Broke-Ass Brilliance: Dresses for Dollars (literally)
October 22nd, 2008 by The Broke-Ass Bride
With the trash-the-dress bash this Sunday, I’ve been frantically hunting for a suitable, inexpensive dress to wear for the shoot. I’ve tried everything from Nordstrom Rack to Ross, Ebay to vintage shops… but I couldn’t find something that fit, flattered and was cheap to boot.
Until yesterday, when I scored a $1,100 Jasmine Couture dress for *ahem* 20 muthatruckin’ dollars! Cheap wedding dresses? Holla! Yes you read that right – TWENTY. Sound impossible? Well, let me tell you how you, too, can sport a gown for pennies.
The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, or FIDM as its locally known, has a nifty little shop called the Scholarship Store at the corner of 9th and Grand, downtown. They receive cast off’s from designers and stores… some out-of-season, some overstock, and some damaged items, which they sell at insanely low prices (most items from $5-20) and use the proceeds to fund scholarships for students. The street clothes were very hit and miss, but there are cute purses and jewelry, and they happen to have a large bridal selection, chock full of bargain basement steals. Beyond the $20 rack on which I found my beauty amongst many others, the rest of the gowns were all marked down from $100-$400 and everything was HALF OFF. I just about died.
The selection ranges from ball gowns to sheath silhouettes, and many of the styles were rigged to fit practically any size. The quality was beyond exception… oodles of beautiful fabrics and beadwork abound. I just couldn’t believe my eyes.
They also stock tons of evening wear dresses in all styles and colors for similarly unreasonably low prices. I found a million cute options that would all look perfect in any wedding.
So, local gals in search of that designer dress for much much less: run, don’t walk, to the FIDM Scholarship Store.
Alright enough talk. Let me put my money where my mouth is. Check out the dress, y’all!
Paco seems to like it
What do you think? Worth the money?
Paco seems to like it
What do you think? Worth the money?
Wow. I can’t believe you paid $20 for that dress, it’s hard to get lunch for that much around here.
You look great in it, even if it was $20 seems a waste to trash it!
That’s an awesome find. Congrats. I can’t wait to see you TTD photos!
I freakin’ love your blog. I’m getting married in May, too and you’re doing all the work for me! Thank you!
dang! wish I lived nearby!!!!
that is seriously insane!!
if i lived remotely in the area, i would be there immediately.
and ps. it’s a beautiful dress
Wow. It seems kinda wrong to trash it even if it was that cheap… what a find, though!
That’s awesome!!
That is simply amazing.
Hell yeah! It’s amazing. $20?? I can’t believe how beautiful it is.
(please don’t trash it too badly!)
hell yeah!!!
Girl, how is your real bridal dress? Because this one fits you great!
Great find, that’s awesome!
That is an amazing deal. Not even a deal. A steal.
That’s insane… You look beautiful. What will you do with it now? Donate it? x
Gorgeous. 20 bucks? Are you serious?
What a pretty dress for such a bargain-acious price! Great find Dana. There truly are gems out there, just waiting to be discovered; you proved it.
Just found your site through Google, and I really love all the hard work you have done. Thanks.