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New York, 9:54 AM
Thu Dec 10
65 posts in the last 24 hours

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of la.donna.pietra la.donna.pietra
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    David's Bridal has, hands down, the worst online customer service reviews of any business in any industry. I include used car dealers in that assessment. Scared me right into the loving embrace of a local bridal shop (I Do, I Do in Albuquerque, in case any of you Southwestern Jezzies are interested). The 88-year-old owner cheerfully let me try on a half-dozen dresses and then ordered the one I had my heart set on from online shopping. The entire process took about an hour and was extremely low-key.


    Finding the *shoes* for the damn wedding has been another story entirely.

     Reply
    la.donna.pietra was starred la.donna.pietra was unstarred
    Image of la.donna.pietra la.donna.pietra
    06/12/09

    @la.donna.pietra: Clarification: I spent the evening before dress shopping with a bottle of wine and a zillion wedding dress sites. For added amusement, I sent some of the worst pictures to my bridesmaids (for that traditional trying-dresses-on experience, but long-distance and without the need to actually view myself in the aforementioned monstrosities.) Some of them were epically bad. I also found some decent dresses, one of which I really liked. The bridal shop was the local dealer for that particular label and was able to custom-order the dress for me, as it was from the previous year's collection.


    I strongly recommend this approach.

     Reply
    la.donna.pietra was starred la.donna.pietra was unstarred
    Image of heywhat heywhat
    06/12/09

    @la.donna.pietra: You've never had an account with Bank of America or have cable with Comcast. They're horrendous.
     Reply
    heywhat was starred heywhat was unstarred
    Image of la.donna.pietra la.donna.pietra
    06/12/09

    @heywhat: Actually, I *have* had an account with BofA. They sold my branch to Sanwa and didn't notify me or any of the other 3000 account holders. I found out when my rent check bounced (as my BofA account had closed) and my apartment complex tried to evict me and my two housemates. BofA's response was to tell me that they had notified me that my account (and all the money in it) was about to disappear. Sanwa's response was to apologize and let me know that BofA had sent them 3000 accountholders' information with bad ZIP codes.


    In terms of actual customer service experience, BofA takes the cake for misery. As a result, I tend to be obsessive about checking out businesses before giving them money. Hence the careful analysis of David's Bridal.

     Reply
    la.donna.pietra was starred la.donna.pietra was unstarred
    Image of We Don't Live in the 60s We Don't Live in the 60s
    06/12/09

    @la.donna.pietra: I went the local route here in New Orleans. My David's Bridal experience was really bad. I work in retail management and if any of my employees treated a customer like I was treated they would be brought into the office to talk about better ways to interact. Basically I went dress shopping by myself so that I could get a feel for what I really liked before I brought mom and my sisters for the final choice, and the girl was really snotty to me about shopping alone and how it was sad that I didn't have people with me. Lonely brides are lonely etc.


    That said my dress came from one local shop (sample sale ftw), my veil from another, and I really like a bridesmaid dress at yet another local store. It's not the convenience of one stop does it all, but I also don't find myself grinding my teeth.

     Reply
    We Don't Live in the 60s was starred We Don't Live in the 60s was unstarred
    Image of la.donna.pietra la.donna.pietra
    06/12/09

    @We Don't Live in the 60s: Yeah, I don't get it. I've read so many stories similar to yours--snotty, rude salespeople actively trying to alienate customers--and I don't understand how they stay in business. Add to that the number of people who hear horrible things either from acquaintances or online, and it's a wonder anyone ever goes within 100 feet of their store entrances.
     Reply
    la.donna.pietra was starred la.donna.pietra was unstarred
    Image of Mediokra Mediokra
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    I just went to a David's Bridal to pick up a bridesmaid dress and ... well, the quote about groceries sounds kinda horrible, but I know exactly what the writer meant.


    That being said, my friend got her absolutely stunning dress there for about $200. Amazing.

     Reply
    Mediokra was starred Mediokra was unstarred
    Image of applejuice applejuice
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    The staff at the David's Bridal my sister recently went to were jerky as, well, beef jerky! While there were a couple dresses she liked she found them INCREDIBLY pushy and rude, saying things like EVERY BRIDE buys a dress on their first visit, and really pressuring her to buy one RIGHT THEN. She was just very unpleasant all around.


