This is so important. Not only are they donating their money but they are adding to the global fashion waste problem and supporting companies that pay very little in wages to use trafficked works to slave labor. Everyone loves a bargain but we have to consider at what price.
I get customers should be more mindful of the saying, "if it's too good to be true it probably is" but is rather gove then grace than blame them. I'm sure you and I have been duped into buying something that turned out to be poor quality due to false advertising. They still shouldn't be put off the hook.
It IS the company's fault for deceptive advertising. Logic. Yes, people need to be more discriminating before they buy but unless they see that company being called out for shipping substandard goods then how are customers to know what they will get? Everybody wants to get stuff cheap and not everyone lands on a youtube channel to learn about these website. Just thank Monde' for her public service announcements and look within yourself to root out your own arrogance.
@@curiouscat3384Yes it can happen that someone is cautious and still gets scammed. But if someone doesn't even take 5 Minutes to do a quick Trustpilot (or something similar) search to see if the website they are buying from is legit they can't really complain. Since the other option would be to completely ban all knock offs to make sure everyone buys the legit stuff, which is not doable.
That's what happens when you raise two generations of Westerners accustomed to paying slave wages. Of course it doesn't help that most of us are also working for barely above slave wages too, so...
YES exactly! Of course the people doing this are big problems but I feel like we need to educate ourselves and not get angry when something isn’t cheap The amount of people who get pissed off at other forms of art being reasonable price makes me lose my mind
@@RaspBerryPies I have a standard comment for when I go to shows and see beautiful things I can't afford: "Unfortunately for me, the maker knows what their work are worth."
I was lucky to learn sewing as a kid. Never advanced in skill lol, but I learned so much about being a consumer. Some styles can be slapped together cheaply, but details cost real money. I was so glad I could help an immigrant friend buy American winter clothing, his initial idea was to order a very nice looking $75 businessman coat that turned out to be just regular polyester. For $115, we scored a good wool blend version at Macy's. It took about an hour over a week to track down a couple sales on wool coats, not hard if you just slow down & do a bit of research. But if you don't know fabrics and about things like lining, I guess it's more difficult.
I mean: Don’t look at the reviews which the company is using for self promotion (i.e. reviews on their own website, insta, youtube ad) because the company has control over what you see and uses that to their advantage. Therefore, look for reviews on other websites about the brand itself. There are a lot of websites geared towards reviewing the trustworthiness of the brand rather than the product.
And be very suspicious if the reviews are all good. All 5 star reviews screams fake. They usually have a lot of them for each and every item they sell. That’s weird unless the site is a well known label.
@@nessparadis6948 a lot of times the companies make fake profiles and post their own fake reviews with stolen pictures of real people. If you google the name of the site and can verify its legit, theres other websites that can verify if they are scammers or not.
Did you see the ones with the picture reviews? (at 3:09) I can’t believe those poor girls paid 160 for those and were happy 😂 The yellow one looked worse than the black did, I think that yellow fabric was so horrific it made it look way worse. They all look like they would go up in flames if you went so much as a couple of feet near an open flame.
Every time I see an ad I do a reverse image search, find out the designer that actually made the dress and then report the ad for intellectual property theft. My sister is a footwear designer who has had her intellectual property stolen by Sketchers (it’s their entire business model). I REALLY appreciate your comment about being respectful of the designer and those who construct the original dress.
But you know eventhough you report the ad for intellectual property theft, nothing will come of it. It is from China and the CCP do not care about any intellectual property rights. 9 times out of 10 things are made in China and nothing you can do about what you buy online it all comes from China and kind of hard to sue any companies that make those cheaply made and expensively sold dress or most items made in China.
I mean you're 100% right. These are all replicas of couture dresses. Couture dress making was once described to me as "One dress for one body" Even the ones that are are never gonna fit you like the ones in the pics because they weren't made for YOU. Genuinely most of these dresses you'd be better going to a thrift store and paying someone like Monde to jazz it up. At least you're not paying con artists and thieves.
It's true that a tall skinny model is going to look better than a mid-size or chubby girl. But in Monde's videos she's showing a lot of examples of completely different materials and crappy sewing.
Now imagine if almost all brick and mortar stores are gone and we have these sites left to deal with? Oy yoy, yoy. I think about what if you got an invite to a wedding or formal or whatever, real late, maybe the day of, and you need a dress right then. Oh well, can't order it and wait some hours for it to come your just either screwed and NOT going to go or screwed and just going to wear what you can find(maybe from a friend or relative's to borrow). It would be a total mess and all of us would have houses just full of literal junk that we could NEVER use from the time it made it to our home. Smh.
As someone wanting to get into couture dressmaking and beaded gowns (have the know how, severely lack the funds) I h a t e having to explain to people having to explain to people how expensive beaded fabric is. The reactions are always "oh my god I would n e v e r pay that much for fabric" and I have to sit there like "look at this, how many beads do you think there are on that fabric, you know that has to be done by hand yeah? That stuff's $250/m because of the amount of labour that went into making it, not because they're tryna stooge people." And even them they're all like "I still wouldn't pay that much" No one seems to understand unless they also work in the industry
It’s because so much of our products, including fashion, are so highly manufactured and industrialized. People don’t value artisanship and the amount of time and effort people put into their craft because they have easy access to cheap products that are made in large batches by machines in factories. People these days have been conditioned to have easy access to what they want without having to wait for an expert to make it for them. It feeds into their instant gratification. That being said, people shouldn’t feel entitled to something that is custom and hand crafted for the price of something you can find off the rack at Walmart. Their qualities don’t compare.
@@melissaherrera940 oh 100% and it's a struggle across other areas as well. My boyfriend does woodworking and makes some gorgeous stuff. He had a market over the weekend and so many people stopped and had a look, saying "wow this stuff is so beautifully made" but then after having a look at everything just kept walking, and his prices were super cheap too (example: a serving platter he'd made by gluing small bits of wood into a big enough piece to make a serving platter, leveling the surface to be nice and even and smooth, finishing with a food grade finish and putting the handles on, he was selling for $60AUD, and that thing took him h o u r s to make, especially when you factor how long it takes for that glue to dry) people are just so accustomed to "okay but I can get this for half the price at kmart" but how many times are they going to need to replace that? There is a quality in stuff like what we make that just isn't present anymore in stores, but people don't care about quality anymore
I appreciate fashion and though I don't sew, I totally understand the pricing behind the gowns. I think fast fashion has warped people's perception of high quality clothing. They're so used to cheap crap that an actual long lasting handmade article of clothing seems overpriced, when really it's well worth the cost.
I mean, my reaction to your whole comment was still ‘I would never pay that much for fabric’ but it’s less of a ‘I don’t value/believe the amount of effort that went into that fabric or think it should be compensated appropriately’ and it’s more of a ‘who do you think I am, Mansa Musa? That much money, for just the fabric, for a dress I’m probably going to wear 3 whole times if I’m lucky?! Absolutely not. Call me when you have a more affordable venture, like buying the whole moon.’
My mum knits and with even heavily discounted yarn, you'd need $40-50 for a blanket. Ofc smaller yarn requires more. I have several half lap-only blankets 😅
The way I holla’d at the “what I got”. 😂😂As a custom seamstress, these folks be in a serious fantasyland! I had a lady send me a photo of a beaded dress for $29 and wanted to know how much I would charge to make it. I sent her the link to the exact fabric from eBay & Joann’s I told her if she buys the fabric, that I’ll sew it for $29. She called all excited saying she could get the fabric cheaper, I told her cool let me know. After a week of searching she decided to buy the dress. They sent this poor child some spandex with glitter glued to it😂🤣😂🤣
@@heatherduke7703Maybe she was trying to be nice, maybe she was trying to make a point, maybe the dress was a really simple design that she knew wouldn't take her long.
As a fiber artists, none of this surprises me. People ask for hand stitched bed sized blankets for $20. The yarn alone would be $100+ for the cheapest options, more like $250-$300 for a better quality. Not to mention that depending on the yarn thickness and type of stitching it will take a minimum of 60 hours but likely closer to 120 or more. Even when you explain this they'll give you the "oh come on, we're friends. What if i buy the yarn?" ...then you're still asking me to work full time for 3 weeks for free. What service does anyone else do where people would ask for weeks of labor for free? It's actually absurd. I offer lessons for $20/hr to those people. So far none have taken me up!!!
Same reason I sew only for myself as a hobby (and family occasionally). They're so used to buying an item for cheap, when the person (who is also likely a child!) who made it is abroad and paid less than pennies and the material is also cheap and low quality.
Let me guess... You offer lessons, they respond "I don't have time to spare for that" 😂😂😂 Well, flash news, neither do we as professionals, that's why we charge for our work by the hour... 😈😈😈
I'm about to age myself 😂. My prom was in 1988. Back then San Francisco had actual outlets. Not like the "Outlets" of today. Once a year the clothing (Jessica McClintock, Levi, Guess, Benneton, etc), shoes, furniture, etc companies would have a sale. I purchased my Jessica McClintock dress purchased at the companies outlet for $35. It was during one of their yearly wedding dress, and gowns sale. Women would line up DAYSSSS ahead of the sale just to shop there. There were no changing rooms so you had HUNDREDS of women trying on gowns out in the open. No one cared because to get one of her designer gowns for a little over $200 was worth it. My SIL bought her wedding dress the same day I was there.
Oh, I remember the Jessica McClintock, Gunne Sax, era! I remember getting an amazing deal on Easter dresses for myself and my younger sister. My sister won best dressed for under 13 at the Easter Parade that year! Found the dresses in the clearance room on the lower level of the local department store. Things were dated and got cheaper over time... Can't remember what I paid but I was a broke college Sophmore so it wouldn't have been much!
Man! The Gunne Sax and Jessica McClintock was an era! The trip to the city 🏙️! It was a whole event in itself! I got my daughters 8th grade graduation dress from there! It was gorgeous! 😍 Thanks for this memory!
TBH I’ve never understood how anyone looks at those pictures and assumes that’s what they’ll be receiving, especially for 5% of the actual cost of the dress! 🙄 I got scammed by an actual seamstress once (well, someone who claimed to be a seamstress at least 😒) who I was communicating with/ordering from online - but at least the material was good quality (because she’d ordered the specific material I wanted from the company I directed her to), so I was able to repurpose the material at least. The cut and sewing was atrocious though, you wouldn’t pass 9th grade home ec. with the skills she had 🙄.
