Life Update

Since it's been a little while since I have posted I thought I'd do a quick update on how things have been going. 

First off, J found a job!  YAY!!  Not only did he find a job, but it's a great one.  Good paying and great benefits.  He's just finished his 3rd week on the job and seems to be settling into it now.  He was very nervous and frustrated at first because he had a lot to learn in a very short amount of time but I had faith that he would figure it out and he has.  It's nice to see him settling in and getting some confidence back.  It has been a long 6 months for the both of us.  When he came into my work to tell me he got the job I gave him and big hug and congratulated him.  What I really wanted to do was break down and cry.  I had been trying for so very long to hold it together for both of us and it was like a huge weight had been lifted off me and all these emotions I had been holding in for so long wanted to come rushing out.  His new job may mean some big changes in our life, but I am looking forward to that.  He is working out in Taber and has to commute to work and back each day.  We have discussed the option of moving out to Taber.  This is something we have talked about before.  To be closer to the farm and be able to help out a little easier.  I am all for moving, but with the caviet that we get a new and more reliable car so I can commute back to the city and keep my job.  I love my job and am not ready to find something different.  The commute for me would be a little easier as my job starts a little later in the day than his.  We are thinking that January would be a good time to move. That way he is good and settled in his job and we have time to save up a little money beforehand.  I am really looking forward to this as I find myself growing more and more sick of the city.  I tried to sit on my deck and read the other day and I found myself getting very frustrated with how noisy it was outside!  Construction, cars, sirens, people yelling etc.  And I really miss having a yard.  I think we have outgrown our little apartment and I look forward to something new.

I am offically the stage manager for LMT's production of Hairspray this year as well as my duties as Vice President.  I was very excited that the director wanted me involved in the audition process.  I really enjoy working with this new director so far and I am hopeful for an amazing show.  I really enjoyed watching everyone audition and seeing such an amazing group of truly talented people!  I am glad that the final decision wasn't mine.  I did get the opportunity to call and offer parts to the members of the cast who made it into the ensemble.  That was an interesting experience.  I was expecting people to be a little more excited I suppose.  I was shocked by the number of people who auditioned, said they would accept a role in the ensemble and then turned it down when offered.  Two of the people who turned it down later reconsidered and were allowed back in and two more ended up declining after initially accepting the role.  But all in all, we have a great group of people and some amazing new talent to work with.  I will also be training a new assistant stage manager this year as one of my usual ones has been promoted to production manager.  I'm excited to work with her though and I know she will be an asset to me. So, as has become a bit of a tradition with my, my fall will be exceptionally busy.

Work has been going well, if not a little slowly.  This is our first summer since I've worked there that we don't have an alterations department in the store so we are finding ourselves a little bored at times.  But all in all, it's good.

Some sad news to report.  The little colt who was attacked by the coyote is now an orphan.  Her mother had a heart attack on father's day.  J and I arrived at the farm and were in the house for no more than 5 minutes when we went out to help his mom light the BBQ and found her dead.  We're not sure what happened but we think the stress of the attack took it's toll on her and she had a heart attack.  B said she had slowly been going downhill since the attack.  It was so sad.  I have been on the farm when a horse has died before but this was way harder to watch.  The little filly tried to wake her up and kept pawing at her mom.  I was heartbroken.  I just hope that she makes it.  She has fought an uphill battle since she was first introduced into the world.

On a happy note, I'm going to be an Aunt again!  Ms A and Ms E are going to be big sisters and I'm very happy for my brother and sis-in-law.

Anyway, there's the update.  I'm going to try to to get back to writing a little more regularly on this blog, and maybe my other one too until the fall hits and life goes crazy again.

Seeing Inner Beauty

In my job I see a lot of things.  Some make you smile, some make you laugh, same make you cry and some break your heart.  I think the ones that get to me the most are the women who don't see their own beauty, inside and out.  Today was a day that broke my heart but ended in a small triumph.

Near the end of the day a mom and her two daughters walked in to my store to look for grad dresses.  hey noticed the sign on the door on their way in that said "appointments recommended" and were a little worried but I reassured them that we would be able to fit them in in about 10 minutes and brought them to the grad section to start browsing.  I went back to my appointment which was just wrapping up and finished everything with them.  Just as I finished I noticed that the family was back near the front of the store preparing to leave.  I asked the girl if she saw any dresses that she liked and she was very shy with me.  She barely made eye contact and gave very short answers to all my questions.  With a little encouragement from her mom we convinced her to come back in and at least try on a few gowns to see what she was liking.  I went back in to the grad section with them to help her pick out some gowns.  She seemed like she really didn't want to be there and really wasn't giving me much help with what she wanted in a gown.  Her mom picked one to get us started and I took her back to the dressing room.