    In contrast she went to a smll locally owned shop and found them sooo nice and helpful. She found a couple dresses she really liked there that were VERY reasonably priced and based on her lovely experience she is going back to buy one there.


    Why do people think the hard sell works?

     Reply
    applejuice was starred applejuice was unstarred
    Image of Laulau Laulau
    06/12/09

    @applejuice: Hard sells must work a good deal of the time, because so many people are trained to do them, but I completely agree. Even I really like something (clothing, computer, whatever), my brain shuts down once someone starts pushing something on me and I go into flight mode. It's basically a visceral response.
     Reply
    Laulau was starred Laulau was unstarred
    Image of Lymed Lymed
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    That looks like a bad copy of my wedding dress.
     Reply
    Lymed was starred Lymed was unstarred
    Image of Lymed Lymed
    06/12/09

    @Lymed: Geez, my comment sounded snobby. Sorry. I really think it is the way the veil is floating behind her and the light is shining that brought out that reaction.
     Reply
    Lymed was starred Lymed was unstarred
    Image of morninggloria morninggloria
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    You know what? If you don't do with your wedding exactly what I want you to do, then fuck you. I am righteously indignant. Everyone's wedding should be the same, and I should okay every single choice that every man or woman makes in planning his or her wedding.
     Reply
    morninggloria was starred morninggloria was unstarred
    Image of electrogeek77 electrogeek77
    06/12/09

    @morninggloria: Mother-in-law, is that you?
     Reply
    electrogeek77 was starred electrogeek77 was unstarred
    Image of morninggloria morninggloria
    06/12/09

    @electrogeek77: Your business is of my utmost concern.
     Reply
    morninggloria was starred morninggloria was unstarred
    Image of la.donna.pietra la.donna.pietra
    06/12/09

    @electrogeek77: Apparently Mr. Pietra has a brother he doesn't know about who you are engaged to.
     Reply
    la.donna.pietra was starred la.donna.pietra was unstarred
    Image of SpasticFurchild SpasticFurchild
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    After reading yesterday's Etsy post, I totally know where I'm going for my future (if ever) wedding dress.
     Reply
    SpasticFurchild was starred SpasticFurchild was unstarred
    Image of ihateyourescalade ihateyourescalade
    06/12/09

    @SpasticFurchild: @ihateyourescalade: Oops, I forgot. Or buy vintage. Or used.
     Reply
    ihateyourescalade was starred ihateyourescalade was unstarred
    Image of tscheese tscheese
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    The article is actually pretty positive regarding the David's Bridal business model. It's always best to support local dressmakers, of course, but good lord, I hadn't the slightest idea that wedding dresses cost so much. Am I supposed to feel guilty for shopping at, say, Target, instead of a local boutique?
     Reply
    tscheese was starred tscheese was unstarred
    Image of tscheese tscheese
    06/12/09

    @tscheese: ...And yes, I would totally get married in something from Target. I am just. That. Gauche.
     Reply
    tscheese was starred tscheese was unstarred
    Image of SpasticFurchild SpasticFurchild
    06/12/09

    @tscheese: Um, Target is the shit. Also, my Target is currently being remodeled into a Supertarget. Warring emotions: sad because we right now have no Target, happy because come October, we will have a SUPER AWESOME KICKASS TARGET!!!!!!
     Reply
    SpasticFurchild was starred SpasticFurchild was unstarred
    Image of Majrhoulihan Majrhoulihan
    06/12/09

    @tscheese: If you're not looking for say, 500,000 hand-bead crystals, dressmakers can actually be a good option. They can be cost effective you support local business (most likely, a woman-run business). I know a woman who designs and makes wedding dresses for a living. She custom-made a costume for me for a play I was in, and I have never felt so wonderful in a piece of clothing. "It was made for me" really is an amazing feeling.
     Reply
    Majrhoulihan was starred Majrhoulihan was unstarred
    Image of DangerMouse DangerMouse
    06/12/09

