Looking for evening wear

[GENIESWISHES]

FYI

 

After doing my yearly cleaning out the clothes my family does not wear anymore went to drop at Salvation Army. The car line was to long so got out of the car & went inside. What a surprise I got, you should see the formal wear some of these places get. The clerk told me they don't send that stuff to shelters so the try to resell it. There were so many evening dresses some even with tags still on them or with the dry cleaning tags too. I got two dresses for less than $30! One of the dresses had a tag from Lord & Taylor on it, NEVER WORN! The other one looks brand new also, but will have it dry clean before my cruise also.

They had all different size there, from 0's to plus size too. So before you go out & pay too much for a dress you may only wear on your cruise check your local thrift store!

[JanineM]

Great reminder - especially for those who may be really watching their pennies these days. Remember that you can get men's suits there, too!

 

You don't have to be rich to dress up for dinner on a ship or anywhere! Places like the Sally Ann, Goodwill and consignment stores aren't for everyone and you will always hear comments like, "I'd NEVER buy anything that someone else had worn before!", but I'm not too shy to say that I've done it and you'll even see vintage gowns on actresses on the red carpet.

[Lois R]

Hi, congrats on your great buys:D

 

I agree with Janine and have shopped consignment stores for many years.

 

Hi Janine, hope you and Geoff are doing well:)

[Happy ks]

I've seen some evening wear when dropping stuff off at Goodwill. If you can find something you like and it's in your size...go for it!

 

I have 2 dresses in my closet right now that I'm considering taking to a consignment store. Tags are still on them with original price marked, so someone could think they are getting a good deal. I did pay a fraction of the original price, though. Both of them need tailoring that would cost more than what I paid, both of them purchased with a "no returns" policy.

 

Moral of the story, don't order online with a no return policy :p

[Milaandra]

I have 2 dresses in my closet right now that I'm considering taking to a consignment store.

 

Don't forget there's a clothing exchange thread here, too!

[Happy ks]

Don't forget there's a clothing exchange thread here, too!

 

 

I'd prefer to recoup a bit of my money. I have enough formal dresses to last a couple of years already without going shopping again :o

 

I just decided this last week, when clearing out my closet. Now, if I get to it is another story altogether.

[CowPrincess]

I'm a big thrift store shopper, and have outfitted myself in evening wear from the thrifts for decades :) I got a TON of compliments on my last cruise for my $2.75 evening suit.

 

Also a great place to find stuff for your kids if you're going to Alaska, and will never need the stuff after the cruise.

[mehitabel]

I agree wholeheartedly. No point spending ridiculous amounts of money on clothing if you can get a wonderful deal! My wedding dress even came from a vintage store and was much more unique and beautiful than what some people spend THOUSANDS for! And it was less than a hundred dollars. And just a few days ago I found an amazing, Hawaii-made vintage maxidress in perfect condition for only $12! After a few alterations, it'll be in my regular rotation.

 

I think it's funny that some people think there's something "tacky" about buying beautiful, interesting, previously owned clothes--but hey, more for the rest of us! :D

[UKBayern]

I got my (new) real Italian Satin evening gown from Ebay. I looked like a million dollars, and nobody knew that I only paid 20 Euros (28$) for it.

[toxicfairy]

I love second hand stores. Discovered them when I was a single mom. I even furnished 2 apartments and a house with furnishings from local thrift stores! Our local Goodwill store gets alot of buy outs, So there is usually alot of brand new with the tags still on stuff (most of it is from target).

Flea markets in the summer time are another great place for bargains!!

I'm not too proud to wear a bargain. And the only 2 people who know (unless I brag about my great find) are me and the person who sold it to me!

[Harley Granny]

This is my kind of thread! I've furnished my entire house from thrift stores and Goodwill.

 

Just Saturday I bought an evening gown at Goodwill for $11. It needs a couple of stitches to take up the arms but it's all good.

[meliward413]

nothing wrong with goodwill! i've dropped off PLENTY of perfectly good evening dresses there, most worn only once or twice to weddings, proms, sorority formals, etc. once i bought a very nice dress from Guess that I wound up never wearing and donated it a year later with the tag still on. they probably sold for a tiny fraction of what i paid for them!

[oraki]

I'm so glad I found this thread! I love the thrift store! I've lost some weight and none of my pants fit! Well the local thrift store had 50% off woman's pants and I found so many in my new size! Plus I found the cutest dress that I immediately thought CRUISE when I saw it! It only cost 5 dollars!!! I walked out of there with three bags of clothes for almost 30 dollars!! I saw some gorgeous formal gowns in there. I'll definitely be on the lookout for something in my size. :D

 

There's nothing wrong with thrift stores...I love them!

[WaveShoppe]

Not to come off wrong, but do people wear any new clothes or is the trend to wear just recycled apparel on cruises?

[Lois R]

Not to come off wrong, but do people wear any new clothes or is the trend to wear just recycled apparel on cruises?

 

Hi,:) you are not coming off wrong (not to me anyway)

Plenty of people wear new clothes:D...I mean I buy new clothes

AND I shop consignment. It makes no difference to me though. If I can

save myself some greenbacks and get something that looks brand new? I have found things that might

have been worn once....or someone bought it and NEVER wore it and they consigned it....

Guess it just depends on the person. I do know people that will not

shop consignment/thrift stores. That is definitely their choice.

But to be clear, I do buy new clothes too;)

[WaveShoppe]

Hi,:) you are not coming off wrong (not to me anyway)

Plenty of people wear new clothes:D...I mean I buy new clothes

AND I shop consignment. It makes no difference to me though. If I can

save myself some greenbacks and get something that looks brand new? I have found things that might

have been worn once....or someone bought it and NEVER wore it and they consigned it....

