The Sewing Place

The Emporia => A bit of a 'do' => Topic started by: Sandra on December 28, 2017, 12:41:28 PM

Title: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Sandra on December 28, 2017, 12:41:28 PM
I ordered it from China!  :S :fish: :fish:

What could possibly go wrong?  0_0

About a month ago, my daughter was browsing dresses online and found one she liked...really liked.
The image on the website showed a lovely off-the-shoulder, A-line dress with elbow length sleeves....it really did look very, very nice indeed, and I could imagine it suiting her...so we ordered it. :fish: ( I know! I should know better  :fish:)

I searched online first for reviews about the company involved and was surprised to see people were either very happy with their dresses or absolutely disgusted...there weren't many inbetween...but of course, you never know whether they're real reviews or fake...so we nervously waited for the dress to arrive.

It is here!
Arrived this morning exactly when they said to expect it. My daughter is happy with it and I'm happy with how it's made.

I was never worried about the fit of the dress. My daughter's a funny size...( aren't we all?  :))..and I know I can alter it and tweak it to fit. My only concern was if it was inferior, rubbish, cheap, tatty fabrics...and it's not.

Here's a sneaky look at the back...she'll be annoyed if she finds out I've put her on here.


(https://i.imgur.com/STPluGMl.jpg)


As it is at the moment...I need to widen the sleeves...change the huge bust cups for some which are my daughters size...and shorten it, probably removing the train...(The seam at the waistline is tight too and I know the back's ruckled...I can sort it closer to the event)

All doable...but the Prom isn't until June, so I'm not going to worry about any of it yet.

It could have been a disaster, but we're happy with this....no problems for us.

Sandra.
xxx


Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Vegegrow on December 28, 2017, 13:36:16 PM
That's brave Sandra.. I've seen the insides of some dresses made in China and they can be unusual to say the least. Love the colour and Pretty Lace of your DD's dress and look forward to seeing the front view when she's off to the Prom
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Francesca on December 28, 2017, 15:46:38 PM
Gorgeous! I still have my Leaver's Ball hanging in the cupboard at my Mum's house but no idea what to do with it.
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Bodgeitandscarper on December 28, 2017, 15:54:28 PM
Looks good, love the colour  :)
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Sandra on December 28, 2017, 16:16:23 PM
That's brave Sandra..

Yes...'Brave'... or it could have turned out that I was an utter idiot.  :| (In which case, I may have been too ashamed to admit to my stupidity.)

I know what you mean...I've altered some really roughly and shoddily made garments in the past which were 'bought online'. I hoped this wasn't going to be like one of those.
I altered one just before Christmas which had been bought online. A strapless, sequinned evening dress which had no support, no boning, no interfacing/interlining...it was simply a tube of stretch lined fabric in a dress shape. I did what I could to get it to hold up better.

This one we've got is nicely finished off with decent lining and it's boned properly.

It's made me wonder about some of the reviews. Some said their dress was nothing like the picture, and others were delighted with theirs. Ours is just as we'd hoped and just like the picture.
Perhaps it depends which design you want and where exactly it's made. I suppose some orders might be completed in other factories and some are much better than others...?

Sandra.
xxx
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: UttaRetch on December 28, 2017, 20:39:17 PM
You were one of the lucky ones as it's very much a lottery as to what you get when ordering from some Chinese vendors. The good thing is that you are able to deal with the necessary adjustments.
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Bowerbird on December 28, 2017, 22:51:33 PM
I love the colour, and will just have to wait to see the front. Glad everyone is happy with it, and how eminently sensible to buy it well in advance and not be caught out by a potential last minute disaster.

I think the secret to buying from China is to give oneself plenty of time, and always be prepared for a dud. I bought  what looked to be a pale beige bedspread, it turned out to be a very pale lemon. Not quite what I had in mind.
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Missie on December 29, 2017, 09:21:14 AM
My friend ordered her wedding dress from China and is was well made, although not enough boning in it and what there was was very narrow.  Had to do a few minor alterations but it was fine.  Your daughter's dress looks lovely.
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Sandra on December 29, 2017, 09:58:52 AM
Here's a picture of the front. I've cropped it to lose my daughters unfortunate expression  :S ....I caught her on camera pulling a really odd face.

(https://i.imgur.com/Sh1wwBul.jpg)


I overheard her telling her friend about the dress, saying it's got massive 'tit pads' in it  >< 0_0 She doesn't fill it at all...bless.