You know what makes me sad? Middle cost boutiques and places that actually sell their own hand made clothes are going out of business en masse because of fast fashion dribble made accessible to the public, and now there so much cheaply made clothes that are paper mache thin or quantity in the outlet stores/malls (I check the fabric of the tops and they keep getting more translucent and the seams are a messier each year. It’s incredible) . Even when you go thrifting, workers are given poor quality modern clothing from what I hear, torn, thin etc. and the excessive amount of clothing waste is “donated” (aka bundled to 3rd world countries and clogging up the land/space there and strangling the local clothing makers in those places as well). Now you have to recycle if you don’t find a shelf to dispose your cheap shoddy clothing. Even retailers like H&M that can ‘help’ recycle your clothing are low-key greenwashing the extent that they will reuse the material they ‘recycled’. I try to sell my stuff online, donate to shelter when I can or look for programs that invest in circular recycling like Terracycle or the Takeback bag from the company For Days. I’m 22. I don’t even buy clothes, I thrift and use Depop and have to make sure they’re not drop shipping or that any place I see online actually bothers to list out their manufacturers info and not post a bunch of smiling workers face with no actual info and say “we’re making a difference”. Why does actually wanting the working conditions, labors worth, proper materials and fitting that was the norm at least a few decades ago require so much planning and complication is beyond me. The last 2-3 generations gradually got used to the bloating of cheap materials and exploitation that it’s the norm now, and now even making your own clothing with materials you source yourself is getting more contrived as the quality of the fabrics and other materials is just decreasing as well. I want deadstock fabric to be used as the norm; I’m tired of asking for basic quality control for clothing.
The problem is we as designers will post a photo and they will steal it, repost it for sale, and send you something not even close. I always say find the original designer like she mentioned in the video
A great alternative if you cant afford an expensive dress : rent one! Yes, it's still likely to be $100-$200 for a really nice one and you're limited to what is in stock with the rental company, but you will actually get the dress you wanted, it's cheaper than the real deal, and you don't have to worry about storing the dang thing or when you'll be able to wear it again.
Yes and also search in the used market…you will see and try before buying and usually the dress are in really good condition for a fraction of the price…
I used to make wedding dresses and one Bride came with a wedding magazine wanting a dress. I flat out told her I do not copy other designers gowns and if she wanted that gown she better be prepared to spend over $400. The gown in question was $4500!!!!
Your advise saved me earlier… I wanted to buy an off shoulder dress off a Black Friday sale but I kept hearing “the body doesn’t come with the dress” and stopped myself.
Thank you so much for posting this video! This is what i try to tell lots and lots of friends and noone is listening to me. I sew a lot by myself and a friend of mine ordered a "wedding dress" on wish for only 25€. I was begging her not to do this so she would be very disappointed. That was exactly what happened. When the dress arrived after 6 weeks, she asked me to alter it. But at this time i was not that confident and skilled to alter this rubbish into a wearable dress not even to mention a wedding dress. I felt so sorry for her because it was not much time left to the wedding day. She ended up at an Outlet store for wedding and evening gowns and found a pretty dress for her budged. She could have saved her money and protected her nerves much earlier. Lots of love from Germany ❤😊
As a seamstress, I've turned down several prom dress alts by frantic moms and daughters who bought the dress on WISH and it was horribly wrong. Most times it's a fit issue and there is zero extra fabric in those seams. Other times, the dress is way too flimsy to work with without damaging it or it's been sewn terribly in the first place, so every alt you do is just making it worse. I've been doing this for almost 15 years and I'd have turned down the wedding dress too. Sucks but when you play stupid games, you get stupid dresses.
I think people really need to practice critical thinking before jumping on purchasing anything from online. When I was a teenager, and that was only a couple years ago, we went to an actual in person dress shop and got a gorgeous prom dress that included alterations for only 125 dollars. Buying something from online never occurred to me or my mother because why would you buy a formal gown that you haven't tried on? Like regular pairs of pants and shirts can cost 50+ dollars at generic brands at a local mall, so I think people really need to think critically. Why would a gorgeous corseted gown with ruffles and crystals cost as much as something from Hollister, Forever 21, Old Navy even? I even had a family member get married recently, and the bride purchased a gown off of a scam site. She wasted SO much money buying these online dresses that looked terrible, and she ended up purchasing a gown from a local boutique anyway. By trying to save money, she ended up wasting more money in the long run. So I wish we could purge these sites from the internet! I think fast fashion especially has really tricked people into thinking clothing should be super cheap as well.
The biggest things I have learned from your channel is - don't order important and fancy clothes online, and don't order custom made from over seas. The over seas custom made isn't because of poor quality, but it's just hard as you can get out to make something fit properly without the person there to actually try it on.
I've ordered custom clothing from out of the country before... It wasn't a full-on gown though, just a nice pair of trousers... I sent in my measurements and they ended up fitting beautifully. This may not be the norm, but it is possible to order custom fitted garments without being nearby in person to try them on.
You can order from overseas if you don't need those clothes SOON. If you must have that gown, go for it, BUT WITH TIME. You can't order custom dresses from overseas for an event and expect it to arrive quick and then on top of that, need no alterations (unless miracle). Those dresses usually will take months to make. Order it almost a year before the event you need it for. Because if it needs alterations, you're going to be sending it back and forth. please take that time into consideration. And also, if you gain or lose weight, do not be afraid to send them an email, it saves time.
@@bunbunwyAbsolutely! I did 3 months of research on custom gown sites from China and eventually decided to order my elaborate wedding gown a year in advance. They asked for A LOT of DETAILS about what I wanted and I went to an actual tailor to get my correct measurements. They asked for half of the dress price up front and then you pay the balance when the dress is finished. As they are constructing the dress they send picture updates so you can approve of the direction they are going in. It took them about 3 months to complete and when I saw the final pictures it was stunning. I ended up paying about $700 for a designer inspired gown that would have cost $3000 and up. When I got the dress in hand the material wasnt luxury quality but the design, dress volume and fabric draping was what I wanted. It fit with room to spare so I had my tailor take it in and on my wedding day it fit like a glove. ❤
I do not know how expensive you mean, but I have bought dresses and glasses that were expensive for me online, but what I have discovered is I only buy from major, known sites with good reviews, and not all of those (I will never buy again from The Real Real - the Prada Baroques they sold me were not Prada. But, then again, I cut them a little slack on their ratings, which were under three stars). It's not 100%, but it's pretty good.
This is why I don’t feel sorry for anyone who buys stuff simply because it’s cheap. You get what you pay for by assuming it would be as pictured for that cheap price.
I do feel bad for people who are young and don't have the experience to differentiate between scams and legitimate online retailers. If you are buying a prom dress you are a teenager and may not know better.
@@rachelk4805a parent should know better than to let their kid aim for a met gala dress to a prom I just went to a wedding in a $10 jumpsuit which was down from $190 and im an AUS size 22 Shopping from shein and temu and whatever is straight up gambling.
@@rachelk4805 that's not even an excuse because grown women that should know better are falling for these sites. When I was a teenager, and that was only a couple years ago, we went to an actual in person dress shop and got a gorgeous dress that included alterations for only 125 dollars. Buying something from online never occurred to me or my mother because why would you buy a formal gown that you haven't tried on? Like regular pairs of pants and shirts can cost 50+ dollars at generic brands at a teenager's local mall, so I think people really need to think critically. Why would a gorgeous corseted gown with ruffles and crystals cost as much as something from Hollister, Forever 21, Old Navy even? I wish we could purge these sites from the internet!
Also, if you’re a plus size woman then don’t expect that you’ll look anything remotely close to the model in the picture! Don’t fool yourself as many of we women do! When I was a plus size after the birth of my second child (size 20) I avoided stores like Victoria’s Secret. Not only did I know that they didn’t have my size but even if they did, like I said, I knew that I was only fooling myself. Never wear anything that you look like you were poorly stuffed into - it’s not a good look! What we want to do is wear clothing that ACCENTUATES what our body type is, not wear clothing that betrays us ❤
Will you please start your own channel and teach this to all young women? So many chubby girls these days think they're cute just because they're "fashionable" But I sure don't want to look at someone who's spare tire middle is oozing out of her skintight cellulite showing pants!
The scam sites are scams regardless of body size, though. Like if it doesn't even resemble the pictures, don't let anyone tell you that a dress grew sleeves because you are plus size.
I stopped consistently buying from fast fashion sites years ago. I occasionally shop at ASOS but I really only do department stores and Etsy now. I gotten a lot of good quality sale items and vintage pieces that will last for years. I think learning how to sew solves the problem, reduces global co2 emissions, and lets you stay on trend!
It is way more expensive to make clothes in this time. The material costs are astronomical. It isn't feasible for the majority to make their own clothes. To be a conscious consumer takes a certain level of wealth. I just notice all who talk this sort of talk like you are always on your electronics which is an ongoing human rights issue/genocide.
ASOS is whack now. I ordered what appeared to be a gorgeous burgundy leather jacket from Pepe Jeans around 324.00. That mess came in the mail and it was brown 😭 awful colored brown. The flash made it look burgundy. Ugh cant even trust any sites nowadays. Express used to make gorgeous clothes esp the graphic t’s for men and sequin skirts for girls. They looked exactly what they did in photos. So sad now
This is a huge reason why stopped buying any new cloths and started using thrift stores and thred up to find high quality brands for fractions of the price. I’m saving money, reducing waste, and getting a wardrobe that will hopefully last me a decade lol. It just takes a little elbow grease
this!! my wardobe these days mostly consists of thrifts, gifts, and dresses I kept from childhood. some of my prettiest outfits are 100% thrifted and I loveee wearing things that someone else may have had a fun history with too. it adds value.
People are free to spend their money how they see fit. My problem begins when they bring these dresses/clothing to me for 'alterations' expecting a miracle. In some instances the items have to be deconstructed and remade to achieve a proper fit. They want the look but don't want to pay the correct cost. I started off making clothing but these days I feel like alterations are taking over my life...
I hate alterations, I would much rather make something from scratch. I imagine that these are so cheaply made that they’d be difficult to work with, awful fabric, no seam allowance, etc
I've turned away a few moms and daughters who went the Wish route and wanted me to make a miracle happen out of what they give me. Most of the time, it was made so poorly from the get-go, any alterations just highlight the horrible construction. Not even mentioning lack of seam allowance to do any sort of fit adjustments. I'd still have been embarrassed to send a teenager to prom after doing anything I could. At that point, just throw the whole dress out.
This was an issue when I was trying to find a dress for my son’s wedding - they wanted me to order one on line, and I just had the worst feeling that it was NOT going to turn out well. I ended up using a dress from a friend’s closet, having a local seamstress make a lace overlay (it needed to be a slightly darker color and this worked), and was happy with the result.
I have not been scammed thank God🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾. All the tips you gave I honestly follow. I’m a plus size woman so I already know my price is going to be significantly higher. If I do not see a plus size woman in the review section with the dress on I’m not getting it.
You really do get what you pay for, sometimes. Scammy ads like these are why I used to have friends and coworkers asking me to make things for them and then flabbergasted when I told them how much just the materials would cost, let alone my time and skill.