In case you are new to this blog or are unaware of what I do for a living, let me fill you in.  I manage a full-service Bridal Salon.  If you've ever seen the TLC show "Say Yes to the Dress" you have a very good idea of what I do.  I help you pick gowns, and I dress you in them.  There are many reasons our store does this, but I digress.  I took this young woman back to the dressing area and explained to her that I would be helping her into the gowns.  She got a very fearful look in her eyes and nearly bolted for the door.  Her sister stopped her and told her it would be ok and how she wished that someone had helped her into the dresses when she went shopping for her grad dress.  I have dealt with shy girls before, but her reaction was quite extreme.  We provide slips for our customers to wear on their lower body so they don't feel overly exposed when we come in the room with them in their undergarments.  I suggested that she pull the slip up over her chest if it made her more comfortable.  The first time I went into the dressing room with her and saw her without her street clothes on, my heart broke.  She was a very beautiful girl who obviously didn't see that in herself.  She stood with her shoulders slumped forward, her hair pulled in front of her chest and her hands clamped tightly across her stomach.  Her arms were covered from her shoulders to wrists in scars.  Hundreds of small angry white lines.  I realized that this poor thing had inflicted each of these scars on herself at one time.  She had even carved a small heart into her chest which now shone white with the gleam of scar tissue.  I waned to scoop her up and tell her everything gets better and not to give up.  My heart melted and it became m mission to help this girl find a dress that would make her see some of her own beauty when she looked in the mirror.  It took some time and coaxing to get her to tell me what she liked but eventually we began to narrow things down.  Her mom and sister were so supportive of her.  Eventually, I pulled a dress off of one of the mannequins in the window and put her in it.  For the first time that day, I saw a smile on her face.  She began to shine and see herself in a new light.  Her shoulders held a little higher and her hair pulled back over her shoulders.  She didn't even try to cover herself with her hands but planted them firmly on her hips for a picture.  Her mom bought her the dress and they left the store happy.

I'd like to think that I made a small difference in her life, even if just for a short while.  I don't do these things because I want someone to remember me or think I'm amazing.  I don't even want to take any credit for finding the perfect dress for someone.  I do take a great deal of personal satisfaction in those little moments when I can make a girl see something special when she looks in the mirror.  If you have never taken the time to see the inner beauty in a random stranger, try it!  Once you see it, try to make them see what you see.  Sometimes all it takes is a little smile.

Light At The End Of The The Tunnel

Life has been crazy.  There have been so many changes with work over the last few weeks that it's a bit mind blowing.  I'll call it a "re-invention" of our business, but it come with a lot of hiccups in the road.  In the long run I know it will be good and it will hopefully mean a lot less headaches for me, but it's been stressful.  In just about a month our alterations department will be officially shut down.  Due to a bunch of circumstance beyond our control, we have lost most of our seamstresses and there is a serious lack of qualified seamstresses out there.  It has made life tough, but it will take a huge headache out of my life in the future.  I have been feeling very overwhelmed lately with everything, but I think I can see the glimmer of the light at the end of the tunnel now.  Tonight was my last "crazy" Thursday night of alterations...ever!  It was a long day (10+ hours) but it went fairly smoothly and there were no casualties.  I got everything done that I needed to and I even had enough time to eat.  If you know me, you know how big of a deal this is as I rarely take the time to eat at work.

I can hardly wait for the second week of August.  J and I are both on vacation together that week.  We have no major plans and I like it that way.  I think we may just head out to the farm so I can spend the week riding Jack.

Here's hoping the light keeps getting brighter...

Bridesmaids: A Cautionary Tale.

As a Bridal Consultant, there are a few questions that I get asked by customers on almost a daily basis.  "Do you love your job?"  Of course I do!  I get to play Barbie for a living and help people's dreams come true every day.  "Do you ever have any really bad Bridezilla's?"  Occasionally yes, but the honest truth is usually the major problem is Bridesmaids.  Why the Bridesmaid, you ask?  Because most girls have NO idea what it means to be a Bridesmaid.

