Used wedding gown

[dakcp2001]

There is a thread on the community board about someone looking for a used wedding dress. If mine were her size, I'd give it to her. But it is not. After reading her post, I took a look on craigs list out of curiosity. Me and my sister had a good time seeing all the dresses for sale, but were taken aback by how much people are asking for used gowns. Am I crazy in thinking they should be a lot less expensive when they are used? I mean what are the odds you will find the one person in your size that wants your exact dress?

In your opinion, after you wear your wedding gown, how much value is lost? I could sell mine, it just sits there collecting dust. Same with my sister.

If you paid 675 new then wore it and altered it, how much would you ask for used? There was one listed just like mine, and they were asking 450. Its 675 brand new and unaltered. How much would be fair?

Just curious what you all think. I think it should be 50% less than new at least but my sister is so sentimental she thinks the used dress should be worth close to what was paid new. I disagree.

 

[JandJ]

I agree, it should be a lot less. If it has such sentimental value for you, you wouldn't be selling it in the first place. I wouldn't sell mine for sentimental reasons (I have it, and also have my mom's and my Godmother's wedding gowns, safely in acid free collectors boxes).

A few months ago I saw a gorgeous used gown for sale at my seamstress' shop. It was a designer gown (I don't remember the designer name), size 2, gorgeous, and the seamstress said it was only worn for photos as the bride was one of those multiple dress brides. It was over $2,000 new and she was asking $750 which I thought was more than a fair price considering it was so beautiful, barely worn, and a designer gown.

In a case where the bride had multiple dresses like that, I could see buying a used gown, but I couldn't imagine wearing someone else's wedding gown if the wedding never happened or the marriage ended in divorce - bad omen

 

[shoney]

I would think it would be a lot less too. My dress has been boxed for almost 20 years. I would gladly sell it (it was 1500.00 new), but I can't see anyone wanting a big puffy sleeve dress with long sleeves! It was quite nice in 1992!!!


We are still married and plan on staying that way...but the box is just collecting dust!

Someone recently told me they had their wedding dress made into throw pillows for the bedroom...I thought that was a cute idea.

 

[Evi]

I think when it comes to dresses it varies a lot. I don't think you can compare a $200-1000 dress to high end couture custom embroidered hand embellished multi thousand dollar dresses. I mean there are museum quality dresses out there and I don't think they loose as much value as a lower quality and price dresses. I mean don't get me wrong you can find deals out there but I don't think the expectation is that all dresses loose value.

On a separate note I don't think I would save my dress maybe remake it into a christening gown or something but I don't think they are worth saving forever or maybe a first communion gown.

 

[yoopermom]

Another early '90s wedding dress here ....

When DS was born I had the train cut off and made into a baptismal gown. What happens to the dress now I could care less since it's so out of fashion, but the baptismal gown I'll save for future generations....

Terri

 

[pixiewings71]

Well, since the one dress I had that could have been considered a "wedding" dress was actually a really simple long white prom dress that I paid about $50 for......LOL

I don't think people should sell wedding gowns for close to the original price, it's a used item, I don't pay that much for used items. But it depends on the person selling it I guess.......I don't know, if I got married again I'd buy my own dress but again, it probably wouldn't be a "wedding" gown rather something I could get off the rack.

On another note, if anyone here can help the gal on the CB that would be amazing!! Poor thing got totally ripped off by her seamstress and had a wonderful dress that was simply butchered and torn apart and now looks horrible on her. Go check it out, hopefully we can get her a nice dress for her upcoming wedding!

Edited to say that I love the idea of using an old gown for a communion gown or for throw pillows for your bed.

 

[sissy_ib]

I bought my dress on CL. I was actually brand new and still had the tags on it. I looked at a few I was shocked at how much some people were trying to get for their used dresses. One I tried on had a ton of dirt at the bottom and was covered in champagne stains. The woman was trying to get what she paid for it. (She did get it at one of those bridal expos)

 

[mrsklamc]

For a $650 dress, in excellent condition and without major alterations....I'd say maybe $100.

