Photo by Simply Bloom Photography
I am so excited to be able to share a brilliant new website with you today -- it's an online bridal gown boutique full of incredibly beautiful, pre-loved higher end bridal gowns, where you can also purchase designer gown samples from bridal stores for huge discounts!
In today's reduce, re-use, and recycle world, this concept makes so much sense. My friend, TK Newman (former owner of Poor Little Rich Girl Upscale Resale Boutique in Scottsdale, for those locals), and her partner, Katie Rock, have outdone themselves with this site, called Hustle Your Bustle. It's complete gorgeousness to peruse, and there's so much they're offering budget-conscious, fashionable brides, that I thought you would love to hear all about it, straight from them, so here's my interview with TK and Katie...
Q. What is Hustle Your Bustle.com all about?
A. Hustle Your Bustle is all about helping women who spent a large amount on their wedding dress recoup closet space and recoup funds, so that they can maybe splurge on something else that will bring them happiness. It’s also about helping women searching for the dress of their dreams be able to buy “the one” without spending an amount outside of their financial comfort zone. Ultimately, we believe that tech and connecting women to each other can help future and former brides “have it all” - high-end beautiful gowns and affordability.
Q. What kind of bride would love HYB?
A. The HYB “shopper” bride is:
Is a woman who wants a champagne dress on a boxed-wine pocketbook. She wants it all and believes she can have it all. She knows that she does not have to choose between “perfect” and “affordable” – she can have a stylish, and designer gown, without taking out a second mortgage. She knows that, with modern tools available to her, there are so many ways to get what you want at the price you want.
The HYB “seller” (former) bride is:
Someone who has fallen in love her wedding dress and wants to share it with another bride who will re-wear it for her big day. She is someone who wants to pass along the love.
Smart, chic, and independent. She knows the power of buying and selling online. She doesn’t feel a need to keep things for the sake of keeping them. She knows that it just doesn’t make sense for her to keep a stunning (and pricey) gown taking up closet space and likely never to be worn again.
Q. What price range of gowns do you have, and what designers?
A. We offer wedding gowns by all major designers (Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Monique Lhuillier, the list goes on...). These gowns may be listed by former brides who want to sell their once-worn (or sometimes never-worn) gown, or by wedding boutiques liquidating inventory or samples. These gowns must be $750 or more to be listed on HYB. We also offer wedding gowns by independent designers, which may either be new or sample gowns. These gowns do not have a lower price limit, as their value often lies in the fact that they are one-of-a-kind. Finally, there are sometimes vintage gowns (35 years old+) listed on HYB. These also do not have a lower price limit. Gowns listed have no upper limit, and we’ve had gowns up to $8,000 listed on the site.
These categories and limitations are created to ensure that all gowns are HYB are higher-quality gowns, so that our shoppers do not need to sort through hundreds of gowns of varying quality to find the upscale gowns they seek. It also means that sellers of high-quality gowns have more likelihood their gowns will not get lost in the shuffle.
Q. You sell gowns from individuals, boutiques, and indie designers... tell me about the differences between them...
A. Individuals are women who have one dress to sell. They do not sell wedding dresses as a business. They pay a one-time $25 fee to list their gown once.
Boutiques are stores that specialize in selling wedding gowns, and have multiple wedding dresses to sell.
Independent designers are women who actually create the dresses they are selling on the site, and have multiple wedding gowns to sell.
Q. What can you tell brides about purchasing this expensive of a gown online, without trying it on?
A. What we like to point out is that women shop online all the time!! And they do so for items that are actually much harder to shop online for than a wedding gown - e.g. jeans, shoes, etc. The reason we say buying a wedding gown online is actually easier than items like those is simple: virtually all wedding gowns are bought large, and then need to be significantly altered anyway! As long as you know your exact measurements, and make sure to buy a dress that is larger than each one of those measurements, you can get it altered as all brides do and the fit will be great!
Plus, most sellers offer a return policy on HYB and we strongly encourage them to do so. So brides can rest easy that if it just isn’t what they want, they don’t have to keep it.
Q. Alright, let's get to the goods... the gowns. What are some of your favorite gowns you're offering right now?
A. We’re always a big fan of Vera, Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta. The designs are just so dramatic and lovely. We also LOVE all of our Indie Designer listers, especially fellow AZ native Katie Jean Designs, and hot new designer Chaviano Couture. Right now, one of our favorite current listings is a Melissa Sweet gown called the Uma, found for 46% off here.
That is our first expansion project. Once we have a healthy number of dresses on the site and have dress listings and sales humming along nicely (which, judging by the fact that they're already selling internationally now, it won't be too long!), we will expand to create the ability to sell and buy wedding accessories. But, truth be told, we’re chomping at the bit to expand!
Well I don't know about you, but I would have loved this option when I was a bride. So, if you're in the market to buy or sell a gorgeous dress, hustle on over to their site and take a look!
xoxo