Girls, if a Bride asks you to be a part of her wedding party it's because she wants you to be a part of her special day.  HER special day.  It is not your wedding, so shut your mouth, smile big for the camera, and give her all the attention she needs.  It is her wedding gown so even if it's not your taste, be happy for her and keep your opinion to yourself.  I'm not saying you shouldn't say something if it really makes her look terrible, but wait for her to give you her cues first.  If she is beaming in the gown and has tears in her eyes, maybe you shouldn't say something like "I just really hate dropped waist gowns because I think they make hips look big, but if you like it than get it."  You know that all she is going to focus on now is her hips, even if it doesn't make her look bad.  That is just being passive aggressive.  Don't get me wrong, I will be the first to tell a Bride if I feel the style of dress is wrong for her, but I am never mean about it and I always find a better option right away.  I have seen Brides make the wrong decision on a gown because a Bridesmaid likes a different one better (because it is more to the maids own taste) and regret it later.  I've gotten frantic phone calls after the dress has been ordered asking if it's possible to get a different style because they have realized their maids pushed them into the wrong gown.

Do NOT give ultimatums.  If the Bride wants you in a floor length gown, wear a floor length gown.  If she wants you in vomit green, wear it with a smile.  Don't say, I won't wear that.  Don't threaten to drop out.  If you truly feel that way, DON'T agree to be a Bridesmaid in the first place.

Be aware that agreeing to be in the wedding party may come with a lot of out of pocket expenses.  Travel and Hotel may me required.  Most Bridesmaids pay for their own gowns, alterations, shoes, jewelry, hair and makeup so please be willing to do so.  If you don't feel you can afford to fulfill the Brides vision, take her aside and respectfully let her know.  Don't do it in front of everyone and don't be bitchy about it.  Be prepared to spend anywhere from $100 - $500 and you haven't even bought a gift yet.

Be aware that even though just about every Bride says she wants to pick a dress that her maids can wear again, chances are you never will.  Even if the style may be one that can be worn to other occasions, chances are there won't be much call to wear a lavendar or coral gown ever again.  If it's what she wants, just do it.

Please don't make the Bachelorette party about you.  Don't leave her in a corner and forget about her.  Don't take off with some random guys you meet at the bar.  Don't pick a fight with one of the other Bridesmaids.

I see way to many Brides who are stressed out because of their weddings already get pushed over the edge by one of their Bridesmaids.  It's uncalled for.  It should be about the happy couple that day whether you agree with the centerpieces or not.

To the maids who do understand what their role is, Thank you!  You make my job and hers a lot easier.  Even if she puts you in the most unflattering dress in the most hideous combination of colors imaginable, you are a true friend.

A Day I'll Never Forget.

Work has been stressful lately to say the least.  We have lost our head seamstress so I have had to step in and take care of the alterations full time now as well as try to make sure the floor runs smoothly.  The manager of our sister store has given her notice and we are losing another of our senior staff soon to maternity leave.  So with all that going on I have been quite stressed lately.  Two days ago we got an interesting phone call at work.  A gentleman called wanting to book an appointment for himself to look at gowns.  Although this isn't the first time we've had a guy shopping for gowns, this was a different case and unique unto itself.  He stressed that he is not gay and isn't getting married, he just likes to wear women's clothing.  I volunteered to take the appointment and we booked him to come in after the store closed to shop.  I will admit I was a little nervous.  For some reason I would have felt a lot better if he was gay.  Stupid I know but I was worried about being alone in the store with a guy after hours.  We arranged the schedule so that someone would be with me and my husband volunteered to come in and sit in the staff room in case there was any trouble.  We didn't need to worry.

"Bob" came in right as we closed up the store and was way more nervous than me.  He once again stated that he is not gay and that he was a little nervous because no one knows that he does this except for us and a sales girl at a bra specialty shop.  He wanted to buy a wedding gown for himself, not because he's getting married, but just because he enjoys wearing women's clothing and what's more feminine than a wedding gown.  We chatted for a bit and then I let him pick out some gowns.  We are full service so I was in the dressing room with him helping him put on gowns.  I have to admit it is always weird seeing a man in a wedding gown.  They aren't built for a man's body and look strange across the chest.  But after trying on a bunch and giving him some of the best service I'm sure he's ever had we found him the perfect gown!  It was great to help him feel special even if it was a little odd.  He was extremely grateful and wanted to know if it was ok to tip me.  That's the first time anyone has asked me that.  So "Bob", thanks for making the appointment comfortable for both of us and I hope the gown helps give you the feeling you're looking for.  It's always nice to bring a little joy into someone's life no matter the circumstance.  I hope one day you will feel comfortable enough to let other's know that wearing women's clothes on occasion is part of who you are.

