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Original poster

Prom Dresses

105 replies

SirVixofVixHall · 28/03/2023 19:34

Hello all, dd has her end of year 11 prom coming up. I had ordered a dress that she chose from Hebeos, she had looked at the site and it says they offer returns. Except they don’t, they are absolute shysters, I should have checked trustpilot as the experiences there echo my own. I think it highly unlikely I will ever get my money back. The dress didn’t fit and wasn’t the same as pictured - horrible fabric.
So now the hunt goes on. She wants a full skirted floor length dress with a fitted bodice, a ball gown type dress rather than a long slim column. She likes red, or green. Five foot five but still growing so creeping towards five foot six, size 4-6, 28DD bra.
I literally have no idea at all where to look ! I have looked at the John Lewis website but there wasn’t anything right.
Help !

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
Housewife2010 · 01/04/2023 16:14

Have a look at Coast. I've ordered a long green dress for my daughter's prom.

gingersnappz · 01/04/2023 16:20

We're on the hunt for the same. Stacee's keeps coming up and our friend has just received one from there which is great quality and fit.

ShandaLear · 01/04/2023 16:22

If you don’t mind secondhand, EBay, Facebook Marketplace and Vinted are full of prom dresses. Oxfam often have a bridal and occasion wear department - my DD and lots of her classmates got dresses from there. Apart from the budget friendly prices, it’s more environmentally friendly and the charity benefits from the money.

veiledsentiments · 01/04/2023 16:32

Chi Chi London

Original poster
SirVixofVixHall · 01/04/2023 19:46

Will have a look at all these suggestions now. I am happy with second hand, it doesn’t have to be new.

OP posts:
Original poster
SirVixofVixHall · 01/04/2023 19:56

I have looked at Stacees reviews on trustpilot, and although not as horrendous as Hebeos, it seems that if you need to return a dress they are a nightmare and refuse to refund you, in spite of stating on the website that you can return dresses.
So I am not risking it.
Some v pretty dresses on the Coast website but nothing is quite what dd is looking for.
I will look at Chi Chi now.

OP posts:
Akite · 01/04/2023 20:02

Ah shame I have a green size 4-6 prom dress from last year but it's a slim one rather than a full-skirted one
people often sell them on our local Facebook selling page, and I got another one second hand from eBay. It's hard to find one in very small sizes!

isitme111 · 01/04/2023 21:32

Try Next petite, not sure if they will have the fullness your DD is after but worth a look.

gingersnappz · 01/04/2023 21:40

SirVixofVixHall · 01/04/2023 19:56

I have looked at Stacees reviews on trustpilot, and although not as horrendous as Hebeos, it seems that if you need to return a dress they are a nightmare and refuse to refund you, in spite of stating on the website that you can return dresses.
So I am not risking it.
Some v pretty dresses on the Coast website but nothing is quite what dd is looking for.
I will look at Chi Chi now.

Gah sorry - wasn't aware of that and DDs friend was obviously lucky in that she liked it and it fit!

Worthwhile going to a shop? Loads of the bridal ones round here have opened up prom sections and it's helped with narrowing down styles/colours as well.

Original poster
SirVixofVixHall · 02/04/2023 13:29

I think I might have to try and get to a shop. We live in the back of beyond so the nearest shop will probably be two and a half hours away, hence the online hunting.

OP posts:
HappiDaze · 02/04/2023 21:36

If you buy a standard fit prom dress from certain sites you can return them but if you have adjustments made to fit then you can't return them so read the small print first.

Makes sense you can't return anything that's been made to fit.

So just check the return statements on each site and buy something in their standard fit if you can.

I've bought my daughter a standard size dress from a site although it would be nice to tweak it a bit but if I do that then I know I cant return it.

They did email me online after I ordered it asking for exact measurements which I nearly did send but then realised I was falling into the no returns trap.

QuillBill · 02/04/2023 22:25

My dd is In a friendship group of four and all three of the others have bought dresses from Stacees, house of CB and websites like that and all three have had disasters with them.

On the back of that I've refused to buy a dress from anywhere like that but that leaves very little choice!

I'm left with
ASOS
True Decadence
Lace and Beads

I can't bring myself to go to an actual prom dress shop either as the dresses are £500.

YellowDots · 02/04/2023 22:30

That's what they say on their websites @HappiDaze but when it comes to it you have to return to China and via a specific carrier. They make it almost impossible. If not actually impossible.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 02/04/2023 22:52

I bought a lot of online dresses and they were all terrible, one i couldn't send back as it came from China.

I made an appointment at a prom dress shop in the end and honestly wish I had just done this to start with. Dd found a beautiful dress and it was very slightly damaged and from last season so was reduced from £390 to £180.

StrictlyJowita · 02/04/2023 22:57

HappiDaze · 02/04/2023 21:36

If you buy a standard fit prom dress from certain sites you can return them but if you have adjustments made to fit then you can't return them so read the small print first.

Makes sense you can't return anything that's been made to fit.

So just check the return statements on each site and buy something in their standard fit if you can.

I've bought my daughter a standard size dress from a site although it would be nice to tweak it a bit but if I do that then I know I cant return it.

They did email me online after I ordered it asking for exact measurements which I nearly did send but then realised I was falling into the no returns trap.

All these sites say they do returns but they don't. They lie. It's not a question of reading the small print unfortunately.

Original poster
SirVixofVixHall · 02/04/2023 23:17

I agree, it is clear that they lie to get customers. With Habeos there are a shocking number of people reporting them to trading standards etc.
I don’t think I will get my money back and I have a huge dress here that is unusable.

OP posts:
trackerc · 02/04/2023 23:30

Have you tried Facebook marketplace? If you put in prom dress there's lots of options particularly those who are selling there's from 2021 who couldn't wear theirs. Several in my area same size
Vinted also has lots

JamMakingWannaBe · 03/04/2023 00:09

Definitely Vinted. Use the search term ballgown rather than prom dress.

chocolatebunnybop · 03/04/2023 00:24

I'm sure I've heard good things about cloud London. Not sure it would be your daughters style though. Hope she finds something

AuntieSoap · 03/04/2023 00:32

I know you said you're in the sticks but if you can get to London, Fonthill Road in Finsbury Park has fantastic prom dress shops. The best one is Bemod UK. Lots of prom dress shops outside of London buy dresses from there and put a premium on, so best to go direct. They've got an Instagram page.

instagram.com/bemoduk?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

HappiDaze · 03/04/2023 01:59

Ah ok so I'll keep my fingers crossed her dress fits then and doesn't look like utter crap as the refund policy is probably a lie then

OP what didn't you like about the dresses you bought

katscamel · 03/04/2023 05:36

Velvet Birdcage based in Sussex (I think) do made to measure though £££ and probably take too long...they do have a sale section of ready to go dresses. Friend used them when they were under a different name a few years ago. Debenhams are still online and often have some nice dresses, Chi Chi London, bridesmaids dresses (from anywhere), Fenwicks/House of Fraser. Is there an Arts college/uni near you that offers textile/fashion design courses...if so there might be students needing something for their portfolio that could help.

hay5689 · 03/04/2023 05:58

Try little black dress and naked dresses. Both online retailers but I've ordered from them and they are genuine. There's something to suit every budget as well.

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