Sample sale question

[newbie124]

I was recently at a Macy''s trunk show and I asked them about their upcoming sample sale. The saleswoman told me that she wouldn''t recommend sample sales for me b/c my size is too small and I''d probably spend almost as much on alterations as for a new dress.

According to her I would be a 2 or 4. Some of the dresses she had me try on were size 6, though, so I''m wondering if it''s often that samples come in smaller sizes and about how much it would cost to alter a dress down one or two sizes?

I know samples are often marked down 50-75%, which can be more than $1000 in savings. So even if alterations of a sample cost $500 to even $1000, I would think that you''d still be saving money in the long run b/c even new dresses usually have alteration costs involved.

Does anyone have any experience w/ this?

 

[Independent Gal]

Alterations don't cost more just because they are cutting more fabic out! At least, I've never heard of such a thing. However, I think you'd be looking at trouble if you got a dress that was a 10 or bigger just because it might be hard to keep the shape when you cut out that much, and you'd be wise to try to find a 6 if you can. I'm a 2ish in street clothes and a 6 in bridal gowns, and in my extensive sample searching (I'm a notorious cheapskate, and got my Steven Yearick for $800 and my Nicole Miller for $280) there were plenty of options. Check out bridepower.com for a start. They have a few 6's on there. And I went to the Filene's annual bridal gown sale and they had PLENTY of small sizes.

If you've got time, it is DEFINITELY worth looking around! Also, there are many shops that sell samples. Call consigners, e.g. They often have samples too.

Oh, and it's quite possible that a bridal 8 could easily be made to fit you as well. You just have to ask a seamstress about a specific gown before you buy it.

 

[newbie124]

Thanks for the tips! That''s really good to know that there are still sample options for me. I''m very adverse to the idea of spending thousands on a one-day dress as well, though I still want something nice looking. (Congrats on your finds, btw!)

The whole idea of sample sales really scares me. I''ve never been to one and all I can imagine are scenes of crazy girls rushing through the stores grabbing dresses, throwing them on, tossing them aside, grabbing more. >

That''s why I feel like my best strategy might be to shop around and find something specific then see if I can find it at a sale. Otherwise, I think I''d go nuts.

 

[sap483]

Newbie, I second Indy on checking out bridepower.com. They even have some gowns in a size 4. I know I saw a Melissa Sweet and a Reem Acra in a 4. If you''re in the New England area, you could go to their store in Newton, MA and see the dresses in person.

 

[MarksGirl]

Date: 1/8/2008 8:59:51 PM
Author: newbie124
Thanks for the tips! That''s really good to know that there are still sample options for me. I''m very adverse to the idea of spending thousands on a one-day dress as well, though I still want something nice looking. (Congrats on your finds, btw!)

The whole idea of sample sales really scares me. I''ve never been to one and all I can imagine are scenes of crazy girls rushing through the stores grabbing dresses, throwing them on, tossing them aside, grabbing more. >

That''s why I feel like my best strategy might be to shop around and find something specific then see if I can find it at a sale. Otherwise, I think I''d go nuts.

Newbie, I know exactly what you mean! I thought that sample sales would be crazy, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I went to the Macy''s sample sale in Chicago just over a month ago and it was wonderful! I made an appointment and I was able to shop around and grab all the dresses I was even slightly interested in (which was great for me because I love looking and making the choices instead of having dresses brought to me) . After that, I had my own consultant that was incredibly helpful and treated me like I was buying a "new" dress instead of a sample one. I got my dream Vera Wang dress there for $800 and I now I''m eligiblefor all of the sales Macy''s has in the future!

Hope that helps!

 

[Rachie]

Newbie ~ I am in the same boat as you. I will probably not be able to get a sample b/c I am too small. I have been to one sample sale at Macy's and all of the samples were a size ten and since they would have to bring it down to a size two, depending on the dress, it wouldn't end up looking right and would almost be a completely different dress. I would go with indy's suggestion and check on line or many girls on here and have had great experiences with Pearl's Place. Good luck and I hope you find a beautiful dress!

ETA: Oh, and the sample sale itself is not chaotic. I was assigned my own consultant and she went around the show room with me to pick out dresses and helped me out in the dressing room. It was the same as the regular appointments I have had at other places.

 

[lucy.lucy.80]

Alterations going down one or two sizes should not cost you more.....but if you are going from a size 8-10 to a 2 lets say, they will be more expensive because there is much more time needed to evenly alter the dress so the proprotions (sillouette) will remain as the original dress. This is especially true for styles with gathers at the side seams or a detail at the side seam because then it gets much more complicated (because in all likelihood that is where they will take it in).

Happy sample sale hunting

Hope you find the perfect dress!

 

[newbie124]

Thanks, everyone! Well, that's a relief to know that the Macy's sales at least aren't too crazy. Although, I wonder if people fight to get the first appointments so that they can get the best picks?

