Shopping at Something Blue
Shopping at Something Blue
Do you have lots of dresses in the lower/upper sizes?
We do our very best! We make a point of maintaining a select number of dresses in our entire collection (see below!) and we divide our sizes as best as possible, trying to ensure that the maximum number of people can fit into as many dresses as possible. We are constantly re-evaluating what sizes we carry and adjusting to suit our brides. We actually focus very hard on bringing in beautiful dresses in sizes 20+, since we know that very often, the selection in those sizes is limited to old, worn, typical dresses in other stores. But we are limited by the smaller selection we maintain overall. Proportionately, we have a lot of dresses in sizes 16 and up, although I recognize the number sometimes doesn't seem great.
Lower sizes do get the short end of the stick, I know. It's easier to pin someone into a dress that is too big than it is for a bride to try on a dress that’s too small, so it makes more sense to size up knowing we can pin in those smaller than to have a huge number of lower sizes that only a small portion of our customers can fit into.
Know we are very sensitive to sizing and make every effort to provide beautiful, stylish, modern dresses in the biggest size range possible.
Why don't you have more dresses?
We feel strongly that having good dresses is more important than having lots of dresses. We believe in quality over quantity! We think that it's overwhelming to walk into a bridal salon and see hundreds and hundreds of similar dresses. Instead, we focus on carrying only the best of the few exclusive designers we choose to work with. As a result, our consultants are very knowledgeable about all of our designers - because we only work with a few. It also means we really get to know our dresses, which means we know what will fit into your requirements. The result is that we have a fantastic, unique and creative collection that is always ahead of the trends. By maintaining a better selection instead of a bigger one, we ensure that we never have old, tired, out of date dresses, or large numbers of the same old styles. Having more dresses doesn't mean a better selection, just more of the same.
Do you offer mother of the bride dresses?
We have a firm 'if you can't do it right, don't do it at all' philosophy! And we don't have the space or designers to offer a selection of mother of the bride dresses that match the quality and style of our bridal. Truthfully, we think mums should head for stylish boutiques themselves, instead of bridal stores (for fear of finding nothing but that terrifying mauve, chiffon boxy suit that so plagues mothers of occasion!). One store we highly recommend for their selection is Ravishing Boutique. But we also suggest trying your favourite clothing store. Think outside the box for the best options...mums need not wear frump anymore!
What is your price range for bridal gowns?
Since we've opened, we've learned some very valuable lessons. We began with some lower priced designers, and we quickly learned that Nana was right - you get what you pay for. We found that in comparison to our better designers, we had more trouble with zippers, dresses coming in made improperly, colours being off, fabrics that feel, well, cheap, etc.
So, we made a decision that we would only offer designers that we truly believe in. Designers whose quality is consistently wonderful, who make their gowns in fantastic fabrics with beautifully finished details, whose support is impeccable...designers that best represent what something blue believes in. So, you know when you a buy a dress from us that it will be of a level of quality that we would choose to wear on our own wedding day!
That said, our prices range from $750 - $4,000 so we have plenty of selection.
We also have a firm belief that your perfect dress doesn’t have to be outside the budget, so if you give us a budget to work with, we promise to respect it.
Can I get a dress in a certain colour that you don't have on your racks?
Just ask! Our samples dresses, both bridesmaids and bridal, are only single representations of what we can order. Most bridal gowns are available in at least a few colours and all of our bridesmaids are available in dozens and dozens of colours. So, don't worry if you're looking for pure white and all you see is ivory - they are just samples!
Why don't you offer in-house alterations?
For so many reasons! First, we did try and after The Great Seamstress Disaster of 2008, we are a little scared to try again. We have looked high and low to find someone as dedicated to service and quality as we are who isn't already successfully altering dresses on their own. If we are going to trust your dress to someone, we need to be 100% confident in their abilities and that is proving very hard to find.
Additionally, there are many wonderful, independent seamstresses out there. They can do the work in a completely objective, practical way. Sometimes, that is best as then you know you are getting the very best deal (instead of essentially paying us as a middleman) and advice.
I find charging extra for dresses in larger sizes offensive - do you do it?
We don't! And we agree - what could be worse than one of your closest friends or family members, a bridesmaid, being asked to pay more than everyone else in the party because she is a size 16 instead of a 14? Or, a bride choosing her dream dress only to find out it will cost her more than the tag says because she's "plus-sized"?
Our designers do charge us those charges. We choose not to single anyone out and so all of our customers pay the price on the tag – no hidden charges.
Why can't I take pictures in bridal salons?
I can’t speak for stores who choose not to allow picture taking, but you can here...and we encourage it! Lots of stores tell you silly things about copyright protection or designers’ rules. Not us. Dress shopping can be overwhelming. If you take pictures, it’s SO much easier to remember all of the dresses you tried on. And it’s a great way to include out of town family and friends – anyone special whose opinion you want before you buy.
Nope. But you are welcome to make one. Saturdays can get pretty crazy and an appointment ensures that we will have a pedestal waiting for you when you arrive. But most days, it’s not necessary and it’s certainly never required.
What happens if my dress doesn't come in on time?
In three years (knock on wood...who wants to tempt fate?) it has never happened. In the very, very rare case there’s a delay beyond our control, we’ve always assured alterations arrangements are made and everything is taken care of to ensure no extra stress is added. Far more likely is the next scenario...
How the heck did my dress get here so fast? Is there something wrong with it?
I know it seems like a great problem to have, but I also understand that when it happens to you and your dress arrives months early, it can be disconcerting! Because of our fantastic relationship with our designers, we’ve managed to pull off a few miracles over the years and have been able to track down dresses for brides with extenuating circumstances (and let me tell you – there is nothing better than calling to tell a bride that her dress is in 6 months early so Nana will get to see it!). And occasionally, even we are surprised at how quickly a designer can get a dress for us! Rest assured, it is exactly the dress that you ordered, just a little early!
Why do dresses take so long to come in and why can't you give me an exact arrival date?
Bridal gowns typically take 6-8 months and special occasion gowns 3-5 months. These timelines can be shorted by adding rush cuts, allowing us to suggest which designers are faster than others, etc.
The reason a dress takes time to come in is because it is made for you. When the order is placed, your dress starts the process of being made. And that takes time.
The reason we can’t give exact arrival dates is because we don’t get those, and if we do, we don’t always find them accurate. Once you take into account shipping timelines, delays for holidays (or the opposite – things moving faster during certain times of the year), shipping schedules, etc. there are so many factors that can influence the actual arrival date of a dress. More often than not, dresses come in faster than our estimates, but having been on the other side of those timelines, we know it’s far more fun to have a dress arrive early than to arrive after an ETA, even when you know that the “E” only means estimate. So, rather than quote you an arbitrary date so far in the future as to be almost impossible to make work, we give timelines based on what the designer gives us and our experience with the accuracy of that. Again, we’ve never, not once, ever not had a dress arrive so we promise, once we’ve confirmed your order, all you have to do is wait for the phone call. And when we call, we really appreciate a good scream and lots of excitement! :-)