It’s very rare that I’m surprised by a unique fashion find these days. When I’ve dedicated a huge part of my life to finding such deals and now sharing them with you, I am always thankful but reserved. Afterall, you never quite know how good of a deal you’re getting until you get it home to inspect it carefully in the sanctity of your own boudoir, yes? So naturally, when I was scrolling through Ebay looking for interesting things—as always—I nearly fell off my chair when I saw Goodwill Central Coast selling an Alberto Makali evening gown for a fraction of the cost it would be new and with a matching shawl!

We all know that I enjoy combining my love of shopping with my love of philanthropy so the fact that this gown was offered for a good cause only sealed my interest. It wasn’t a listing you could buy, you had to bid, and when I tell you that I fought off about 10 other bidders just to bring this gown home, I am not joking. Every penny of my $45 bid went to charity and I won! I eagerly waited for it to come in the hopes that it would be everything I’d ever dreamed of and more! And how amazing will it be when I wear the dress I bought for charity to a charity gala next year? I can hardly wait!

Fashion math

Now, I understand that to a fashionally challenged person, my adulation may seem like a bit of an exaggeration so allow me to explain my fashion math—as I often do around here. Alberto Makali is a popular Y2K designer brand who gained popularity by celebrity endorsements in the early 2000’s with it’s highest peak for exposure considered to be 2012. That does not mean that this brand is dead or that it still doesn’t command attention as an operating label bearing many similarities to the style of Roberto Cavalli. I’ve always said if you like Cavalli but can’t afford the price tag, get yourself some Makali! It’s still designer and shares style points of Cavalli but it’s much more affordable if you want the look without going broke. I’ll be writing a post later about their similarities but if you don’t want to take my word for it, google them!

The retail price of an evening gown by Alberto Makali is around $900 and $1,000 but has been known to exceed this budget on occasion depending on the rarity of the dress. If you were buying it new with tags from a preloved site like; Ebay, TheRealReal, Vestiaire, etc, then it could cost you anywhere from about $188 to $695 depending on the seller. Should you try to buy it through a third party company like The Dress Outlet, you would be looking to spend somewhere between $139 and $495. Obviously, these numbers are accurate at the time of this post and the range is dependent on many factors but I think you’ve gotten my point when I’ve stressed the expense of an Alberto Makali evening gown.

It’s also worth noting that as a collector of vintage designer fashion, evening gowns are the hardest to come by and usually have a weep worthy price tag—trust me, I know. I’ve been trying to get my hands on a beaded Bob Mackie for years but haven’t found a good enough deal yet to actually snatch one but the time will come. For now, I will settle for this beautifully beaded Alberto Makali that I know retailed for well over $600 in it’s original capacity before it came into my loving closet.

The dress

This exquisite evening gown is a breathtaking vision reminiscent of lavender hues featured Monet’s famous Water Lilies painting its floor sweeping length that promises graceful movement with every stilettoed step. I love chiffon for this very reason—the light weight glamour these dresses provide is hard to replicate in other fabrics. The soft, almost pastel hue evokes a sense of delicate sophistication, casting a gentle glow that shifts subtly with the light. The voluminous skirt—a true marvel of design—boasts multiple cascading layers of whisper soft texture. Foremost among these is the finely pleated chiffon, which forms the luminous bulk of the gown’s skirt, allowing it to billow and flow with an almost liquid elegance. This thoughtful layering, combined with a subtly executed, artistic asymmetry in its hemline, creates a dynamic silhouette that hints at movement even when still and was broadly featured in evening gowns from the 90’s to early 2000’s.

A delicate mesh neckline creates an illusion of bare skin, serving as the perfect canvas for the gown’s most exquisite detail: a constellation of intricate, swirling silver beading. This metallic embroidery shimmers with every flicker of light, like starlight captured on fabric, delicately framing the décolletage before seamlessly transitioning into the richer purple tones of the bodice. The bodice itself is a testament to meticulous craftsmanship, featuring a beautifully textured, intricately braided design that adds a subtle yet compelling dimension that lesser gowns lack. Designed for both comfort and a flawless silhouette, the gown incorporates ample padding and a discreet, built in padding, providing support and shaping, ensuring a confident and seamless fit.

