Dresses

A couple of weeks ago some friends and I went to checkout this place called the Bridal Bar during lunch. We were disappointed to see that it was closed but had weddings on the mind so we went into the dress boutique next door. It was a little crazy and I wasn't at all comfortable with so many people around pointing at what looked like 10 of the same dresses. But then my friends left and I chatted with the lady longer and I really felt comfortable and wanted to come back.

And so, on Tuesday I did return, with my mom. I took a half day of work and walked over to meet her there. We had an appointment and I tried on dresses for 2 1/2 hours. And I found one that looked great--even though it was 2-4 sizes too small. I wanted it, but not so fast, this was the first shopping I had done, I wanted to look around. And so we left and told the lady we would think about it.

After leaving the store we went back to Burbank and checked out David's Bridal where I had heard there was a possibility to find great dresses at great prices. I had seen some David's Bridal specimens at other weddings and found them to be beautiful. Unfortunately, our experience after coming from the fancy boutique was not as satisfactory. I felt like the service was suffocating and while some of the dresses did look pretty, the quality suffered. I was especially interested in the halter top because that is what had looked so great at the boutique, however, I was disappointed to see the clasps visibly on the neck of the dress. It was the little details that bothered me and my mom.

Luckily, my mom knows a lot of people in Ojai that are young and just recently got married and among other things, were able to recommend two different dress stores. We were worried that we wouldn't be able to get an appointment with such a short time schedule, but it turned out that the first place was walk-in only and the second place had two openings! So we made the plans for Saturday.

My mom was able to make time in her busy last two weeks in California to meet me for our Saturday excursion to the stores. Coming from opposite ends of the 101 freeway, the two stores were not in the middle at all. We arrived at Pebbles Bridal, a family business around 10 am, right when they opened trying to beat the crowds since this place does not allow for appointments.

Pebbles Bridal needs a new website, however, they have a nice store. Tucked into the corner of a busy shopping center, the brick building houses over 1000 bridal gowns, bridesmaid dresses, veils and accessories. The business is family owned and I felt comfortable immediately upon walking in. I signed in and then a lady came to help me. She showed me the dresses which are all samples so you can touch them all and know that your dress will be ordered for you, not tried on by eighty girls first. I asked Megan, my helper, to show me the dresses that she thought would make me look thin. I had a couple of things that I wanted, but I was mostly open.

I was very comfortable trying on the dresses even with her help inside the dressing room--you don't know how hard it is to get some of those puffy dresses on unassisted. I tried on a number of dresses and a couple of them were my favorites, and so, I decided and now, I have my dress for this exact date a year from now.