To ask where to buy a prom dress in London?

[brodybear]

Any advice on where to look for a prom/formal dress for DD that doesn't cost £500

People have said I am being rude, and I really don't mean to, but this is an good example of why I am coming across so. I am asking about shops in London. Not opinions on where I should buy. I'm sorry to keep saying it, but it's really wasting my thread now.

I'm not being rude it is bloody bonkers to trek all the way to London to purchase a dress which can be brought from any large city. You said you live in NE Scotland, It will likely cost you £100's of pounds to go back and forth for fittings.

Sorry if people like myself were just trying to point out that practically it makes no sense at all. I would love to be able to help you but given that you don't know what style you would like and that you wont consider chain stores or a set location I'm not sure how anyone can help you with what you have asked.

I'm not being rude it is bloody bonkers to trek all the way to London to purchase a dress which can be brought from any large city

Perhaps I'm not that bonkers and an not trekking all the way to London just to buy a dress?

You said you live in NE Scotland,

I do.

It will likely cost you £100's of pounds to go back and forth for fittings.

I am aware of the travel cost to London.

Sorry if people like myself were just trying to point out that practically it makes no sense at all.

It makes no sense to you because you think I am literally going to go to London to buy a dress. The idea that perhaps I may travel regularly to London anyway is beyond you is it?

I would love to be able to help you but given that you don't know what style you would like and that you wont consider chain stores or a set location I'm not sure how anyone can help you with what you have asked.

Well some people have managed to make suggestions without questioning me.

Definitely take a look at fonthill road. We bought DDs for £120 from fonthill road and most of her mates also bought theirs from there. There's lots of little shops, some more expensive than others but many have sales on.

Has it occured to you that we asked these questions because as a first time prom dress buyer we wondered if you did not realise that you have to order into the shop and go back for a couple of fittings then again to collect. even if you choose to have your own dressmaker do the alterations there is a minimum of two visits.

Now it may be that your daughter has to visit London anyway on a regular basis for whatever reason in the same way as my daughter was visiting Birmingham once a month for hospital appointments.

Most people would have replied, thanks for the heads up but its OK we are able to visit London regularly for fittings/collection/etc not gone off on one to poepl only trying to help.

It makes no sense to you because you think I am literally going to go to London to buy a dress. The idea that perhaps I may travel regularly to London anyway is beyond you is it?

Yes it is clearly beyond me. If you travel to London then surely you will have an area in mind for where you want to go and visit. Just giving London as a location is futile you could spend the whole day going from one shop to another because they are miles apart. It would be more practical to narrow it down to one location. I don't see why you think myself and others are being so unreasonable there is literally nothing in London that you could not get elsewhere.

If you want the experience of going shopping in London that's fine but its not just going to be a one day thing, dresses need altering and some stores will need you to book appointments, how is it unreasonable to point out the oddness of your plan?

What's your AIBU?

just for the record Yabu.

If you travel to London then surely you will have an area in mind for where you want to go and visit.

No, I'm looking for advice on shops. I was thinking once I had some suggestions I would put together a plan of which to bust and when.

Just giving London as a location is futile you could spend the whole day going from one shop to another because they are miles apart.

That's why I was asking for advice. So we could work that all out beforehand.

It would be more practical to narrow it down to one location.

Indeed. I am asking for advice about shops in London. Once I have advice I will narrow it down. It makes no difference to me where it is, hence asking about shops rather than areas.

Has it occured to you that we asked these questions because as a first time prom dress buyer we wondered if you did not realise that you have to order into the shop and go back for a couple of fittings then again to collect. even if you choose to have your own dressmaker do the alterations there is a minimum of two visits.

Not really. I just saw people questioning my post rather than making any suggestions.

Now it may be that your daughter has to visit London anyway on a regular basis for whatever reason in the same way as my daughter was visiting Birmingham once a month for hospital appointments.

It isn't. She doesn't have to go to London regularly, but she can. I'm not sure why that makes a difference though. I already know she can go.

Most people would have replied, thanks for the heads up but its OK we are able to visit London regularly for fittings/collection/etc not gone off on one to poepl only trying to help.

I genuinely didn't think I would need to explain myself when asking about shops. It's a bit overkill tbh. I'm not most people I guess. I usually get things wrong though so this is just another 'didn't do it like most people would' occasion.

I ask about shops. People throw in suggestions. I look further into things using suggestions, google and work out a plan. That's all i thought of when I posted.

I would probably trawl the Oxford Street Department Stores - Debenhams, John Lewis, Selfridges etc. and bridal shops.

Or try Lakeside or Bluewater.

I would probably trawl the Oxford Street Department Stores - Debenhams, John Lewis, Selfridges

See that would have been my suggestion but the OP says she does not want suggestions of 'chain' stores.

Sorry - just seen you wanted to avoid the chains.

See that would have been my suggestion but the OP says she does not want suggestions of 'chain' stores.

That's not a bad thing though, you say that as if it's wrong to want to take DD to somewhere other than a chain.

you say that as if it's wrong to want to take DD to somewhere other than a chain.

