I Won't Be Left

So I ordered my Sarah Seven dress in March, anticipating it's arrival every single day. It was supposed to be in my arms at the end of May, and when that time came and went - and I heard absolutely nothing from the dress maker herself, I began to worry.

I wrote many many emails, with only silence to return making my worried mind grow with furvent anxiety. Finally, I heard something. She told me she was a week behind. And I pushed my disappointment down into my chest because hey, it was still on its way. And it was going to be perfect.

Two weeks went by, and I heard nothing, received nothing. Now, I was pissed. with a month to go until my wedding - and I didn't even know what my dress was really like. I wrote and I wrote, but no response. Finally - I heard something. Her assistant said there had been an "emergency" and Sarah had been gone for an entire week. Really? I don't mean to be insensitive at all, but even if it was a huge emergency, like a death, you still are back to your business within a few days. This is when those feelings of disappointment and yuck came to surface and refused to be kept down longer.

I told her I NEEDED my dress. She had my money - was this going to be one of those awful life lessons that teaches you not to trust anyone? No response, same story. I just became more and more angry. Who does this to a bride? Who runs a business with absolutely no customer service skills...? It doesn't take genius... Finally, I heard something. She told me she had sent it that day, and I'd have it a week later. Wait... a week for Fed Ex to get from Portland to Santa Barbara? Ok suspicious...

ONE WEEK LATER - NOTHING. I write. And write. And she says "oh hey yeah, I just talked to fed-ex and they said there was some sort of delay... you'll have it wednesday."

So now I know she's lying. I'm not dumb, and to treat me like I am? Oh, you are going down...

Wednesday rolls around, and low and behold - my dress arrives! WITH a date that said it was overnighted from the day before! Guess she thought I couldn't read... But it was fine, I had my dress! Opened the box faster than any child on christmas morning. It looked beautiful sitting there. I put it on, looked a little closer - and the tears fell.

It didn't fit. NOT EVEN CLOSE. The top had been sewn onto an already made bodice - which wasn't my size. Way too big... It hung off me, and went way past my knees... when it was meant to be above. And she had taken all the excess fabric from the top layer and folded it where the butt was underneath, and sewn it there - not even in a pattern. Which made me look like I was smuggling a marshmallow factory where my butt was... and I was big and puffy enough to be their marshmallow queen. SERIOUSLY? strings hanging off, not even sewn together in the right places. I waited for this? I paid lots of my own money for THIS?

So with two weeks left - I sent my dress back.

My fault for trusting her to be a good dressmaker/businesswoman/human being...

My fault for wanting something different and unique.

Her fault for being stupid... And I could write so many hateful things - but I fully believe that you get what you give in this life. And if thats how she treats people, she won't go far.

SO I ordered a dress off Jcrew. (image below) And it's simple and my second choice - but I will try to make it my own. And what else can I do right? C'est la vie!!