KARACHI: The cheapest Pronuptia Paris wedding dress would normally cost $400, which comes to about Rs35,000, shipping costs not included. But what if you’re a bride in Karachi and this option is as feasible as booking a Birkin on a school teacher’s budget? The beauty of living in a third world country like Pakistan is that necessity breeds invention, the invention of solutions that circumvent circumstance. The result is Moni Bridal of Azam Basti in DHA Phase I where you can rent your wedding gown for as little as $30. The business is run by Sarah Shahid, who has been providing Karachi’s brides a solution for nearly 10 years. “[My brother] buys the dresses from places like Holland, New Zealand and the UK and with the revenue we generate, we pay him back,” she explained. “The shop rent is Rs40,000 and we rarely go into losses once our fixed costs are paid off.” Shahid unwraps the protective plastic coating on one gown that is available for Rs4,500 a night. Her customers have a choice of about 60 gowns that rent from Rs2,500 to Rs20,000.

Karachi’s Christians have other options as well if they want to buy their dress. Brands such as the bespoke La Belle Epoque, Alfred Angelo and Pronuptia Paris for less than Rs3,000 at the famous LightHouse market that does big business in imported clothes, albeit secondhand. “We import these clothes from everywhere,” explains wholesaler Zahoor Khan. “Since wedding gowns are in demand in neighbouring countries, we also get them from America, France, Canada, Brazil and some European countries where people use them once and then sell them for low prices.” It seems to be a win-win situation. “This is not just a business, but a million-dollar industry where you get a dress for 100 rupees and sell it for Rs1,000,” remarks Khan. His only lament is the new taxes they have to pay. A small price, perhaps for the young woman who can’t find Prada in Pakistan. Published in The Express Tribune, September 10th,  2011.Laser Hair Removal (to do or not to do): If you're not happy with shaving, tweezing, or waxing to remove unwanted hair, laser hair removal may be an option worth considering.

Laser hair removal is one of the most commonly done cosmetic procedures in the U.S. It beams highly concentrated light into hair follicles. Pigment in the follicles absorb the light. That destroys the hair. Benefits of Laser Hair Removal Lasers are useful for removing unwanted hair from the face, leg, arm, underarm, bikini line, and other areas. Benefits of laser hair removal include: Precision. Lasers can selectively target dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged. Alaskan Klee Kai Puppies For Sale IlEach pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs at the same time. Bengal Cat Wheel CanadaThe laser can treat an area approximately the size of a quarter every second. Dj Laptop Stand IkeaSmall areas such as the upper lip can be treated in less than a minute, and large areas, such as the back or legs, may take up to an hour.

Most patients have permanent hair loss after an average of three to seven sessions. Recovery and Risks For a day or two afterward, the treated area of your skin will look and feel like it's sunburned. Cool compresses and moisturizers may help. If your face was treated, you can wear makeup the next day unless your skin is blistering. Over the next month, your treated hair will fall out. Wear sunscreen for the following month to help prevent temporary changes in the color of the treated skin. Blisters are rare but are more likely in people with darker complexions. Other potential side effects are swelling, redness, and scarring. Permanent scarring or changes in skin color are rare. # # # # # # # # # # # # /beauty/hair-removal/laser-hair-removal…Wedding Dress Rental vs. PreOwned Purchase If you are considering renting a wedding dress to save money, consider buying a preowned wedding dress instead. Buying preowned can actually be less expensive than renting (it’s true!) And there are so many other great benefits too.

Wedding dress rentals typically range from $200 - $2,000. Gowns are often only delivered 1-5 days before the wedding, and usually must be returned 1 day after. A damage deposit of $200+ may also be required. Additionally, wedding dress rental stock is very limited, no alterations are allowed, and the gown may have already been worn multiple times. Buying a PreOwned Wedding Dress PreOwned wedding dresses start as low as $100. ( has nearly 20,000 wedding gowns for sale under $2,000). If you buy your dress, not only will you have a larger selection of gowns to choose from, you won't have any time restrictions, and can alter it for a perfect fit. And fit is absolutely the difference between looking good and looking your very best. Shudder the thought that your crazy uncle spills red gown down the back of your dress.  Not to worry, unlike a rental, you won't face any damage fees.  In fact, you won't have to worry about a single smudge or drop of dirt. You can just look and feel beautiful and enjoy your Day.

See our real world Rental vs Purchase price comparisions here. (Spoiler alert: you'll be sold on the buying vs renting). Prices start at $100 (Nearly 20,000 gowns listed at $2,000 or less). Only simple, reversable alterations allowed (if any) Any alterations can be made, allowing you to get perfect fit (which always makes the dress look better) 1-5 days before the event Must be returned immediately As soon as you purchase it Gown may have been worn several times Gown may be brand new, a sample gown, or used 50% of what you paid (assuming it is cleaned and sold within 2 years of wear and is in good condition) Want to see how pretty your PreOwned options are? Browse our dress listings now. Wedding Dress Value Calculator Best Dresses For Your ShapeIf you're in the market to sell your wedding dress or looking to buy a used one, you may be tempted to turn to large online marketplaces like Ebay and Craigslist. While these popular websites are great for listing and buying everyday purchases, a website specifically for used wedding dresses can probably offer you a better deal and a more user-friendly service for this very niche (and important) wedding day purchase.

