The Dress Theory

So this wasn’t my first rodeo. I was tired, discouraged, and ready to give up. It was probably (at least) my 10^th appointment between boutiques from New York to Los Angeles over the course of several months, and I just couldn’t seal the deal. My experience at the Dress Theory with Kelsey was exceptional. She was funny, patient, kind, and kept things light. Since I came by myself she was the instant girlfriend I needed to give honest advice… even though we had just met. I scored. They have an incredible stockist list for the unique bride and it is by far the best bridal shop in all of Seattle. If I could give more than 5 stars I would :)

The Dress Theory came highly recommended by a friend who had just been there with her sister. I didn’t ultimately buy a dress from them, but I loved the personalized service, small selection and one bride at a time appointment style.
Whitney helped me select a few dresses and was good at clipping them in the back so I could see how it would look tailored to fit me. The Truvelles they have are beautiful and very non-​traditional in a way I adored and one of them wound up being my second choice overall.
The biggest disappointment I experience is that I really wish I hadn’t worn my spanx to try on dresses like their email recommended. Many of the dresses I tried on were on the more revealing side, and when I got home I had a difficult time picturing exactly how much skin I’d be showing on the big day. That’s also the biggest downside of the Truvelles: they are all deep V-​necks and I had difficulty picturing just how «secure» I’d feel once alterations were complete.
I knocked off one star because they’re darn nearly impossible to get on the phone. I had to call three or four times just to make an appointment. It would be awesome if they could hire someone just man the phone a few hours a day so people trying to come in don’t have to hear their answering machine 5+ times.

It was perfect. Their selection of wedding dress designers was thoughtful, the setting was special and we were the only party with an appointment for that time slot. Kelsey was amazing. She was super attentive, but laid back and knew her inventory. I could tell she was listening to pick up queues of what I am looking for so that she could pull that perfect dress. Sure enough, she did. Payment and processing was a piece of cake and Kelsey personally called the designer’s office to ensure the dress could be delivered with plenty of time for alterations.

I came here today as my first wedding dress shopping experience.
Whitney helped me, and she was amazing. She walked me through everything and was super patient when I stared at her like a deer in headlights because I’m bad at being a girl. She walked me through the designers they currently have on hand, and because it was a trunk show weekend, they had more of one designer than they usually have (almost the entire line!). She let me pull dresses that I liked and never made it awkward when things I wanted to try on were over my price range (established at the beginning of the appointment).
In the end, I had 2 clear winners out of maybe 5 or 6 dresses we tried on. She took into account the size of my wedding (tiny) as well as the location (garden) when giving feedback. At the end of the appointment she even measured my bridesmaid for a bridesmaids dress we were purchasing from another shop! Can’t beat that for niceness!
I would’ve bought the dress I thought was the clear winner on the spot, but if I don’t go wedding dress shopping with my mother I might not survive until the wedding day. …But I will definitely be back for the dress if my mother doesn’t harass me into a poofy monstrosity!

So amazing! Such a quaint little wedding dress shop in north Seattle. I specifically went for a trunk show for the Rue De Seine bridal line. It was amazing!
It’s open by appointment only. You can call or email. Lots of parking nearby. Since it’s by appointment only, I’m assuming you’re the only one there, at least that was my experience.
The gals are so lovely and helpful. I actually got to meet the designer of Rue De Seine, who helped me at my fitting as well.
You can bring your champs, they have little plastic flutes for you. Definitely an amazing place to shop for dresses. I was a «one and done» kind of bride and luckily I was a one stop shop! LOVE this place and Rue de Seine!

First time at a bridal boutique and they really set the standard high! So personal and she was very knowledgable about every dress and what I could do to each one to make it my own. Very special!

Both my sister and I got our wedding dresses from The Dress Theory. The carefully and intentionally selected designers and dresses prevents you from going into overwhelm and still has enough variety and selection to choose from.
I only went to The Dress Theory to look for my wedding dress. I only tried on five dresses and the fifth and final dress was «the one». I ended up with the Watters Love Marley — Katy Dress. Courtney was lovely to work with and was prompt with all communication as we were waiting for the dress to arrive.
Incredible experience!