2011 Can Bite My Shiny Metal Ass

I know it's been a while since I posted but I have been so busy and stressed lately it's been the last thing on my mind.  If you've been reading this you probably know about how this year started off badly and I have been trying to get ahead ever since.  I am frustrated and feeling defeated at every turn.  Work is a disaster right now with serious staffing issues that just seem to keep getting worse every day.  The car keeps having more and more little issues all the time, the latest being a hole in the gas tank that cost me a full tank of gas before I realized it and with the price of gas right now that sucks.  I keep getting sucked into the middle of other people's drama at work and at home with my family.  I'm tired.  I don't like this anymore.  I don't want to be the one who feels like they have to solve all of the problems but that's what I feel like.  I will find a way to make this year better.  I am not giving up on my happiness yet.  2011, you can kiss my ass!

Rant Over.

A Dying Art

I have discovered something about the world we live in today.  There are certain things that used to be common place for most people to know how to do in life that are becoming extinct in our fast paced modern world.  One of these things is making my life a little more difficult right now.  There are so very very few people left in the world that actually know how to sew!

Once upon a time, almost every woman had at least a little experience with sewing.  At the very least just about everyone could sew on a button or hem a pair of pants.  Now it's pretty rare to even find someone who knows how to thread a needle, let alone what to do with it.  The lack of seamstresses has made it difficult at work recently because our main seamstress has retired and one of the other seamstresses is only able to work a few days a week.  This has made it so I have had to step and and start doing pin fittings and sewing (often after hours) on top of my other Management/Head of Alterations duties.  The major problem is it is much harder to alter something than it is to sew something from scratch so it's difficult to find qualified people.  We have so many dresses that need altering this year and I can't seem to find anyone who is able to help us out.  We used to have a solid pool of people to draw from at the local College because they had a Fashion Design program there but the have recently re-vamped their program so it mainly focuses on Fashion Merchandising and less on the sewing end of things.  So right now all I can do is try to get through the season (come on September!) and hope I don't have a major heart attack in the mean time.

On the up side, my co-workers have really stepped up and are all trying to learn whatever they can so they can help out.  I can see a light at the end of the tunnel...it's faint, but it's there so I'll hold on to it and plow ahead.

Fantastic New Wedding Gowns

We got a new shipment of wedding gowns in at work today by an amazing designer, Kitty Chen.  We ordered the gowns from pictures and I am more than pleased with the quality of these beauties in real life.  In fact, I like them better in person than I do in the pictures.  Here are a few of my new favorites:

This is London and she is gorgeous!  The dress is light and so very soft and feminine looking.  I love the way the skirt opens into these soft flowing cascades and the peaked neckline is awesome.  It really is better in person and the price is very reasonable.

Meet Flora.  She is light and flirty and the lace is so classy.  I love the flowered shoulder strap and love even more that is comes with an optional second lace shoulder strap for those that want that look.  This one is a great gown for a church wedding or even a destination wedding with it's light fabric and small train.

This is Paris and she is by far my favorite!  The skirt is really hard to see how beautiful it is in the picture.  It has these really great leaf like cut outs made of sparkle tulle so it really shines in a subtle way and has really neat real feather details interspersed in the skirt as well.  I know it sounds weird to have feathers, but it's done in such a smart way that I really love it!  This one really blew me away when I opened the box and I can't wait to put it on someone to see what it looks like.  I also like that the sparkley belt is optional.

Thanks Kitty for making such fantastic couture gowns for the bride who doesn't want to go into massive debt for her wedding.  I'm loving these gowns!

It's official

So it's finally official.  I have been working as acting manager at work since the last manager went on maternity leave in December, but today I was officially made manager.  Not that that changes much with my job, but it did come with a nice raise and the promotion of another girl to the position of supervisor to help me out and take some of the load off of me since I will still be retaining my other position as Head of Alterations.  The owner also has named managers for our 2 other stores as well since the other Manager will be going on Maternity leave next month as well.  It's nice to finally have all of this figured out so we can start to get back into a routine at work.

