Two weeks ago I bought a wedding dress. It was a very weird, very overwhelming experience. OK so I did buy the third one I tried on, so it's not like the process was particularly drawn out or anything. Nevertheless, I was surprised at how much these dresses are worth (I paid $1100AUD for mine - I know, ridiculous! - and that turned out to be quite cheap compared to most of what is out there).
Before buying a dress I did a lot of research; If I was going to part with an exorbitant amount of cash then this dress was going to have to meet some pretty high standards!
First, I did the obvious - searched around to find styles I liked, learned what was out there, and how much certain types of dresses typically cost. I strongly recommend doing this before even stepping into a store and trying a dress on - you'll save a lot of time and effort doing the groundwork. There is plenty of information out there on the internet, in bridal magazines, and from your friends who have gone through the experience.
Second, I looked into the "ethical" aspects of wedding dresses. At least, I tried to. I was amazed to find that there is hardly any information out there about this issue! In saying this, I know the word "ethical" can mean different things. For example, was it produced by someone in safe working conditions who was paid a fair amount for their labour? Was it produced in a manner that adversely affects the environment (e.g., waste from fabric production)? Were the materials used to make it obtained in a sustainable way? Of course, there is no "perfect" dress in this sense - hardly anything is truly "carbon neutral", and whose working conditions are ever beyond improvement? - but different issues will matter more to different people, so making yourself aware of the issues and making an informed choice should be part of everyone's wedding dress shopping experience.
That hardly any information was available on these ethical issues related to buying a wedding dress really surprised me, a) because people spend so much money on them, you'd hope they were being manufactured appropriately, and b) because I feel sick at the idea of someone being totally screwed over at the expense of my first-world vanity.
Anyway, my hope is that this blog will provide brides-to-be, bridesmaids, and other interested parties with some information about ethical issues involved with buying a wedding dress!
