A Question of Numbers

I would assume that most people are aware that wedding gown stores purchase their samples from the manufacturers, and because they would rather have a greater variety, they will tend to purchase 15 different dress samples instead of purchasing multiples, like 3 different colors/sizes of 5 dresses. That being said, if there is a popular dress, let's take Fiorella for example, and there is only one in the store, is likely to be tried on 50 times a week or more, depending on the size of your store. And assuming that this dress is popular, the likelihood of it remaining available and not discontinued for several years is high.

Let's also assume that most brides looking for a wedding gown follow the industry standard and make an appointment to try on gowns (not stopping by a store on a whim. You'll see my point in a minute.)

So if a popular dress is tried on 50 times a week

and is on the racks for two years (104 weeks)

that means the same garment has been tried on 5200 times.

Knowing that, why would a bride show up for her appointment with intentions of trying on gowns that have been worn by many, and will continue to be tried on henceforth without...

wait for it...

UNDERWEAR!

It is true, and happens all the time. As is standard across the country, there are health code regulations that disallow the trying on of clothing without underwear. Yet time after time, brides will stand in my dressing room getting ready to try on dresses and will tell me that they would rather not be assisted in and out of the gowns because they are not wearing underwear! In my dressing room I do not allow self-service, so I am able to prevent this. But just last week a bride told me I was the first store of the three she had previously visited to tell her she could not try on without undergarments. How many dresses had she tried on in her birthday suit?

A happy ending to this story: her Mom and she disappeared into the bathroom, and she reappeared in my dressing room with a baggy but clean pair of granny panties and proceeded to try on gowns. When she found the dress of her dreams, her Mom said she could keep the undies for good luck!

Moral of the story: be wary of any store that does not have someone to help you in and out of the dresses. You never know what brides will do when no one is looking.