Saying Yes To The Dress

Even if you’ve never seen TLC’s Say Yes To The Dress, you have probably heard of Kleinfeld’s. For more than 70 years, the legendary bridal boutique has been a beloved New York institution. Having grown up in the Big Apple, I knew my wedding dress search had to begin here.

As soon as my bridesmaid Sara and I arrived, we could see why Kleinfeld’s has such a storied reputation. The Manhattan flagship’s expansive, sophisticated salon feels magical. After being escorted to the fitting rooms, I was given a silky, lavender Kleinfeld’s robe to use for the 90-minute appointment. Without even trying anything on, I felt like Cinderella.

Helping me to find my dream dress — longtime Kleinfeld’s stylist and Say Yes To The Dress cast member Lisa Fuhrman. Like a fairy godmother, Lisa asked thoughtful questions about style and fit concerns before we walked around the showroom. She was there every step of the way – helping me in and out of dresses, asking for feedback and offering her own.

After trying on six gowns, one was a definite contender. But without my late mother there to weigh in, I felt unsure. Lisa reassured me.

“There is one dress that’s meant for you,” she said with the conviction of someone who has helped many brides over the years. “Even if it’s down to two choices, it will be 51% versus 49%. You’ll know.”

Lisa advised taking some time to think, a very different and more thoughtful approach than what I experienced elsewhere.

With a friendly staff and nearly as spacious showroom, Atelier #2 seemed promising. Until I learned the only sample size they carried was a 12. Wedding gowns are typically two to three times smaller than what is stated on the label. So the actual fit was closer to a 6.

Despite the longtime average woman’s size being 14 – and recent studies revealing it’s now closer to 16 – the bridal industry has been slow to catch up. If you are on the curvy side like I am, this means having to shoehorn yourself into a garment that does not come close to fitting your body. Even with some assistance, I felt like a stuffed sausage trying to defy the laws of gravity.

As I attempted in vain to imagine how this particular gown would look without being stretched taut by clips, the salesperson did a hard sell. She said shapewear – which they did not have in my size either – and “breaking” the structure of the dress would make it work. Seriously? If a dress needs to be deconstructed in order to fit, it’s probably not the right one.

At a high-profile designer’s Madison Avenue boutique, the selection was beyond unforgiving, limited to sample size 8 (again, inaccurately labeled). Clearly, their preferred customer is pencil thin. Fair enough, but don’t pretend to accommodate the rest of us when you don’t have any corsets that aren’t three sizes too small either.

The Madison Avenue salesperson went on in mind-numbing detail about the lace of one particular gown, without a single word about how it looked on me. While listening to her and the person at Atelier #1, it was all I could do not to say, are you kidding? This is arguably the most emotional wardrobe purchase a woman will ever make. And yet, both of them suggested I buy something that did not close around my waist or back, and just cross my fingers it would look right in a different size. Crazy.

With a clearer idea of what I wanted now, I made a second appointment at Kleinfeld’s. This would be dress outing #5 and fatigue was setting in. Just before getting on the subway, I looked up and silently prayed for Mom to send some guidance. She didn’t let me down, and neither did Lisa.

Every dress that Lisa selected could have worked. Not only because she really listened to my preferences, but because Kleinfeld’s boasts a large inventory in a wide variety of sizes. It is much easier to assess how a gown looks when it fits almost perfectly with clips, instead of being too small and stretched out to render a remotely accurate visual.

In the end, Lisa was right. There was one dress that far outshined them all. As soon as I put it on, just as she had predicted, I knew. Cousin and bridesmaid Carla cried happy tears when she saw me in it, further cementing my choice.

In keeping with a Kleinfeld’s tradition, Lisa then asked–

“Are you saying yes to the dress?”

“Yes I am!!” I answered excitedly.

Everyone in the store applauded. Talk about a Cinderella moment.

Because my parents are gone and I got engaged during Covid, I have missed out on a lot of things that are usually part of this milestone. Thanks to Kleinfeld’s, the experience of finding my dress was everything I dreamed it would be. Beyond grateful to Lisa and, of course, to Mom who proved she was indeed there in spirit.

Eighteen weeks to go until the big day!