    @SpasticFurchild: I miss having a SuperTarget around. Some day it's just going to expand into SuperWonderMagicTarget, complete with bridal collection for tscheese.
     Reply
    DangerMouse was starred DangerMouse was unstarred
    Image of ihateyourescalade ihateyourescalade
    06/12/09

    @tscheese: Even better, buy on Etsy. Or get a local dressmaker to custom-sew something for you. You have supported a local business, taken a stand on sweatshop labor (the reason why mass-market stuff is so cheap), and you get something one-of-a-kind.
     Reply
    ihateyourescalade was starred ihateyourescalade was unstarred
    Image of tscheese tscheese
    06/12/09

    @DangerMouse: Oh, I wasn't even planning on picking out something particularly bridal-looking. I would probably wear a suiting set from the misses' section, or some $29.99 cotton sundress that I bleached with a couple of $2 boxes of RIT dye remover.


    I am very classy.

     Reply
    tscheese was starred tscheese was unstarred
    Image of willwriteforfood willwriteforfood
    06/12/09

    @tscheese: My sister-in-law bought her wedding dress from Target.com for $99. She loved it. And that is why my family loves her.
     Reply
    willwriteforfood was starred willwriteforfood was unstarred
    Image of morninggloria morninggloria
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    I have to wear this horrific one shoulder black floor length number from David's Bridal for my brother's wedding this summer. No, the wedding is not at night. It's in the country. During the day. At the end of July.


    I have an ongoing beef with that store, for having that shitty, shitty dress.

     Reply
    morninggloria was starred morninggloria was unstarred
    Image of Lymed Lymed
    06/12/09

    @morninggloria: I got to wear a very simple red tea length, spaghetti strap dress from David's Bridal for my brother's wedding. Most of the dresses there scared me, but I was really happy the bride found something so simple.
     Reply
    Lymed was starred Lymed was unstarred
    Image of WantToTouchtheWahine WantToTouchtheWahine
    06/12/09

    @morninggloria: Yep, they were also responsible for the full ball-gowned, black Bride of Frankenstein strapless ensemble I was instructed to wear for an outside wedding. In Dallas. In September.


    I so dropped out of that wedding.


    But yeah, I'm sure they carry some nice things.

     Reply
    WantToTouchtheWahine was starred WantToTouchtheWahine was unstarred
    Image of Laulau Laulau
    06/12/09

    @morninggloria: I have an ongoing beef with the wedding industry for convincing people that floor length gowns of really any description, let alone what are clearly evening gowns, are appropriate for morning or afternoon weddings. I am not normally a stickler for etiquette, so I'm not sure what this is about.


    But don't even get me started that time I had to find something to wear to an afternoon wedding, in January, in Maryland. During a blizzard.

     Reply
    Laulau was starred Laulau was unstarred
    Image of jigglyball jigglyball
    06/12/09

    @morninggloria: Black floor-length at an outdoor, summer wedding? Clearly, your brother has never been a woman. Then again, he has to wear a tux...


    My roommate just got engaged, and has already informed me that she's going to pick a color and give us the option of cut. I love her.

     Reply
    jigglyball was starred jigglyball was unstarred
    Image of Porcelina Porcelina
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    Gross. I am having my wedding dress custom made for me, based on my own design, and it's only $300.
     Reply
    Porcelina was starred Porcelina was unstarred
    Image of Laulau Laulau
    06/12/09

    @Porcelina: I can't believe how much the industry expects you to spend on these gowns, but still you must know must know a very trustworthy seamstress and have gotten a decent deal on the fabric. I think the fabric alone to recover my mother's couch was more than that.
     Reply
    Laulau was starred Laulau was unstarred
    Image of Maritsa Maritsa
    06/12/09

    @Porcelina: What's "gross" about it? David's Bridal is a hell of a lot more affordable than most other bridal places, including any custom place I've ever heard of. Congrats on your great deal and all, but my dress cost about the same and was lovely and simple, just what I wanted. A friend got an antique-looking tea-length dress that everyone assumed was pricey, from David's.
     Reply
    Maritsa was starred Maritsa was unstarred
    Image of Porcelina Porcelina
    06/12/09

    @Maritsa: I was saying gross about the quote: "pick through the dresses like they're shopping for groceries,"


    It just struck me as really....I dunno. I don't like the way it sounds.

