Hi

Sorry it’s a long one and it’s not a big problem I know but I’m just a bit disappointed that’s all and wanted somewhere to vent it!

My dream wedding dress was “allegedly” a sample dress I bought from a bridal store in Belfast. I emailed every store in Ireland and the UK that stocked this particular designer to see if they had the style of dress I wanted, in my size and were willing to sell it. A bridal store quite close to me (which was in a nice part of town and had good reviews) responded and said they were willing to sell their sample dress to me. I was thrilled and went down there straightaway. I’d only been to one bridal store before this and that was when I tried on my dream dress. In that bridal store the dress I tried on was pristine.

When I went to view this sample dress I was a bit surprised to see that the dress was a bit dirty and needed a few repairs. Foundation and tan (probably mixed with sweat!) around the neckline and under the arms etc. The hem was dirty and there was a big stain underneath the dress. I couldn’t understand there being a stain underneath the dress as the bridal store had carpets and was quite swish inside. I’m quite shy, went to the shop on my own and was so thrilled that I was getting my dream dress that I took them at their word when they said it was a sample dress that could be cleaned up no bother. I didn’t really think about the stain underneath the dress either as idiot me forgot that you clip your dress up when you danced – so then it would be seen. The shop don’t hire out dresses or sell second hand ones so I had no reason to doubt them.

The shop also told me a couple of other stories about women getting their dream dress by buying a sample dress but which needed tons of repairs. I then assumed that if you bought a sample dress it would be a bit grubby and need repairs. The bridal shop assured me that the stains weren’t a problem, were normal and would come out no bother. I’ve no experience of silk wedding dresses or cleaning silk dresses etc so I took them at their word. Since I bought it and have come on this forum I’ve been surprised to read that a lot of bridal shops say you can’t wear fake tan etc when coming to try on dresses and they sometimes where gloves when handling it – which would make sense. This makes me doubt whether the dress I bought was a sample. It is from the designer’s 2011 collection (I bought it November 2011 for my June wedding) so it can’t have been hanging around in the shop too long. To be honest it’s a plain dress I can’t see that it would be one of the most popular that brides try on. I had to be persuaded to try it on as it didn’t look anything on the hanger. Again this makes me doubt whether the dress I bought was a sample. I’m doubting whether a bridal shop would be so careless with all of their wedding dress which cost in the region of €3360.

I paid on my credit card (€ 1432) and took the dress away. I’ve had it repaired now (€ 250) – the corset inside was ribbed from being pulled too tightly I think and have just taken it to a specialist dry cleaners to be cleaned. The dry cleaners are about 60 miles away (Churchills) as I wanted to ensure I did the best I could to get the dress cleaned up.

The woman from the dry cleaners has just called me and said she’d done a patch test and the stains have faded greatly but she questioned whether it was definitely a sample dress I bought. When I dropped the dress off it was still in the bridal shop bag which had the name on etc so the dry cleaners know it was a good shop I bought it from. The dry cleaners said they clean a lot of sample dresses and this one was really grubby. She mentioned the stain underneath and said she didn’t understand how it got that dirty. She said she’d try her best and the dress should come up “okay”.

I know I bought a sample dress and I know it’s like buying a second hand car – sold as seen but I feel sad that the bridal shop may not have been upfront with me. I know I saw the stains first hand etc but the bridal shop said they’d come out no bother. They said it was grubby from being tried on but now I have the feeling my dress may’ve been used/hired out for some reason and then returned to the shop – this is the only explanation for the stains. I still bought the dress for €1,245 so it wasn’t cheap. I just think that if they’d been upfront about the stains and/or the fact it had been worn out and then I could’ve made a more informed decision. I think the price should’ve been lower too to reflect this.

I know I have no right to complain just feel disappointed – like the shine has been taken off my dress.

I spent months searching for this dress (typical that after I’d bought the sample dress someone replied to my advert and were willing to sell their dress for £1000 – the photos of the dress showed it was in perfect condition and she invited me to try it), sourced a good dressmaker to do the repairs (who lived 30 miles from me) and have now taken it to a dry cleaners (who I checked for reviews) and it isn’t really working out for me. I saved hard for the dress but wish I’d just gotten a new one now. Sorry for the rambling post I’m just a bit disappointed that’s all.

If the stains don’t fade much then I’ll just have to keep the lights down low at the reception.

x

oh dear, watchoka, i'm really sorry to hear that
i think it's understandable to be panicking after hearing what the drycleaners have said, especially since you've already put so much in to the dress. maybe wait until it comes back and see how it turns out... maybe they will have been more successful in removing the stains than they originally thought.

if they haven't been able to get them out, maybe they'd write you a brief letter outlining the problems - you could then bring this to the shop & see if they'd be willing to offer you any further discount...? admittedly, it's a bit of a long shot seeing as you bought it "as seen" & already at a substantial discount, but they might extend some offer as a goodwill gesture.

it's hard to believe that the shop would actually hire out one of their dresses, although the big stain at the back seems kind of inexplicable otherwise (i imagine nobody would be allowed near the dresses with food, or drinks other than bottled water). from my own experience, some of the dresses that are continued over several seasons do end up looking quite tatty as samples, and a lot of people would still wear even some makeup or tan in spite of the shop's requirements...

so maybe wait & see before getting too disappointed - it could be ok! x

I really hope you get this sorted - it's sounds a little strange

I was considering buying a sample dress and the bridal shop were sending it to be cleaned for me.
If when it came back it was clean and I didn't want it I had to pay but if I bought the dress the cleaning came off the price.
Also all repairs were included in the price - I can't believe the shop expected you to pay the extra 310euro and not have a gaurantee the dress would come up perfectly.