To be fair, yes, in this time and era there's still people out there who doesn't know what these websites are and how they work. I know because I used to be one of them. Inexperienced people expect to get what they see in the pictures (or something slightly different) because we're used to that kind of business model. Videos like yours are very valuable because you're educating naïve people on how to do better choices. I wish I had advice like this before spending so much on the trial and error learning curve of the asian sites 😂.
Memories of my mom in her seamstress days. She too had clients who wanted the cheap but on a rice beans budget. She worked presocial media but client lack of understanding of what it takes to acquire quality upset her. I have so much respect for all those who do. I just wished more public understood what youre saying.😮
The way I laughed after the first woman said her body type made the dress grow sleeves! Lol. It wasn't the same dress. Edit: Also the audacity to show a picture of Beyoncé in a red carpet designed gown and then offer a coupon to get $10 off.
I can't figure out how it's being represented as a Beyonce prom dress. You'd never get into any prom wearing that, would you? Schools are so busy slut shaming girls for wearing spaghetti straps that I can't imagine you would. I'm kind of amazed in general at the levels that teenagers are going to these days for prom. I realize that for a lot of girls, it's their chance to feel like they're on a red carpet, but it's going to a place way beyond what we ever wore.
I’m a high school teacher and nope, you’re not getting into a pron either that Beyoncé dress, even if you are Beyoncé! I can remember when we wouldn’t let girls in wearing the two piece gowns that showed a little bare midriff.
I think this happens a lot because so many women don't know how to make any clothes anymore. Any woman who knows what a 12" lace applique costs just by itself would never expect any ENTIRE GOWN of pictured quality for anything less than a few hundred ON THE LOW END.
It's got nothing to do with 'women don't know how to make clothes anymore' 🙄. I don't either but doing physical shopping, researching online and having a common sense can tell me if a clothing price is either legit or a sham. People who fall for this kind of sham, I think, just desprately wants a dress they cannot afford so they took the risk, hoping they'll get something that looks decent enough.
@@peppergirlrocksplus they're prom dresses. i'm betting a lot of the people buying these dresses are 17 year old kids trying to buy something with part time job money. let's all have a little compassion, and hope they learned their lessons😅
I sew, just the materials for my fairly simple wedding gown cost $500 back in 2011. Silk skirt, lace bodice that I hand beaded, interior corselet. It took me so many hours to complete over the course of 2 months. People are delulu
I am not disputing what you say, just to add that these handwork/machine work /clothes are cheap overseas. The price of lace or fabric are very high in the US, I buy them from India when I go there as they are really cheap there.
This is why when it came time for homecoming and prom and every other important occasion, I insisted on going in person to a store and trying the dress on. I won't decide if I haven't seen myself wearing it in a mirror first.
I normally don't shop at random named stores with the models heads cut off. Cause that means they stole the pictures and put them on their website to sell a cheaper copy of said outfit. Unless it's a notable store that crops the models head out for "fashion", like Zara or something.
YES YES YES. PLEASE KEEP CALLING THEM OUT. I'm waiting for the day when people will be actually ashamed to order from these sites. I want people to know the damage they're causing and the fools that they're making themselves out to be each time they get another package that's a complete joke.
It’s not that deep. They’re clearly just uneducated about what’s going on. This video will help alot of the people falling victims to this scams. No need to call them fools and whatnot. We’re all naive at a point.
Fools might be a little harsh but ignorant is certainly the right word, especially having had exchanges with folks about this issue already. Many simply don't care; the price is worth it to them. To them, I say they do look dang foolish when they donate their money to these sites and contribute to the fast fashion waste crisis. @@11.11NSU
I'm sorry, but this is a cruel way to approach the situation. Shame the scammer, not the victim. You don't know the financial situation of another person, and you don't know how experienced they are at identifying scams. The fault is always with the scammer.
We ordered our daughter's wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses from J J's House. They're based in China, so we ordered well in advance to make sure we could do a plan B if they didn't work. These weren't knock offs of designer gowns; most of them have a style of their own. Overall we were pleased. My daughter's dress needed some alterations--even though it was custom sized--she actually needed the waist taken in (she's got a small waist, large bust.) I did the alterations, and it was well made--which made the alterations harder, with all the layers of fabric, and hidden seams. I would recommend them, but they're not high end. My daughter chose her colors, and the bridesmaids were able to order whatever dress they wanted, in the same colors. They were affordable, and because they chose the style, they might wear them again. My biggest misgivings about this retailer, are that you have to rely on reviews and photos, there's very little communication, sizing issues, and their labor practices. I've seen many retailers out there that seem far less reputable. Thanks for a valuable warning.
I also got a dress from JJ’s House and it was exactly how it looked on the website. It was a very basic dress though, no beading, mesh or lace. I would recommend shopping with them for very basic designs, nothing too elaborate
I bought a dress from Light In the Box several years ago, and I was impressed with the quality of the fabric and the workmanship. But it was a fairly simple design. I've noticed that some dresses that feature "beading" actually use cheap sequins. So read the description carefully before ordering.
@@karenbarton6783 My kiddo got a prom dress from Light in the box. It seemed well made, but again, I had to do some alterations. Definitely use measurements, rather than sizes to order. It's a lot of "buyer beware."
The problem is that people's idea of clothes has been warped for so long by fast fashion. Their expectation is that clothes should be pretty and cheap but that is not the reality.
I think we’ve forgotten what well made good quality clothes even look and feel like. I’ve seen “designer” stuff like Michael Kors and BCBG Max Azria that are made from the same cheap fabrics and mediocre finishings as the cheaper brands. I watched a few Hopescope videos on CZcams where I was just constantly rolling my eyes because she’d be holding some awful trashy Halloween costume thing gushing, “It’s cuuuute!! And the material is so nice!!!” 😬
People are stupid… But I think this is a symptom of fast fashion. Somehow people think that it’s actually possible to make a fabulous dress for 50 bucks. If it’s priced like a Halloween costume, that’s what you’re going to get!! Another issue is that people don’t sew, so they don’t know that beaded fabric starts at $60 a yard or the amount of labor that goes into making a structured evening gown. That beaded ruffled gown has a whole corset built into the bodice
I don’t think you necessarily need to sew to know that something that looks like a piece of art is going to be very pricey. If it’s not something you would find off the rack at a Walmart, it’s should just be assumed it took a lot of time and resources to make. It’s like buying a grocery store sheet cake versus a 5 tiered wedding cake from a bakery - it should be a no brainer which one took more effort and will be more expensive.
Also, when you order from these sketchy sites, you should really watch your credit card statement. This is a way that scammers get credit cards numbers.
Everything you’re saying here is exactly correct!! I was looking at two very similar dresses from two different sites. One was $95 and the other one was around $32 shelled out the $95 and I am incredibly happy it was perfect!!
Also for that price lots of big chains like H&M, ASOS etc does good quality dresses at similar price levels so if you’re going to spend that money look in those stores as well instead of buying something that tries to look really expensive
The thing is though H&M and ASOS are also fast fashion so they contribute to damaging the environment and exploit workers in the same way as these websites do. The fabrics are also often poor quality so the clothes wear out quicker. The advantage I supposed is that you can at least try the clothes on to know what you're getting. If you want better quality clothing you just have to get used to buying less and saving up for good quality pieces that you will actually want to wear and that will stand the test of time.
Hear you, the thing is Several hundred dollar dresses on ASOS and HM ARE good quality, they’re not compared to the 10 dollar tshirts they sell. I’m not talking about ASOS 10 dollar dress I’m talking ASOS 200 dollar dress I’ve seen friends buy them myself and they’re good. its an alternative if you’re on the same price point instead of chasing designer copycat dresses. I haven’t bought anything from those sites in years as I do 90% of my clothes thrifted, including my prom dress, probably the best option tbh 😊 but for people who are into that sort of stuff I I think you’d be surprise how sturdy and well made the dresses are. But at the end of the day of course fast fashion isn’t good and that I agree with. But an option that is in between scam site and designer dresses.
I'm so glad you made this video! My daughter graduates highschool this year so of course, prom! And I am setting her up with a black designer who will make her what she wants, how she wants it! No way was I gonna play with these scam sites! Heck! You will do better, buying the plain dress with the shape you want and then doing appliqués and adding like a train or something if things are really tight money wise. I've thought about it cuz I always have a plan B lol! You do amazing work! Please keep sharing!!!❤❤❤❤
That’s a great idea! It could be a fun mother/daughter project too. Imagine buying a gown at the beginning of the school year and then spending evenings coming up with a cool beading design - or simply ordering pretty lace appliqués from Etsy. I made my niece’s wedding gown and spent lots of time hand sewing lace to the satin and organza base.
I wouldnt even say 'donating' is the right word. Wasting is definitely a better one. Do they honestly expect to get what they see for the price they paid
Well said that woman!! Thank you for bringing this problem to light. These sites are just adding to the global waste problem and they treat their workers shamefully. Shop ethically, go to a charity shop or to a second hand dress site. I'm always amazed at some of the gems I find in a charity shop!
I have been making my own clothes since junior high, my high school in the 1960s had a whole study program for future designers. I was able to take some of the classes. Over the years I have been approached by those wanting custom made items, but did not understand the cost of doing custom anything. Now I make quilts, , I have made jewelry using bead weaving, I only make gifts for loved ones. People have no appreciation for finer things. Those gowns you showed were most likely hand beaded and are genuine gems and pearls. Fabrics custom produced for the designer. I give you kudos for what you do, to me it is easier to make from scratch than remake something purchased.
You know what would be funny? To have a party (with close friends or family) and have everyone order a dress from one of these sites and the catch is they have to wear it as is, no alterations. I think that would be funnier than all the bad Christmas sweaters you've ever seen, combined. Ooh, and if it's for couples they can not tell the men what's up. Let them be confused. Let them be afraid to say anything about how crazy the woman all look. 😂 Maybe it's just me but I think that would be hilarious.
Only clothes I would buy from those sites are pj's, possibly a t-shirt (or t-shirt dress) or hoodie if it's plain because patterns seem to be a problem for them. Stretch jeans sometimes are okay but only if you see picture reviews. Basically, lounge wear or stuff you use to run out to do errands and I wouldn't even do that if I had a Walmart nearby I could get to easily. 😅
With these China sites of coture dresses, IF I ever buy from them it won't be for the design it will be for inexpensive materials to practice cutting/sewing/designing with (a muslin) before I bought the $30+/yard stuff. In my opinion that is all that those sites are good for.
