Appointments for first fittings of wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses should be made at least one month prior to the event and can be made as much at 2-3 months before the event.  Please remember that certain times of the year like April-June are extra busy with other events like proms and graduations so it is important to get your dress in early to avoid rush charges or the possibility that I can’t do the work at all.  I hate to turn a customer away but I am only one person and there is a limit to how much I can get done in a given time period.

Appointments can be made over the phone or in person.  Check the contact page for info.

How long does a fitting take?

A normal fitting takes anywhere from 10-20 minutes.  It just depends on how much work you need done on the dress.  Please allow yourself enough time to enjoy the fitting.  Rushing isn’t good for anyone.  I don’t want to miss something important because you are in a hurry to get to your next event.  That will just cause a waste of time for both of us later when something has to be changed or re-done.

What should I bring to my fitting?

Your dress of course:-)  Shoes and proper undergarments are the most important thing to bring to a fitting!

If you need a new bra please go bra shopping before you come to a fitting!!  Take the time to make sure you have a bra that is properly sized and fits well.  If you don’t know your size or have never been sized for a bra now would be a good time.  A good bra can transform how you look in a dress with out me having to do anything, so it is worth the effort and investment.  Most of the higher end department stores offer help in sizing.  Catherine’s, Boston Store, and Victoria Secret all offer bra sizing.

Shoes are also very important to the fitting.  I cannot mark an accurate hem without shoes.  “My heels are about 2 inches” is not a good answer.  For one thing what you think is 2 inches may in reality be 3 1/2.   A dress that is too long or too short because of wrong shoe information will cost you more money and me more time.  You will be charged for a 2nd hem if you guess wrong or change shoes.  Bring the shoes you are going to wear!!

How long does it take to get my dress back?

Honestly, I have no idea!  All I know for sure is that you will have your dress by the week of your event.  The amount of work I have in the shop is fluctuating on a daily basis.  Everything that comes in has different due dates and they don’t always come in chronological order.  First come first serve does not work in this business.  Your dress will be lined up by the event date (or date that you need it by).  If the date that you need your dress by is different than the event date (say you are leaving to travel to a destination wedding) this is VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION for me to know!!

Please call 1-2 weeks in advance to make an appointment for all fittings.  As the shop gets busier and busier I am not able to have open hours all of the time like I did when I first opened.  In addition to running the Purple Pincushion I am also a member of the Mayville EMS.  One week a month I am on call with the EMS, and while I may be in the shop like usual I never know when the pager might go off and I would have to leave immediately.  Many of you are out of town clients and I would hate to have you drive all the way to Mayville to have me run out in the middle of a fitting, or to find me not even there at all because I am on an EMS run.  So please, please call 1-2 weeks ahead of time to schedule an appointment.

Every dress is worked on by me personally, and by me alone – one stitch at a time:-) I am looking forward to working with you!

Jennifer