     Reply
    Porcelina was starred Porcelina was unstarred
    Image of Laulau Laulau
    06/12/09

    @Porcelina: I definitely took you to be saying gross about the crazy conspicuous consumption bent of the article.


    And great job getting the dress you want at a reasonable price! I'm very impressed by your legwork.

     Reply
    Laulau was starred Laulau was unstarred
    Image of queenieinmanhattan queenieinmanhattan
    06/12/09

    @Porcelina: I don't like it because it implies that people pick through stuff when they grocery shop. People like that are the type who think they need to squeeze tomatoes really hard to see if they're ripe, and who therefore end in leaving a whole bunch of bruised, nasty tomatoes behind.


    But I don't find David's Bridal gross (though the one person I know who got their dress there picked one with nasty fabric and that fit poorly - obviously they also carry nice stuff too, but this dress was a horror). My sister-in-law bought her dress at the Kleinfeld's sample sale. She's British and very polite, so I was the one who dove in and grabbed dresses off the rack from her. It was fun.

     Reply
    queenieinmanhattan was starred queenieinmanhattan was unstarred
    Image of kityglitr kityglitr
    06/13/09

    @Porcelina: Gross for you, maybe. I live in a REALLY small area. 5 hours north of San Francisco to be exact. There is ONE bridal shop in town, and it sucks. I've trolled Craigslist and consulted with every local seamstress... no one can make the dress I want for less than $600. So screw it, I'm buying mine from Nordstrom online, then I'll dip dye it and make it awesome.
     Reply
    kityglitr was starred kityglitr was unstarred
    Image of AthertonMerriweather AthertonMerriweather
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    Almost everyone I know bought their dress at David's....and they weren't easy on the wallet. They have some beautiful stuff there. What's the big deal?
     Reply
    AthertonMerriweather was starred AthertonMerriweather was unstarred
    Image of artyfarty artyfarty
    06/12/09

    @AthertonMerriweather: They carry a lot of different sizes and most boutique bridal shops only have teeny sizes to try on. You can find a good deal there as well. I bought my dress there for $250 and it was very cool.
     Reply
    artyfarty was starred artyfarty was unstarred
    Image of AthertonMerriweather AthertonMerriweather
    06/12/09

    @artyfarty: I meant "what's the big deal" about looking down on David's Bridal. From what I've seen, they have lovely dresses at all different price ranges. I don't get the smugness is all.
     Reply
    AthertonMerriweather was starred AthertonMerriweather was unstarred
    Image of NefariousNewt NefariousNewt
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    It's amazing the extent to which women go to buy these lavish gowns, which they wear once, then basically go ion a box, never to be seen again, unless they happen to hand them down to their daughters for their weddings.


    This news does not surprise me.

     Reply
    NefariousNewt was starred NefariousNewt was unstarred
    Image of Ailatan Ailatan
    06/12/09

    @NefariousNewt: I don't understand that. It seems pointless. The other thing I don't get is the idea of looking like a "princess" or something completely different. There are many things I don't like about myself, butt looking totally different is not what I want for the first day of my marriage.


    I'm rambling... sorry.

     Reply
    Ailatan was starred Ailatan was unstarred
    Image of philoclea philoclea
    06/12/09

    @Ailatan: It *is* pointless. I hate to get all historical up in here (what am I lying for? I don't!), but two hundred years ago, women just wore a nice dress to get married in. A nice dress which they wore again on other occasions.


    Heck, my own grandmother just wore a nice *suit*. In fact, I love that 40's style of getting married in a sharp, tailored skirt suit.


    Even if you buy into the "logic" that designer clothes are better-made and last for ages, why do you need that for a dress you wear once? (And, let's face it, the chances you'll have a daughter, she'll want to get married, she'll want to wear your dress, and she'll be the right size for it, are very, very small.)