😅 The more I watch of these videos the luckier I feel that my wedding dress, that I ordered custom made to fit 11 years ago from one of those sites, turned out to be absolutely gorgeous: Luscious, thick, matte satin with a matching jacket and both just fit perfectly over my weirdly proportioned fat butt. Even my seamstress sister complimented the quality of the work and material! Apparently I'm the exception to the above shown absolute horrors 'cause ddaeng. 🤮
She is absolutely correct. I am a E-Bay fanatic and if I can say anything, yes, I was scammed. I purchased a butterfly blazer (I love butterflies 🦋) and the blazer was nothing like the one I purchased. I was livvvvviiiiidddd!!
You are doing the Lord's work, with this video. Everyone should finally realize these Chinese fashion sites are total scams. The websites are stealing photos for the advertisement.
Ladies you can go to the evening gown section in a department store and get a nice gown for a few hundred dollars. Better yet you can go to a shop that makes very beautiful quinceanera gowns that are unique and very good quality for a few hundred dollars as well.
Can you please make a video showing how to raise a v neckline in a silk prom dress, my prom is in a few days and I can’t weary dress because it is too revealing and the gown is very long so I can use fabric from under, maybe I can make it into a cow neck or drape?
At this point, I think these ppl are paying for the opportunity to go viral cuz ain't no way u thought u was getting these beautiful elaborate dresses for like $35. 😂 they are clowns for even believing it..😅
Thank you for setting these future clients straight. "If it looks to good to be true, it probably is." Also, the models in these gowns have the shapes for them. Your clients don't. In all of the vids you posted, the clients are larger than the model and expect to fit in a small size dress. NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
I have actually had some really beautiful and well fitting dresses from these sites. In general I have gotten what I paid for. I do have my share of extra cheap disasters that went straight to the bin or goodwill after I had laughed at my own foolishness. I have learnt what will translate well on my body because I am not shaped like a model and refuse to girdle myself into asphyxia.
Thank you! Not only are the items schmatta, but it’s funding a very corrupt business where the people (usually women and children) are paid next to nothing, and in some cases, they’re made by prisoners and they’re not paid one cent. Honestly, if money is tight, get a dress from the thrift store and take it to the tailor to get it upcycled/tailored. You’re still saving money.
Desire for something lowers our intelligence! I have the same problem with my art students who come to class with super cheap art materials that don't perform as well as artist grade materials. People refuse to believe that they will get what they pay for until it is painfully obvious.
well if they are truly in the learning stage, then it might be ok to use lesser materials while working on technique, doncha' think? if youre not showing and still growing.
If they’re students, they prob don’t have the means to buy better materials. Maybe you could buy the good stuff and lend to your students on a case by case basis?
I think your video should probably help people. However, it just seems too tempting and people will still buy on a China site, hoping that the dress might be close to the photo. One might fare better buying a costume dress since the material will most likely be the same inexpensive fabric, but the stitching better on the costume than the China made gown! 😂😂😂 You've done some fantastic alterations on these inexpensive gowns and I am always so amazed at your work!❤
I think you do a wonderful service to many young women. The issue might be that they dont know quality and what to look for. They dont understand what it takes for fabric to "drape". Consider mentioning resale or vintage gowns. It has the workmanship that would make your job easier and many of the styles are coming back into style. All those home ec classes that women of a 'certain age' took, are not even offerred anymore. Additionally, pick up a used copy of photographs taken by James Van der Zee. He was a photographer who took pics during the Harlem renaissaince. Show them pics. Many will be surprised to see that the glam they are seeking is not nearly as new as they think. You do a phenomanal job! Even more so in that you always find a positive idea to spin. Bravo, Madame!
It’s also supporting people in china who have no qualms about stealing some other designer’s - not only the photos but the hard work they put into designing it and then passing it off as their “own”and then these girls are gullible enough to think they’re going to get something even remotely close to it. I don’t think the ppl who are buying them would like it very much if THEY were designers and someone else was ripping them off? Maybe they’re getting something that looks like it came out of a dumpster because that’s karma coming full circle?
Thank you for the warnings..I love watching your shows..6 months ago I ordered a mobility scooter that the guy from QVC was selling to get rid of old stock .what did I get a vinyl key chain found out not the only senior who got scammed some got kids sunglasses or key chains hair brushes..return address shows picture of woman on beach drinking cocktails ..learned my lesson. Oh QVC said although it was shown using their set and seller they weren't responsible because I didn't watch it using their TV show and number ..where is politicians helping seniors..now they want us to get free food cards ..want a good tic toc expose scams for seniors
It’s mostly ignorance of the actual cost of sewing. Most people don’t even understand how much the materials cost much less the labor involved in creating a corseted structure, or beading and embroidering. I know only because I’ve tried.
As an artisan, I see lots of people who want beautiful things but don't want to pay what they're worth. So they settle for the feeling of owning something nice, even though the quality is non-existent.
Thank you so much for your knowledge and insight. In general, I have not heard good things about those sites. I do my best to buy from reputable stores or designers. And as you stated, having a custom-made dress is going to cost some coin. I don't mind paying what the designer is asking because I know she's working on the dress we agreed upon.
This is why I don't shop online. I have an awkward body anyway (biiiig bust and hips, but I'm under 5ft and have a short torso. Bloody nightmare), but even with genuine designers/companies, what you get rarely fits/looks like it does on the site. Unless it's a company I know VERY well, I refuse to shop online.
This lady is so right. I love her content. I appreciate her putting this out there for the masses. I think that it’s wrong for people to keep going on these cheap websites and when they’re these pictures are stolen from the original designers, find the original designer, and maybe try to work on an arrangement with them and then maybe a payment plan if you want the dresses that you see advertised in these pictures or find a local seamstress or tailor in your area and pay them to re-create the dress for you or learn to sell yourself I model I also work in marketing sales and I’m getting back into sewing slowly like mind you I can’t so like that but who knows maybe with more practice and more time I can get to that level but material cost what it caused materials not cheap you can go and you have to if you want good quality material. If you live in America you can’t just go to Fabricland or Jones fabric and think it’s sufficient you have to really Research and some material can cost you $100 a yard for 1 yard of 1 m of material and that’s expensive. You know the most expensive materials out there is leather denim silk lace. Those are very expensive materials and cotton is very expensive and you need up and stand in some cases and you need that to make a lot of These That you see advertise in these pictures and the one thing she’s right, the rhinestones, the feathers all these things cost money is not cheap. It’s good to buy like you know if you wanna go and get those little party dresses or those fun little dresses for the summertime on vacation yeah those are those things cost $20 $40 $50 even $60 worth for you to get an evening gown for under $100. That’s impossible you can if you be Friend people who work in retail, you know fashion designers you check sales all of that but my best advice is not to use the site and find the original designer and shot from there
OMGod!! My daughter is actively waiting on an order from rhymes with "clean!" It's for her & hubby's Christmas party outfits. She sent pics for voting and I almost had 🐄 when she told me where buying from. 🤷🏽♀️ I just hope she's not disappointed. 😔
I have to vouch for dhgate my second wedding dress came from them and it was gorgeous. But I love everything you do. You bring joy to these beautiful people
It was many years ago, before the internet, and I got scammed by a catalog-ordered dress that was so very different from the picture. Thank you for your PSA. God Bless!
That advice that you won't get 1,200 💵 dress in 100 is best!! I don't know how people expect to get same quality with such drastic drop in price. "I can find it cheaper" type people really forget that u will also get level of quality as cheap as the price!
agreed, and not just buying dresses online, pretty much buying anything online. If the price you pay for the item is usually higher but the site is selling for wayyyy cheaper, don’t expect the quality to be there
I went to prom in the 70s ...What we did was submit a picture to a seamstress who could recreate the look. And this is why the need to bring back sewing and home ec to school
This is so important. Not only are they donating their money but they are adding to the global fashion waste problem and supporting companies that pay very little in wages to use trafficked works to slave labor. Everyone loves a bargain but we have to consider at what price.
So it's the company's fault for everything but not the consumer who wants to be a cheapskate and then cries for being scammed. Logic.
I get customers should be more mindful of the saying, "if it's too good to be true it probably is" but is rather gove then grace than blame them. I'm sure you and I have been duped into buying something that turned out to be poor quality due to false advertising. They still shouldn't be put off the hook.
It IS the company's fault for deceptive advertising. Logic. Yes, people need to be more discriminating before they buy but unless they see that company being called out for shipping substandard goods then how are customers to know what they will get? Everybody wants to get stuff cheap and not everyone lands on a youtube channel to learn about these website. Just thank Monde' for her public service announcements and look within yourself to root out your own arrogance.
@@curiouscat3384Yes it can happen that someone is cautious and still gets scammed. But if someone doesn't even take 5 Minutes to do a quick Trustpilot (or something similar) search to see if the website they are buying from is legit they can't really complain. Since the other option would be to completely ban all knock offs to make sure everyone buys the legit stuff, which is not doable.
That's what happens when you raise two generations of Westerners accustomed to paying slave wages. Of course it doesn't help that most of us are also working for barely above slave wages too, so...
I think "how do you expect a beaded dress to be $50?" nails the issue perfectly. People have no idea how much work clothing actually involves.
YES exactly! Of course the people doing this are big problems but I feel like we need to educate ourselves and not get angry when something isn’t cheap
The amount of people who get pissed off at other forms of art being reasonable price makes me lose my mind
@@RaspBerryPies I have a standard comment for when I go to shows and see beautiful things I can't afford: "Unfortunately for me, the maker knows what their work are worth."
@@gadgetgirl02 that’s a good one! I think I’ll start saying that if you don’t mind!
I was lucky to learn sewing as a kid. Never advanced in skill lol, but I learned so much about being a consumer. Some styles can be slapped together cheaply, but details cost real money. I was so glad I could help an immigrant friend buy American winter clothing, his initial idea was to order a very nice looking $75 businessman coat that turned out to be just regular polyester. For $115, we scored a good wool blend version at Macy's. It took about an hour over a week to track down a couple sales on wool coats, not hard if you just slow down & do a bit of research. But if you don't know fabrics and about things like lining, I guess it's more difficult.
TIP: don’t look at the reviews on the site itself. Look at the reviews of the brand that aren’t enabled by the brand.
What do you mean by your second sentence?
I mean:
Don’t look at the reviews which the company is using for self promotion (i.e. reviews on their own website, insta, youtube ad) because the company has control over what you see and uses that to their advantage.
Therefore, look for reviews on other websites about the brand itself. There are a lot of websites geared towards reviewing the trustworthiness of the brand rather than the product.
And be very suspicious if the reviews are all good. All 5 star reviews screams fake. They usually have a lot of them for each and every item they sell. That’s weird unless the site is a well known label.
@nessparadis6948 there are websites like Trust Pilot where these drop shippers can't delete reviews
@@nessparadis6948 a lot of times the companies make fake profiles and post their own fake reviews with stolen pictures of real people. If you google the name of the site and can verify its legit, theres other websites that can verify if they are scammers or not.
