Looking for the most useful questions to consider when buying or altering a dress? You’ve come to the right place.
When preparing for that special event such as an anniversary, office party, or even your wedding day, there can be so much to think about; even the exciting task of choosing your dress can seem overwhelming! Here’s the 8 most useful questions to consider before buying a dress to make sure you get the most out of your purchase and ensure you always feel your best.
01. What price range should I be looking at?
One of the most important factors to consider when buying any dress is the price range; what can you afford? How much are you willing to spend if you find that perfect dress? Also think about the amount of times you’ll wear the dress in future; is it a practical investment? You may wish to look for a more affordable dress which is versatile and can be re-worn for other occasions.
In this case, it is often easy to find a sophisticated dress from high street shops or online retailers such as Debenhams, ASOS or House of Fraser. On the other hand, for timeless occasions such as your wedding day, it is inevitable that you are likely to invest more in your perfect wedding dress, even though this might involve stretching your typical budget.
02. How and why should I alter my dress?
The traditional mindset involved with different dress alterations is that it is costly, time-consuming and may not be worth investing in if your clothing is not expensive or precious enough. In fact, it can be cheaper to pay for a seamstress to alter or even recreate a dress, rather than paying more for a high-end dress with more precise sizing.
Dress alterations at Alterations Boutique Manchester can deliver on most types of clothing alterations, including hem shortening or major modifications such as resizing or restyling. With 30 years’ experience in the in industry, they know their stuff. You can even get a complimentary styling and fitting consultation!
03. Have a made sure that my dress is weather appropriate?
Another crucial factor to consider is whether or not you’re dressing appropriately for the season. For warmer months, lighter coloured dresses are best, made from materials such as cotton or satin. In the colder winter months, fabrics such as cashmere are more suitable. Even with your wedding dress, you should consider the weight of material and how breathable it is. After all, you will be wearing it for a long period of time, whatever the weather; comfort is key.
04. What’s the occasion?
It’s always important to think about who will be seeing you in your dress and where! As much as it’s important to wear whatever makes you feel good, there are some occasions, family events in particular, where you may wish to have a more reserved outfit choice.
Be creative; whilst you may buy a longer dress for an occasion such as a family event or christening, dress alterations can give you the option to recreate an existing dress into the perfect attire for a day at the races or a late-night evening do.
05. What colour should I wear?
Often, the deciding factor in choosing a dress is its colour. However, when choosing a dress it is important to consider two main factors. Skin colour is one way many women choose their dresses, as the colour of your dress can really compliment your skin colour. As well as this, consider if there is a dress code at your event to adhere to. For example, this could be a party with a blue colour theme or a wedding where the general tradition is to not wear white unless you are the bride!
06. What style of dress should I choose?
A great way to choose a dress is to look at which styles compliment your body type the most. Often, stores will have a free personal shopping service which can be really helpful, or if not, there are many websites with tips on how to choose a dress to suit you. Once you have found this out, it is easy to filter down your dress type when shopping in store and when searching on Google, which makes your shopping experience a whole lot quicker and easier.
07. What should I wear underneath?
It is often easy to forget if you have suitable underwear to wear when purchasing a new dress. It’s very exciting to find a dress with an interesting back, or a strapless dress – however, you must remember to consider where the straps of your underwear will lie and if you are comfortable with wearing strapless or backless underwear.
08. Do I need a new dress?
The last question you should ask yourself when preparing for an event is if you really need a new dress at all! Something you may not have even thought about is whether you could wear a dress you already own and love, or if you could get one of your existing dresses altered which could completely recreate its look. The benefits of this are that it can allow you to adjust your dresses which otherwise you may not have worn again, and even gives you the option of tailoring and wearing sentimental clothing gifted to you from family and friends.
Can you think of any other questions you should ask when picking out a dress?
If so, let me know in the comments below.
Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest