Dress - I've been stupid (twice!)

NearlyMrsFord

Backstory - Walked into a bridal shop a couple of months ago, tried on a dress from the sale rail - it fit but needed taking up a bit.
The woman said it would take 3 weeks for the alterations, and I had to pay for the dress in full first. So I paid £300, went home and waited. (First stupid thing I did)
SIX weeks passed and I hadn't heard anything (she said she'd ring me) so I went back to the shop and she said it would be another week :mad:
At this point I was rather p***ed off and found a dress I liked better in another shop - fitted perfectly and was same price (sale rail again!) so I bought that one too.

Last week, I went to the first shop and collected the Raylia dress. I told her I'd found another dress and wasn't sure which one I'd wear, but would sell one of them. I wanted to know the details of the Raylia dress in case that was the one I sold. All she would say was that it was by Raylia Designs. I said that I wanted to know what you called the style of the dress, materials used, etc. and all she would say was that it was an American import by Raylia Designs and the details were inside on the label. Was in a bit of a rush as had to meet someone, so took her word for it and took the dress home.

The label says the following:
Raylia Designs
Order No. UB6309
Style No. W352
Size. 14
Colour. Diamond White
Outer shell: 100% Polyester
Inner shell: 100% Polyester exclusive of trim.

So I am none the wiser - ok it is polyester, but for example the outside feels and looks a lot different to the inside, the bodice looks and feels a lot different to the main dress, how the heck am I supposed to describe it if I sell it on Ebay or wherever??

I've googled and googled, but I just can't find it anywhere! I found a copy on a Chinese website, but it looks like the model is wearing it with hoops underneath (that or her legs are far apart, lol!) and mine doesn't have hoops, and it's shown with beading on the front of the skirt and mine only has it at the back. Here's the link to the copy website http://www.beautifulweddinggowndress.com/raylia-bridal-dress-W352-309.html

Second stupid thing - the 2nd dress I bought, I really love it, it's soooo beautiful. But it has one of those flexible-hoop petticoats. I bought it after trying it on in the shop, where there wasn't much space to move around. After trying it on again at home, I'm finding it difficult to sit down without the hoops sticking up in front of me, and also how will I go to the loo?!?! Am I really going to have to spend the whole day standing up and not going to the loo? :rotfl:It's also difficult to turn around without the hoops sticking out to one side. I don't have a place big enough where I can put it on and practice walking around in it, help!!

Sorry this was so long, but I'm panicking slightly :eek:

hannahjex

Is it a separate petticoat or is it built in? If it's built in, you can take the hoops out and get an all net petticoat or one with fewer hoops (lower down). It adds expense, but if you really can't deal with the hoops as they are, then a different petticoat (or just removing the hoops/not bothering with a petticoat [if you're ok with the way the dress hangs without them]) is your only option. You might find one cheaply on eBay.

As for the raylia dress, it could be that yours was a special order one that was made without the beading at the front. And a lot of dresses get photographed with hoops that you have to get separately.

Edit: Meant to say that for the eBay listing you could just take lots of pictures of your actual dress and not bother with designer photos. Just put the details you have and add measurements (since it's been altered). The outside is probably polyester satin and the inside is polyester lining. I'm not 100% on this, but as far as I'm aware, polyester is the fibre and you can weave different sorts of fabric from it (so you can have thicker fabrics like satin and then thinner stuff that is commonly used in lining). Don't actually know if I'm making sense, so I'll shut up now

NearlyMrsFord

hannahjex wrote: »

Is it a separate petticoat or is it built in? If it's built in, you can take the hoops out and get an all net petticoat or one with fewer hoops (lower down). It adds expense, but if you really can't deal with the hoops as they are, then a different petticoat (or just removing the hoops/not bothering with a petticoat [if you're ok with the way the dress hangs without them]) is your only option. You might find one cheaply on eBay.

It's a seperate petticoat and it has 3 or 4 hoops (can't remember now and it's at my mum's so can't look). The lady in the shop did say the hoops could be removed if the petticoat needed washing anytime... why didn't I think of that? Right, I shall go to my mum's this weekend and try it without the hoops, or with less hoops and see how it hangs. Thank you for that!

As for the raylia dress, it could be that yours was a special order one that was made without the beading at the front. And a lot of dresses get photographed with hoops that you have to get separately.

I'm not sure about that, the googling turned up lots of sites but they all look to be the same Chinese company and one of them states it is a copy.

Edit: Meant to say that for the eBay listing you could just take lots of pictures of your actual dress and not bother with designer photos. Just put the details you have and add measurements (since it's been altered). The outside is probably polyester satin and the inside is polyester lining. I'm not 100% on this, but as far as I'm aware, polyester is the fibre and you can weave different sorts of fabric from it (so you can have thicker fabrics like satin and then thinner stuff that is commonly used in lining). Don't actually know if I'm making sense, so I'll shut up now

I was just googling to find out what you would call the style of the dress and the materials (I have no idea what 'sweetheart', 'tulle', 'A-line'...etc etc etc means so don't know what terms to apply to the description of the dress if you see what I mean. The outside is soft like silk but it is matt, there's no sheen to it at all. The bodice might be organza or something like that, I'm not sure. You are making plenty of sense, so thanks lots for your help I will do as you suggested for the ebay listing

magicgirl

the front will usually be satin, most bridal gowns are satin or a satin combo.

panicking is normal but i still hope you sort it out even if just to make yourself feel better. you have enough time to sort the hoop issue and if you can find a local tailors, they may be better informed to advise you. doesn't sound like the woman in the shop knows much !