Of course it is not wrong, it just makes shopping that much more difficult if you are discounting all big chains without knowing what dresses they sell. An independent shop is no better or worse than a chain but a by visiting several chains you are

A) Much more likely to have a wider assortment of styles and designs.
B) Be able to visit a larger amount of store in a smaller area.
C) Find a greater number of dresses for your price point.

Have no advice re. shops but I can understand your frustration about some of the replies you have received.

The op. has asked for advice about shops in London where she could purchase a prom dress. People have given advice on things the Op. hasn't asked for and when the Op. has defended her decision to shop in London then she is being accused of being rude. Bizarre!

Why London when she lives in Scotland is irrelevant.
Telling the Op. that her daughter may have to go back and forth a few times for fittings is irrelevant. She didn't ask that!
The cost of travel from Scotland to London is irrelevant. She didn't ask that!

Op. just asked for names of shops and where in London they are, nothing else.

Of course it is not wrong, it just makes shopping that much more difficult if you are discounting all big chains without knowing what dresses they sell

The assumption here that we haven't already checked out the chains is the only thing that is wrong.

Seriously, I asked about London shops that are not chains because that's what I want advice about

The independent shops all tend to sell the same dresses by a selection of the same designers anyway so nothing is exclusive.

The supposed advantage of an independent (or so they try and tell you) is that they try and put a system in place whereby no child is sold the same dress as another from their school. However it only takes one shop to buck the system for that not to work.

Also the chain store dresses tend to have a bit of give in them and the fit isn't exact. Dresses from the independents are fitted exactly to your body (depending on the skill of the dressmaker doing the alterations) so they supposedly fit better.

Chain store dresses tend to start at around £40-60 and can go up to about £500 plus

Independents tend to start at around £180 and go up to £1,000

I think if you ask something in AIBU replies will generally tell you if they think what you are doing is unreasonable or not. That is just the nature of this forum. You might get more advice appropriate on what you want to receive if you post elsewhere e.g. the London forum.

www.londonpromsguide.co.uk/evening-wear-girls/

This might help

The independent shops all tend to sell the same dresses by a selection of the same designers anyway so nothing is exclusive.

That's ok.

The supposed advantage of an independent (or so they try and tell you) is that they try and put a system in place whereby no child is sold the same dress as another from their school. However it only takes one shop to buck the system for that not to work.

That's not an issue for us.

Also the chain store dresses tend to have a bit of give in them and the fit isn't exact. Dresses from the independents are fitted exactly to your body (depending on the skill of the dressmaker doing the alterations) so they supposedly fit better.

We have already looked at chains. Now looking for something else. You know, options.

Chain store dresses tend to start at around £40-60 and can go up to about £500 plus

Independents tend to start at around £180 and go up to £1,000

I wasn't asking for the chain V independent

This is why I'm frustrated. I literally asked about independent shops in London as an OPTION. Not as a 'must buy from'

I think if you ask something in AIBU replies will generally tell you if they think what you are doing is unreasonable or not. That is just the nature of this forum. You might get more advice appropriate on what you want to receive if you post elsewhere e.g. the London forum.

Indeed that was my mistake. I almost posted in style but used AIBU for traffic. Guess I got what I deserve

Have a look on eBay and you will find the mist amazing dresses only worn once. Friends daughter got most exquisite long dress from Needle and Thread for 50.00 and her best friend a Marc Jacobs for 80.00.

Good lord, what a bad-tempered thread! The OP asked where she might find prom dresses in London and all she's got is a load of grilling about why it has to be London! Reminds me of the old Harry Enfield character "oooh you don't wanna do it like that"!
OP, Fonthill Road which is very close to Finsbury Park tube is packed with independent shops selling glitzy and fancy eveningwear. You have to be a little bit confident to go in and have them "sell" to you (it's not the sort of place that you can just go and pick something up off the rail and try it on) but if you want a long and fancy evening dress, you'll find stuff there at a variety of prices that you won't find anywhere else. I'm not sure about the fitting situation but surely you could buy a standard size and have it taken in by dressmaker closer to home?
Don't also discount John Lewis and Selfridges as they have a very wide variety of independent brands within their collections, stuff that you might not find apart from in small boutiques elsewhere. There's also a largish section of clothes by up and coming young designers downstairs in the big TopShop at Oxford Circus.
Those four places would be my first stops (and I live in London).

The assumption here that we haven't already checked out the chains is the only thing that is wrong.

Chains in London will have a MUCH better range than the chains local to you.

But hey, feel free to discount the above in as rude a manner as you want.

I have you shit loads of sugggestions, which you've ignored:

I would suggest any of the more multi cutural areas - actually there are a number of nice dress shops in Croydon - and Gravesend (way outside London but if you are coming in from the South .... ) Lakeside and Bluewater and Westfield have an array of independent shops.

Im going to add Brent Cross to that. Plus Petticote Lane or Portobello Road, both have great dress stalls and inde shops

KC I doubt the Op would consider Ebay as she said she did not want to buy offline, not a terrible shout though and it could fit the brief.

I appreciate that you say you have tried the stores OP but the London chains often have lots more choice especially the flagship stores so I honestly wouldn't rule them out altogether.