In other work related news... I'm feeling pretty good about myself right now.  It's not too often that we get requests for specific consultants at work when people book appointments but it's not unheard of.  Most of the time it's because the Bride is a friend of someone who works there and wants them to help.  When I went into work today I saw that I had 7 appointments booked specifically with me for this week alone.  That is a really large number of requests!  To top it off, I don't personally know any of these people but they all asked for me because someone else (in most cases a past bride of mine) has referred them to me.  I had my first 2 appointments today and they both found gowns.  It's nice to know that our customers appreciate my work.

Here's hoping things are starting to look up some more.

In the thick of things

It's been a little while since I posted so I thought it would be a good idea to update how things are going lately.  2011 is still kicking my ass so far but I am determined not to let this year get the best of me.  We are still having major car issues but this is mostly attributed to the nasty weather we are having right now.  (Average temperature lately has been hovering around -40C with the wind chill.)  My hair has literally been turning white from frost in the mornings while I wait for the bus to take me to work!  As for work, we are getting into the seriously crazy season and I am surprised I haven't pulled all of my hair out yet or turned into an alcoholic.

I love my job for the most part, but I feel a little bit in a transition period right now.  I work at a place were we have 3 separate and yet connected Bridal stores.  If that is confusing let me explain.  All 3 stores are owned by the same person and function independently from each other but we share the same staff.  We all take turns working at all 3 stores so we know the stock between them and can better assist customers.  2 of the 3 store have full time managers with the 3rd being run by both managers together.  (The 3rd store is an outlet boutique selling discounted dresses from the first 2 stores)  The manager from the main store had a baby just before Christmas and the other manager is pregnant.  I am the Head of Alterations and Supervisor at the main boutique and have recently taken over as manager since "Tammy" went on maternity leave.  Managing a Bridal store is a crazy amount of work.  It involves constantly trouble-shooting and fixing issues for customers.  I probably spend 7 hours of my 8 hour shift on the phone or on the computer.  There is 1 girl I work with who I feel would be excellent for the position but she is a little unsure of herself and worried she is unable to handle it.  I hope she gets a little more confidence in herself and steps up because I know we would work well together.

The biggest issue with stepping in to the management role is that I have to deal with a lot of shit-heads.  The part that is frustrating me the most is co-workers though.  Some of  the girls I work with have been there for a very long time and are still screwing up things they should know and are making part of my job description "babysitter".  I constantly have to go behind and make sure things are right.  I can't wait for our staff meeting tomorrow so we can deal with some of these issues.

Here's hoping things are starting to get better soon!

What's wrong with the world today

J told me about this new reality tv show that made my stomach turn.  It's called Bridalplasty.  The premise of the show is 12 Brides-to-be compete for the dream wedding....and plastic surgery.  Being an intelligent person, I decided to make an informed decision about this show rather than form an opinion based on heresay.  I came across a marathon of the first few episodes on TV last night and decided to watch.

I was right.  This show is sick and wrong.  The women on this show are beautiful and are not in need of plastic surgery.  Perhaps I should state that I am not a big fan of plastic surgery to begin with although I do agree that there are certain cases where it is needed.  I understand the need in cases of trauma or cancer or defects and I even understand in cases of extreme weight loss where the skin is hanging loose.  But I have never understood plastic surgery to "improve" what was already perfect in the first place.  Your man fell in love with you the way you are so why do you need to change?  Everyone has beauty in them and if you can't see that when you look in the mirror surgery is not the answer.  Don't get me wrong, there are the odd cases on this show where surgery would be a benefit to the woman (ie one girl had a lumpectomy in her left breast and is now misshapen while another has lost about 100 lbs and has alot of loose skin that could be tightened) but most of these girls do not need anything.  I actually died a little inside when the one girl with a stunning body and no visible bad areas had lypo on her "wish list".  What really sealed the deal for me was the line they use when a bride is voted out.  "Your wedding will still go on, it just won't be perfect"  If I didn't love my TV, I may have broken it at that point.  LADIES!!!!  If you have found a man who loves you for who you are and wants to spend the rest of his life with you, be happy!  And stay away from monstrosities like this show.

The Good, The Bad, and the WTF??

It has been an interesting week at work.  Although this time of year we are slower at work because people are more focused on Christmas shopping it is by no means uninteresting.  Here's a slice of the week I had.

