I visited in January to help pick out the bridesmaid dresses for my sister's wedding and explained to Ann, an employee, that I was trying to get pregnant, asking for her advice on whether to order a maternity dress, what size, etc. She seemed very confident that I should order a maternity dress, as ""it's much easier to take something in (if I was not pregnant) than to let it out"". The following month, I called to order my dress and gave my measurements to Linda, the owner. She disagreed with Ann and told me that the maternity gowns are enormous and I would ""be swimming in one"" and should definitely just order a size or two larger than my measurements indicated. I asked if that is what most pregnant women would do, and also explained that I hoped to be 5 or 6 months along at the wedding. She told me she'd look into it and and call me back in an hour. Three days later, I had not heard from her, so I called and spoke to Ann, saying that I guessed I should go with two sizes larger (she did not object). A month later, I received a message that I was holding up the entire bridesmaid order and needed to call in with my measurements! Finally, in early July, the dress came in. It turns out that I am, indeed, pregnant, and the dress was already tight on my growing bump (with the wedding still two months away) and enormous everywhere else. I called to ask them what they could do, as this sizing was based on their advice and adding fabric to create a ""pregnancy panel"" brought up the entire alteration cost by $100. Linda was incredibly snotty and demanded that I come into the store on a Tuesday evening (which I mentioned was not convenient for me) and get fitted. So, my sister and I went in and showed them the dress. Linda said ""I don't even see what the problem is, it looks great"". She then said they would do the pregnancy panel for $45 plus the cost of the fabric if I came back in two weeks, but I'd have to have the remaining alterations done elsewhere. I asked her to give me a quote on the price of the fabric and she was supposed to call me by the next day-- I never heard from her. On top of everything else, Linda made me feel uncomfortable and humiliated about my pregnancy. She never offered any advice about the alterations and seemed to think I was unreasonable to point out that if we'd gone with Ann's suggestion of ordering my regular size in maternity, I would have a dress that fits my body shape AND accommodates my pregnant belly! This dress has ended up costing about $400 because it was ordered in an inappropriate size that THEY recommended (taking in a maternity dress, had I not been pregnant, would have been a less costly alteration that adding a maternity panel AND taking in the entire bust/back area in addition to altering the length, which I'd have done, regardless), they were downright mean to my entire family, they don't write things down or return phone calls, and they are snippy and rude the moment any difficulties, or even any questions, arise! I've had positive experiences with several other bridal shops who are kind, helpful, and professional and suggest trying one of those, instead!
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