I can’t say enough good things about my experience at Dress Theory, working primarily with Julia. I started the dress shopping experience pretty nervous as I’d been with lots of my very small friends and seen the dreaded sample size clipping process, and was worried I wouldn’t be able to get even a remote idea of what would look best on me. I emailed the shop about my concerns and got a very thoughtful and reassuring email from Julia, who walked me through the process and assured me that we would definitely figure something out.
A couple months later I had my appointment and my mom and I had such a great time. The environment was very relaxed, the dresses are lovely and we never felt rushed or pushed into a decision. I loved how Julia participated in the experience, always encouraging and brainstorming suggestions of colors, fits, etc. It was truly a great time.
A few days later I went back for a follow-​up appointment with a friend where I chose «the dress» — a lovely Sarah Seven. The ordering experience was quite easy and I felt confident in all the measurements and sizing Julia was taking.
Fast forward five months and I picked up my dress yesterday. It’s so lovely and perfect sizing for just a few minor tweaks by the seamstress — exactly how you want it! Julia helped me pair a great veil with it too!
All in all I had a really, really fantastic experience here and am so appreciative of how kind, encouraging and open Julia was throughout my experience. The wedding industry can sometimes make you feel like there are dresses only for size 2s, but The Dress Theory helped me find something perfect for me, with ease and comfort all along the way. Thank you so, so much, Julia!

I visited 6 or 7 dress shops and ultimately bought my dress at The Dress Theory. The dresses from the brands they offer are not your traditional poofy dresses and there aren’t many shops in Seattle that specialize in these styles. I had two appointments with Julia, who was incredibly helpful and patient, especially when I went back and forth between two dresses and tried them on multiple times.
The shop is small and only has 2 rooms (one of the changing rooms seemed to double as an office). Even though it’s by appointment only, they’re open late, which I really appreciated since I live and work on the Eastside. It took about 2.5 months for my dress to come in.

This review is LONG overdue. I went to the Dress Theory over Memorial Day 2014. Courtney helped me out and she was great. The space is small but airy and light. The dresses are gorgeous. And expensive. But they were seriously above and beyond the quality and beauty of other shops. I had a lot of fun trying on all the dresses. I ended up going with a dress from another shop but it was a very close race with a wonderful Claire Pettibone. I really appreciated Courtney’s help and patience. I would recommend the Dress Theory to anyone.

Wow, what an amazing experience! Whitney Wilkinson was beyond amazing. My now husband planned a surprise proposal in the store with Whitney in on it and she was wonderful. I was happy that she was one of the few people who were there with us. She’s just a genuine person and it felt like she was meant to be there. With only 2.5 short weeks before our wedding, Whitney, simply went above and beyond and we couldn’t be happier. I have had so many compliments on my dress and I owe it to Whitney for making it happen. Thank you Whitney Wilkinson!!! Wishing you all the best!

I really love this bridal shop! They carry such a wonderful selection of really beautiful wedding dresses and gowns. The boutique is very cozy and personal making for a really special experience. Courtney was really sweet and helpful.

After visiting four different bridal shops before Dress Theory, I thought I had seen it all! Immediately upon entering the boutique, I felt at home and very calm about choosing a dress. The store is absolutely adorable and really adds to the experience of choosing the perfect dress.
I worked with Whitney and sifted through dozens of gorgeous gowns and chose 5 – 6 to try on. One was an immediate favorite among my bridesmaids and myself and I was given plenty of time to try it on again for more pictures/​opinions.
She was really great about giving her opinion and providing alternatives. I left with a clear idea of what the ordering process would look like and exactly how much I would be paying. I absolutely loved my wedding dress shopping experience here and can’t say enough good things about this place!

Convenient Green Lake Location,
easy and free Parking, really elegant Shop!
Camille is the best, exceeded my expectations.

Courtney is the most amazing consultant and was super helpful throughout my whole experience there! The selection of Claire Pettibone dresses (my favourite designer) is also outstanding and are very reasonably priced. They also have a 10% discount for decisive brides if you make your purchase the first time at Dress Theory. Highly recommended!

LOVE LOVE LOVE! Courtney was wonderful! Especially when I already owned a dress and needed a new one 9 weeks out from the wedding date she was a real doll! I could literally move in and live in wedding dress bliss lol! Highly recommend!