     Reply
    philoclea was starred philoclea was unstarred
    Image of Ailatan Ailatan
    06/12/09

    @philoclea: For my wedding I wore just regular nice clothes, nothing fancy, it was not a religious ceremony and the only thing that was a bit extravagant were my beautiful black patent leather tango shoes (that I wear for parties and such)
     Reply
    Ailatan was starred Ailatan was unstarred
    Image of Lymed Lymed
    06/12/09

    @philoclea: You may not want it for yourself, but for me, my wedding dress was not pointless. It made me happy. I did not look like somebody else. I found a dress that expressed who I was. I looked the best version of myself. Did I need that dress? No. But I love it and I was able to afford it. I may have only worn it once, but I do have pictures that will be in my family for generations.
     Reply
    Lymed was starred Lymed was unstarred
    Image of EsmereldaFitzmonster EsmereldaFitzmonster
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    My sister went to David's Bridal for her prom dress, and they preferred that we not pick through ourselves-- the consultants brought dresses over and found the perfect one for her. Was that just the location we went to?
     Reply
    EsmereldaFitzmonster was starred EsmereldaFitzmonster was unstarred
    Image of Laulau Laulau
    06/12/09

    @EsmereldaFitzmonster: No, I had the same experience picking up a bridesmaid dress, and it was annoying as hell. I actually had my bf at the time come with and he distracted the sales clerk while I grabbed my size off the rack, tried it on over my jeans, and then came back out and ordered it. I could hear the salesperson bitching about us as I left. Perhaps they make commission? (I'd be totally happy to let them earn that commission, I just don't want to sit there for an hour while they take down my personal information - I'm just the maid of honor, leave me alone!!!)


    Sorry, I can get a tad rant-y about that experience.

     Reply
    Laulau was starred Laulau was unstarred
    Image of Laulau Laulau
    06/12/09

    @EsmereldaFitzmonster: Though I should add, I realize your sister's experience sounds different than mine - I wasn't looking around, I knew the dress the bride wanted and just had to double check that my normal size was correct.
     Reply
    Laulau was starred Laulau was unstarred
    Image of DangerMouse DangerMouse
    06/12/09

    @Laulau: I think they do make commission, but I also imagine there's some practicality to it--keeping things organized and keeping all that white fabric clean....
     Reply
    DangerMouse was starred DangerMouse was unstarred
    Image of Laulau Laulau
    06/12/09

    @DangerMouse: Sigh, you are no doubt correct and now I feel like an ass. Still, I would have been more compliant if they didn't keep asking for things like my birthdate, my phone #, etc. I hate being hounded by solicitors.


    @cheshirecounty: Cheez'n'rice, that sounds exhausting! When my sister got married, I just felt badly about all the giggling we did inside the dressing room. Not half the fun if you can't snark. Plus, call me a prude, but I don't like changing in front of total strangers.

     Reply
    Laulau was starred Laulau was unstarred
    Image of linnyt is a walking cliché linnyt is a walking cliché
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    are your bridesmaids supposed to carry you?
     Reply
    linnyt is a walking cliché was starred linnyt is a walking cliché was unstarred
    Image of FashionShowAtLunch FashionShowAtLunch
    06/12/09

    @linnyt is a walking cliché: No, you're supposed to go there on a date with your Dad after the purity ball.
     Reply
    FashionShowAtLunch was starred FashionShowAtLunch was unstarred
    Image of queenieinmanhattan queenieinmanhattan
    06/12/09

    In reply to Hell's Bells
    Ha, palanquin! Did anybody else read that and think, "Ooooh, 'The Infanta!' OOOOOHHH, 'Mad Men!'


    No? Just me? OK, carry on with your classless wedding dress shopping, you crazy off-the-rackers.

     Reply
    queenieinmanhattan was starred queenieinmanhattan was unstarred
    Image of jigglyball jigglyball
    06/12/09

    @queenieinmanhattan: That was my exact thought process. For realzies.
     Reply
    jigglyball was starred jigglyball was unstarred
    Image of random_play random_play
    06/12/09

    In reply to This Recession Will Change Everything (About The Way We Dress)
    Tatiana is on a roll! Her writing is as good as anything you're likely to find in the Gawkersphere on a particular day. Hope to see more of these articles.
     Reply
    random_play was starred random_play was unstarred
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