Check out our tips for buying and selling a pre owned wedding dress, as well our reviews of the best used wedding dress sites, below!Whether you aren't the sentimental type or you're just savvy, selling your used wedding dress is an easy way to recoup some money from your wedding. If your dress is in good condition, consider listing it online over selling it to a thrift store, where your listing will reach a greater volume of potential buyers and can be more easily shared and promoted. A used wedding dress in great condition and under two years old can usually sell for 50 percent of the retail price. And, if your dress is a more recognizable brand like Oscar de la Renta or Vera Wang, you could make closer to 60 percent of its retail value. Even if your gown isn't designer, don't give up hope—since there's a large demand for all kinds of second hand wedding dresses, a designer label doesn't necessarily mean your dress will sell faster. Not to mention, plus size dresses are also in high demand, so you shouldn't worry if you're not a sample size.

Buying a used wedding dress can be a bit of a gamble, but as long you're cautious, it's a thrifty way to snag a designer wedding dress for half the retail value. Plus, if you get lucky and buy a wedding dress from someone with a similar body type, you may not have to make too many alterations, which also cuts down on your costs. As long as the gown you found looks to be in good condition (if you can't see it in person, make sure photos show it clearly from all angles or ask to Skype with the seller to get a better look), a used wedding gown can be a terrific deal. A few tips: Since your dress will have to be custom-tailored to your body regardless, a larger size is easier to work with where alterations are concerned. Fabric can always be subtracted, but adding more fabric that perfectly matches the rest of the gown can be difficult (not to mention expensive!). And because you're getting the wedding dress for a steal, you can put some of the money you save toward making sure it fits like a glove (and some extra dry-cleaning if necessary).

Nearly Newlywed: Part used wedding dress boutique, part inspirational blog, Nearly Newlywed saves sellers time and stress by handling all buyer interactions and shipping. The application process is quick and easy: Sellers just submit their measurements with a wedding dress description and photos of their gown. If their listing is approved, Nearly Newlywed takes it from there, answering any buyer questions and shipping the dress directly. So, sellers can sit back and relax while the website's experts do the grunt work.Review: Why do we love Nearly Newlywed so much? This innovative marketplace makes it easy on buyers and sellers. If you're buying a used wedding dress, the application process ensures you're paying for the real deal and not a counterfeit wedding dress. And if you're selling, once your application is approved, your work is done. Be aware this website charges a 25 percent commission fee. Other Websites to Buy and Sell Used Wedding Dresses: Tradesy: A fashion-forward website geared toward designer brands, Tradesy offers a streamlined interface with a quick listing process (under 60 seconds).

Since the website is curated like a high-end retailer site (think: Net-A-Porter or Shopbop for preowned wedding dresses and other brand name items), users can search used wedding dresses by label, or browse listings in the coveted “Editor's Picks" section. Review: Tradesy takes a 9 percent commission on sales, and promises prompt payment. Be aware Tradesy covers shipping and returns for most fashion items, but used wedding dresses are not included. If you're buying, Tradesy comes with a money back guarantee if wedding items are inauthentic, taking some of the worry out of the used wedding dress buying process. Still White: A marketplace specifically for used wedding dresses, Still White may not look as fancy as other preowned wedding dress websites, but it offers a wide range of used wedding dresses, from Vera Wang and Pronovias to Essense of Australia and Maggie Sottero. Review: This straightforward website gets down to the nitty gritty and lets users browse by dress condition, taking the mystery out of the second hand dress buying process (after all, a sample dress is usually more worn than something brand new).

Sellers can create a listing for for $19.95, or upgrade to a premium listing for $29.95, which means their dress will be promoted on the site. While it's an initial fee to create a listing, the website takes no commission, meaning sellers keep pretty much all of their sales. PreOwned Wedding Dresses: Boasting over 20,000 used wedding dress listings, Pre Owned Wedding Dresses has been around since 2004 and offers the largest selection of dresses on the web. Sellers can list their used wedding dresses for a flat fee of $25, and can negotiate the price directly with potential buyers. Review: The trick to selling on this website is making your wedding dress listing stand out, since the quantity of second hand dresses on the site can feel pretty daunting. Though it can be more difficult to navigate than other second hand wedding dress websites, Pre Owned Wedding Dresses has some extra perks: you can also buy and sell bridesmaid and mother of the bride dresses, and there are lots of helpful wedding dress FAQs available, as well as an inspiration blog.

Rent the Runway: It's not the most common way to find a wedding gown, but ready-to-wear rental websites like Rent the Runway have white dresses in stock that would work for your walk down the aisle, and you might even find a designer that's devoted to wedding dresses. Review: The upside of renting is you can wear an expensive designer gown while paying just a fraction of the retail price (as low as $30). The obvious catch though is since your wedding gown is borrowed, you may have to plan around its availability, and you can't make alterations—not to mention there's a risk it's never delivered. And, of course, you don't get to keep the wedding dress as a special memento in the end.Vow to Be Chic: Primarily a bridesmaid dress rental site, Vow to Be Chic also offers a smaller selection of little white dresses by popular bridal designers like Theia, Nicole Miller and Watters.Review: You won't find super formal wedding dresses here, but this option is perfect for weddings with a more casual vibe and flirty second wedding dresses.