The Good:  About a month ago I helped a grad girl find the perfect gown and all the trimmings to go with it.  She was so excited.  I found out last week that her home had recently burned down and she lost the dress and everything else to go with it.  Her mom called me this week and asked if we still had any of the stuff that she had purchased so she could replace it for her.  I did some rooting through our stock and found everything she had purchased except for the tiara.  When I told my boss about he situation she contacted the manufacturer and had the piece custom made for the girl and decided that we would replace the pieces for this lovely young girl for free.  I love working for a caring company.

The Bad:  A bride came in to shop for a gown with her terror of a child.  I love children, but this was no little boy.  I think he was a demon.  He ran all over the place, knocked over things, went into the private office area, stepped on gowns and even stole money out of our cash box.  And what did she do about all this....absolutely NOTHING!!  Please brides, we don't mind if you bring your children with you.  We even have a toy box for them.  But if you are raising a demon-child that you won't even try to control please come another day...when you have a sitter or someone with you to wrangle the monster.

The WTF??:  And lastly, I helped a walk-in customer and her fiance search for a gown.  Everything was going very smoothly and we were having alot of fun in the appointment until he asked me if he could speak to her alone.  This isn't an uncommon request, but it usually happens at the end of the appointment once the gown has been found and people want to discuss finances...but we were only 2 dresses into the start of the appointment.  They got into a very heated discussion and he ended up leaving the store.  I took her back to change out of the gown she had been in the whole time and she told me that she must have gotten a text message while we were in the dressing room and he checked it.  Turned out it was from he ex-boyfriend saying how he couldn't wait to see her again and blah blah blah...  Needless to say, she left without purchasing a dress...and I'm not too sure, but i think she left single as well.

Ahhh the drama of working in a Bridal store.  Keeps my life interesting at least.

Really Brides??? Really??

So today was one of those days that I thought WTF???  Do you really think the world revolves around you just because you're getting married and spending money?  Don't get me wrong, I strive to make every bride feel as special as possible no matter what her situation or budget but there is a line people!  Employees at Bridal stores are just that...employees.  We are not miracle workers (although sometimes we do can) and we have lives outside of our work just like you do.

Let me fill you in on where this all began today.  Last week we had a bride come in searching for her dream gown and, as often happens, she came in without an appointment.  We always strive to serve everyone whether they have an appointment or not so we shuffled things around a but and were able to fit her in.  Her consultant worked tirelessly with her to help her find the perfect gown for her and it was well within her stated budget (under by $700 actually) and was able to find a gown in stock that would need very little done to it which helped with her tight timeline.  In case you are unaware of how things work in bridal, it typically takes between 4 and 6 months from the time of ordering a gown for it to arrive in the store and sometimes takes 2 months for alterations as the seamstresses can be very busy working on multiple gowns at a time.  So when this girl...we'll can her "Jane" came in with a wedding date of February, her consultant jumped into action and pulled out all the stops to not only find a gown that would work, but one that she would love.  Jane seemed very pleased at the end of her shopping with everything until she got to the register.  Suddenly she wasn't feeling so sure about the price of the gown and wanted to shop around.  We allowed her to put the gown on hold and told her she might want to go check out our outlet store when she got a chance as the gowns there are sold 25 - 50% off and are still really great gowns.  Keep in mind dear reader that this was at 5:15 pm and our stores close at 5:30....and she came in at 3:00.  Jane the proceeded to go to our outlet store and demand that she be allowed to try on as many dresses as she wanted because she "was going to be spending alot of money in our stores so we should stay open late for her."  Our outlet consultant didn't want to be rude to her or make her feel like we didn't care so she proceeded to help her shop for gowns until almost 6:30.  The stores have now been closed for over an hour and she still hadn't made a decision.  We decided to hold 2 gowns for her until she could make a decision so she wouldn't feel pressured.