So I have been to Dress Theory twice now. I went with my Matron of Honor when it was her wedding last year to try on dresses. Of all the dress shops in Seattle it had the best feeling. So when I got engaged in December it was the first place I called about my non-​traditional dress color and style I wanted. Camille assured me that they would be able to help me with my unconventional needs. So I made an appointment and brought my maid and matron of honor. I thought about how great this would be…
Then I get there and it went terribly. I left in tears and I think it was for two reasons. The first was that in the whole store there was only one sample dress that was not white. I was assured in email and on the phone that there would be several options for me to look at. Then when I asked the Seattle store manager, Alexandra, about it she looked at me like I was crazy. Now, I had dragged my friends and family with me so I decided to placate and try on some dresses even though I knew I would not get them. That process was very awkward and I felt like Alexandra cared more about the dresses than me. She was little to no help and I was very frustrated. My end feeling was disgust because one of their Claire Pettibone samples was a size 2. Now, I am definitely athletically curvy but I am not overwhelmingly curvy and I could get it on but it looked terrible on, like sausage in its casing. It was just all around bad and like I said I left in tears. I decided to order my dress online because now I have a wedding dress shopping phobia.

I contacted The Dress Theory because I was going to Seattle for a work trip and The Dress Theory carries Sarah Seven — no shops in a 4 hour radius of where I live carry Sarah Seven dresses.
Scheduling an appointment with Camille was simple and they sent a reminder email the week of the appointment which I appreciated. Camille listens to what your tastes are and pulls dresses out for you based on what you’ve said you liked which I appreciated. I then pulled the ones I wanted to try on and Camille encouraged me to try on one dress that I thought I would never go for but that is the one I ended up buying — a Claire Pettibone design.
She was very patient during the hour appointment. The dresses generally did not fit me — they had to use clips to give me an idea of how the dress would look like if it fitted and I was comfortable with that. Camille recommended a veil made in the Seattle area and a flower clip made in Oregon with the dress that I ordered. I love that The Dress Theory has so many options made in the USA.
Another customer came in around the time I was working on the payment and my ride came to pick me up at the same time so it was a little crazy and I made the mistake of not getting a copy of the agreement that I signed or the receipt for the dress that was being made. I followed up with Camille via email and phone calls and didn’t get a response and no one responded till I had my mother call for me two weeks later. My mom got an immediate response and the agreement and receipt were emailed to me within the hour of that call. That was at a time that I think the shop was understaffed.
When it was time for my dress to come into the shop, I called the shop and worked with Alexandra. Even though I had emailed Camille that I wanted the veil and flower clip that I tried with the dress, it was not documented in my records. Alexandra followed up though and was able to send me a veil with the dress and recommended I call the vendor in Oregon directly about the flower clip.
My dress came in one week after the estimated arrival date which I was very happy with. The dress was a bit big but I had plenty of time to work with a local tailor on alterations.
The shop is lovely and I wish there was something like it closer to the Raleigh-​Durham area — a lot of the dresses they have are bohemian and victorian and they carry amazing designers.

I am getting married this fall and as a local wedding professional, I was excited to check out a shop that many of my clients had raved about. I loved that Dress Theory carried a nice assortment of unique dresses, not the same traditional and typical stuff I tried on in other shops, though they carry gorgeous dresses in that vein as well… I had pretty good luck in other shops, but when I walked in to Dress Theory, it was just a cut above! It’s a lovely shop, has a lovely staff, and again, has stunning dresses I’d not seen elsewhere.
I had the good fortune to be shopping for my dress at the same time a Claire Pettibone trunk sale was going on, and I’d been eyeing the designers dresses for months. Not only did I get to meet the designer, but I also felt that I had 5 star service from the staff. Every step of purchasing my dress was seamless, easy, and gracious. I would recommend Dress Theory to any bride looking for that special something in a boutique and a in a dress!

So stressed out.
I ordered TWO dresses from this shop, both of them Sarah Seven dresses. When they finally came in, I met with the seamstress at her house. The first dress was just as amazing as I remembered, but the second dress did not even closely resemble the dress I tried on at the shop.
The seamstress insisted that it was the same dress, bu later looked back at pictures of when i tried it on, looked at it online, showed my friends who were there with me and they all agreed it was not the same dress.
I emailed Sarah, as well as the shop. Sarah Seven is going to try to make a new one before my wedding in ONE MONTH… but the dress theory has not responded to my email or voice mails I have left almost a month ago.
Unorganized and no follow up. They need to get their sh*t together, these dresses are way too expensive and it’s way too important of a day to be so unorganized. Once you pay, there is not a lot of follow up or contact. I don’t even know where the head piece, belt and veil are at this point.
Such a shame, beautiful shop.