OFF THE CUFF : Style, Convenience Marry at 2nd Look
W hether the wedding ceremony was bliss and the couple lived happily ever after, or someone was abandoned at the altar, there’s not much else a bride can do with a wedding gown. She can keep it for her daughter to wear decades later, or she can take it to a store that specializes in selling gently used clothing.
Barbara Lane Stanfield, owner of 2nd Look Bridal & Formal in Old Town Tustin, says, “Sell it.”
2nd Look is housed in a pink clapboard that’s older than this century, but all of the hundreds of dresses inside are less than five years old. The store has been listed in several “shopping secrets” directories, one of which has an introduction by glamazon Ivana Trump.
This is another in a series of first-person columns that allows people connected to the fashion industry to talk about their encounters.
We are a consignment store. We sell used bridal gowns and wedding accessories, mother’s dresses, bridesmaids’ gowns, cocktail dresses, beaded evening wear, prom dresses and career wear. It’s funny that gowns worn for three or four hours we have to call “used.”
The usual turnaround time between accepting and selling an item is from three to six months. Women bring us their precious items to sell because they don’t want them and they’re happy they’ve found some place to take them. The gowns have to be cleaned and pressed and have no rips or tears.
We have about 300 wedding gowns filling three rooms. I handpick every gown that comes in. We carry them in an assortment of styles, from Victorian to contemporary to informal. They are beaded, sheath, tea length, lace, mermaid style, off-the-shoulder and in all fabrics.
If it’s gaudy or if I don’t like it myself, I would not take it in. But I like lots of styles. I would also turn away any dress that is dated, like one with an empire waist or full chiffon sleeves that were worn 10 years ago. Although the open neck dresses are more popular, I take in a few dresses with high necklines because the bigger busted girls prefer that.
I get brides of every age, from 18 to 60. And even if it’s a second marriage, some girls still want to buy a wedding gown with a train, while others want to be more informal. Some brides are traditional and will only wear white, while others just do what they want to do.
Every bride wants something different. She may be planning an old-fashion wedding, or she’s going to Laughlin (Nev.) to get married on a boat that weekend. There is no strong trend I’ve seen in the summer of ’94.
For informal weddings, there is the short mini, off-the-shoulder gown with a headpiece and short veil. For a garden or beach wedding, there is a beaded, satin and lace sheath with a bridal sun hat. It’s simple but elegant.
In the boutique, the gowns are organized by size. They are all in bridal bags, and we pick out four or five gowns, and we help the bride try them on. She will narrow it down to one within 30 to 40 minutes. You can tell when it’s the right one because the bride feels excited and her eyes light up.
Brides-to-be come in here to find a gown, then they may return for another special occasion to buy a formal dress or when they need a career suit.
Not all of our dresses are used. We order from 95% of the manufacturers, so we can order any new gown for any wedding party. We also do alterations. Our wedding gowns sell from $300 to $600. Informal ones start at $100, and the average gown sells for $299 to $499.
The girls who never got married bring their wedding gowns in here because they can’t return them, so we also have those as part of our inventory. Sometimes these girls tell me their sad stories, and I listen to them, and I think of myself as part counselor.
