life of a cuddlebit

my random ramblings


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bloody hell of a gown: a horror story

Since it’s only now that I have the time, I looked and admired what the stars wore to the golden globes. Below are the looks that I loved.

photos from the internet

photos from the internet

Amy Adams in a silk baby blue gown (left), Greer Grammer in a blush dress with gold floral beading (center), Naomi Watts in her strapless lemon yellow gown with an eye-popping necklace (right). The yellow hue really caught my eye. (I hate it really. It made me want another gown for prenup pictorial!) Speaking of pre-nup gown. I have to share the story of the red gown I had made (to order at Divisoria) was a huge headache. (see the peg of my red gown here)

looking good from a far

so this is my actual red gown looking good from a distance

Got it made and fitted around the middle of November to be picked up Dec 13 to be used for a friends’ Dec 21 wedding (Got to maximize the gown! I plan to wear it at least twice). However I dropped by the mananahi on Dec 6 (to look at the progress of the gown and a fitting if possible) and horror of horrors. My red gown is apparently blue, with wrong beading design and wrong bead color. It looks nowhere like the gown I wanted made. (I have a suspicion that the blue one they showed me was not really mine. They just showed me that to appease me.) I demanded a refund but they would not give me back my money. Not the one to argue any further, I allowed them to give the right gown to me by Dec 20. (a day before my friend/s’ wedding) Come the Dec 20, (afternoon) they were just beading it! Imagine the shock/anger as I already paid for it a long time ago and still got nothing to show for it. I got my gown just before the mananahi closed the shop. Checked it in a rush it was color Red, with gold beading. As soon as I got home, I tried it on.  It was very ill fitting!

pardon my peeking undergarment

pardon my peeking undergarment

It was a mess. I have to hold (by that I mean clamping it with my hands on the side, and literally holding it) the gown so that it wont slide off my body, the top area was too loose that looks like it was trying to make the boob area bigger. The mesh detail was off by a huge margin. The waist is also loose. It doesn’t make sense to me as they have my measurements as early as mid November! It was infuriating.  Early next day I hurriedly rushed to the mananahi to get my red gown altered so I can wear the said gown to the friend/s’ wedding. The mananahi is nowhere to be found. In place of her, is a young lass presumably her family (?) who does not know anything about my predicament. So, I explained that I need the gown altered right now. So the lass began frantically phoning the mananahi and took my measurements again, lastly assured me that the gown will be ready after lunch. She then closed their shop and rushed off. Around 2:00pm I returned to their shop. It was still closed. I have to go (without my gown). To catch my friend/s’ wedding. I just wore whatever I found in my closet.

altered but still not ok

altered but still not ok

At around half past five, I got a call from the mananahi asking me why I did not get my gown yet? To which I replied: I was told that it would be ready after lunch, but it is already late in the afternoon.  It will be of no use to me now as it is too late. I will ask someone to pick up the gown tomorrow morning. Wasted effort. I trusted that they will deliver. I did not get to use the gown on my friend/s’ wedding. I am now looking for another mananahi for the remaining gowns that I need. To be fair the red gown that mananahi made is good/average. It is their unprofessional service that ruins them. My altered gown is still not ok. The mesh part of the gown is skewed and because of the amount of beading in the mesh, nothing can be done to alter it. Altering it would mean ripping off the whole mesh area with beads and get the one to repair it to create a new mesh and bead the mesh again. Labor intensive and another expenditure. I was avoiding the expenditure in the first place! max fail. 

so many beads on the wrong mesh

so many beads on the skewed mesh

This is the mananahi/who did my bloody hell of a gown.

learn from my experience, this mananahi is one to avoid.

learn from my experience, this mananahi is one to avoid.

*All my reviews, opinions, and other stuff expressed here are my own and based on my own experience with the product. This is not a sponsored post, I paid for this (from) my own pocket. 


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Searching for the wedding gown: The Ivory and white experience

I was sharing my dress hunting experience to my best friend Joanna when she suggested I go to Katipunan, QC to check out a store. One of her officemates recently got married and brought the dress from a shop named Ivory and White in Katipunan. At first I was hesitant, in my mind was Katipunan near Ateneo? A bridal store? Whattt?

But true enough. There is a bridal shop near Ateneo De Manila University. After a quick phone call we have an appointment, the next day. (Talk about fast service.)

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We got there Sunday afternoon, right after church! (Feb 23,2014), lunch time. We skipped lunch because we were worried that we might not make it on time!

Their store is discreet. We were thankfully fifteen minutes early, we were asked to fill up a form. Than after a bit of chat with Ms Ana (their attendant). They realized that we have a dilemma. They double booked us erroneously with another client (bringing her whole family) that is due to come any minute now!

So many gowns, so little time!

So many gowns, so little time!

So not to waste any time, we need to start fitting!  ASAP!

I asked for mermaid gowns. They have three.

The first gown is a cream colored, halter top, mermaid with a ruffled bottom.

HK style

It was too huge for me… and the shade was off.

Kei didn’t like it. I didn’t like it.

The second dress I tried on is a strapless, corset back, pleated bodice, ruffled bottom that reminds me of Mi Sueno-Pronovias’ FAUNA

looks familiar?

looks familiar?

We thought it was nice. But, average.

By this time, the door opened up to a horde of females. The store is instantly packed. The other bride to be with her family has arrived. Good thing I only have one more to fit. (Sounding like a time pressure challenge.)

And lastly we tried on a strapless full lace gown with beading.

feeling like royalty!

feeling like royalty!

the beaded lace gown

the beaded lace gown

This is the best of the three in my opinion. Kei favors the second one though.

And done!  I hurriedly changed back to my clothes.

After getting a picture with their bathrobe! 

bathrobe

That sums up our Ivory and white experience.

Their gowns are all from Hong Kong. They can alter to fit add beadings… and even make a gown based on a peg.

 

 

Taking photos is allowed. Appointments are a must.   

 

Boutique- Their shop has a homey and warm feel to it.

Gowns- They have a variety of lace gowns. Their gowns are pretty generic that can be customized according to your liking-that is their selling point. No corset/boning. They have clamps, shoes and bathrobe! None of the other bridal boutiques went to has a bathrobe!  I would strongly recommend brides to be to go and try their gowns.

Fitting room- They a large carpeted area as their fitting room! (I’m glad about this) They have a huge mirror! They made me feel like a royalty. For a really short/rushed amount of time I stayed there, I’m telling you they are good.

Lighting- warm lighting.

Price- Their prices starts at 14k -40k. Budget friendly!

Friendliness- The storekeeper is friendly and attentive. Quick to offer help and suggestion on the gowns I tried on.

 

Contact them:

Mobile: +63917 324 2280

email at hello@ivoryandwhitebridal.com

Address: G/F Eaglestar Condominium, 25 Fabian de la Rosa St., Loyola Heights, Quezon City

*open tuesday-sunday by appointment

 

*All my reviews, opinions, and other stuff expressed here are our own and based on our own experience. This is not a sponsored post. 

 

The first RTW wedding gown search : The Mi Sueno experience (part1)

The second RTW wedding gown search : The Adorata Weddings experience

The third RTW wedding gown search: The Rosa Clara experience

The fourth RTW wedding gown search: The ivory and white experience