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Original poster

Prom Dress Disaster

311 replies

Promdisaster · 08/07/2022 09:27

Sorry, this might be long as to not drip feed. Apologies but could really do with some advice.

Ordered a prom dress for my daughter. Paid around one third deposit. Dress arrived in the shop the week before prom date. Went to try on and collect, but dress was too big. Seamstress made some alterations and said it would be done in time, they were working through alterations in order of prom date and to keep an eye out for an email.

Around lunchtime the day before prom, I got a text from the prom shop saying they were delivering the dresses and asking what was the latest time they could deliver that night or from what time the next morning, so I said up to 10.30pm and from 6.30am next morning.

Got a text early the next morning saying the seamstress had collapsed overnight and gone into hospital and they were trying to find another seamstress but not to worry, the dress would be there ASAP.

I told them I needed the dress by 4pm latest as daughter was having friends round to get ready/photos, then being picked up by another mum to go to a pre prom party/photos before leaving at 6pm to go to the prom.

Eventually, after a couple of messages and a phone call, the prom lady turns up with dress at 5pm. She asked my daughter to try the dress on to make sure it fitted. I was more worried that the dress would be too small now that it had been altered, so when she got it on and it wasn't too small I said it was fine and I could tighten it in with the corset . We were so relieved she had a dress. At that moment the other mum turned up to take them to the preprom party so the prom lady left.

The mum at the preprom party messaged and said the dress was too big and she had tried to pin it in but the dress was still gaping round the chest area and too big round the waist. My daughter spent the whole night miserable in a dress that was too big and is sad when she sees all the photos of the girls looking beautiful in their lovely prom dresses. My daughter is not a promzilla is is the sweetest laid back girl.

I have now had a phone message and an email asking for the balance. I really feel that I dont want to pay for a dress that doesn't fit and ruined my daughter's evening. I want to give the dress back so they can resell it.

IABU - yes the dress was worn
IANBU - it wasn't my fault, the dress didn't fit.

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 08/07/2022 10:57

Promdisaster · 08/07/2022 10:52

@toomuchlaundry
What other choice did we have at that point?

You didn’t abd that’s kind of the point
when DD had her Prom Dress altered the shop insisted we get it back at least 4 days before Prom in case it wasn’t right. Giving it to you with only hours to spare was ridiculous on their part

RJnomore1 · 08/07/2022 10:57

In that case I’d absolutely go and talk to them about it.

balalake · 08/07/2022 10:55

See if they will take it back and reduce the amount you have to pay.

Perhaps then any money you get back donate to charity, such as the local food bank.

Mally100 · 08/07/2022 10:54

But they asked you to make sure it fit. Sorry but it's at this point you had recourse. You said it was fine, wore the dress and then found it wasn't. It's not their problem as they confirmed with you. I guess you could express your upset but I'm not sure you have any leg to stand on.

Zilla1 · 08/07/2022 10:52

Don't offer any solution like return of dress that will fix loss of deposit of 1/3 price for something unsatisfactory that 'ruined the day'. Rather reply about unhappiness and see what they offer. For those without imagination, perhaps substitute prom dress for wedding dress and add in emotions of a 16? year old.

Original poster
Promdisaster · 08/07/2022 10:52

@toomuchlaundry
What other choice did we have at that point?

OP posts:
Dixiechickonhols · 08/07/2022 10:52

Your poor DD. I’d decide what outcome you want and send a factual email explaining situation and what you want. Having alterations so close was always going to be a risky, the shop should have done them in advance. My DD’s dress was altered and still too big so was taken in again. We got it back Monday for prom Thursday and I thought that was tight.

toomuchlaundry · 08/07/2022 10:51

But @Rosehugger she tried it on in front of the person dropping it off and said it was fine and then wore it for the evening.

