I'm a Philadelphia bride but all three of my BMs are in New York so I'm going to the city on an upcoming Saturday to shop with them for dresses. I've heard only bad reviews of RK Bridal and mixed reviews of HCtB. Does anyone here have any strong yays or nays?
We're also going to go to Ann Taylor and probably to Macy's to look at their off-the-rack dresses, since there are only three 'maids. I've also ordered swatches from J.Crew....
Other suggestions for where to get the most bang for your bridesmaid buck in NYC would be great. Does Century 21 have a good dress department? I don't want them to have to spend more than $200 each, preferably $150 or less.
i went to HCTB with my bridesmaids but didn't buy anything there. overall, the people there are nice and they do have a large selection. we just didn't find anything we liked.
in terms of off the rack in your price range, macys is your best bet. nyc also has a huge lord and taylor so that might work for you as well.
I went with my maid of honor to the Macy's bridal shop to try on dresses - they have quite a range in terms of price and are very nice. Once we found something we liked, I actually ordered the girls' dresses via the "no frills" program at RK Bridal - faxed over the order, they mailed it to me (very quickly), and it's much cheaper.
pretty sure that even for BM dresses you need an appointment at Macy's (esp. on weekends). I actually never had a problem with RK Bridal - some of their salespeople are a little rude but some are also very nice and very helpful. We got lucky and got a helpful one and found the dresses there and ended up doing the RK "no frills" program, which, as far as I know, has worked out fine (the dresses haven't come in yet - they're not expected until end of July, to be fair).
I'll also second that I've heard good things about HCTB, though I never went myself...
Just a slightly different opinion... I found RK Bridal to be very overwhelming, but I do know that they are very inexpensive and have a good selection. Make sure if you go to JCrew, do not go to the one in Soho as they do not do bridesmaids there. The 5th ave one in the flatiron is better. You could try the Wedding Library on the Upper East Side but I am not sure what their price range is. I purchased mine from Kathleen Argiro and they were SO helpful and accomdating but again not sure of their price range. Jenny Yoo also has a nice show room. Adriennes on Orchard Street is also supposed to be famous and good but I did not go there. You could also just hit up Bloomies, SAKS, and Macy's contemporary departments and get off the rack with no appointment since you only have three girls.
Century 21 is a great store and you can find some really great dresses for a very decent price(go directly to the top floor), but make sure you get there early or it can get very crowded, especially on a weekend day.
I got my BM dresses there last year -- they have a pretty decent selection of all the major brands you'll see in bridal magazines, but I found the service to be hit or miss. One sales rep was very helpful and offered suggestions; others (who picked up the phone if I had a question) were rude and dismissing. Since I found a dress I really loved the first time I went in there, I looked past the service. Delivery was on time and everything came in the correct sizes and colors, which was all I cared about!
Not sure if it's too late for this, but my MOH and I went to Here Comes the Bridesmaid on Wednesday. We loved it! Yes, it's a little cramped, but the dresses are all out for you to personally look through and pick out to try on. Also, they have a good size collection -- Watters, Jim Hjelm, Bari Jay, etc. and they just got in the Fall 2008 collections. We found several that we liked, but we haven't made a decision yet. I think that if you just want to get a good idea of types/styles that you may like and would work for your BMs, it's a good place to go.
I'd REALLY advise against Century 21. The sizes are hit or miss and they can often be a season or two off. If you were only dressing one girl, fine, but it's way too risky to try to get multiple dresses there. Here comes the Bridesmaid has a good selection, but the service is iffy. Go for Macys, or J crew. Ann Taylor's dresses have fallen apart on me before, but then again it is only one night! Good luck!
I'm a Philadelphia bride but all three of my BMs are in New York so I'm going to the city on an upcoming Saturday to shop with them for dresses. I've heard only bad reviews of RK Bridal and mixed reviews of HCtB. Does anyone here have any strong yays or nays?
We're also going to go to Ann Taylor and probably to Macy's to look at their off-the-rack dresses, since there are only three 'maids. I've also ordered swatches from J.Crew....
Other suggestions for where to get the most bang for your bridesmaid buck in NYC would be great. Does Century 21 have a good dress department? I don't want them to have to spend more than $200 each, preferably $150 or less.
