Knock-off Dress Websites/Ordering online

I should also point out not to order anything with crystals or beading. I have heard that what you get are the really cheap plastic beads. The bow on my dress was a little loose but I just added a few stitches and now its perfect. I would also advise that the more glam the dress is the more likely to get mess up the dress in some way.

@Jennifer S.

I looked at your pics. DHGate was the main site that I had been looking at. You confirmed my biggest fear probably WOULD come true. I lived close to San Francisco for awhile, used to go to Chinatown all the time. I can name how many of those little trinkets I still have: 0. That was my feeling about the dress. I feel that if I have eBay to back me up I will probably be ok.

Just don't do it. It's not worth the risk of total disaster.

I am having the same dilemma. We are on a strict budget and I found a dress that I absolutely LOVE on 1stdresses.com. The price in unbeatable and I know if I were to bring the picture into a bridal store, to find one similar or name brand, the cost would increase drastically. I have heard the horror stories and I have heard the stories where people love them. If you order it now you should have it in time to do a good look over. If it isn't what you expect return it and hit up the David's Bridal sale. Hope it all works out for you!

1. Real Dress

2. Knock off dress

1. Real Dress

2. Knock off dress

1. Real Dress

2. Knock off dress

Nuff said!

Wow, Jen. That is horrible.

I was searching online for a picture of my dress in the plum (I was waiting for it to come in) and I found this atrocity on one of the bridal reselling sites. I think it was recycled bride, but I honestly don't remember.

At first I was like: "Oh cool! My dress in plum!" Then I looked at it and was like...um...that is NOT my dress! I saved the pics of it tho for a comparison when people ask if they should get a knock off dress or not! =)

Ewww, was the bride trying to sell it off as if it was the actual dress?

I think so...someone had already bought it, so it was a done deal. =\

Ewwwww, that's icky on so many levels.

I've only heard things about the quality, but I have serious ethical issues with buying knock-off anything. As an artist, having someone copy your art is not flattering, but disrespectful. I wouldn't support them. but, to each his own.

@Jen

Thank you so much for sharing. That was actually one of the top dresses that I had my eye on. I guess the consensus is: more ramen noodles=more money for the dress I want. I may look at the cost of the alterations that I need at somewhere other than David's and try to get all the other accessories other places that are cheaper. It makes me so nervous to buy something that I can't see with my own two eyes first. Have they tried to resolve the issue?

I don't know if an issue was ever brought up. The person that bought that may have either known that it was a fake and liked it anyway, or just didn't know it was a fake. All I saw were the pics on the listing and that it had been sold. I think for $2 or 300...the real dress new is $599. So whoever bought it was ripped off, don't know if she was aware of it or not.

This is a great discussion, and I appreciate the perspective as I have just ordered my own "knock off" dress and it should be here in a few weeks. However my reasons weren't budget-oriented but rather about selection. I would have happily paid big money for my dress if I could have found something that met my needs.

I wanted a tea-length dress that not only wasn't strapless, but had sleeves. I have a lot of skin problems and need the coverage over my upper arms and back. No bridal store I went to had any dress like that. I finally started calling stores and simply asking if they had anything like that, and they flat out told me no.

I too struggled with the idea of copying an artist's work and the issue of sweat shop/artistic merit, etc. but in the end, I had to make a decision, and I'm comfortable with it. I know it's my wedding at all, but in the end, it's just a dress and I had too many sleepless nights over this.

Check out www.simplybridal.com They are not a knock off site and they are out of California

Ok because I had such a hard time finding info on buying a Chinese knock off I want to post a detailed review. This dress is gorgeous. Really well made. Great details, there are little beading details that are very well done. The ruching is lovely. The fabric is really soft and pretty. I paid $200 including rush shipping and processing for a custom made wedding dress. There's a ribbed bodice, nice satin inner lining, beautiful chiffon outer layer. And it's exactly what I ordered. The waist could be taken in a bit but that's because I mismeasured my natural waist (took it too low and therefore the number was larger) and I meant to tell them to remove the train but I forgot. But they made exactly what I ordered and did an excellent job of copying the original. Honestly, it fits wonderfully and really doesn't need any alterations just that one little 1/2 inch or so! Best purchase I've ever made! Couldn't love it more. They were super responsive when I asked them to remove the sequins, always answering my emails promptly. I could not recommend dressilyme.com more for a wedding dress. Not sure about bigger poofy ones but for this fairly simple sheath one I couldn't have done better. The quality is way better than most of the dresses I tried on at David's Bridal.

http://youtu.be/d2P-XpT_ZOU

Ok because I had such a hard time finding info on buying a Chinese knock off I want to post a detailed review. This dress is gorgeous. Really well made. Great details, there are little beading details that are very well done. The ruching is lovely. The fabric is really soft and pretty. I paid $200 including rush shipping and processing for a custom made wedding dress. There's a ribbed bodice, nice satin inner lining, beautiful chiffon outer layer. And it's exactly what I ordered. The waist could be taken in a bit but that's because I mismeasured my natural waist (took it too low and therefore the number was larger) and I meant to tell them to remove the train but I forgot. But they made exactly what I ordered and did an excellent job of copying the original. Honestly, it fits wonderfully and really doesn't need any alterations just that one little 1/2 inch or so! Best purchase I've ever made! Couldn't love it more. They were super responsive when I asked them to remove the sequins, always answering my emails promptly. I could not recommend dressilyme.com more for a wedding dress. Not sure about bigger poofy ones but for this fairly simple sheath one I couldn't have done better. The quality is way better than most of the dresses I tried on at David's Bridal.

http://youtu.be/d2P-XpT_ZOU