Where is a good place to go and try on dresses? We can't really buy online because somoe of us have unique physical shapes. We all need dresses in the same color except the MOH and David's left us more than wanting. Are there any other chains or stors people can recommend? We live in a ginormous metropolitan area. Thanks.

We found out today that one of the dresses will be in next week. But the other store can't get a status update from the manufacturer, they say. The dresses were ordered in the beginning of June, and we were told they'd be in within 12 weeks. That has come and gone. The dress that is still MIA was ordered just two days after three of the other maids ordered theirs, and they got theirs a month ago. We're wondering whether the store really ordered the dress.

My bridesmaids are wearing three different styles of dresses, but same designer, fabric and color. There's no way we'd be able to find any dress in a dept. store that would match, plus the one dress that is MIA is in a larger size, which complicates things. This bridesmaid is in Tallahassee, so they don't even have the same department stores there that they do here. At this point we're all just keeping our fingers crossed that the dress comes in!

If you have a Jessica McClintock store by your house, they usually carry bridesmaid's type dresses and the quality is good. Also, Talbot's and Laura Ashley are usually good. Depending on the color needed, Target carries bridesmaid dresses but I don't know how good the selction there is. :)

As a back up plan I'd call the manufacturer/designer and see if a dress in the right size, fabric, and color existed anywhere and get the name of that store in the event of emergency. The brand is carried at a store in Coeur d'Alene and two stores in the Portland area, where I will be in less than two weeks. If they have it there I will go personally pick it up and get it in the mail or brought to you via someone who is headed to the west side in time for the wedding.

If they foul this up I am sure KSUViolet and I can cut them and knock them out with a zucchini.

I LOVE the dress on the left. I want one! Like the other one, too!

Well, when they say the store "carries it" they really only mean they have sample sizes there to try on, then they'll order the dress for you. You can't buy it off the rack. Two of my girls ordered their dresses from a local store here. But there's no way a store will have one of these dresses in stock or even as a sample in the bridesmaid's size.

My fiance found a store that somewhat specializes in planning a wedding. They pretty much could tell her all the stores in the area that do dresses. You may want to see if there is a place like that in your area.

I'm really hoping we can incorporate a shade of brown into our colors. I so am loving tan or chocolate suits. Season dependent of course.

I'll take two of him, please.

I am well aware dresses are usually made on an order basis, but some stores do have samples for sale, an order was wrong, never picked up, wedding canceled and so on. You could get lucky and get what you need.

Our (November) wedding was almost exclusively brown. The girls carried bouquets of wheat. The guys had black and brown ties, black suits. The girls had brown dresses too. Getting married in the almost-winter time was hard to pick "colors"...while I love the bright pinks and the blues and what have you, they look summery and gardeny to me and more appropriate for a wedding in the summer/spring, not almost winter in PA.

Bridesmaid dress update
 

I am soooooooo pissed right now. The dress boutique - The New Image, in Thomasville, GA - says the manufacturer cannot ship the dress until 10/14 at the earliest...for my 10/16 wedding. So, too late.

The only solution they're offering is to 1. Get our money back; or 2. Have fabric shipped from the manufacturer to arrive Monday, at which time a local tailor can make a dress for my bridesmaid. But even in that case they aren't giving a full refund. We are going with option 2 for now, but you can bet we are going to get our money back. I don't think the Jim Hjelm folks would be happy to hear that one of their retailers has offered to make a copy of their dress.

Again, none of us believe that the store ordered the dress when it was supposed to have. If any of you can track down a phone number for Jim Hjelm corporate, I'd love it. I've tried looking but haven't been able to find the right number.

ETA: Found a customer service number, but they can't disclose order info. due to contracts they sign with retailers. But the rep told me, "I'll just say this...there's no reason why the dress would take that long. It would not take that long to get one of our dresses."