Guess it just depends on the person. I do know people that will not

shop consignment/thrift stores. That is definitely their choice.

But to be clear, I do buy new clothes too;)

Thanks for the reassurance J And I apologize for all the silly questions I have been asking. I have never been on a cruise yet, but I am considering it and want to learn all I can. Secondly (and obviously) I am in the apparel trade and its really important to me to gather info and feedback from real people.

 

But I have to say that I am a pretty casual dresser so I might add having to dress up with my fear of sea sickness. :(

[Lois R]

Thanks for the reassurance J And I apologize for all the silly questions I have been asking. I have never been on a cruise yet, but I am considering it and want to learn all I can. Secondly (and obviously) I am in the apparel trade and its really important to me to gather info and feedback from real people.

 

But I have to say that I am a pretty casual dresser so I might add having to dress up with my fear of sea sickness. :(

 

I haven't been reading all the threads on a regular basis lately so not

sure which questions you have been asking. But if you are looking for

answers they cannot be that silly:)

You are in the apparel field? Really...retail, wholesale? Jane110 is too

(well not in sales) but she has a retail background and has lots of

knowledge about clothing, accessories, etc.

 

As for real people? Most of us are definitely real. We try to help each

other on this fashion forum. Of course you get some disagreements

and differences of opinions but overall I have always felt good on

this forum:)

[oraki]

Not to come off wrong, but do people wear any new clothes or is the trend to wear just recycled apparel on cruises?

 

You didn't come off wrong to me either. :) I mostly lurk since my grammar was corrected the first time I tried to post. :(

 

Well I can't speak from experience since this will be my first cruise but I will probably buy some new things as well as check out the thrift stores. I love a good bargain. lol If I can find a good bargain it doesn't matter if it's used or new...like the dress I bought yesterday! You'd be surprise of the things you find in the thrift store that still has price tags on them! :eek:

 

I'm all for saving a dollar. ;)

[Happy ks]

WaveShoppe, I've only bought clothing from Goodwill for Halloween costumes for my kids. Then I give it back.

 

I do see clothing that would be appropriate for cruise formal nights, usually stuff that was sold several years prior. Most people don't get rid of stuff they never wear, or only wear once only after years of hanging in the closet. I have seen very nicely dressed women in Goodwill, so if you don't mind the search it can be a great way to shop. I see nothing wrong with it, especially if the dress/pants/top is something you love.

 

Most of my purchases from Goodwill have been books, they are usually only $1-2 and I re-donate them back after reading. I have never purchased an item of clothing for myself there.

 

I have my mantra when I shop. I must love the item and it has to fit, or come very close with little alteration. I generally buy on sale unless the item never goes on sale and it is an investment purchase. This started a few years ago when I realized I was giving away a fortune in clothing $ to Goodwill, some stuff with tags still attached. Shopping this way I give much less to Goodwill and most of it is pretty worn by then.

[WaveShoppe]

I haven't been reading all the threads on a regular basis lately so not

sure which questions you have been asking. But if you are looking for

answers they cannot be that silly:)

You are in the apparel field? Really...retail, wholesale? Jane110 is too

(well not in sales) but she has a retail background and has lots of

knowledge about clothing, accessories, etc.

 

As for real people? Most of us are definitely real. We try to help each

other on this fashion forum. Of course you get some disagreements

and differences of opinions but overall I have always felt good on

this forum:)

 

I am always light hearted, and honestly can’t believe I haven’t known about this forum, I think it’s a great resource! I found the forum after I noticed that a member was referencing one of our dresses, couldn’t resist making a visit.

 

We primarily offer Hawaiian themed apparel, I do textile design, cutting, working on grading with our pattern maker, etc. So if I was pressed I would say we do manufacturing, wholesale and retail (we have a Web as well as a showroom in south cali). While we are small in employee size, I am a vendor for the likes of Adidas, MTV networks, comedy central, etc. But we simply have the nicest and best retail customers.

 

Reality is that I really need a major break from working, hence my interest in a cruise of some type.

[Lois R]

Hawaiian themed apparel? Sounds like a match for surfing in

Southern California?:D

[Happy ks]

Hawaiian themed apparel? Sounds like a match for surfing in

Southern California?:D

 

 

I don't think too many surfers in CA wear Hawaiian themed clothing ;)

[Lois R]

I don't think too many surfers in CA wear Hawaiian themed clothing ;)

 

Ohhhh....ok...guess my thinking is mixed up:D:eek::);)

[WaveShoppe]

I don't think too many surfers in CA wear Hawaiian themed clothing ;)

They don’t? Aloha shirts are synonymous with the surfing culture all over the world.

 

You can even see it for yourself by visiting a event put on by Swamis Surfing Association, lots of Hawaiian themed clothing worn at those events.

 

Below is Hawaiian surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku and the Waikiki "Beachboys" at the Outrigger Canoe Club, Waikiki, Hawaii, 1963 (All of them are surfers)

 

[mehitabel]

Not to come off wrong, but do people wear any new clothes or is the trend to wear just recycled apparel on cruises?

 

I wear some new clothes, but I keep my new clothing purchases to an absolute minimum for a couple of reasons.

 

First of all, I love to sew my own clothes. I can monkey around with patterns and fabrics to get exactly the look that I want and produce something better-made and more unique than most other clothing on the market.

 

Second of all, I like to support thrift stores, particularly local ones, because of their generosity to our community.

 

Also, I think the mass-market clothing industry is deplorable for using sweatshop workers, poor environmental practices, and producing shoddy, "wear it once and throw it away"-type clothing. I do my best to stay out of that cycle unless I really can't make or find what I want elsewhere.