Some of those $50 dresses look like $2 rags. I never trust these sites. People need to stop expecting Gucci from places Wish and Temu. 😂
I thought a lot of them looked like Halloween costumes actually.
That one lady looked like she was wearing an embellished bathroom rug. 😂🤦🏾♀️
Looking like they tore a patterned curtain and warped it around themselves...
Did you see the ones with the picture reviews? (at 3:09) I can’t believe those poor girls paid 160 for those and were happy 😂
The yellow one looked worse than the black did, I think that yellow fabric was so horrific it made it look way worse. They all look like they would go up in flames if you went so much as a couple of feet near an open flame.
@@Natasha___.😂
Every time I see an ad I do a reverse image search, find out the designer that actually made the dress and then report the ad for intellectual property theft. My sister is a footwear designer who has had her intellectual property stolen by Sketchers (it’s their entire business model). I REALLY appreciate your comment about being respectful of the designer and those who construct the original dress.
Thanks for letting us know that. I never knew!
The creative soul of the Internet thanks you for your service. Heck, I'm gonna have to start doing this, that's a great idea 💖
Oh that sucks
Also be aware of those fake clearance sites ,look at who sponsored the site,if it does not come up on Google search, it's probably a fake site!
But you know eventhough you report the ad for intellectual property theft, nothing will come of it. It is from China and the CCP do not care about any intellectual property rights. 9 times out of 10 things are made in China and nothing you can do about what you buy online it all comes from China and kind of hard to sue any companies that make those cheaply made and expensively sold dress or most items made in China.
Not to mention, most of the pictures are probably custom fitted to the models/actors. Something standardized sizes can never replace.
I mean you're 100% right. These are all replicas of couture dresses. Couture dress making was once described to me as "One dress for one body" Even the ones that are are never gonna fit you like the ones in the pics because they weren't made for YOU.
Genuinely most of these dresses you'd be better going to a thrift store and paying someone like Monde to jazz it up. At least you're not paying con artists and thieves.
@@LynnNexus. SO FUNNY 😆
the photos are from other sites and designers. they just steal
It's true that a tall skinny model is going to look better than a mid-size or chubby girl. But in Monde's videos she's showing a lot of examples of completely different materials and crappy sewing.
Now imagine if almost all brick and mortar stores are gone and we have these sites left to deal with?
Oy yoy, yoy.
I think about what if you got an invite to a wedding or formal or whatever, real late, maybe the day of, and you need a dress right then. Oh well, can't order it and wait some hours for it to come your just either screwed and NOT going to go or screwed and just going to wear what you can find(maybe from a friend or relative's to borrow).
It would be a total mess and all of us would have houses just full of literal junk that we could NEVER use from the time it made it to our home.
Smh.
As someone wanting to get into couture dressmaking and beaded gowns (have the know how, severely lack the funds) I h a t e having to explain to people having to explain to people how expensive beaded fabric is. The reactions are always "oh my god I would n e v e r pay that much for fabric" and I have to sit there like "look at this, how many beads do you think there are on that fabric, you know that has to be done by hand yeah? That stuff's $250/m because of the amount of labour that went into making it, not because they're tryna stooge people." And even them they're all like "I still wouldn't pay that much" No one seems to understand unless they also work in the industry
It’s because so much of our products, including fashion, are so highly manufactured and industrialized. People don’t value artisanship and the amount of time and effort people put into their craft because they have easy access to cheap products that are made in large batches by machines in factories. People these days have been conditioned to have easy access to what they want without having to wait for an expert to make it for them. It feeds into their instant gratification. That being said, people shouldn’t feel entitled to something that is custom and hand crafted for the price of something you can find off the rack at Walmart. Their qualities don’t compare.
@@melissaherrera940 oh 100% and it's a struggle across other areas as well. My boyfriend does woodworking and makes some gorgeous stuff. He had a market over the weekend and so many people stopped and had a look, saying "wow this stuff is so beautifully made" but then after having a look at everything just kept walking, and his prices were super cheap too (example: a serving platter he'd made by gluing small bits of wood into a big enough piece to make a serving platter, leveling the surface to be nice and even and smooth, finishing with a food grade finish and putting the handles on, he was selling for $60AUD, and that thing took him h o u r s to make, especially when you factor how long it takes for that glue to dry) people are just so accustomed to "okay but I can get this for half the price at kmart" but how many times are they going to need to replace that? There is a quality in stuff like what we make that just isn't present anymore in stores, but people don't care about quality anymore
I appreciate fashion and though I don't sew, I totally understand the pricing behind the gowns. I think fast fashion has warped people's perception of high quality clothing. They're so used to cheap crap that an actual long lasting handmade article of clothing seems overpriced, when really it's well worth the cost.
I mean, my reaction to your whole comment was still ‘I would never pay that much for fabric’ but it’s less of a ‘I don’t value/believe the amount of effort that went into that fabric or think it should be compensated appropriately’ and it’s more of a ‘who do you think I am, Mansa Musa? That much money, for just the fabric, for a dress I’m probably going to wear 3 whole times if I’m lucky?! Absolutely not. Call me when you have a more affordable venture, like buying the whole moon.’
My mum knits and with even heavily discounted yarn, you'd need $40-50 for a blanket. Ofc smaller yarn requires more. I have several half lap-only blankets 😅
The way I holla’d at the “what I got”. 😂😂As a custom seamstress, these folks be in a serious fantasyland! I had a lady send me a photo of a beaded dress for $29 and wanted to know how much I would charge to make it. I sent her the link to the exact fabric from eBay & Joann’s I told her if she buys the fabric, that I’ll sew it for $29. She called all excited saying she could get the fabric cheaper, I told her cool let me know. After a week of searching she decided to buy the dress. They sent this poor child some spandex with glitter glued to it😂🤣😂🤣
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Stooooop! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣 I can't stop laughing
Why would you offer to sew it for $29? Was it some kind of challenge? I feel like that’s not even a fair hourly price for custom sewing a dress
The way I just HOLLERED!!!🤣🤣🤣
@@heatherduke7703Maybe she was trying to be nice, maybe she was trying to make a point, maybe the dress was a really simple design that she knew wouldn't take her long.
As a fiber artists, none of this surprises me. People ask for hand stitched bed sized blankets for $20. The yarn alone would be $100+ for the cheapest options, more like $250-$300 for a better quality. Not to mention that depending on the yarn thickness and type of stitching it will take a minimum of 60 hours but likely closer to 120 or more. Even when you explain this they'll give you the "oh come on, we're friends. What if i buy the yarn?" ...then you're still asking me to work full time for 3 weeks for free. What service does anyone else do where people would ask for weeks of labor for free? It's actually absurd. I offer lessons for $20/hr to those people. So far none have taken me up!!!
Same reason I sew only for myself as a hobby (and family occasionally).
They're so used to buying an item for cheap, when the person (who is also likely a child!) who made it is abroad and paid less than pennies and the material is also cheap and low quality.
Let me guess...
You offer lessons, they respond "I don't have time to spare for that" 😂😂😂
Well, flash news, neither do we as professionals, that's why we charge for our work by the hour... 😈😈😈
That's a great deal on lessons!
Entitlement culture. Everyone wants other people to give them stuff for free! 😂😂😂
👏👏
I'm about to age myself 😂. My prom was in 1988. Back then San Francisco had actual outlets. Not like the "Outlets" of today. Once a year the clothing (Jessica McClintock, Levi, Guess, Benneton, etc), shoes, furniture, etc companies would have a sale. I purchased my Jessica McClintock dress purchased at the companies outlet for $35. It was during one of their yearly wedding dress, and gowns sale. Women would line up DAYSSSS ahead of the sale just to shop there. There were no changing rooms so you had HUNDREDS of women trying on gowns out in the open. No one cared because to get one of her designer gowns for a little over $200 was worth it. My SIL bought her wedding dress the same day I was there.
Oh, I remember the Jessica McClintock, Gunne Sax, era! I remember getting an amazing deal on Easter dresses for myself and my younger sister. My sister won best dressed for under 13 at the Easter Parade that year! Found the dresses in the clearance room on the lower level of the local department store. Things were dated and got cheaper over time... Can't remember what I paid but I was a broke college Sophmore so it wouldn't have been much!
as a Native of SF that still lives here I miss those times also so many outlet stores
Man! The Gunne Sax and Jessica McClintock was an era! The trip to the city 🏙️! It was a whole event in itself! I got my daughters 8th grade graduation dress from there! It was gorgeous! 😍 Thanks for this memory!
I wore a Jessica McClintock 2 piece to my prom. It was sooo Madonna’s Like a Virgin era. 😂😂😂 Good times.
Omg! This generation, unfortunately, will never know the deals we got from old school outlets!
TBH I’ve never understood how anyone looks at those pictures and assumes that’s what they’ll be receiving, especially for 5% of the actual cost of the dress! 🙄
I got scammed by an actual seamstress once (well, someone who claimed to be a seamstress at least 😒) who I was communicating with/ordering from online - but at least the material was good quality (because she’d ordered the specific material I wanted from the company I directed her to), so I was able to repurpose the material at least.
The cut and sewing was atrocious though, you wouldn’t pass 9th grade home ec. with the skills she had 🙄.
That’s horrible.
I ordered a dress from Shein and it was exactly as it looked. Not every item is a scam.
@@siriusjones956shein is more curated than other chinese sites.
@@siriusjones956 Shein is bad for different reasons
Even if they receive the real deal - they're delusional if they think they'll look as good in it.
You know what makes me sad? Middle cost boutiques and places that actually sell their own hand made clothes are going out of business en masse because of fast fashion dribble made accessible to the public, and now there so much cheaply made clothes that are paper mache thin or quantity in the outlet stores/malls (I check the fabric of the tops and they keep getting more translucent and the seams are a messier each year. It’s incredible) . Even when you go thrifting, workers are given poor quality modern clothing from what I hear, torn, thin etc. and the excessive amount of clothing waste is “donated” (aka bundled to 3rd world countries and clogging up the land/space there and strangling the local clothing makers in those places as well). Now you have to recycle if you don’t find a shelf to dispose your cheap shoddy clothing. Even retailers like H&M that can ‘help’ recycle your clothing are low-key greenwashing the extent that they will reuse the material they ‘recycled’. I try to sell my stuff online, donate to shelter when I can or look for programs that invest in circular recycling like Terracycle or the Takeback bag from the company For Days. I’m 22. I don’t even buy clothes, I thrift and use Depop and have to make sure they’re not drop shipping or that any place I see online actually bothers to list out their manufacturers info and not post a bunch of smiling workers face with no actual info and say “we’re making a difference”.