That brings us to today.  Jane had decided on the gown from our main store and had booked an appointment to see our seamstress for alterations at 4:30.  She slowly sauntered into the store at about 4:45.  My seamstress usually only works until 5 pm as she has young children at home and needs to get back to them so we had already made an exception by booking her in at 4:30.  To top things off, she didn't bring shoes with her and it's very difficult to hem a gown if you don't have shoes.  We have a large selection of shoes avaliable for purchase so now Jane decided to start shopping again.  We finally find a pair of shoes that are the right height for her (she was very specific) but once again she balks at the price.  Now she wants to go look for shoes at our outlet store....5:00.  I let her know that she is welcome to go shop for shoes and I would be happy to reschedule her appointment with our seamstress for another day so she wasn't rushed.....nope...Jane wants her alterations done today.  So we settle on shoes and now I remind her that she needs to pay for the gown in full before we can do any alterations on it and she is fine with it...until I tell her how much the gown is.  Now she starts accusing me of changing the price on her and trying to rip her off.  I calmly show her the original tag on the gown with the price and show her it's the same as what her invoice says plus tax.  Now she is freaking out because of the tax.  Where we live, there is ALWAYS tax on everything.  We have no control over it.  Her friend calms her down and she hand over her credit card to pay for the gown.  Once again, even with the taxes added this gown is still $650 under what she said she wanted to spend.  So now we have shoes and a gown and it's time to get her in the gown for alterations...5:15

Our alterations appointment are booked in 1 hour time slots.  Jane had an exception made for her as she didn't need major alterations done on the gown so she was booked for half hour as the later time was better for her and my seamstress could do the pinning in half hour....had she been on time and prepared.  Now my seamstress in already 15 minutes late getting off work and she still hasn't started her job.  I get Jane into the gown and then she drops the bomb.  Jane wants the alterations completed and the gown ready for pick up by next week.  Alterations take time...even when you are really good at them.  And we have tons of other dresses being altered as well.  EVERY bride gets equal time no matter what they spend or when their wedding is so when you come in and demand that everything be done to your timetable that means taking time and effort away from other brides.  Jane doesn't need the gown to be completed for next week because of something like she is moving and won't be back before the wedding or the wedding is in another country and she is flying out, she just wants it done so she can have a photo shoot done in the gown....without her fiance...to send out to people for Christmas with the invitation to the wedding that may or may not be in February or June or maybe in 2012 now because they haven't actually talked about when the wedding will be or where it will be held.  REALLY?!?!?!  We are bending over backwards and working into our own personal time and leaving our families so that you can do things now because you just feel like it?  People please promise me you will have a little consideration for employees at any store you go in to.  They are there to assist you and hopefully help make things easier for you, but they are not slaves or punching bags.

Thank goodness very few Brides are actually like Jane.  And a huge thank you to all the ones who make my job and my life easier by being polite and considerate!

Disney Bridal - a new direction

Almost every little girl dreams of being a Disney princess when they grow up.  We all have a favorite.  It could be Belle, or Snow White, or Jasmine or Sleeping Beauty.  Disney decided to help make those dreams a reality a few years ago by getting into the Bridal industry.  It seems like a very natural progression to make and has been highly popular.  Now you can get married in your favorite Disney princesses wedding gown and why not?  It was a brilliant move.

Disney originally hired Kirstie Kelly as the designer for the line.  The idea was "what if the princesses were alive and getting married today?  What would they wear?".  The gowns were not a direct copy of the ones in the movies, but rather "inspired by".  I was really excited when my store originally picked up the line.  The gowns were (for the most part) gorgeous and the fabrics were brilliant.  Things went along very well for quite a while and then we started having a few problems.  Just little things here and there...beading not quite right...changes in fabric without notification....and very long shipping times  Not too long after we were supposed to be receiving the newest collection of gowns I made a shocking discovery.  Disney was dropping Kirstie Kelly.  There was no notification.  No reasons given.  Just a broken link to a webpage and a notice that a new designer was taking over the line.  The end of an era.  A good friend of mine had really wanted one of the Belle gowns and I now had to break the news to her that she couldn't get it anymore.  Sad day.

But out of the ashes of the Kirstie Kelly fall out, Disney had hired a new designer.  Alfred Angelo is now designing a line for Disney!  I have mixed feelings about this.  Alfred Angelo is a recognizable name and has a lot of clout behind him so I think alot of the little problems from before will disappear.  I know the line will be a lower price point and I like that because I'm all about the budget.  I like that the new line will be accessible to pretty much every price point.  I do know that I will miss the awesome fabrics from the previous collection and I will miss the amazing people that used to work for Kirstie Kelly.  But I have seen a preview of the gowns that are coming and for the most part, I like them and I think Brides will like them too...and the price.

Here are the new gowns and my impression of them.  Keep in mind, I have yet to see them in reality as they have not arrived in store yet so things may change once that happens.

