The Dreaded Sample Sale

Jessica falls in love at first sight at a bridal dress sample sale.

By Jessica Solloway

Buying a wedding dress is obviously a big deal. There's all this pressure to find "the one". (As if finding the guy to marry wasn't enough!) I just had this feeling that I'd be going to fifty stores, and still not have a clue what I was doing or what would be right for me. I had ideas of course, but no clear vision of what style I was going for. Plus, it's the most I'll ever spend on any article of clothing, so there was even more pressure to really love it.

And to make matters worse, before I even stepped foot in a bridal salon, I was being dragged to a sample sale. While they're known for saving you thousands of dollars, I had heard the horror stories, and wanted nothing to do with it. I couldn't picture myself yanking dresses off the racks, fighting through herds of crazy brides and their moms.
To give you some background ... I am not much of a shopper. Don't get me wrong, I love clothes ... I just wish they could magically appear in my closet via personal shopper and all fit perfectly. (A girl can dream, right?) I am also not a fan of group shopping. I breeze through a store and am the first to duck out while my other friends take their time perusing the racks and hopping from one boutique to the next. I'll admit it, I get antsy and give up quickly. I need a shopping drill sergeant when I really need to get things done. That's where Arlene comes in.

Arlene is my step grandma who has been a huge part of my life since I was four years old. Her and my grandpa live in New Jersey, and throughout the six plus years I lived in New York, they served as second parents since mine are in Cleveland. Whether I needed a home cooked meal or to vent about a bad day at work, they could (and still can) always be counted on. Especially when it comes to shopping. (Well, not grandpa, his clothing choices are sometimes questionable.)

When Arlene gets wind of a special occasion that may need a new outfit, she comes flying into the city armed with an over sized umbrella, her cell-phone blaring from her purse (she can never find it) and a strategic game plan for the retail task at hand.

So she of course was the one that insisted we go to the Saks Bridal Sample Sale. I wanted my mom to be part of the dress experience too, but since this was so last minute (she's in Cleveland), we promised to keep her updated with frequent cell phone calls.

I also had an "in". My brother's friend is a manager at Saks, and she scoped out the sale ahead of time and pulled a dress aside for me. She said it was amazing and she really thought it would be a top contender. I felt so relieved to have at least something to try on that I didn't have to fight for (literally).

When I got to Saks at 6 pm that night after work (luckily for my job, I am in NYC often), I was pleasantly surprised. There was no chaos, no snotty brides, screaming mothers, or gowns strewn all over the floor. The bridal area was calm, and Arlene had four dresses waiting for me in a dressing room with a saleswoman who was ready to help. I had met up with my brother's friend first and she also brought over the dress she had chosen for me.

Now, this is the craziest part. The very same dress my brother's friend pulled for me was also hanging in the dressing room. Arlene had seen it and thought it was perfect for me. And so did my brother's friend. And the saleswoman said, "That's your dress", before I had even tried anything on. I stepped into it and just knew (as cheesy as that sounds).

It was gorgeous. I totally lucked out. (I checked Sara's entries and was relieved to hear this happened with her too!) One hour ago I was prepared to enter a wardrobe war zone, and just wanted to be done with the sample sale so Arlene and I could go get sushi at our favorite place. And there I was, standing in front of a mirror wearing a dress (that two people both found for me) ready to swipe the credit card. Was it just absurd to buy the first wedding dress I had ever tried on? Should I keep looking? But I couldn't pass up a perfect Vera Wang gown, for half the regular price. So, I didn't. 

After trying on three more dresses that didn't even compare, I made up my mind. That dress was so "me". I knew that no matter how much more I looked, I'd regret not getting that gown. So, moral of the story is ... sample sales are not that bad. They can actually be great.