Online Knock-Off to Custom Dress

Online shopping can be difficult. It's like gambling really because sometimes you really don't know what you're going to end up receiving in the mail.

I've been planning a wedding and buying items online. Dresses are an example. Well... there was this ONE dress that I've been ogling for the longest time. I pinned it a few years back. I love the color and the look. I found it online and took the great leap of purchasing it.

What I received in the mail was a total knock off.

I didn't want to send it back, it would cost me a lot of money to do so. So wanted a partial refund for the poor quality dress I did receive in the mail. The seller refused. I kept complaining but the seller kept saying the dress looks exactly as it does in their product photos. My photos of the actual dress I received however obviously did not. Here are some of my dispute photos. Right and left.

Boyfriend said to let it go, it was online $100 ~ which to me is a lot of money. To him it's pennies I guess compared to the overall view of our wedding. So I dropped my complaint and simply wrote a long and hefty feedback on the item along with accompanying proof of the knock-off dress and all of it's flaws. The seller had the gull to even feedback on my feedback saying I was a liar. Which got me, of course, very very angry. Boyfriend again said to let it go. 

I was stuck with this dress that with the life of me seemed dreadfully something I would have made if I did make it on my own. I have never made a dress before, my sewing skills are good, but not of an advanced professional. I have this dress to work with and will of course do my best to make it what I envision my super fun photo dress. 

1. Picked out all the loose threads in between the layers of the dresses skirt.
   I even found a pin.
   
   
   


2. Removed the poorly cut and sewn on lace edging.
   

   

   
   
3. Removed the green white flowers on the dress and cleaned off as much glue as I could.
   
4. Cut and re-hemmed the bottom of the dress to what I think the dress length should be.
   
5. Used the cut off piece of the dress and hemmed to the inside of the dress to create a secondary layer for more volume.
6. Took apart the dress to folded up, sew and cut the layers of the tulle to give it more layers and volume. Sewed up the zipper sides. 
7. Rolled the tulle edges, and after that this was the result since starting the re-vamp.
    
8. Sewed the ends of the ribbon that laces up the back of the dress.
    
9. Cut up the original lace edging and applied hot glue to the back & Iron-on glued the lace to the dress.
   
10. Purchased new lace for the trim of the dress.
    
11. Sewed it on
    

    
    
12. Try it On
    
    
13. Made straps for the dress cause I realized around the boobs area that it kept sagging down because the internal bra is too heavy for the dress.
    

Lesson:
If life gives you a lemon.... you make the best god damn lemonade ....EVER!