Why does actually wanting the working conditions, labors worth, proper materials and fitting that was the norm at least a few decades ago require so much planning and complication is beyond me. The last 2-3 generations gradually got used to the bloating of cheap materials and exploitation that it’s the norm now, and now even making your own clothing with materials you source yourself is getting more contrived as the quality of the fabrics and other materials is just decreasing as well. I want deadstock fabric to be used as the norm; I’m tired of asking for basic quality control for clothing.
This!!
The problem is we as designers will post a photo and they will steal it, repost it for sale, and send you something not even close. I always say find the original designer like she mentioned in the video
Do you think watermarks would help to stop this ?
@@NaetheNatural not at all. I know fellow designers who post their work with a watermark and they still manage to steal it.
A great alternative if you cant afford an expensive dress : rent one! Yes, it's still likely to be $100-$200 for a really nice one and you're limited to what is in stock with the rental company, but you will actually get the dress you wanted, it's cheaper than the real deal, and you don't have to worry about storing the dang thing or when you'll be able to wear it again.
If the princess of Wales rents a dress for a global event..so can we ..
Yes and also search in the used market…you will see and try before buying and usually the dress are in really good condition for a fraction of the price…
I used to make wedding dresses and one Bride came with a wedding magazine wanting a dress. I flat out told her I do not copy other designers gowns and if she wanted that gown she better be prepared to spend over $400. The gown in question was $4500!!!!
Your advise saved me earlier… I wanted to buy an off shoulder dress off a Black Friday sale but I kept hearing “the body doesn’t come with the dress” and stopped myself.
Thank you so much for posting this video! This is what i try to tell lots and lots of friends and noone is listening to me. I sew a lot by myself and a friend of mine ordered a "wedding dress" on wish for only 25€. I was begging her not to do this so she would be very disappointed. That was exactly what happened. When the dress arrived after 6 weeks, she asked me to alter it. But at this time i was not that confident and skilled to alter this rubbish into a wearable dress not even to mention a wedding dress. I felt so sorry for her because it was not much time left to the wedding day. She ended up at an Outlet store for wedding and evening gowns and found a pretty dress for her budged.
She could have saved her money and protected her nerves much earlier.
Lots of love from Germany ❤😊
As a seamstress, I've turned down several prom dress alts by frantic moms and daughters who bought the dress on WISH and it was horribly wrong. Most times it's a fit issue and there is zero extra fabric in those seams. Other times, the dress is way too flimsy to work with without damaging it or it's been sewn terribly in the first place, so every alt you do is just making it worse. I've been doing this for almost 15 years and I'd have turned down the wedding dress too. Sucks but when you play stupid games, you get stupid dresses.
Damn, and then waiting that long for crap.
I think people really need to practice critical thinking before jumping on purchasing anything from online. When I was a teenager, and that was only a couple years ago, we went to an actual in person dress shop and got a gorgeous prom dress that included alterations for only 125 dollars. Buying something from online never occurred to me or my mother because why would you buy a formal gown that you haven't tried on? Like regular pairs of pants and shirts can cost 50+ dollars at generic brands at a local mall, so I think people really need to think critically. Why would a gorgeous corseted gown with ruffles and crystals cost as much as something from Hollister, Forever 21, Old Navy even? I even had a family member get married recently, and the bride purchased a gown off of a scam site. She wasted SO much money buying these online dresses that looked terrible, and she ended up purchasing a gown from a local boutique anyway. By trying to save money, she ended up wasting more money in the long run. So I wish we could purge these sites from the internet! I think fast fashion especially has really tricked people into thinking clothing should be super cheap as well.
The biggest things I have learned from your channel is - don't order important and fancy clothes online, and don't order custom made from over seas. The over seas custom made isn't because of poor quality, but it's just hard as you can get out to make something fit properly without the person there to actually try it on.
I've ordered custom clothing from out of the country before... It wasn't a full-on gown though, just a nice pair of trousers... I sent in my measurements and they ended up fitting beautifully.
This may not be the norm, but it is possible to order custom fitted garments without being nearby in person to try them on.
That depends on the seller. There are a lot of small independent shops with great (real) reviews. Just have to do your homework.
You can order from overseas if you don't need those clothes SOON.
If you must have that gown, go for it, BUT WITH TIME. You can't order custom dresses from overseas for an event and expect it to arrive quick and then on top of that, need no alterations (unless miracle).
Those dresses usually will take months to make. Order it almost a year before the event you need it for. Because if it needs alterations, you're going to be sending it back and forth. please take that time into consideration.
And also, if you gain or lose weight, do not be afraid to send them an email, it saves time.
@@bunbunwyAbsolutely! I did 3 months of research on custom gown sites from China and eventually decided to order my elaborate wedding gown a year in advance. They asked for A LOT of DETAILS about what I wanted and I went to an actual tailor to get my correct measurements. They asked for half of the dress price up front and then you pay the balance when the dress is finished. As they are constructing the dress they send picture updates so you can approve of the direction they are going in. It took them about 3 months to complete and when I saw the final pictures it was stunning. I ended up paying about $700 for a designer inspired gown that would have cost $3000 and up.
When I got the dress in hand the material wasnt luxury quality but the design, dress volume and fabric draping was what I wanted. It fit with room to spare so I had my tailor take it in and on my wedding day it fit like a glove. ❤
I do not know how expensive you mean, but I have bought dresses and glasses that were expensive for me online, but what I have discovered is I only buy from major, known sites with good reviews, and not all of those (I will never buy again from The Real Real - the Prada Baroques they sold me were not Prada. But, then again, I cut them a little slack on their ratings, which were under three stars). It's not 100%, but it's pretty good.
This is why I don’t feel sorry for anyone who buys stuff simply because it’s cheap. You get what you pay for by assuming it would be as pictured for that cheap price.
I do feel bad for people who are young and don't have the experience to differentiate between scams and legitimate online retailers. If you are buying a prom dress you are a teenager and may not know better.
@@rachelk4805a parent should know better than to let their kid aim for a met gala dress to a prom
I just went to a wedding in a $10 jumpsuit which was down from $190 and im an AUS size 22
Shopping from shein and temu and whatever is straight up gambling.
@rachelk4805 If you are a teenager your parents should be helping you make big purchases like that.
Bro I’m poor tho 😭
@@rachelk4805 that's not even an excuse because grown women that should know better are falling for these sites. When I was a teenager, and that was only a couple years ago, we went to an actual in person dress shop and got a gorgeous dress that included alterations for only 125 dollars. Buying something from online never occurred to me or my mother because why would you buy a formal gown that you haven't tried on? Like regular pairs of pants and shirts can cost 50+ dollars at generic brands at a teenager's local mall, so I think people really need to think critically. Why would a gorgeous corseted gown with ruffles and crystals cost as much as something from Hollister, Forever 21, Old Navy even? I wish we could purge these sites from the internet!
Also, if you’re a plus size woman then don’t expect that you’ll look anything remotely close to the model in the picture! Don’t fool yourself as many of we women do! When I was a plus size after the birth of my second child (size 20) I avoided stores like Victoria’s Secret. Not only did I know that they didn’t have my size but even if they did, like I said, I knew that I was only fooling myself. Never wear anything that you look like you were poorly stuffed into - it’s not a good look! What we want to do is wear clothing that ACCENTUATES what our body type is, not wear clothing that betrays us ❤
This is what i came here to say!!!!! And i was upwards of a size 3x. Take the time to visit the sales at the bridal shops.
Will you please start your own channel and teach this to all young women? So many chubby girls these days think they're cute just because they're "fashionable" But I sure don't want to look at someone who's spare tire middle is oozing out of her skintight cellulite showing pants!
The scam sites are scams regardless of body size, though. Like if it doesn't even resemble the pictures, don't let anyone tell you that a dress grew sleeves because you are plus size.
as an out of proportion woman, I totally agree. I would rather be a bit on the conservative dowdy side, than look like a delusional fat girl.
@@dawnsalois "Out of proportion" ? Is that the latest word to avoid saying "fat" ?
I stopped consistently buying from fast fashion sites years ago. I occasionally shop at ASOS but I really only do department stores and Etsy now. I gotten a lot of good quality sale items and vintage pieces that will last for years. I think learning how to sew solves the problem, reduces global co2 emissions, and lets you stay on trend!
Same. Buying quality items that last is important.
It is way more expensive to make clothes in this time. The material costs are astronomical. It isn't feasible for the majority to make their own clothes. To be a conscious consumer takes a certain level of wealth. I just notice all who talk this sort of talk like you are always on your electronics which is an ongoing human rights issue/genocide.
ASOS is whack now. I ordered what appeared to be a gorgeous burgundy leather jacket from Pepe Jeans around 324.00. That mess came in the mail and it was brown 😭 awful colored brown. The flash made it look burgundy. Ugh cant even trust any sites nowadays. Express used to make gorgeous clothes esp the graphic t’s for men and sequin skirts for girls. They looked exactly what they did in photos. So sad now
@@AyyRalphyyeah I don't trust buying too many clothes from them. I only buy their shoes
@@Alsomnia same here! Their shoes are always great. Accessories too! I missed the Black Friday sale 😢😭
This is a huge reason why stopped buying any new cloths and started using thrift stores and thred up to find high quality brands for fractions of the price. I’m saving money, reducing waste, and getting a wardrobe that will hopefully last me a decade lol. It just takes a little elbow grease
this!! my wardobe these days mostly consists of thrifts, gifts, and dresses I kept from childhood. some of my prettiest outfits are 100% thrifted and I loveee wearing things that someone else may have had a fun history with too. it adds value.
Yes! 100% of my wardrobe is thrifted. I save a ton of money, look nice and don't support slave labor. It's a win all around.
People are free to spend their money how they see fit. My problem begins when they bring these dresses/clothing to me for 'alterations' expecting a miracle. In some instances the items have to be deconstructed and remade to achieve a proper fit. They want the look but don't want to pay the correct cost. I started off making clothing but these days I feel like alterations are taking over my life...
I hate alterations, I would much rather make something from scratch. I imagine that these are so cheaply made that they’d be difficult to work with, awful fabric, no seam allowance, etc
I've turned away a few moms and daughters who went the Wish route and wanted me to make a miracle happen out of what they give me. Most of the time, it was made so poorly from the get-go, any alterations just highlight the horrible construction. Not even mentioning lack of seam allowance to do any sort of fit adjustments. I'd still have been embarrassed to send a teenager to prom after doing anything I could. At that point, just throw the whole dress out.
This was an issue when I was trying to find a dress for my son’s wedding - they wanted me to order one on line, and I just had the worst feeling that it was NOT going to turn out well. I ended up using a dress from a friend’s closet, having a local seamstress make a lace overlay (it needed to be a slightly darker color and this worked), and was happy with the result.