In case you couldn't guess, this is Ariel.  Pretty much what I was expecting.  Mermaid cut, sweetheart neckline.  I am intrigued to see what it looks like standing up.  I think this will be great on taller girls, but really tough on shorter girls and very tough for the plus size girl.

Belle has always been my favorite and to me this gown falls short of the mark.  I can see where the influence comes from but am a little less than impressed with the execution.  To me, Belle is a pick up skirt.  While the overlay is nice, I would like to see a little more.  Just not doing it for me.

I really need to see this one in person because I am just not getting Cinderella from this.  But that could just be the photo.  I expect a full ball gown and this is looking a little flowy to me, but once again it could just be the picture.  I do think it will be a good gown for all body shapes with the cross detail at the waist.

Love the idea for this gown.  Jasmine is represented very well through this. However I can already tell you I dislike the fabric.  This is going to snag, show your underwear and require a deluxe bottle of static guard at all times.  That being said, I think this will be an awesome gown for destination weddings.  You can't see it in this photo but the back is amazing!

This is my favorite of the collection.  I don't know what it is about it but I love it.  I hope the shoulder strap is optional to open it up to more Brides tastes, but this is going to be a very flattering style.  

While many people are not going to get this gown at first, I think it may be the best thought out of the collection.  The stand away flowers on the bust and skirt are apple blossoms.  Brilliant idea.  This may be a hard gown to wear if you have a short torso, but should work well to hide hips and other problem areas.

Once I get to see them in person, I'll review them again...until then the fashionista in me bids you adieu!

Reconciling my two sides

My name is Faeriegoddess and I am a geek.  I like gaming and sci-fi and comics and horror and zombies and all things Doctor Who.  Yet I am forced to deal with hiding my geek side like a secret identity on a daily basis as I work in the fashion industry.  Not just any fashion industry either...I work in Bridal.  That's right, I spend 8 hours a day every day helping girls find the wedding dress of their dreams and dealing with all things shiny and sparkly and rainbows only to come home at night and watch zombies devour people or roll dice to slice a monster myself.  It's funny how the two sides seems to work together so well some days and other days they are very opposed.  Today was a day where my two sides came to odds.

As I was getting ready for work this morning, I saw a delivery guy leaving my house without actually delivering my package.  I tired to catch him but the mad amounts of snow on my doorstep prevented that.  I watched him drive away with my autographed copy of Level 26: Dark Prophecy by Anthony E. Zuiker drive away.  I have been waiting for that book for a while and now it looks like I will wait some more.  Work was pretty slow for most of the day due to the snow storm, but when a Bride cam in to shop I jumped into action.  I work at a full service boutique which means that a day at work for me is very much like an episode of  "Say Yes to the Dress".  She picked gowns.  I helped her try them on.  I went to bat for her when her friend didn't like the gown as much as she did.  I dressed her up in all the finery that comes with being a bride.  She cried.  Her mom cried.  Her friend sulked.  And another wedding dream came true.  It's very rewarding to help someone realize a dream that many girls have from the time they are very young.  Here's a little secret though....I've never been one of those girls.  I wasn't one who dreamed of my wedding day, or pictured the perfect gown or any of that.  In fact, my own wedding featured dragons as centerpieces and a sword cake cutting.  So as I spent the day helping girls find their gowns and dealing with pretty fabrics and shiny tiara's I found my mind drifting to the book that drove away.  A book about a serial killer and the man who hunts him down.  I found myself giggling silently that I was thinking of such violent things while working in such an enchanted environment.  As the sun set on another day in bridal I had to find a way to relieve the screaming geek inside so I headed out to my local gaming shop after my shift ended.

I love my local game shop.  It's quaint and friendly and has some kick-ass decor.  When I got to the shop I discovered that a delightful surprise waiting for me.  My Doctor Who collectors set of action figures had arrived!  All 11 doctors in a display case shaped like that Tardis.  HORAY!!  The geek in me was appeased. To top it off, on my way home I made a detour to the hardware store to pick up a portable heater and in one of those random bins of sale junk I found a copy of "The Sarah Jane Adventures" season 1 for $4!  Ahhh the geek is satisfied for at least another day.

And yet I wonder...will my alter ego even interfere with my daily work.  Will I be able to remain my uber-geeky self while working in the fashion industry for a long time...or will one of my sides win out and remain the only one like a girly version of "Highlander"?  Only time will tell.....