, and dropped the dress (sort of) down her. I tried to tell her she was "diving into the dress". It did help that I am tall, though. I don''t know if this works so well when the person helping you is really short.

The waist opening, when un-zipped, is ususally quite large, so then we would make adjustments to straps, etc. before zipping up. I went behind her, and had her place her hands at her waist to help hold the dress on, and the zipper areas close together to make closure easier.

Oh, and don''t wear lots of make-up or dark lipstick! You probably will get it on the inside of the dresses when trying them on...not cool!