1. Consider Your Budget (and Alteration Costs)
When assessing if you are getting a fair price for a secondhand gown, remember that most worn wedding dresses should sell for about 50% to 70% of their original retail value, depending on the condition and designer.
Additionally, it’s crucial to establish an alterations budget before you buy. Depending on what needs to be changed, alterations can sometimes cost more than the secondhand dress itself.
The average bride spends from $300 to $700+ for standard alterations. If their alterations or more complex or higher in number, that cost can rise to $700–$1,500 or more. For most brides, budgeting in the $600–$1,500+ range is a good starting point.
Keep in mind: When buying secondhand, you’re getting a discount on the dress, but with tailoring, you’re paying directly for skilled labor.
Want to learn about the cost of bridal alterations in more detail? Read our blog post on the topic here.
This bride’s dress was a family heirloom from her mom. Her vision was to keep the intricate detailing of the original dress, while modernizing the sleeves and silhouette. Alts tailor Farida brought that vision to life!
2. How to Find the Designer and Style Name
To know exactly what you are buying—and to ensure the asking price is fair—it helps to track down the exact dress model. If the online listing is vague, here is how you can play detective:
- Check the tags: Ask the seller to check inside the bodice or under the skirt layers for a style number or designer tag.
- Use Reverse Image Search: Run the seller’s photos through Google Lens. Bridal gowns have highly specific lace patterns and silhouettes that often match right back to the designer’s original listing or lookbook.
- Ask for the boutique: If the seller knows where they originally bought it, you can sometimes reach out to the bridal shop with the seller’s name or purchase year to find the exact style.
2. Check the Condition of the Dress
Inspect the dress (or the listing photos) closely for yellowing fabric, missing beads, stains, and small holes.
- Assess the fabric quality: This is especially important for vintage dresses. Does it still feel sturdy? Is there fraying or tearing at the seams? If the fabric has lost its structure, it may continue to deteriorate over time.
Tailor’s Advice: The most common place to find stains and damage is along the hem, which can drag on the floor during the reception. However, if you plan to shorten the dress, the damaged section could be trimmed away entirely.
4. Determine the Alteration Needs
Never rely on the tag size. Because a majority of brides alter their dresses, a secondhand gown may have unexpected fit differences compared to its original off-the-rack form. Furthermore, some alterations are irreversible – if fabric or seam allowances were cut away by the previous owner, the dress cannot be restored to its original shape.
If You’re Shopping In-Person: Assess Key Fit Areas
With your dress on, start by assessing the three most important areas of fit:
- Bodice: If it’s too tight, it’s a riskier buy (it may lack the seam allowance to be let out). If it’s too loose by just an inch or two, you have plenty of options to take it in.
- Sleeves and Straps: Do they slip down or restrict movement? Luckily, straps and sleeves are highly alterable. Your tailor can even add detachable sleeves to a strapless gown for peace of mind on the dance floor.
- Hemline: A perfect hem makes a huge difference. For a classic floor-length gown, the hem should be about 1 to 2 centimeters above the ground.
Key Takeaway: It’s better for a dress to be too long than too short, or too big rather than too small. Adding length or letting out a garment can be done, but often requires changes to the style of the dress.
If You’re Shopping Online: How to Take Your Measurements
Knowing your exact measurements is the biggest secret to secondhand shopping success. Don’t know your measurements yet? We provide bridal measuring services at Alts so you don’t have to guess.
If you are measuring yourself at home to compare against a seller’s listing, follow these tips:
- Use a soft tape measure: Never use a stiff metal construction tape. Keep the soft tape comfortably taut, but never pull it tight enough to dig into your skin.
- Wear the right undergarments: Measure while wearing the exact style of bra and underwear (or shapewear) you plan to wear on your wedding day.
- Bust: Measure around the fullest part of your chest, not your bra band size.
- Waist: Bend to the side; the natural crease that forms is your true waistline. Measure around this point.
- Hips: Stand with your feet together and measure around the widest part of your lower body.
This bride loved the fabric of her dress, but had a different vision for the silhouette. With added length, a sleeker fit, and redesigned sleeves – it’s now a stunning, one-of a kind wedding dress!
What Is Possible With Alterations?
As you can see from our tailoring results, a lot is possible when it comes to changing the design of a dress!
We’ve done everything from redesigning a bridal gown entirely to creating custom detachable sleeves, so don’t be afraid to think creatively. The most important thing is choosing a bridal tailor you trust to bring your ideas to life.
Already have your dress and want to see what’s possible? Schedule a complimentary bridal fitting with our tailors today.
“I came in with a vision for my wedding dress to alter the back style completely. Alts tailor Gala assured me that she could make it happen. She went out and sourced fabric (with options for me to choose from) and worked with me to ensure my vision was executed. I can’t believe it’s the same dress! It came out exactly like I envisioned.” – Kristina
