How to Buy or Sell a Pre-Owned Wedding Dress Online, Advice from Oakwood Cleaners, Local Gown Expert
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Rhonda of Oakwood Cleaners shared the following story with me that I hope serves as a warning for all of you buying/considering pre-owned wedding dresses:
"I just heard about a bride that bought a pre-owned dress that was 4” too big. She went to a seamstress that agreed to take it in, but after it was finished, it did not fit to her satisfaction. First of all, it was really dirty, and had been altered. There's no telling how many times it had been worn (or altered). The needle marks from the last alteration were still showing when the seamstress got it. It appeared to have been washed in a washing machine (vs dry cleaned) the lining was a wrinkled mess.
Brides need to understand that not only is it quite difficult to take a dress down 4” and have it fit correctly, but if it has been washed or worn several times and altered more than once, the fabric will not react the same as if it were new. It is up to the seamstress to tell the bride of the problems that can occur up front and have the bride sign an agreement stating they understand this."
Most of you who are considering a pre-owned dress, are probably going the online route - from Craigslist and eBay to sites like preowneddresses.com. These can be great ways to save or can turn into a huge nightmare, as Rhonda described above.
So, what's a girl to do? Here's what our pros at Oakwood Cleaners suggest, whether you are buying or selling your gown online.
Tips for Buying a Pre-owned Wedding Dress Online
~ Start with an online retailer that offers a grace period. This will give you time to receive the dress, see the actual size, assess the condition of the dress and decide if you want to keep it. You must see it, try it on, and touch the fabric.
- Shop for dresses as close to your size as possible. It's not a good idea to jump sizes. Determine your "wedding gown size" which is not the same as your street clothes size. Once you know your bridal size, stay close to it as you shop for pre-owned gowns. The bigger the difference between your size and the pre-owned size, the more costly the alterations and sometimes the changes could impact the actual dress' shape.
~ Ask the seller whether the dress has been cleaned. Opt for a dress that has been cleaned already. It will need to be cleaned to determine what stains remain. You dont want to buy a gown online thats dirty, then have to pay for the dress JUST to find out which stains will or wont come out.. If not clean, ask how dirty. See if pictures of the stains can be provided.
~ Ask if is it damaged and extent of damage after purchase.
Corset gown by designer Monique Lhuillier. Source
Keep or return the dress?
Once the gown is in your hands (during the grace period)...
~ Take the dress and the seller's documentations to a true pro that specializes in bridal gowns, like Oakwood Cleaners.
~ Have them inspect the dress and tell you what it might cost to clean, fix, alter the dress. They wont be able to fully predict the actual cost of alterations but will give you direction. If it needs cleaning, they will let you know. They can't guarantee spots will come out but will tell you their expert opinion, give ball park quote. They can tell what custom changes will be needed.
~ Be realistic. Some of the really popular styles have a corset and can't be taken in or let out, due to the boning. (See Vera Wang gown below.) The 2-piece Monique Lhuillier corset style tops aren't easy to alter. Repeat wearing of the top can stretch them so by the time the seller is ready to sell, it may not fit purchaser with similar size/body as a brand new dress would. Stretching will cause the dress to fit differently, even if it hasnt been altered.
Based on your Oakwood gown inspection, determine if you will love it or leave it. It may seem like a good deal but repairs, alterations and cleaning might be expensive. You need to be smart. In long run, a used dress could cost you more on the back-end than a new gown.
Oakwood says, "This type of dress would be exceptionally difficult to have altered due to the boning in the bodice. Buyers should exercise caution with this type of gown."
Tips for Selling Your Wedding Dress Online
~ Be honest. You will have better success and fewer returns from buyers. This will save you money (from shipping costs), time and stress.
~ Clean the dress before you list it. This will give the purchaser a realistic idea of how wonderful the dress could be.
~ Highlight the positives and negatives. Document what's been done to the dress. Take and share and photos of damage and stains to give an overlal state of dress. Point out tears, pulled bustles and areas of heavy stains.
About the Author:
Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide
Hey - I'm Ashley! I started AshleysBrideGuide.com to give Nashville brides, or folks planning a Nashville wedding, a local resource for inspiration and resources. Hope to see you at a bridal show soon! Happy Planning.
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Posted on April 2, 2013 |
Filed under: Alterations + Gown Preservation, Advice & Planning, Attire - Bridal Gowns, Wedding Dresses & Accessories
