I Got My Dress As Well As 5 Jessica McClintock
Bridesmaid dresses
I hated the Filene's Bridal Sale. I would only recommend this event
to people who are willing to spend the night outside waiting, only
to end up fighting over dresses you really can't even see. I
arrived at 7:15, and all the dresses were stripped from the racks
before I ever made it upstairs. It was impossible to tell what any
of them looked like, as people were fanatically hoarding them.
Since I didn't get a dress initially, I couldn't trade for one with
any other girls--they would only give up a dress if you had one
they could barter with. I was there for nearly two hours, and the
only dress I was able to even touch was WAY too big, and would not
have been worth buying for all the alterations it would need. The
worst thing was witnessing people on what I really hope was their
worst behavior. It was also frustrating to see the bridal gowns
being completely mistreated--
they were trampled on the floor, balled up and thrown to other
people while trading, etc. I would never do this again, but if
you're really brave here are three tips: Be there EARLY, grab any
dress regardless of what it looks like so you can trade it, and
WEAR SOMETHING THAT ANYONE AND EVERYONE CAN SEE YOU IN. Because
they will! I saw several girls in underwear (and less!), despite
the male security guards, TV news reporters with cameras, etc.
Please at least wear a bathing suit--there are NO fitting rooms, NO
private places at all! Good luck!
Sarah Kober from Newbury, VT says... It was one of the most
memorable experiences during my wedding planning! If you have a
chance to go to a Filene's Sale... DO IT! I actually was amazed, I
had no idea what would happen. I went while living in Boston with
one friend and by the time we got inside~ The Racks were empty! Be
patient, all dresses end up back on the racks after an hour or so.
Advice: Take a group of friends, get as many dresses as you can
initially and go through the ones you don't want and give them to
someone else that might want them. Also, wear a bathing suit, you
won't feel weird changes in the store! I got my dress as well as 5
Jessica McClintock Bridesmaid dresses, everything was
perfect...classic tank style dresses with a plunging v-neck line.
I'd go again just for fun...if any of my friends needed me to!
KM from Boston MA says... I attended the Boston sale this year and
the articals on any of the out-of-town sales give the impression
that the sales are controlled chaos. The Boston sale is absolute
mayhem- probably because the sales have been happenning here semi
annually for 50 years and they are no secret. People queue around
the block by 8 am, and the racks are stripped of everything
instantaneously. People horde like vikings, and in particular,
mothers of the brides get MEAN. I went to help a friend (size 4-5)
find a gown for her August 04 wedding, and at one point when I was
roaming around like many other ladies asking to trade dresses in
sizes 4-6 someone's mom actually stopped me and told me that I'd
never fit in a size 6! I had to point out to her that I was helping
a friend and that she should MHOB. How rude! Also, if you have a
pile of 20 gowns of all sizes and styles that your best friend is
sitting on to hold for you, the least you could do is go through
the pile and discard those that are not in your size range. That's
a simple courtesy that would go a long way. My advice: wear bright
colors, be clear about what you are looking for so your helpers can
spot for you, and be kind to others, you're all in
the same boat. Remember, the bad karma that you incur while
shopping for the "perfect" gown might follow you for the duration
of your marriage!
