Alterations by Lynda

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. - The weight/body shape of my daughter was the same - no changes from the first appointment and pinning of the dress for alterations. - we did not agree that there had been a shift in weight or body shape.   - When we called the next day we did not accuse Lynda of taking the dress in at the hips, only that the dress was too tight and hem was too short and we were extremely concerned of the fit as the alaterations to the bodice made it stick out in points at the hips. - The dress was taken in straight down and not tapered -  This changed the fit in the hip area.   The bodice was also too tight to the point it was difficult for my daughter to breathe. - The tightness of the dress  caused the bunching in the front and back  - we never agreed that the tightness of the dress was OK.   - The seamstress was asked by myself and my daughter not to make further alterations to the dress before returning which she did and DID NOT state she had already begun any Changes/alterations. - The seamstress was not treated rudely by myself or my daughter in our conversations.  We were only voicing our concerns as there was limited time to the wedding and we were not sure that the dress was doing to be able to fit properly. - There were no efforts made to resolve our issues w/ the ill fitted dress after alterations or we would have had Lynda  do so as this was my daughters dream gown - now not able to be worn. - We are not disputing that Lynda has been doing alterations for many years or has happy customers - only that we were unhappy with the whole experience with no resolution. - Had the seamstress responded in any way to my letter detailing our experience there would have been no need to further explore a complaint with the Revdex.com or express negative reviews on any online site.   Due to her lack of response or willingness to work on a resolution and the rudeness we encounter it only made the experience that should have been a joyous occasion much worse.   - This complaint is founded due to alterations were made and the dress was extrememly too tight in the bodice and was too short and poorly hemmed.  The customer is unhappy with the work and no compensation or resolution was met.  The issues were addressed in a timely manner and met with extreme hostility and rudeness.    The only resolution that would be satifactory at this point is a refund of the monies paid toward the alterations. 
 
Regards,
[redacted]

Review: Alterations done by Lynda were very sub-par - the wedding dress she altered for my daughter did not fit -it was way too tight and this made the dress bunch up in the front and back. Also the hem was poorly done and about 2-3 in. too short and did not hang properly. Lynda was late for the appt. and rushed us. When we verbalized our concerns she said she didn't do anything wrong and she would let out the hem and make changes but it would not change how the dress hung. The dress hung beautifully prior to alterations. Both my daughter and I called her the following day and was met with a rude /defensive attitude and at that time we asked that she return the dress. She said she would but was going to let out the hem. Both my daughter and I asked that she do nothing further to the dress but when we picked it up the hem had been let out. I wrote her a letter on 1/28/16 detailing our experienced and asked that she at least refund the money ($300) that we had already paid for alterations. We in fact feel that since the dress is not wearable for my daughter that part of that expense ($1700) should be refunded. There has been no response to letter that was sent to her. This was a very disappointing bridal experience for my daughter and we had to purchase a substitute dress.Desired Settlement: Refund of no less than the $300 we paid in advance for the alterations.

Business

Response:

I originally met with this bride and her mother (Complaint ID [redacted]) on October 17, 2015. This appointment was her first gown fitting for her March 20, 2016 wedding. At this appointment, I was asked to take in the bodice, add bra cups, hem the gown 1.25", and to install a bustle for the train of the gown. No alterations were necessary or requested by the client to the hip area below the waist, as the fit was very satisfactory. I went on at that time to mark and pin the sides of the bodice, as well as the hem and bustle. The fit of the pins and markings were approved by both the bride and her mother. The alterations and costs agreed upon on this date were as follows:Bodice re-cut/re-bead - $225.00Hem (two layers) - $135.00Bustle - $105.00Total Cost- $465.00It is my policy to collect half of the total cost of alterations at the first fitting. The amount due that day was $232.50. The bride's mother stated she wished to pay a flat $300.00 towards the total amount due at that time and I accepted such payment. The balance due upon completion was to be $165.00. At the conclusion of this appointment, we scheduled a second fitting for 5 P.M. on January 20, 2016. I arrived to [redacted] for her second fitting on January 20,2016 at approximately 5:05pm. When I arrived, I found that [redacted] had another bride in the store that was interested in an estimate for her wedding gown alterations. As this second bride was already dressed in the gown, I briefly worked with her to provide an estimate while the bride changed into her altered gown which I had brought with me to the store that evening. I apologized to the bride and her mother at that time for the very slightdelay in her appointment. When the bride came out in her gown, it was tight overall. I assured her that the bodice could be let out a little for her comfort, but I was told that she was ok with the tight fit in the top. Once the dress was zipped, it was apparent that it was pulling and bunching across the mid-hip area. They asked me if I took the dress in through the hips, which of course I did not. I was not asked to take the dress in below the waist, I did not pin or mark for alterations to the fit of the gown below the waist, nor did I charge to take the dress in below the waist. Therefore, I did not touch the hip area. The bunching and pulling across the mid-hip area caused the dress to hang poorly and as a result, the hem appeared too short. As a professional seamstress, I could see that it was a matter of the fit in the hip area preventing the hemline from falling properly. I assured them that I could let the hem down the .5" necessary for it to fall properly, which was a direct result of the bunching and pulling in the hip area. I also advised them at this time that the structure of the design of this particular gown included peplum seams, and it would cause more cupping at the lower hip if I were to try to let the dress out in the hip area that was too tight. I explained this to the bride and her mother, and they agreed. Her mother at one point made mention to her daughter the bride that she wouldn't like the photos of her in the dress as her stomach was sticking out. We also discussed that over the course of the three months between her initial fitting and this appointment, which included the holiday season, even a slight weight gain or change in exercise routine resulting in a reappropriation of body mass could dramatically effect the fit of the gown. At the conclusion of this second fitting, it was agreed that I would let the hem down .5" and leave the bodice and rest of the gown as-is. We scheduled at third fitting for February 24th, 2016 at 5:00 P.M. At the time I left the store that evening with her gown, the bride and her mother were still in the shop perusing and chatting with the staff.The next morning, Thursday, January 21, 2016, I received phone calls from both the bride and her mother accusing me of taking the dress in at the hips and causing the too-small fit. I reiterated that I did not touch the gown in any place that I did not mark or pin at their initial fitting. For me to take in a gown in an area that I was not asked to makes no sense. I do not choose to spend my work hours maliciously taking in a dress in areas for which I am not paid. My goal is to produce both a gown that fits perfectly and a satisfied customer. I chose to defend myself against these accusations and hold my ground. I was then told I was being argumentative and confrontational when I did notagree with the unfair accusations presented by the bride and mother-of-the-bride. I expressed that I had not removed any material from the gown throughout the course of alterations, and every adjustment I had made could be returned to factory sizing. I offered to do so, which would mean several hours of work, at no additional cost. I made every effort to resolve the issue with these clients in a peaceful and agreeable manner. All of my efforts to date have been met with anger and hostility. They requested that I return the dress to [redacted] that day without touching it any further. I told them the dress would be returned to [redacted] that afternoon, which it indeed was. At the time I received their phone calls that morning, I had already begun work to let the hem down the .5" discussed the evening prior, and I finished doing so before returning the dress to the store. I would not allow a dress with an open seam and beading to be transported without finishing, for the sake of preventing damage, such as fraying and loosing beading from the dress. At this time, the balance for the work I was asked to do and had in fact completed, was still$165.00. I received a letter from this mother-of-the-bride the following week insisting that the gown had been compromised and could not be restored to factory size, which is simply untrue. I had personally offered to complete that task previously. I was not given the opportunity to try to make the gown fit the bride's current size. She requested a refund of the $300.00 in the letter. I did not respond to her request. I completed the work I was asked to do and to the specifications that they approved at the first fitting. Further, I extended the offer to help accommodate an apparent weight-gain/shift on the brides part. I made no effort to collect the outstanding balance of $165.00, which could be viewed as a partial refund, given that I completed 100% of the contracted work for only approximately 65% of the agreed total cost rendered in payment.I have personally altered hundreds of wedding gowns and formals in my 21 years as a professional seamstress in this a¡ea. I have never had any accusations or complaints of this kind in all of those years. My work is regarded highly and I take pride in that fact. Many specialty and bridal boutiques in the Roanoke area confidently refer their clients to me because they trust both my work and ethical standards. The mother of this bride has now sent a copy of that letter of complaint to [redacted], she has written negative reviews on online sites including my business facebook page, and created this complaint with the Revdex.com. If I felt as though I had made an error, I would own up to it, but it is my sincere belief that the issues these clients have are of their own making and a result of a change or reappropriation of the bride's weight. I am not responsible for the fit of the dress in areas which I did not alter, and I appreciate the opportunity to respond to this unfounded allegation.Sincerely, Lynda Sampang, OwnerAlterations by Lynda

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. - The weight/body shape of my daughter was the same - no changes from the first appointment and pinning of the dress for alterations. - we did not agree that there had been a shift in weight or body shape. - When we called the next day we did not accuse Lynda of taking the dress in at the hips, only that the dress was too tight and hem was too short and we were extremely concerned of the fit as the alaterations to the bodice made it stick out in points at the hips. - The dress was taken in straight down and not tapered - This changed the fit in the hip area. The bodice was also too tight to the point it was difficult for my daughter to breathe. - The tightness of the dress caused the bunching in the front and back - we never agreed that the tightness of the dress was OK. - The seamstress was asked by myself and my daughter not to make further alterations to the dress before returning which she did and DID NOT state she had already begun any Changes/alterations. - The seamstress was not treated rudely by myself or my daughter in our conversations. We were only voicing our concerns as there was limited time to the wedding and we were not sure that the dress was doing to be able to fit properly. - There were no efforts made to resolve our issues w/ the ill fitted dress after alterations or we would have had Lynda do so as this was my daughters dream gown - now not able to be worn. - We are not disputing that Lynda has been doing alterations for many years or has happy customers - only that we were unhappy with the whole experience with no resolution. - Had the seamstress responded in any way to my letter detailing our experience there would have been no need to further explore a complaint with the Revdex.com or express negative reviews on any online site. Due to her lack of response or willingness to work on a resolution and the rudeness we encounter it only made the experience that should have been a joyous occasion much worse. - This complaint is founded due to alterations were made and the dress was extrememly too tight in the bodice and was too short and poorly hemmed. The customer is unhappy with the work and no compensation or resolution was met. The issues were addressed in a timely manner and met with extreme hostility and rudeness. The only resolution that would be satifactory at this point is a refund of the monies paid toward the alterations.

Regards,