BenCoopersSupportWren · 08/07/2022 10:49

MzHz · 08/07/2022 09:58

Prom being an event you’re supposed to remember for the rest of your life!?

like it’s important? Like it matters? Oh come on! It’s JUST an end of school party! Wtaf have we done to our kids in allowing ourselves to get swept up in a load of American bullshit!

pre-pre prom party photos, pre-prom party, prom, after prom, hundreds spent on dresses, limos, hair, makeup, tans, nails, shoes….

this is totally out of control and another totally pointless Hallmark industry being created for no reason other than people to take our money.

I'm 50-mumble and I still remember the end of 6th form beach BBQ my year had with fond memories, it was a great fun relaxed day and the last time we were all together before we went our separate ways to uni, work etc. It was a time to look back at the highs and lows of school and to look forward with our whole future ahead of us, a day to pledge friendships (even if some didn't last) and to mark the end of something and the beginning of another phase of our lives. Why wouldn't you remember it?

I'm sorry your daughter wasn't able to enjoy her prom without some discomfort, OP. I agree with the PP who suggested this:

In the email I would state the following facts:

The dress was delivered late so you didn’t have time to do a proper fitting before the seamstress left

The dress didn’t fit properly and your daughter didn’t enjoy her night as a result

You understand there was a problem with the seamstress but they assured you it would be fine

BreakfastClub80 · 08/07/2022 10:48

I really feel for your daughter and I wouldn’t pay for this service unless absolutely forced to do so. There are some good pro for a complaints letters online which might help you but I’d want to turn it around and ask how they are going to compensate you for the poor service, stress and disappointment. The very least would be to waive the balance. I would point out that you accepted the dress under duress, the situation wasn’t conducive to any other outcome, and unfortunately they took a chance and it didn’t work out. The dress didn’t fit.

Mostly,I’d want to at least say my piece, even if the outcome doesn’t go your way!

Original poster
Promdisaster · 08/07/2022 10:46

@RJnomore1
DD gets weighed every 3 months at the hospital and is the same weight. I was worried she would be putting weight on but she didn't and she's definitely not smaller.

OP posts:
Rosehugger · 08/07/2022 10:45

Delivering a dress ONE HOUR before an event where the customer has no alternative to accept and wear the dress, in whatever state, is not sufficient time for the seamstress to argue that they have accepted the dress as satisfactory. If they''d had it two weeks before then fine.

If you buy something in a shop and discover it's faulty when you get home it doesn't stop you taking it back and getting it repaired/exchanged/refunded because you "accepted it as fine in the shop."

If you have something delivered to home you don't have to examine it on the doorstep and then are not able to return it because "you accepted it as fine on the doorstep."

Seriously, know your consumer rights, people.

queenie2016 · 08/07/2022 10:45

I'd email putting across everything that was wrong like you have on here say your completely not happy with the service and with it being rushed you didn't have time to do anything else on the night it was west that dress or nothing and see what they come back with but I would not be paying on full for it!

whowhatwerewhy · 08/07/2022 10:44

Forestgate · 08/07/2022 10:04

Dear seamstress

Whilst I appreciate you endeavoured to deliver the dress on time we received it way after the originally agreed date and after the latest possible time I had specified.

As you had repeatedly promised to provide it before that time we had no further outfit arranged and were put under an inordinate amount of pressure to make a hasty decision without adequate time to check the fit (you kept emphasises you needed to leave- we did not even have time to do up the corset before you had to go to your next delivery!).

Unfortunately it transpired that the dress did not fir adequately leaving my daughter feeling exposed and having to hold it closed at the chest.

I am therefore not prepared to pay anything further as the work was not completed adequately or in a timely manner. In fact your delays led to an inordinate amount of stress and anxiety.

I am however happy to return the dress.

Best

OP

This

Original poster
Promdisaster · 08/07/2022 10:44

@StoppinBy
It wasn't the seamstress that delivered but the prom shop owner or assistant. My point is that I didn't have time to do up the corset properly in front of her as there were people turning up at the door and she was saying how late she was with delivering another dress. If she had arrived earlier as asked and promised there would have been time for my DD to try her dress on properly.