Is the dress white or an off white? I know that if there is a slight stain you may feel disappointed but tbh I have never seen a brides dress up close enough at any wedding to see any flaws, we all just look on from afar and gasp at the beauty

Let us know how the dress looks when you get it back

Sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time.
Maybe get the written opinions of a couple of drey cleaners - if they can state that the stains will not come out then you might be able to return it to the shop. They did tell you it would clean up ok. Having said that you did buy the dress knowing it was stained so you legally have no rights but the shop might be nice about it.

I've been to a number of shops and some of the samples are in bits - to be blunt! One place all the dresses were stained, one I tried on was ripped...so it does happen! Very few of the shops actually have a no tan/no make up policy.

I'm surprised though how much you paid for a sample dress? Over 1400????? I've never heard of them costing more than 800 or so. Was it an extremely expensive dress brand new?!

Thanks everyone

Sorry I didn't realise how long my post was! I'll keep my fingers crossed that the dress comes out okay. I've said they can take as long as they need to clean it. I wonder if you can get a dress cleaned twice (probably not I know)

Thanks again

kxxx

I agree with the other posters here that you should pass on your comments to the bridal shop, especially with regards to the stain. Sample dresses can be in a bit of a state alright but for there to be a stain seems a little out of the ordinary.

Like MLeFleuffe said though, I'm really surprised by how much you paid for your dress. The most I've seen for a sample dress was €900.

I hope it gets sorted out for you though and I'm sure the dry cleaner will be able to work wonders on it.

I bought a sample dress and it's spotless and didn't even need to be cleaned. I am shocked that a sample dress would have so many stains on it. maybe it was used for a fashion show or something that it got so damaged. I hope it allworks out for you and that the stains do come out but i would let the shop now that you aren't happy. If you don't complain or ask you won't get anywhere. Good luck with it all

I am surprised that the shop didn't have it cleaned and fixed for you. I thought that was the deal when you bought a sample dress. I did see a sample dress for €1400 but it was a designer one I think it was originally €3200, they did say it would be cleaned and fixed for me if I bought it as some of the lace on the straps was torn.

When you say the stain underneath will show when its hitched up, will the top layer of the dress not fall over it to cover it anyway?

Wait and see how it turns out after cleaning and go back to the bridal shop with it.

Thanks again everyone for your advice

I think the dress cost £1900 -£2300 (sterling) depending on which bridal store you went to (I phoned every stockist in the UK) and I bought it for £1150 (sterling). I didn’t think to ask them to clean it etc – I am so not savvy about anything. I was offered a sample dress by another store for £1800 (they said it was this much as they’d need to order a new one in) so I was happy to get the £1150 one but add on repairs and cleaning charge (plus petrol getting to places) and it hasn’t been worth it. The £1800 dress would’ve been pristine as the woman wore gloves etc and insisted on no makeup being worn when anyone tried it on.

The stain looks like someone has tried to clean it and has faded but is still there. I was so excited to get the dress idiot me got caught up. It wasn’t until I brought the dress home and my Mam was shocked at the state of it and thought it something was suspect. I insisted the shop assistants were dead on and everything was fine but since the dry cleaners have contacted me I think my Mam (as Mam’s usually are) was right.

Not sure what I’d say to the bridal shop now. I don’t want money back I’m just disappointed.

Thanks again.

Oh god. I thought I was bad. I bought a sample dress not that long ago and the stones all fell out when I got home. Naturally I was raging but like you I'm quite shy about bringing stuff like that up. I rang the designer and they are sending out replacement stones.
There was no staining on my dress at all. Does the bridal shop do hires of gowns?

I'm so sorry this is happening...........

Hi Redgp

Sorry to hear the stones on your dress fell off - was the designer easy to deal with?

My Mam called the shop today (I'm a grown up I know but a wuss all the same) and she told them about what the dry cleaner had said and about the stains on the dress. The shop assistant simply said "what did you expect it was a sample dress".

So that's me told then. Glad I spent £1,150 with them for the most important day of my life.

Aww well you live and learn.

In one shop I went to a few of the dresses were covered in fake tan and dirt on the hem etc. The girl in the shop explained to me that they had participated in a fashion show at the weekend and hadn't had time to clean them yet. So while the dresses weren't second hand they were filthy! Perhaps that's what happened to your dress?
I'd be the same, If there was a gaping hole in the dress I probably wouldn't say anything. Hate confrontation of any sort!
See how the dry cleaner gets on. If you're not happy perhaps take it back to the shop and ask them how they suggest you get it cleaner