Was it worn by other women? Probably, yes. It was a store sample, after all, and a very beautiful one at that. Did it bother me that other women may very well have tried it on? Nope. Not a bit. If anything, the gown's use was to my advantage, saving me just over a hundred dollars off a retail price of $1050.
However, used is still a word that many brides want nothing to do with the gown in which they are wed, and for good reason. Perspiration, stains and the smell of another bride still clinging to the gown, these are just a few of the concerns many have in regards to the used wedding dress. However, the fact of the matter is that many of these so called used gowns have never been worn before. They were store closeouts, gowns that were pushed to back of the rack for whatever reason, having hardly ever been seen, let alone worn, by anyone until you, the potential purchaser came along. And this is indeed to your advantage, as a gown such as this will often be sold at a discount, the average of which is 25% off the original retail price.
Of course, other used gowns have in fact been pre-owned. While the notion of selling one's wedding dress is, to me, somewhat difficult to comprehend, second-hand bridal retailers have experienced a boost in sales of 50 to 70% since 2003. What's more is that it isn't just divorcees that are selling; consignment shop owners report that some brides are parting with gowns as early as three weeks after the wedding. And why not? With the average age of newlyweds on the rise, from 20 in 1960 to 25 in 2005, it would appear that additional life experience is compelling many maturing brides to embrace a more practical attitude, at least in regards to their wedding dress. Why allow a $3000 gown to simply hang in the closet while the credit cards go unpaid?
While such a sentimental-free way of thinking may strike some as crude, it is nonetheless to the customer's advantage. In fact, as dresses in the $3000 to $5000 range sell best, it is possible, even plausible, to walk out of a consignment shop with a Vera Wang gown under arm, having saved anywhere from $750 to $1250. A bride can practically pay off the caterers with that kind of cash! Whether or not you decide to resale after the wedding is another matter. But if you do, just remember that most consignment shops have a one to three year age limit on wedding gowns, and the quicker you sell the more profit your gown will yield.
Of course, there will always be those, like me, who just can't let go of the dream of our daughters walking down the aisle in the same strapless gown that we wore twenty years ago. But they don't have to know it was used to begin with!