 

[a1tinkfans]

For a $650 dress, in excellent condition and without major alterations....I'd say maybe $100.

i agree

 

[bumbershoot]

In your opinion, after you wear your wedding gown, how much value is lost?

I don't think much value is lost at all. So I feel the opposite of most. It's why I've hung onto my gown. I paid more than the example in the post, and I know it would only go for a couple hundred, IF that, and that just annoys me. It's not a car; it doesn't automatically lose value when you drive it off the lot. If someone wants the gown to be married in, they should pay some money for it. IMO.

 

[Gigi22]

Depends. Mine was something like $500 new in the early 1980s. It was a more architectural style, not a ballgown, so maybe it would hold some value. But, I don't think I could bring myself to sell it. Sentimental attachment.
I give formal gowns that I have worn a couple of times to a charity that supports people with diabetes.

 

[girli565]

There is a thread on the community board about someone looking for a used wedding dress. If mine were her size, I'd give it to her. But it is not. After reading her post, I took a look on craigs list out of curiosity. Me and my sister had a good time seeing all the dresses for sale, but were taken aback by how much people are asking for used gowns. Am I crazy in thinking they should be a lot less expensive when they are used? I mean what are the odds you will find the one person in your size that wants your exact dress?

In your opinion, after you wear your wedding gown, how much value is lost? I could sell mine, it just sits there collecting dust. Same with my sister.

If you paid 675 new then wore it and altered it, how much would you ask for used? There was one listed just like mine, and they were asking 450. Its 675 brand new and unaltered. How much would be fair?

Just curious what you all think. I think it should be 50% less than new at least but my sister is so sentimental she thinks the used dress should be worth close to what was paid new. I disagree.

What size dress was she looking for? I looked at the CB but didn't see the post. I know a few girls who are looking to get rid of theirs.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I sold mine years ago for $100.00 (pd 600.)to a girl I worked with. She ended up not wearing it and I swear I saw that dress in a Thrift store a couple of years ago when we were looking for props for a play.

 

[danceintherain]

If I decided to sell my wedding dress (my Mom tells me I should all the time, probably because she's in an unhappy marriage, but whatever) I would sell it for as much as someone was willing to pay me for it.

It's not as if anyone is forcing someone else to buy their wedding dress. If someone is only willing to part with their dress for 80% of the amount that they paid for it, then potential buyers have the option of paying that much or finding one somewhere else.
If someone prices their gown at higher than what anyone would be willing to pay for it, then they face the possibility of not selling it at all. At some point, the cash becomes worth more than the sentiment or even getting a return on an "investment."

It's the same as anything else. If someone is willing to pay hundreds of dollars for a used wedding dress, then that's their choice. If they're only willing to pay $100 for any wedding dress, then their options will be very limited.

Money means different things to different people.

 

[PaulaSue]

I heard the general rule fl yard sales is 25 percent of new price and if I were to sell mine that's where I would start but considering mine is 16 years old I would ask much less.

 

[Friendly Frog]

For a $650 dress, in excellent condition and without major alterations....I'd say maybe $100.

 

[Duchie]

What size dress was she looking for? I looked at the CB but didn't see the post. I know a few girls who are looking to get rid of theirs.

Here's the thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2914842

I believe she states on page 4 what size she is.

 

[girli565]

Here's the thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2914842

I believe she states on page 4 what size she is.

Thanks, I had seen that thread previously. I PM'd her, hopefully I can help.

 

[donaldandpirates]

I paid $333 for mine. It was a $1000 designer dress, found it on consignment in a bridal shop. That was back in 1997, though.

 

[mrsklamc]

I paid $333 for mine. It was a $1000 designer dress, found it on consignment in a bridal shop. That was back in 1997, though.

I would expect to pay that at a consignment shop. I would also expect to pay that if it hadn't been worn/still had the tags on it from Craigslist. But on craigslist, I wouldn't expect more than the $100 out of a $600 that I talked about.

To the PP who says they can sell it for what they can get for it- of course they can. I just don't think they can reasonably expect to get most of what the dress was purchased for.