I have not been scammed thank God🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾. All the tips you gave I honestly follow. I’m a plus size woman so I already know my price is going to be significantly higher. If I do not see a plus size woman in the review section with the dress on I’m not getting it.
You really do get what you pay for, sometimes. Scammy ads like these are why I used to have friends and coworkers asking me to make things for them and then flabbergasted when I told them how much just the materials would cost, let alone my time and skill.
To be fair, yes, in this time and era there's still people out there who doesn't know what these websites are and how they work. I know because I used to be one of them. Inexperienced people expect to get what they see in the pictures (or something slightly different) because we're used to that kind of business model. Videos like yours are very valuable because you're educating naïve people on how to do better choices. I wish I had advice like this before spending so much on the trial and error learning curve of the asian sites 😂.
Educate yourself and others. Too much social media too little personal socialization.😢
Memories of my mom in her seamstress days. She too had clients who wanted the cheap but on a rice beans budget. She worked presocial media but client lack of understanding of what it takes to acquire quality upset her. I have so much respect for all those who do. I just wished more public understood what youre saying.😮
The way I laughed after the first woman said her body type made the dress grow sleeves! Lol. It wasn't the same dress.
Edit: Also the audacity to show a picture of Beyoncé in a red carpet designed gown and then offer a coupon to get $10 off.
I can't figure out how it's being represented as a Beyonce prom dress. You'd never get into any prom wearing that, would you? Schools are so busy slut shaming girls for wearing spaghetti straps that I can't imagine you would. I'm kind of amazed in general at the levels that teenagers are going to these days for prom. I realize that for a lot of girls, it's their chance to feel like they're on a red carpet, but it's going to a place way beyond what we ever wore.
@@KaiOpaka How about see through wedding gowns that would be better suited to a night club! or a high end strip club!
I’m a high school teacher and nope, you’re not getting into a pron either that Beyoncé dress, even if you are Beyoncé! I can remember when we wouldn’t let girls in wearing the two piece gowns that showed a little bare midriff.
I think this happens a lot because so many women don't know how to make any clothes anymore. Any woman who knows what a 12" lace applique costs just by itself would never expect any ENTIRE GOWN of pictured quality for anything less than a few hundred ON THE LOW END.
It's got nothing to do with 'women don't know how to make clothes anymore' 🙄. I don't either but doing physical shopping, researching online and having a common sense can tell me if a clothing price is either legit or a sham. People who fall for this kind of sham, I think, just desprately wants a dress they cannot afford so they took the risk, hoping they'll get something that looks decent enough.
@@peppergirlrocksplus they're prom dresses. i'm betting a lot of the people buying these dresses are 17 year old kids trying to buy something with part time job money. let's all have a little compassion, and hope they learned their lessons😅
I sew, just the materials for my fairly simple wedding gown cost $500 back in 2011. Silk skirt, lace bodice that I hand beaded, interior corselet. It took me so many hours to complete over the course of 2 months. People are delulu
I am not disputing what you say, just to add that these handwork/machine work /clothes are cheap overseas. The price of lace or fabric are very high in the US, I buy them from India when I go there as they are really cheap there.
Or are truly used to buy cheap all their lives.
Just subscribed as a 71 year old. Love watching you fix the dresses to help people. So, clever. Thanks for sharing your skills.
This is why when it came time for homecoming and prom and every other important occasion, I insisted on going in person to a store and trying the dress on. I won't decide if I haven't seen myself wearing it in a mirror first.
I normally don't shop at random named stores with the models heads cut off. Cause that means they stole the pictures and put them on their website to sell a cheaper copy of said outfit. Unless it's a notable store that crops the models head out for "fashion", like Zara or something.
YES YES YES. PLEASE KEEP CALLING THEM OUT. I'm waiting for the day when people will be actually ashamed to order from these sites. I want people to know the damage they're causing and the fools that they're making themselves out to be each time they get another package that's a complete joke.
It’s not that deep. They’re clearly just uneducated about what’s going on. This video will help alot of the people falling victims to this scams. No need to call them fools and whatnot. We’re all naive at a point.
Fools might be a little harsh but ignorant is certainly the right word, especially having had exchanges with folks about this issue already. Many simply don't care; the price is worth it to them. To them, I say they do look dang foolish when they donate their money to these sites and contribute to the fast fashion waste crisis. @@11.11NSU
I'm sorry, but this is a cruel way to approach the situation. Shame the scammer, not the victim. You don't know the financial situation of another person, and you don't know how experienced they are at identifying scams. The fault is always with the scammer.
HILARIOUS!!! Exactly - knowing the craft makes a difference, As a former seamstress, there are certain things I will never buy for a "bargain" price.
We ordered our daughter's wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses from J J's House. They're based in China, so we ordered well in advance to make sure we could do a plan B if they didn't work. These weren't knock offs of designer gowns; most of them have a style of their own. Overall we were pleased. My daughter's dress needed some alterations--even though it was custom sized--she actually needed the waist taken in (she's got a small waist, large bust.) I did the alterations, and it was well made--which made the alterations harder, with all the layers of fabric, and hidden seams. I would recommend them, but they're not high end. My daughter chose her colors, and the bridesmaids were able to order whatever dress they wanted, in the same colors. They were affordable, and because they chose the style, they might wear them again.
My biggest misgivings about this retailer, are that you have to rely on reviews and photos, there's very little communication, sizing issues, and their labor practices. I've seen many retailers out there that seem far less reputable. Thanks for a valuable warning.
I also got a dress from JJ’s House and it was exactly how it looked on the website. It was a very basic dress though, no beading, mesh or lace. I would recommend shopping with them for very basic designs, nothing too elaborate
I bought a dress from Light In the Box several years ago, and I was impressed with the quality of the fabric and the workmanship. But it was a fairly simple design. I've noticed that some dresses that feature "beading" actually use cheap sequins. So read the description carefully before ordering.
@@karenbarton6783 My kiddo got a prom dress from Light in the box. It seemed well made, but again, I had to do some alterations. Definitely use measurements, rather than sizes to order. It's a lot of "buyer beware."
I ordered from JenJen House three times each dress was beautiful.
I was gonna buy my wedding dress from jjs house they have good reviews. Ended up getting it from Fashion nova lol
The problem is that people's idea of clothes has been warped for so long by fast fashion. Their expectation is that clothes should be pretty and cheap but that is not the reality.
I think we’ve forgotten what well made good quality clothes even look and feel like. I’ve seen “designer” stuff like Michael Kors and BCBG Max Azria that are made from the same cheap fabrics and mediocre finishings as the cheaper brands.
I watched a few Hopescope videos on CZcams where I was just constantly rolling my eyes because she’d be holding some awful trashy Halloween costume thing gushing, “It’s cuuuute!! And the material is so nice!!!” 😬
People are stupid… But I think this is a symptom of fast fashion. Somehow people think that it’s actually possible to make a fabulous dress for 50 bucks. If it’s priced like a Halloween costume, that’s what you’re going to get!!
Another issue is that people don’t sew, so they don’t know that beaded fabric starts at $60 a yard or the amount of labor that goes into making a structured evening gown. That beaded ruffled gown has a whole corset built into the bodice
I don’t think you necessarily need to sew to know that something that looks like a piece of art is going to be very pricey. If it’s not something you would find off the rack at a Walmart, it’s should just be assumed it took a lot of time and resources to make. It’s like buying a grocery store sheet cake versus a 5 tiered wedding cake from a bakery - it should be a no brainer which one took more effort and will be more expensive.
Also, when you order from these sketchy sites, you should really watch your credit card statement. This is a way that scammers get credit cards numbers.
Yes people seem to be oblivious to this as well.
And please STOP wearing dresses that are not made for your body type!!! You have to dress the size you actually are, not the size you dream to be.
Everything you’re saying here is exactly correct!! I was looking at two very similar dresses from two different sites. One was $95 and the other one was around $32 shelled out the $95 and I am incredibly happy it was perfect!!
Also for that price lots of big chains like H&M, ASOS etc does good quality dresses at similar price levels so if you’re going to spend that money look in those stores as well instead of buying something that tries to look really expensive
The thing is though H&M and ASOS are also fast fashion so they contribute to damaging the environment and exploit workers in the same way as these websites do. The fabrics are also often poor quality so the clothes wear out quicker. The advantage I supposed is that you can at least try the clothes on to know what you're getting. If you want better quality clothing you just have to get used to buying less and saving up for good quality pieces that you will actually want to wear and that will stand the test of time.
Hear you, the thing is Several hundred dollar dresses on ASOS and HM ARE good quality, they’re not compared to the 10 dollar tshirts they sell. I’m not talking about ASOS 10 dollar dress I’m talking ASOS 200 dollar dress I’ve seen friends buy them myself and they’re good. its an alternative if you’re on the same price point instead of chasing designer copycat dresses. I haven’t bought anything from those sites in years as I do 90% of my clothes thrifted, including my prom dress, probably the best option tbh 😊 but for people who are into that sort of stuff I I think you’d be surprise how sturdy and well made the dresses are. But at the end of the day of course fast fashion isn’t good and that I agree with. But an option that is in between scam site and designer dresses.
Speak on it Sis
LOL trying tto help the people LOl
I'm so glad you made this video! My daughter graduates highschool this year so of course, prom! And I am setting her up with a black designer who will make her what she wants, how she wants it! No way was I gonna play with these scam sites! Heck! You will do better, buying the plain dress with the shape you want and then doing appliqués and adding like a train or something if things are really tight money wise. I've thought about it cuz I always have a plan B lol! You do amazing work! Please keep sharing!!!❤❤❤❤
That’s a great idea! It could be a fun mother/daughter project too. Imagine buying a gown at the beginning of the school year and then spending evenings coming up with a cool beading design - or simply ordering pretty lace appliqués from Etsy. I made my niece’s wedding gown and spent lots of time hand sewing lace to the satin and organza base.
I wouldnt even say 'donating' is the right word. Wasting is definitely a better one. Do they honestly expect to get what they see for the price they paid
Well said that woman!! Thank you for bringing this problem to light. These sites are just adding to the global waste problem and they treat their workers shamefully. Shop ethically, go to a charity shop or to a second hand dress site. I'm always amazed at some of the gems I find in a charity shop!
I have been making my own clothes since junior high, my high school in the 1960s had a whole study program for future designers. I was able to take some of the classes. Over the years I have been approached by those wanting custom made items, but did not understand the cost of doing custom anything. Now I make quilts, , I have made jewelry using bead weaving, I only make gifts for loved ones. People have no appreciation for finer things. Those gowns you showed were most likely hand beaded and are genuine gems and pearls. Fabrics custom produced for the designer. I give you kudos for what you do, to me it is easier to make from scratch than remake something purchased.
