Thrift Store Vera Wangs? Wedding Shoppers Line Up
A 27-year-old Manhattan woman twirled before a full-length mirror in a lace wedding gown yesterday morning. "If my boyfriend knew I was doing this, we'd break up," she said.
The strapless gown by Vera Wang retails for $12,900. However, the yet-to-be-engaged woman, who didn't want her name mentioned lest her live-in boyfriend find out she was planning ahead, bought it for only $450.
Donated new and store-sample wedding dresses by high-end designers went on sale yesterday at the United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York Thrift Shop on West 17th Street. All of the usually four- or five-figure gowns were tagged at $500 or less.
At those prices, bride-to-be Molly Davis, 31, bought two. One was a white backless empire-waist Monique Lhuillier white gown, which retails for $4,700. The other was a slinky, ivory halter dress by Vera Wang, usually priced at $2,300. Ms. Davis, who works in the fashion industry, paid a total of $750 for the dresses. "I was planning to pay more, but I'm not going to argue with these prices," she said.
By noon, 12 of the 42 donated wedding dresses were spoken for. Proceeds will benefit UJA-Federation charities, the director of the thrift shop, Lauren Silberberg, who organized the first-of-its-kind wedding dress sale, said.
