Prom dress emergency...there will be blood.

April 11, 2014 9:26 AM

My daughter ordered the prom dress of her dreams-and two days later we learned it was out of stock. Actually, I learned-haven't told her yet as trying to avoid the ensuing drama and more prom dress shopping. Attempting to find it online, or in another retail location, but no luck. Here's a not-great pic of the dress. The tag says it's Fiesta, number 46001, Mint-and she needs an x-small.

I have attempted searching the Fiesta Formals website, and that model number brings up a completely different dress. I've googled my little heart out, and nothing. I went back to the store and asked them to call the factory-out of stock their and the owner couldn't help me with the issue re the model number being wrong nor would he ask if they carry it in other stores. There was a language barrier there, so I'm not sure he understood what I was asking.

Her face melted with love, you guys, when she tried the dress on, like when someone first sees their newborn. It's ridiculous, but that's 17 for you. I'm not looking for "tell her to suck it up and deal with disappointment" advice; I'm on that and will do it if I have to (plus, man do I not want to shop anymore). I do have the option of buying the small and getting it altered, but it's already more than I thought we'd be spending so not my first choice.

Help!

posted by purenitrous to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (26 answers total)

Have you tried calling Fiesta Formals and explaining your predicament? Their phone number is on their website. Perhaps you will come into contact with a sympathetic customer service rep (or their supervisor) to whom you could email the pic and they could help you sort it out.
posted by vignettist at 9:41 AM on April 11, 2014 [2 favorites]

This is close. I can't find anything else. Maybe try calling the factory again? Or calling Fiesta Formals directly at [phone]?
posted by sevensnowflakes at 9:43 AM on April 11, 2014

Wait, is this it?
posted by sevensnowflakes at 9:45 AM on April 11, 2014

Response by poster: Gosh, that looks close, doesn't it, sevensnowflakes? Site looks pretty shady...
posted by purenitrous at 9:51 AM on April 11, 2014

How about this one?
posted by katers890 at 9:52 AM on April 11, 2014

Worse case scenario, try Light in the Box and see if you can find something else that she loves.
posted by mitschlag at 9:53 AM on April 11, 2014

Your daughter picked a STUNNING dress.

I have dug around Fiesta's website, and I could not find that particular dress. It is possible if it were an older style that it's been discontinued. But here are some from them that may also suit her tastes:

This one is really close, though not the same.

This one has some more bling to it, but has the shoulder strap on the same shoulder.

Equally as elegant.

Greek goddess look.

I suggest calling Fiesta and seeing if they have more information about it and if they can't help you. But I think you should find some options you think your daughter would consider in the event her chosen style is a discontinued one.

You could also get a simple sweetheart neckline dress and pay a nice alterations person some money to add on the shoulder piece......
posted by zizzle at 9:58 AM on April 11, 2014

For what it's worth (re sevensnowflakes' links above), dhgate is legit - I have friend who often order from them. I would still use a credit card though, in the event you needed to do a chargeback.

A bigger concern would the the timeframe - I can't imagine you could get a dress shipped from China in time for prom, which is in May (?). What is your deadline on this?
posted by jessicapierce at 10:03 AM on April 11, 2014

The dress that sevensnowflakes found is also here.

Scamadvisor.com does not have much to say about the site.
posted by crush-onastick at 10:04 AM on April 11, 2014

I think the issue might be that it isn't a fiesta formalwear dress. I keep seeing things that look identical to it as a "Cassandra Stone" dress. Try searching that and see if it works for you.
posted by katers890 at 10:09 AM on April 11, 2014 [2 favorites]

This one?