So...my other dilemma is that I didn't really love the saleswoman I was paired up with. She was one of the older women, which isn't necessarily bad, but I just didn't feel like I really connected with her. She had asked about our venue and size, but didn't ask anything about what styles I liked/didn't like (maybe it was b/c it was a trunk show and they had limited dresses to try on anyway? Although when I went to other shows before, the sales reps still asked what my style was).

B/c they wrote up a card for me with her name on it, is there still a graceful way to get paired up with another consultant?

MarksGirl, I'm in Chicago, too! Congrats on finding such a great deal I was actually afraid I had missed Macy's sample sale, but then found out they're having another one in March, so that's when I'm hoping to go. Do you happen to remember if you saw any size 6 or 8 samples when you went? (Btw, I really like your ring! We're planning to design my setting w/ a halo very similar to that. Would you be willing to share some more info about yours?)

 

[MarksGirl]

Date: 1/9/2008 10:42:14 AM
Author: newbie124
Thanks, everyone! Well, that''s a relief to know that the Macy''s sales at least aren''t too crazy. Although, I wonder if people fight to get the first appointments so that they can get the best picks?

So...my other dilemma is that I didn''t really love the saleswoman I was paired up with. She was one of the older women, which isn''t necessarily bad, but I just didn''t feel like I really connected with her. She had asked about our venue and size, but didn''t ask anything about what styles I liked/didn''t like (maybe it was b/c it was a trunk show and they had limited dresses to try on anyway? Although when I went to other shows before, the sales reps still asked what my style was).

B/c they wrote up a card for me with her name on it, is there still a graceful way to get paired up with another consultant?

MarksGirl, I''m in Chicago, too! Congrats on finding such a great deal I was actually afraid I had missed Macy''s sample sale, but then found out they''re having another one in March, so that''s when I''m hoping to go. Do you happen to remember if you saw any size 6 or 8 samples when you went? (Btw, I really like your ring! We''re planning to design my setting w/ a halo very similar to that. Would you be willing to share some more info about yours?)

I was actually a bit worried about many of the dresses being gone when I made my appointment... the earliest I could get was 5pm on Saturday when the sale started on Friday. But there were TONS of dresses when I went at 5 on Saturday, and I was VERY pleased!! And I was also very surprised at the great condition of many, not all, but many of the dresses. I can''t remember if there were any 6''s, but I do believe there were some sample size 8''s when I was there.

I really loved my consultant! Maybe when you make your appointment you could see if you could request her? Her name was Gwen and she was incredibly sweet and so thoughtful. I think I hugged her 4 or 5 times before I left (2 of those times while I was crying). And she stayed an hour late with me - I didn''t realize that they closed at 6 on Saturday, so at 6:45 my mom and I finally realized that they had closed over an hour ago! (I just didn''t want to get out of my dress or stop looking in the mirror!) Gwen didn''t rush me and seemed genuinely happy to me and didn''t even mention their closing time! Plus, she''s really hands-off (which I like, and sounds like you like too) and you''ll be able to pull all of the dresses you want to try on.

Thanks so much for the compliment on my ring!

I''d love to help you however I can with your setting. My fiance got mine custom designed and made at Steve Quick Jewler on Clark Street. It is such a nice store and my fiance said working with the owner, Steve, was a really good experience. He''ll even work with stones that you bring in, so there''s no obligation to buy one of his which we really liked too. Here''s the link to my LIW posting: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/lurker-no-more-and-let-me-introduce-myself.71085/

Please let me know if you have any other questions!!

 

[newbie124]

Thanks for the info, MarksGirl!

I''m definitely going to request if I can get your consultant when I make my appointment. She sounds like just the kind of person I''m looking for! I think it will also help my case if I say that I have a specific person in mind b/c someone recommended them than just to say, I didn''t like my original sales rep, can you pair me up with another? (I just called the salon and they told me that they aren''t taking appointments for the sale until early February, but I will be sure to ask for Gwen when I call back).

That''s so funny that your ring is from Steve Quick. I actually got the hankering for a cushion halo after trying on one of their settings! I wonder if your design was partially based on the one I tried on When we first started looking at stones, I really loved the cushion cuts, and I wanted to stay away from rounds b/c almost EVERYONE has a round. But then I saw this setting and thought it was cool that the halo made the stone look like it was a cushion, but you get all the advantages of a round cut (more brilliancy, grading standards, etc.), so it offered the best of both worlds

I think we are going to get our setting custom made at one of the places on Jeweler''s Row mostly b/c I went to one of the stores w/ a friend to get his ring and they had great customer service and I''ve been talking to the guys there ever since. But we had good experiences at Steve Quick the couple of times we''ve been in there. You''re fiance definitely did a good job designing your ring on his own I''m so picky that my BF is now pretty much "forcing" me be involved in the process so he doesn''t feel intimidated by not getting exactly what I want