Dress dilemma

[hazliya]

So, I have an appointment at David's Bridal on 12/27.

However, I've fallen head over heels in love with a vintage dress on Ebay. It's beautiful, it's the only dress out of the thousands (yes, literally, thousands) of gowns that I've looked at. I've gone back three design seasons and found nothing. I think it's because of my love for vintage fashion, and people always tell me that I was born into the wrong time period.

It has everything I'm looking for, in the silhouette I'm looking for. I'm so small that I can't wear big, poofy gowns without getting lost in the fabric, and I can't dance in the mermaid style or styles with huge trains. This one falls on a much more flattering, flexible sheath style. And I don't like *white* white, but more an off-white or ivory.

So, this dress on Ebay. Starting at $200, versus the $2k and up that typical gowns start at. Beading and lace. A gorgeous 20s gown. Right silhouette. Right color. Right size (may need to be taken in a bit). Right feel for the wedding/venue (the building was a casino built in the 1890s). I've had a visceral reaction to just the sight of this dress that I haven't felt to the thousands I've seen.

So, my question is this: Should I buy the dress without having tried it on? Based just on the "this is the one" feeling I've had? Seriously, I can't stop looking at it every fifteen minutes when I'm on the internet.

Pictures available, just not posting them here because this is elenuial-accessible.

I have ten days until the end of the auction.

Comments

[treyvana.livejournal.com]

I'd say for the price, it's worth a shot- if you don't like it, or if it doesn't fit (and can't be fixed with alterations) you can always re-sell it on ebay or craigslist, or use it for something else.

And, if you like it that much, I think it's worth the risk- you won't fall in love with another dress until you've fallen out of love with this one- and trying it on may make you fall even more in love with it :)

[usernamenumber.livejournal.com]

Pretty much what I was going to say. Plus maybe you could alter it if it's only a little off.

[kadath.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Since it's vintage, if it doesn't work out, it'll retain its value for resale in a way a non-designer modern dress won't. (Also, David's pretty much sucks. Overpriced and they give the hard sell by corporate policy.)

One question, though: is the beading in a location that would make it difficult/impossible to take in?

[hazliya.livejournal.com]

Only on the hem, if it needs to be hemmed, but the skirt is layered such that I can raise it at the top rather than the hem.

[redfishie.livejournal.com]

I agree with this as well. The biggest problem you may have is disapointment if it doesn't live up to your expectations.

[alankria.livejournal.com]

I agree with everything treyvana says.

That visceral gut-reaction sounds like it means something. I say follow it.

[relique.livejournal.com]

It's a wedding dress. Even if it costs $1800 to be altered, you're good to go. Even if it doesn't end up working out or being THE DRESS for some reason, a $200 dress is not THAT expensive and you love it enough to wear it for other reasons, I'm guessing.

The trick is to find a real seamstress you trust to mess with it if something needs to happen to it that you can't/don't want to do. I lucked out in high school-- the first place I went to try on a dress for a high school dance happened to have their seamstress there that night, and she was amazing. I then followed her from shop to shop, buying from where ever she was working. If you can't find anyone, I could see if my mom still has her name. She really taught me not to see the dress I had on as what I was seeing in the mirror, but what it could look like after she fixed it.

[laura47.livejournal.com]

with that strong a reaction, I'd say go for it. Worst case, sell it on ebay again.

[rigel.livejournal.com]

Pretty much what everyone else is saying. It's a tenth of the price of other dresses. And you'ld likely receive it in time such that you could easily make an appointment at a bridal place if it somehow didn't work out, as well as sell it on eBay.

I say go for it.

[anitra.livejournal.com]

$200 is almost certainly less than what you'd spend at David's Bridal (for a much "cheaper", off-the-rack, common type of dress).

Figure out what your max budget is and go for it.

[laurion]

For that price, go for it. If it turns out to be a Fail of some sort, it is a small drop in the bucket compared to the massive possible upsides of getting what you want and saving Money doing it.

Amanda went to DB to look at options, but ended up ordering hers from an online operation as well.

Even if it turns out to be 'almost' right, a pro seamstress can fix it up to be 'perfect' right for less than a 2k confection.

[jalawingedone.livejournal.com]

Heck, if you get it and it doesn't fit, call it entertainment and play with it like your various other dresses. Make it a Christmas present if you think it's too much for a speculation. Go for it.

Incidentally, if the dress I wanted couldn't have been dancified, I would have changed into a knee-length cocktail dress at my wedding.

[daedaleandeus.livejournal.com]

Buy it - with your mad tailoring skills you can make it right.

[mindways]

On a purely monetary level, if there's better than a 10% chance it'll work, then the vintage dress on EBay makes sense to try out. (eg: Spending $200 for a 50% chance at saving $1800? Yes.)

On an emotional/satisfaction level, if you don't get it, you'll probably always wonder.

I'd say go for it.

[reichan.livejournal.com]

Go for it. You are a talented seamstress and can likely fix problems with it, plus (I know this is echoing) it is a GREAT value. Its worth giving it a shot...honestly that's cheaper than anyone I knows dress except maybe mine (made skirt + $50 corset but uuugly)and sounds like a dream.

Good Luck!

[getoffended.livejournal.com]

Given your post I say this

Buy it or I will cry.

What you wrote is exactly how a woman should feel about her wedding dress.

Don't talk yourself out of it. Talk yourself into the accessories you want.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

I want to see pictures!

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