I think Sage would be the closest color to mint on their color chart.
posted by zizzle at 10:19 AM on April 11, 2014

Fiesta Formals is the name of the website, not the name of the maker of the dress:

We have the most popular prom dresses and homecoming dresses from Aspeed, Coya Collection, Cinderella Divine, Poly USA, Fiesta Fashion, Cindy Collection, Juliet and more, all at the cheapest prices you'll find anywhere. - See more at: http://www.fiestaformals.com/#sthash.v8l72oHG.dpuf

So I went to Fiesta Fashion, and you have to be a retailer to order from them, they're a wholesaler.

FWIW, you can try to call them in LA and see if they can help you source the dress at a retailer near you. BTW, that number does correspond with their system of numbering.

Fiesta Fashion
213-748-5773


Good luck!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:19 AM on April 11, 2014 [1 favorite]

OOH!

The only differences in this one I can see are the shoulder strap is not as wide and the beading doesn't go around the side, but it's so very close.
posted by zizzle at 10:25 AM on April 11, 2014 [1 favorite]

Is this it?
posted by barnone at 10:32 AM on April 11, 2014

Just kidding...it has a sparkly band around the waist.
posted by barnone at 10:33 AM on April 11, 2014

This looks very similar, though I'm not sure about the slit up the thigh.

DavidsBridal.com also has some close-but-not-quite dresses:
mint green, smallest size still available online is 4, but you might find 0 or 2 in a store

sequin band is a little straighter & less floral-y
posted by belladonna at 10:48 AM on April 11, 2014

I've seen that dress on a couple of girls already. And it's out of stock, which means it that lots of girls will be wearing it. If you have to give her the bad news, and I know this isn't the advice that you are asking for, but, ask her if she really wants to risk wearing the same dress as a classmate. This might be a good chance for you to sit down with her and make a list of what she loved about the dress and then find one with more items on the list.
posted by myselfasme at 10:59 AM on April 11, 2014 [5 favorites]

Given the emotions involved and that you're sick of shopping, I'd seriously consider just buying the small and getting it altered.
posted by kat518 at 11:43 AM on April 11, 2014 [8 favorites]

Just buy the small and have it altered. That is the best way to solve this problem.
posted by saradarlin at 11:49 AM on April 11, 2014 [3 favorites]

Especially since it will no doubt fit her better and look even more spectacular if you get it altered.
posted by fiercecupcake at 11:53 AM on April 11, 2014 [2 favorites]

Buy the small and have it altered. Consider having her contribute to the cost if she had any funds of her own. Do not delay telling her about this anymore. If for some reason buying a small doesn't work out, she needs some time to go shopping for another dress. It's best if she has plenty of time to do that!
posted by purple_bird at 2:46 PM on April 11, 2014

Note that the dress your daughter chose has the sparkles running down the centre of the chest (through the cleavage), not off to the side of the bust, as in some of the other dresses linked here.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 2:47 PM on April 11, 2014

This happened to me, but with my bridesmaids' dresses. A friend told me about this dress supplier based in New Orleans called Pearls Place. I called them up, gave them the dress "make and model" and the sizes. They put me on hold for maybe a minute, came back and said "no problem". They shipped all 7 dresses to my house in Chicago for $12 in less than a week. The dresses were $75.00 cheaper than what my local store was charging my bridesmaids. This was in 2006. At the time, their website said they had helped out many brides-to-be who lost their dress in Hurricane Katrina. Here is their info.

I have recommended them to several people and some of my high school students too.
(I'm not shilling for them, just a satisfied customer.)
posted by Hop123 at 4:20 PM on April 11, 2014 [2 favorites]

Another similar one from WeGoDress, without thigh slit. The sparkles are down the side, though, rather than down the middle of the cleavage like in the dream dress.
posted by escapepod at 5:16 PM on April 11, 2014

i came across the same as belladonnas
which looks really similar..... just with a slit. agreed that an alteration might be faster than trying to buy at this pt though
posted by NikitaNikita at 8:28 PM on April 11, 2014

Hmmm, check out this maybe too? Doesn't seem to have a slit and comes in custom colors.
posted by NikitaNikita at 8:37 PM on April 11, 2014