OP posts:
Smokealarmwakeup · 08/07/2022 10:43

MzHz · 08/07/2022 09:58

Prom being an event you’re supposed to remember for the rest of your life!?

like it’s important? Like it matters? Oh come on! It’s JUST an end of school party! Wtaf have we done to our kids in allowing ourselves to get swept up in a load of American bullshit!

pre-pre prom party photos, pre-prom party, prom, after prom, hundreds spent on dresses, limos, hair, makeup, tans, nails, shoes….

this is totally out of control and another totally pointless Hallmark industry being created for no reason other than people to take our money.

Does this also apply to people that have birthday parties, weddings, christenings, Christmas dinner, funerals?

or just the parties that celebrate what is likely to be their biggest achievement to date (their GCSEs finishing)

diddl · 08/07/2022 10:41

Sounds very shoddy service.

With it only being ready a week before it was leaving it very tight to get alterations done I would have thought.

Delivering on the day with no chance to alter if not right-ridiculous!

Had it even been altered from the first time it was tried on?

sunglassesonthetable · 08/07/2022 10:41

They fucked up getting a dress to you with a 'corset' ( time consuming) an hour late.

And then needing to dash off to another customer.

Sorry it's crap.

sunglassesonthetable · 08/07/2022 10:38

I don't understand why she was "miserable" because of a slightly too big dress.

Seriously. 🙄There's always one.

StoppinBy · 08/07/2022 10:38

You accepted the dress as 'fine' based on being able to tighten it up with the corset.

I 100% think that at this point, if the seamstress had not been stressed and late then she herself would have insisted on seeing to it that the corset did indeed do up tight enough to take up the slack.

The only think I think you did wrong was to not call them immediately on the night and say there was an issue and what did they suggest.

The seamstress delivering had an obligation in my mind to check the dress but because of how tight their schedule was did not give themselves enough time to do so.

I do like to think they are telling the truth about the unwell seamstress and sympathise but they still should have delivered the dress as measured.

Hoppinggreen · 08/07/2022 10:36

midairchallenger · 08/07/2022 09:38

I don't understand why she was "miserable" because of a slightly too big dress.

Have you met any teenage girls?

RJnomore1 · 08/07/2022 10:36

Bearing in mind obviously your daughters weigh is fluctuating with the medication then are you absolutely sure the dress wasn’t taken in to her size a week before?

Its a real shame she’s not been comfy in it on the night.

Smokealarmwakeup · 08/07/2022 10:34

midairchallenger · 08/07/2022 09:38

I don't understand why she was "miserable" because of a slightly too big dress.

Because she will have felt self conscious, like most people feel when they aren’t happy with their appearance. She will have also felt disappointed because she was looking forward to it and it didn’t go to plan. All of these emotions are acceptable, I would feel the same as an adult, I imaging a teenager going through a big change in life would feel it more intensely.

redtshirt50 · 08/07/2022 10:34

Imagine if this was your wedding day and your wedding dress - then you might be more understanding of why this is an issue!

listsandbudgets · 08/07/2022 10:34

OP I really sympathise and I'm sorry your DD felt so self conscious all evening.

DD's prom dress was a bit crumpled so we took it to be professionally steamed... picked it up the day before the prom and they had burnt it right in the middle of the chest! Not possible to wear it - far too obvious. They offered to dry clean it to try to get it out but we'd not have been able to pick up until the day after prom.

Finally went shopping and managed to get something pretty. Not exactly what she had envisaged though. I just gritted my teeth and was grateful I had some savings. I think lady in shop felt sorry for her - sobbing teen on day of prom itself - because she told us it was end of line and applied a huge discount thank goodness. She also produced a very pretty hair clip and threw it in.

Now in massive argument with ironing shop which is likely to end up in small courts claim.. Prom seems to be so important and the dress even more so Grin