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Original poster

Price of custom made dresses

20 replies

Tootytata · 30/06/2019 18:52

I am attending a family wedding soon and need to find a nice dress. Ideally empire line cut to hide my post pregnancy middle and some sort of sleeves (cap, short or even long).

I really like a dress I've seen on one of those Chinese wedding dress sites. The cost of the dress is £140 plus shipping cost of about £18. I got a quote from a local (I'm in the UK - north) dressmaker and she quoted £650 plus the cost of material to make the dress! Shock The dress is a long chiffon dress with lace shoulder covering.

Is this price standard for a custom made dress in the UK?! Because of the price difference, I may chance it with the online company.

OP posts:
DeadDoorpost · 30/06/2019 18:55

I chanced online and it was beautiful. Really good quality and made the alterations I requested as well (sleeves added etc)

orangeshoebox · 30/06/2019 18:56

wage + tools + threads

650 is about 2 weeks minimum wage.

no idea how long it takes to sow and fit, but doesn't seem awfully steep tbh.

norrismcwhirtersfridgemagnet · 30/06/2019 18:57

I don't know where you live but Fonthill Rd market in North London is full of shops selling this sort of thing and I'm pretty sure you could get one made to order at a much better price than that.

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Original poster
Tootytata · 30/06/2019 18:57

Deaddoorpost - can I ask where you bought your dress from?

OP posts:
ALemonyPea · 30/06/2019 18:58

My sister bought her wedding dress from one of the Chinese sites. The photo showed it all hand beaded, it arrived with just sequins on it instead and needed altering, but she was happy with it otherwise.

There are loads of horror stories, the FB group knockoff nightmares is funny to read at times. If you want to chance it, go for it.

Do you have a link?

IhaveALooBrush · 30/06/2019 19:00

It depends.
It depends on whether you have found a commercial pattern for the dressmaker to adapt, which means it would take less time and therefore money to construct.
Drafting a pattern from scratch is time consuming. If your dressmaker is charging £10 an hour that's 65 hours. Roughly a week and a half? That would include drafting a pattern, cutting out a toilet, fitting and then making the actual dress.
I would have a search of jaycotts and look for a commercial pattern and approach a dressmaker with that and suggest any changes such as sleeve length. That will make it cheaper.

Either that or your dressmaker reeeeally didn't want the job...

haggistramp · 30/06/2019 19:06

My friend and all her bridesmaids got their dresses off light in the box. They were all beautiful dresses and made to measure. Think the dearest was 180 for the wedding dress and you wouldn't know it didn't cost 2k+

Original poster
Tootytata · 30/06/2019 19:50

Not sure how to do links but here's a photo

Price of custom made dresses
OP posts:
Original poster
Tootytata · 30/06/2019 19:53

I thought the cost would be about £300 which I'd be prepared to pay for a custom made dress but £650 plus cost of materials is too much.

I'm not a dressmaker so I have no idea how much time and effort it takes to make a dress like that.

OP posts:
DoraNora · 30/06/2019 20:03

OP, ASOS have lots of dresses like that.

It's really lovely.

Original poster
Tootytata · 30/06/2019 20:08

Doranora - Thanks for your reply Smile I'm a weird shape after pregnancy so the standard sizes don't really fit me that well. My bust is a size 16 but my waist is probably a size 20!

OP posts:
Original poster
Tootytata · 30/06/2019 20:09

I'm trying to do something about my chunky middle!

OP posts:
DeadDoorpost · 30/06/2019 20:30

@Tootytata I got mine from aislestyle but they're no longer live. I think there's a sister site... I'll double check

DeadDoorpost · 30/06/2019 20:33

No, can't find it and don't want to link to another in case. Have you looked at millybridal.org? They could be good, my be worth having a look at

ALemonyPea · 30/06/2019 21:13

Looks lovely, but you run the risk of the top lace not being like the picture, and the ruffle bit down the front not being as ruffled or ruffled too much.

WombatStewForTea · 30/06/2019 21:14

OP I've had a dress from JJs house before as a bridesmaid dress for a wedding. Mine wasn't made to measure but it was actually really good quality and I'd buy from there again

hidinginthenightgarden · 30/06/2019 21:16

I have a dress very similar from that company hanging in my wardrobe. It is a bridesmaids dress for my friends wedding. Very good quality.

CherryPavlova · 30/06/2019 21:20

Needle and thread do very pretty dresses. Cheaper than having it made and you could get it altered.

BlamesFartsOnTheNeighbour · 30/06/2019 21:22

I got my wedding dress custom made from Dig for Victory in Brighton and it was just over two hundred quid including a personalised fitting.

BlamesFartsOnTheNeighbour · 30/06/2019 21:24

I also happen to think there's an ethical issue with buying from Chinese websites. I dread to think what conditions the dresses are made in.

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