You know what would be funny? To have a party (with close friends or family) and have everyone order a dress from one of these sites and the catch is they have to wear it as is, no alterations. I think that would be funnier than all the bad Christmas sweaters you've ever seen, combined. Ooh, and if it's for couples they can not tell the men what's up. Let them be confused. Let them be afraid to say anything about how crazy the woman all look. 😂 Maybe it's just me but I think that would be hilarious.
Very funny idea! 😂😂😂
That would be a great idea for our ASG sewing group.
Only clothes I would buy from those sites are pj's, possibly a t-shirt (or t-shirt dress) or hoodie if it's plain because patterns seem to be a problem for them. Stretch jeans sometimes are okay but only if you see picture reviews. Basically, lounge wear or stuff you use to run out to do errands and I wouldn't even do that if I had a Walmart nearby I could get to easily. 😅
How are these girls rutinely shocked that that $20 dress is no where near the $600 dress they were wanting....
I’m taking an evening gown class…and I can’t imagine even getting the fabric to make a gown for how much some of these dresses are.
With these China sites of coture dresses, IF I ever buy from them it won't be for the design it will be for inexpensive materials to practice cutting/sewing/designing with (a muslin) before I bought the $30+/yard stuff. In my opinion that is all that those sites are good for.
😅 The more I watch of these videos the luckier I feel that my wedding dress, that I ordered custom made to fit 11 years ago from one of those sites, turned out to be absolutely gorgeous: Luscious, thick, matte satin with a matching jacket and both just fit perfectly over my weirdly proportioned fat butt. Even my seamstress sister complimented the quality of the work and material! Apparently I'm the exception to the above shown absolute horrors 'cause ddaeng. 🤮
She is absolutely correct. I am a E-Bay fanatic and if I can say anything, yes, I was scammed. I purchased a butterfly blazer (I love butterflies 🦋) and the blazer was nothing like the one I purchased. I was livvvvviiiiidddd!!
Yes, yes, yes. They could buy a complete dress from an American seamstress. People are whacked.
Honestly I think these women are stupid😭 It seems kinda obvious that these dresses are too cheap to be real...
I learned this the hard way!!! For what you spend in alterations you could have purchased a real dress at a legit wedding shop.
You are doing the Lord's work, with this video. Everyone should finally realize these Chinese fashion sites are total scams. The websites are stealing photos for the advertisement.
😂😂😂😭 im sorry but i couldnt stop laughing.
So I order from Amazon. Probably not that much better, but yeah picture reviews are definitely what I look for.
Ladies you can go to the evening gown section in a department store and get a nice gown for a few hundred dollars.
Better yet you can go to a shop that makes very beautiful quinceanera gowns that are unique and very good quality for a few hundred dollars as well.
Not just 'donating' but contributing to fast fashion, waste and exploration of ppl
Can you please make a video showing how to raise a v neckline in a silk prom dress, my prom is in a few days and I can’t weary dress because it is too revealing and the gown is very long so I can use fabric from under, maybe I can make it into a cow neck or drape?
I need to see the dress and what it's doing. Email me mondesews@gmail.com
My Mom would not have let me go to prom in that naked Beyoncé dress, and I won't let my daughter either. 😂
At this point, I think these ppl are paying for the opportunity to go viral cuz ain't no way u thought u was getting these beautiful elaborate dresses for like $35. 😂 they are clowns for even believing it..😅
Thank you for setting these future clients straight. "If it looks to good to be true, it probably is." Also, the models in these gowns have the shapes for them. Your clients don't. In all of the vids you posted, the clients are larger than the model and expect to fit in a small size dress. NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
I love your reviews, so down to earth! ❤
Lmbo soo true
Right 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🙆🏾♀️🤣🤣
I have actually had some really beautiful and well fitting dresses from these sites. In general I have gotten what I paid for. I do have my share of extra cheap disasters that went straight to the bin or goodwill after I had laughed at my own foolishness. I have learnt what will translate well on my body because I am not shaped like a model and refuse to girdle myself into asphyxia.
Thank you! Not only are the items schmatta, but it’s funding a very corrupt business where the people (usually women and children) are paid next to nothing, and in some cases, they’re made by prisoners and they’re not paid one cent.
Honestly, if money is tight, get a dress from the thrift store and take it to the tailor to get it upcycled/tailored. You’re still saving money.
Best advice! I found out in a cheaper way what to expect, and those picture reviews are the best!
Desire for something lowers our intelligence! I have the same problem with my art students who come to class with super cheap art materials that don't perform as well as artist grade materials. People refuse to believe that they will get what they pay for until it is painfully obvious.
well if they are truly in the learning stage, then it might be ok to use lesser materials while working on technique, doncha' think? if youre not showing and still growing.
If they’re students, they prob don’t have the means to buy better materials. Maybe you could buy the good stuff and lend to your students on a case by case basis?
I think your video should probably help people. However, it just seems too tempting and people will still buy on a China site, hoping that the dress might be close to the photo. One might fare better buying a costume dress since the material will most likely be the same inexpensive fabric, but the stitching better on the costume than the China made gown! 😂😂😂 You've done some fantastic alterations on these inexpensive gowns and I am always so amazed at your work!❤
I think you do a wonderful service to many young women. The issue might be that they dont know quality and what to look for. They dont understand what it takes for fabric to "drape".
Consider mentioning resale or vintage gowns. It has the workmanship that would make your job easier and many of the styles are coming back into style. All those home ec classes that women of a 'certain age' took, are not even offerred anymore.
Additionally, pick up a used copy of photographs taken by James Van der Zee. He was a photographer who took pics during the Harlem renaissaince. Show them pics. Many will be surprised to see that the glam they are seeking is not nearly as new as they think.
You do a phenomanal job! Even more so in that you always find a positive idea to spin. Bravo, Madame!
It’s also supporting people in china who have no qualms about stealing some other designer’s - not only the photos but the hard work they put into designing it and then passing it off as their “own”and then these girls are gullible enough to think they’re going to get something even remotely close to it. I don’t think the ppl who are buying them would like it very much if THEY were designers and someone else was ripping them off? Maybe they’re getting something that looks like it came out of a dumpster because that’s karma coming full circle?
Temu, that’s all I say🤐
Thank you for the warnings..I love watching your shows..6 months ago I ordered a mobility scooter that the guy from QVC was selling to get rid of old stock .what did I get a vinyl key chain found out not the only senior who got scammed some got kids sunglasses or key chains hair brushes..return address shows picture of woman on beach drinking cocktails ..learned my lesson. Oh QVC said although it was shown using their set and seller they weren't responsible because I didn't watch it using their TV show and number ..where is politicians helping seniors..now they want us to get free food cards ..want a good tic toc expose scams for seniors
It’s mostly ignorance of the actual cost of sewing. Most people don’t even understand how much the materials cost much less the labor involved in creating a corseted structure, or beading and embroidering. I know only because I’ve tried.
As an artisan, I see lots of people who want beautiful things but don't want to pay what they're worth. So they settle for the feeling of owning something nice, even though the quality is non-existent.
Thank you so much for your knowledge and insight. In general, I have not heard good things about those sites. I do my best to buy from reputable stores or designers. And as you stated, having a custom-made dress is going to cost some coin. I don't mind paying what the designer is asking because I know she's working on the dress we agreed upon.
Great message!!! I love that you put this video together, it is absolute truth. These sites are the worst!
Thank you for spreading the word!
This is why I don't shop online. I have an awkward body anyway (biiiig bust and hips, but I'm under 5ft and have a short torso. Bloody nightmare), but even with genuine designers/companies, what you get rarely fits/looks like it does on the site. Unless it's a company I know VERY well, I refuse to shop online.
I swear to god I have subscribed to your channel like 3 times now and every time you pop it’s says I’m not. I’m confusion. Lol I love your content!
This lady is so right. I love her content. I appreciate her putting this out there for the masses. I think that it’s wrong for people to keep going on these cheap websites and when they’re these pictures are stolen from the original designers, find the original designer, and maybe try to work on an arrangement with them and then maybe a payment plan if you want the dresses that you see advertised in these pictures or find a local seamstress or tailor in your area and pay them to re-create the dress for you or learn to sell yourself I model I also work in marketing sales and I’m getting back into sewing slowly like mind you I can’t so like that but who knows maybe with more practice and more time I can get to that level but material cost what it caused materials not cheap you can go and you have to if you want good quality material. If you live in America you can’t just go to Fabricland or Jones fabric and think it’s sufficient you have to really Research and some material can cost you $100 a yard for 1 yard of 1 m of material and that’s expensive. You know the most expensive materials out there is leather denim silk lace. Those are very expensive materials and cotton is very expensive and you need up and stand in some cases and you need that to make a lot of These That you see advertise in these pictures and the one thing she’s right, the rhinestones, the feathers all these things cost money is not cheap. It’s good to buy like you know if you wanna go and get those little party dresses or those fun little dresses for the summertime on vacation yeah those are those things cost $20 $40 $50 even $60 worth for you to get an evening gown for under $100. That’s impossible you can if you be Friend people who work in retail, you know fashion designers you check sales all of that but my best advice is not to use the site and find the original designer and shot from there
OMGod!! My daughter is actively waiting on an order from rhymes with "clean!"
It's for her & hubby's Christmas party outfits. She sent pics for voting and I almost had 🐄 when she told me where buying from. 🤷🏽♀️ I just hope she's not disappointed. 😔
Your advice is spot on!
I have to vouch for dhgate my second wedding dress came from them and it was gorgeous. But I love everything you do. You bring joy to these beautiful people
It was many years ago, before the internet, and I got scammed by a catalog-ordered dress that was so very different from the picture. Thank you for your PSA. God Bless!
I love your channel! I laugh out loud every time!
That advice that you won't get 1,200 💵 dress in 100 is best!!
I don't know how people expect to get same quality with such drastic drop in price. "I can find it cheaper" type people really forget that u will also get level of quality as cheap as the price!
agreed, and not just buying dresses online, pretty much buying anything online. If the price you pay for the item is usually higher but the site is selling for wayyyy cheaper, don’t expect the quality to be there
Thank you! I hope you get through to people
thank you for the news flash that was seriously needed .. hopefully everyone sees it .. hopefully those cheap sites will go away
Your advice is worth more than gold and diamonds! Excellent video!
The lavender dress had me
Hollering 😭 🤣🤣🤣
I went to prom in the 70s ...What we did was submit a picture to a seamstress who could recreate the look. And this is why the need to bring back sewing and home ec to school
Thank you for doing this. It is a true public service announcement!
Thank you for letting me know this. I was contemplating buying my wedding dress on one of these sites. I have changed my mind.
YO! You made me bring out the Kleenexes 😭😭😭Man this was a wonderful way to end my Friday because Chia know they trifling as hell! 😆🤣🤣🤣