Post # 1
Member
3788 posts
Honey bee
So I don’t think I need to rehash my lengthy dress search here. I’m looking for a used dress to keep costs down; I love lace. I have a bolero and was hoping to get a plain dress under it, but I am finding that the cost of even “simple” dresses is as much as some of the all lace dresses I prefer.
So I called some of those places like Jay’s, Best Bridal Prices, and Pearls to price some dresses, and honestly, one of the dresses on my list is the same price that I am finding some of the others used. And honestly, it is probably my favorite! The hesitation? I have never seen it in person or on a “real” bride. I like Allure 8634, and even though I personally have not seen it, there are enough pics of it on real brides and in real life that I have a solid feel for what it will look like. No such pictures for the dress in question, which is another Allure whose style number is talked of so infrequently that weddingbee posts are the first things that pop up if you google it! Eight seven seven zero. I am nervous because it is lace applique on net and I want to see how it looks in pictures and reflects light etc etc without the photoshop.
But part of me is tempted to just order it. I love the cut of the dress and overall style and the price of it new is comparable to the price of the others used! I wanted to be a responsible consumer and buy used, especially as a second dress bride, but it will not save me any money, and frankly, that’s really important to me since we’re on a tight budget and paying ourselves. Thoughts?
Post # 3
Member
109 posts
Blushing bee
Have you tried preownedweddingdresses.com? They have sample, new and never worn, and used dresses. The brides that have actually worn them, put pictures up. Also, the search engine on the site is super useful when it comes to searching by price, fabric and etc. Lastly, they do all transactions through paypal or escrow so that way you don’t get scammed. I looked up consumer reviews on the site and it looked pretty legit.
Post # 4
Member
3788 posts
Honey bee
@da3lyn: I bought my bolero used, and I have been stalking POWD.com and OnceWed and weddingbee classifieds for months. At best, I find Allure 8634 at $100 less than buying new would cost, and the shipping mitigates even that savings.
Seriously, though, look up Allure eight seven seven zero — apparently no one in the history of the internet has worn it. I’m not kidding! The pictures are just not there! There is one available sample on OnceWed but she is asking more than what I can get it for new! And I contacted her, and she refuses to take pictures of the actual dress and has only stock photos, so I don’t trust it anyway. Not to mention that it is a smaller size than I’d order and I’d be risking it not fitting anyway. There is NO benefit to that dress, at least for me.
Post # 5
Member
109 posts
Blushing bee
@Amaryllis: Oh okay, I totally agree. Going with your gut is usually the best option.
Post # 6
Member
2779 posts
Sugar bee
I’d go with your gut. You’ve done your research. You said you had a solid idea of what works on your figure. But at the same time, figure out a plan on how to resell it if it doesn’t work out.
Post # 7
Member
271 posts
Helper bee
Hi Amaryllis, I’m after the 8634 too, so I feel your pain! About the 8770 though, have you tried setting up a google alert as well? It scours the web daily and then emails you if anything’s been posted on blogs or web about it – including sale sites so long as they put it in the text. I’ve done it for the 8634 though all the alerts have been for prices out of my budget, I’m holding out to get it for $600 since I’ve seen it go for that on preowned before!
Good luck in your hunt!
Post # 8
Member
1465 posts
Bumble bee
I would never order something sight unseen or without trying it on. What a dress looks like on a model or mannequin does not in any way determine how it fits you or whether the style is flattering for your body type.
Post # 9
Member
674 posts
Busy bee
I bought a dress sight unseen, after having tried on different styles by the same designer. The dress is ready now – still haven’t seen it though because I won’t be in the US for another few months. I am a bit worried that I might not be as excited about it when I do get to see it in person but I’m hoping it’ll be ok.
Post # 10
Member
182 posts
Blushing bee
I bought my dress (a sample) for $76 on ebay without seeing it in person and without trying on any wedding dresses before hand. Worked out perfectly. Pics in my BIO.
Post # 11
Member
1254 posts
Bumble bee
First, I love the look of 8770 and I wish I had seen it before. Allure 8634 looked great on the model, then I tried it on and it wasn’t so much on me. Then again, I’m not exactly a size 2.
I would be hesitant to buy a dress sight unseen especially if I was on a tight budget because there is always a chance you won’t like it and your only recourse is to sell it back, most probably at a discount from your original purchase price. Do you know if it is a newer style? If not, then there is probably a reason many brides have not chosen to wear it. Perhaps it does not fit or look right?
Also, if it is not a new style, maybe you can call around to check and see if bridal stores have it in stock and if they are willing to sell their sample. That was the case with my dress and because it was unpopular, they had given me a deep discount. Good luck!
Post # 12
Member
1701 posts
Bumble bee
If you have a local store that carries Allure, ask them if they will “borrow” the manufacturers sample. You will probably have to pay about $50-$100, most of which you should be able to apply to the purchase of a dress. Most places will let you apply it to anything in their store. Since you are pretty sure you want an Allure dress that mitigates some of the risk. If you decide you don’t like it, at least you are only out a little money. Of course, you are going to have to give up the “used” idea, which isn’t working out for you anyway.
A word about used–if you see something you like on a used site and the price is too high, contact the seller and make an offer. If they’ve had it for sale long enough and need the money, they’ll probably be open to taking a couple hundred off.
Good luck–love these dresses, especially the 8770!
Post # 13
Member
1 posts
Wannabee
I have actually been stalking Allure dresses 8751 and 8770 for over a month now. I really wanted to buy a second hand dress online but wasn’t finding what I wanted. A friend of mine mentioned Pearls Place, so we took a trip to New Orleans 2 weeks ago. I was able to try on 8770 and absolutely fell in love with the dress. It fit great and I was very pleased with the material. The lace had a rich, heavy texture that was exactly what I wanted. Pearls Place didn’t have 8751 in stock so I wasn’t able to try on my other favorite, but I am more than thrilled about my purchase.
I didn’t get a chance to take any pictures while I had the sample on because I was caught in the moment, but when my dress arrives I will post some. I will also be selling it once I have worn it in March, if anyone is interested!!
Good Luck!!