Thank you!
posted by Caroline 60 posts 5 months agoi went to HCTB with my bridesmaids but didn't buy anything there. overall, the people there are nice and they do have a large selection. we just didn't find anything we liked.
in terms of off the rack in your price range, macys is your best bet. nyc also has a huge lord and taylor so that might work for you as well.
good luck!
posted by Amy 209 posts 5 months agoI went with my maid of honor to the Macy's bridal shop to try on dresses - they have quite a range in terms of price and are very nice. Once we found something we liked, I actually ordered the girls' dresses via the "no frills" program at RK Bridal - faxed over the order, they mailed it to me (very quickly), and it's much cheaper.
posted by emilie01 55 posts 5 months agoCool, thanks! Do you need to make an appointment at the Macy's bridal shop?
posted by Caroline 60 posts 5 months agopretty sure that even for BM dresses you need an appointment at Macy's (esp. on weekends). I actually never had a problem with RK Bridal - some of their salespeople are a little rude but some are also very nice and very helpful. We got lucky and got a helpful one and found the dresses there and ended up doing the RK "no frills" program, which, as far as I know, has worked out fine (the dresses haven't come in yet - they're not expected until end of July, to be fair).
I'll also second that I've heard good things about HCTB, though I never went myself...
posted by lunapark 15 posts 5 months agoJust a slightly different opinion... I found RK Bridal to be very overwhelming, but I do know that they are very inexpensive and have a good selection. Make sure if you go to JCrew, do not go to the one in Soho as they do not do bridesmaids there. The 5th ave one in the flatiron is better. You could try the Wedding Library on the Upper East Side but I am not sure what their price range is. I purchased mine from Kathleen Argiro and they were SO helpful and accomdating but again not sure of their price range. Jenny Yoo also has a nice show room. Adriennes on Orchard Street is also supposed to be famous and good but I did not go there. You could also just hit up Bloomies, SAKS, and Macy's contemporary departments and get off the rack with no appointment since you only have three girls.
posted by LaborDayBride 101 posts 5 months agoThanks. Yes, we're going to check out the regular dress department, too, at Macy's.
I didn't think ANY J.Crew stores had the bridesmaid dresses in-store. Am I wrong?
posted by Caroline 60 posts 5 months agoCentury 21 is a great store and you can find some really great dresses for a very decent price(go directly to the top floor), but make sure you get there early or it can get very crowded, especially on a weekend day.
posted by mrsallgood 50 posts 5 months agoI got my BM dresses there last year -- they have a pretty decent selection of all the major brands you'll see in bridal magazines, but I found the service to be hit or miss. One sales rep was very helpful and offered suggestions; others (who picked up the phone if I had a question) were rude and dismissing. Since I found a dress I really loved the first time I went in there, I looked past the service. Delivery was on time and everything came in the correct sizes and colors, which was all I cared about!
posted by lisabaobei 3 posts 5 months agoCentury 21 in Brooklyn had a big selection of nice simple dresses for about $85.00 each this spring.
posted by QueenoftheClick 35 posts 4 months agoI sent my bridesmaids to RK Bridal to try on dresses before we ordered them through Netbride, and didn't hear of any problems.
posted by rebecca 984 posts 4 months agoNot sure if it's too late for this, but my MOH and I went to Here Comes the Bridesmaid on Wednesday. We loved it! Yes, it's a little cramped, but the dresses are all out for you to personally look through and pick out to try on. Also, they have a good size collection -- Watters, Jim Hjelm, Bari Jay, etc. and they just got in the Fall 2008 collections. We found several that we liked, but we haven't made a decision yet. I think that if you just want to get a good idea of types/styles that you may like and would work for your BMs, it's a good place to go.
posted by LNickle 71 posts 4 months agoI'd REALLY advise against Century 21. The sizes are hit or miss and they can often be a season or two off. If you were only dressing one girl, fine, but it's way too risky to try to get multiple dresses there. Here comes the Bridesmaid has a good selection, but the service is iffy. Go for Macys, or J crew. Ann Taylor's dresses have fallen apart on me before, but then again it is only one night! Good luck!
posted by Robyn171 14 posts 4 months ago