I'm a bit sorry she doesn't want the train on it. I quite like it but she say's it's a bit 'extra' and she doesn't do 'extra'...the bottom of the dress has lace motifs all around, so that'll be fun  :\

Sandra.
xxx
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Samantha on December 29, 2017, 10:02:02 AM
My sister has ordered 2 wedding dresses from China (she's been married twice) one was massive and the other was nothing like the picture. You were lucky!
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Sandra on June 28, 2018, 22:31:57 PM
Tonight is Prom night.  :)

Took a few pictures in the back garden but none of them were very good. This is one of the better ones. I suppose she'll have had several taken this evening with her friends. I thought I ought to show you what she looks like.

(https://i.imgur.com/pVXyKCDl.jpg)

 
Hairdresser this afternoon told her they 'don't do Prom hair' and they 'don't do curls' like the one in the picture she showed to them, so she (grumpily) came home, washed it, I dried it as straight as I could (it's very curly naturally), then loosely curled it for her.
(The same hairdressers last week told her to bring in a picture to show the sort of thing she'd like them to do for her prom hair.  ><)

The hair and jewellery gave her a 'vintage' look and I wished the dress had been a vintage style....she left the house feeling happy and confident...and looking quite glamorous.
She'll probably return looking hot, bothered, with sore feet and with rips in the dress.  0_0

Sandra.
xxx
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Acorn on June 28, 2018, 22:49:40 PM
She looks wonderful - and so does the dress.   0_0
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: PollyWally on June 28, 2018, 23:43:42 PM
She looks lovely, very sophisticated. I hope she has a great time after all the preparations and exam stress.
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Iminei on June 29, 2018, 07:57:37 AM
She has a bit of the Kate Bush about her if you dont mind me saying ... and I do mean that as a big compliment ...
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: maliw on June 29, 2018, 08:20:27 AM
Lovely, I hope all went well and the dress looks great especially after all the horror stories that we read.
DD ordered her wedding dress online, it came from China but via a company in the UK ( I suppose they 'vet' them) and it was lovely, great value for what she paid for it. When she told me what she had done (she didn't mention the UK company) I was horrified.
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Sandra on June 29, 2018, 08:28:41 AM
She has a bit of the Kate Bush about her if you dont mind me saying ... and I do mean that as a big compliment ...

Oooooh!  I'll tell her you said that. She'll be delighted. We both love Kate Bush.  <3

She (my daughter) scrubs up really well and looks fabulous in full make up. She seems to have a vintage vibe to her look, without trying.

DD ordered her wedding dress online, it came from China but via a company in the UK ( I suppose they 'vet' them) and it was lovely, great value for what she paid for it. When she told me what she had done (she didn't mention the UK company) I was horrified.

It's hit and miss and a bit of a gamble, but when they're badly made, they seem to be really, really bad.

Sandra.
xxx
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: b15erk on June 29, 2018, 08:54:39 AM
Sandra, your daughter looks beautiful!  I agree completely with the Kate Bush comment - she's gorgeous!

Jessie
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Bodgeitandscarper on June 29, 2018, 11:37:09 AM
She does look lovely, that dress is a complete success  0_0
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Nevis5 on June 29, 2018, 11:43:30 AM
Your daughter looks amazing!  Hope she had a wonderful time.
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Catllar on June 30, 2018, 14:07:04 PM
Hairdresser doesn't "do" prom hair or curls?? - what do they do then? Short back and sides or a nice perm???  She looks lovely and just think how you can repurpose all that fabric into a simpler dress for her!
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: sewingj on June 30, 2018, 14:26:26 PM
She looks lovely.  She is a similar shape to my daughter and it was really difficult finding her a prom dress - then a university ball dress - and finally, a wedding dress!  You`ve done really well

Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Fabric Lover on June 30, 2018, 22:16:20 PM
Your daughter looks stunning! Hair and dress a true success.  Hope she had a wonderful evening.
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Sandra on July 01, 2018, 08:08:32 AM
I've told her of your lovely comments. She's been smiling and said how nice all the ladies are on The Sewing Place.  :)  She's a heavier girl than she ought to be so she doesn't always feel she looks very good...your comments have given her a boost.

I asked her if she enjoyed the evening.....she said it was...'alright'.  :\
I'm so glad we didn't spend any more money than we did on her.

Daughter told me that one girl had been banned from attending the prom due to her being temporarily excluded from school in the previous few months...( in fact, several kids weren't allowed to attend due to exclusions)...however, this particular girl bought the dress, make up, hair etc and turned up at the venue so she could have her pictures taken outside.  :o  Then she went home.

Sandra.
xxx
Title: Re: My Daughter's Prom Dress.
Post by: Greybird on July 01, 2018, 09:47:15 AM
Just catching up with this. I think she looks lovely too (hair and dress!). The dress is a similar style to the one I made my daughter for her college ball, but hers was black. She was a size 18 at the time - down to a 10-12 now - but she still kept the dress up until a couple of years ago because she loved it.