NEH

Saw your post and just wanted to say don't panic...Most brides on their big day have help going to the toilet so i just wanted to put your mind at ease on that one

My sister had a nightmare getting into the cubicle when she got married so we had to block off the ladies and get her out of her dress in order to go.....:eek:

It's a common worry trust me...

As for the second dress and th ehoop issue, then i would try it on at your mum's with and wthout the hoops...Your mum can give you an honest opinion....If it isn't right look at alternatives as have been suggested...

frannyann

Stick a picture on here, and we will help describe it!!

hannahjex

Sounds (and looks) like the dress is satin. The bodice bit is probably tulle if it's soft (organza is stiffer). The bodice is 'ruched'. And the skirt is A-line.

The reason I said yours might have been a special order without the front beading is because the chinese copy websites usually use the original designer photo. So that is what the standard W352 probably looks like. But a bride ordering through the bridal shop could have asked for it without the beads then ended up not using the dress (which would be why the shop had to put that one on the sale rail instead of using it as a sample).

NearlyMrsFord

Thank you all SO much for your very helpful (and calming!) replies!! :beer:

NEH wrote: »

Saw your post and just wanted to say don't panic...Most brides on their big day have help going to the toilet so i just wanted to put your mind at ease on that one

My sister had a nightmare getting into the cubicle when she got married so we had to block off the ladies and get her out of her dress in order to go.....:eek:

It's a common worry trust me...

As for the second dress and th ehoop issue, then i would try it on at your mum's with and wthout the hoops...Your mum can give you an honest opinion....If it isn't right look at alternatives as have been suggested...

OMG I'm going to have to have help then, luckily the 2nd dress is a zip-up so fairly easy to get in and out of, apart from the hoops. I will certainly try the dress without hoops or with the top one removed and see how I get on. Thanks

hannahjex wrote:

Sounds (and looks) like the dress is satin. The bodice bit is probably tulle if it's soft (organza is stiffer). The bodice is 'ruched'. And the skirt is A-line.

The reason I said yours might have been a special order without the front beading is because the chinese copy websites usually use the original designer photo. So that is what the standard W352 probably looks like. But a bride ordering through the bridal shop could have asked for it without the beads then ended up not using the dress (which would be why the shop had to put that one on the sale rail instead of using it as a sample).

Thanks Hannah, you're a star for putting the photos on for me, I will see if I can get some of me in the dress taken this weekend. I think you're right about the tulle, as it is quite soft, it's beaded then there are satin-y pleats under and below it. And what you say about the 'copy' (or not) - sounds like you know what you're talking about and you could well be right. Thanks also for the ruched and A-line bit, I wasn't sure

missy_moo_5

Little tip for brides who are worrying about loo thing !!!!!

I'm a 2nd time bride to be, and "before" had a dress with a big skirt and train. I was told the best way to "deal" with the dress when you need to go to the loo, is to get on the loo the wrong way round..... i.e. face the cistern and straddle the loo...

Now that might sound really odd, but it works ! Sure you'll have to hold the front of your dress up, but in general terms there is less to deal with at the front than the back if you have a train or bustled train, or more fabric, etc. You might need someone to keep the cubicle door open, but even so with your dress behind you, your modesty is pretty much preserved!!

And of course don't do what my best friend did - she'd never worn suspenders and stocking before in her life, so didn't really know what to do, and put them on over her knickers, and then when she wanted a wee, she couldn't take them off and there was almost a very big puddle on the floor as she was already busting by that point!!!

NEH

missy_moo wrote: »

Little tip for brides who are worrying about loo thing !!!!!

I'm a 2nd time bride to be, and "before" had a dress with a big skirt and train. I was told the best way to "deal" with the dress when you need to go to the loo, is to get on the loo the wrong way round..... i.e. face the cistern and straddle the loo...

Now that might sound really odd, but it works ! Sure you'll have to hold the front of your dress up, but in general terms there is less to deal with at the front than the back if you have a train or bustled train, or more fabric, etc. You might need someone to keep the cubicle door open, but even so with your dress behind you, your modesty is pretty much preserved!!

And of course don't do what my best friend did - she'd never worn suspenders and stocking before in her life, so didn't really know what to do, and put them on over her knickers, and then when she wanted a wee, she couldn't take them off and there was almost a very big puddle on the floor as she was already busting by that point!!!

The other thing is if you have a disabled toilet at your venue use that one! As we didn't have any disabled guests at my sister's first wedding we made that sole use only for the bride....

NearlyMrsFord

missy_moo wrote: »

I was told the best way to "deal" with the dress when you need to go to the loo, is to get on the loo the wrong way round..... i.e. face the cistern and straddle the loo...

And of course don't do what my best friend did - she'd never worn suspenders and stocking before in her life, so didn't really know what to do, and put them on over her knickers, and then when she wanted a wee, she couldn't take them off and there was almost a very big puddle on the floor as she was already busting by that point!!!

:rotfl:Oh bless your best friend!!! I'm so glad you posted that as I've never worn stockings and suspenders either (still not chosen undies yet, must get on the case!)
Sitting wrong way round on the loo could work too!