This stunning piece unequivocally embodies the signature uniqueness and innovative artistry of Alberto Makali. It proudly showcases several of his most celebrated trademarks: the luxuriously textured fabric and careful pleating that define his dramatic silhouettes. The artfully braided bodice that adds depth and interest as well as the characteristically subtle yet striking asymmetrical skirt are also trademarks of Alberto’s incredible work. Each element is a testament to Makali’s distinctive vision, making this gown instantly recognizable as a masterpiece from his collection—a true statement of high fashion and refined style.

New with Imperfections

We have discussed the value of a gown like this and we have talked about the gown itself but what about the condition? According to the listing, this gown was listed as “New with Imperfections” meaning that it is a new item that has not been worn—original tags intact—but has probably sustained some blemishes when it was tried on in the store and did not sell. This is known to happen with evening gowns because they’re usually housed in boutiques or formal wear shops intended to ensure a perfect fit for special occasions. Many of these garments that stay in store for long periods of time are also subject to the tiny pin holes mentioned in this listing from frequent price changes and new tags for reductions. You can see a few of these really small holes in the first picture of the bodice for reference.

Now what you deem to be a deal breaker or not is totally up to you when it comes to buying any secondhand item. If you’re lucky enough to have the seller disclose issues with the garment, you can make an informed decision about whether or not you still want to purchase the item. Many buyers are scared off when they see something labeled as having imperfections but in many instances, it’s really no different then buying something truly second hand and worn by someone else except you can say the damage just came from poor storage or careless try ons. Again, it’s totally up to you what you think is doable for your budget and the condition you’re comfortable investing in.

Under this dress’ imperfections, Goodwill Central Coast thankfully listed a very detailed description. The listing said that this dress was new but featured some small holes and would benefit from a good dry cleaning before it was actually worn. A few small holes is not that big of a deal when you’re looking at an evening gown like this given the large amount of fabric you’re dealing with and the pleating which can easily hide tiny imperfections such as those listed. After carefully assessing all of the images provided, I decided to go ahead and snatch it. I can honestly report that when it arrived, I was not the least bit disappointed. Everything was as described in the listing and the color—which can vary from screen to screen when you’re buying online—is perfect!

Any imperfections that I spotted had quick cosmetic remedies and the gown was even more beautiful in person than I could’ve hoped. Even if I didn’t know anything about fashion, I would be able to guess it was a designer gown just in the quality. I did find a small mark on the skirt which I’m confident I can get out through proper cleaning and if I had to do it all over again, I would still get this dress. Again, this dress retails new for $900 and even with it’s listed flaws, it would’ve garnered at least $600 from a store. If I need to give it a little bit of tender love and care or pay for a good cleaning, I’m still saving money on this investment and because of the quality, I know this gown will last for decades rather than a cheap dress that only lasts a wear before it’s falling apart. It will hold it’s value and be something wonderful to pass down to my loved ones. It’s also worth mentioning that when I did try it on, none of these flaws were actually visible until very close inspection which is fabulous. If I had to say, it looks like a dress that was just tried on a few times and got some holes from price tags but that’s all.

Repurpose for a purpose

I am lucky that this gown was in very good shape with just a few tiny pinholes but what would I have done if it wasn’t? What do you do when you’re in love with the perfect gown but it’s condition leaves much to be desired? One thing that we haven’t talked about often on this blog is how to repurpose damaged clothing into something wearable again. In the age of fast fashion and over consumption, it only makes sense to mention what my plans are if I ever find a damaged gown that I’m absolutely in love with and need to have despite it’s flaws.

If this dress had more damage—specifically to the skirt—I would’ve cut it off and had it hemmed accordingly. This is such an easy fix if you find a gown that you like but there are stains, rips, or problems with the skirt. Cut it off and turn it into a tea length or cocktail dress! If you have a dress with many layers in the skirt, simply remove or replace the damaged layer—good as new! That is what I would’ve probably chosen to do if I had this dress but the issues were severe. As I mentioned, many new dresses get damaged simply from being tried on repeatedly in the store but that doesn’t mean they still can’t be salvaged or worn. Please don’t send something as beautiful as chiffon to a landfill unless you absolutely have to.

These days it’s becoming more and more popular to repurpose damaged fashion into something unique and functional so it gets a second chance at life. In my opinion, dresses are one of the easiest pieces of clothing to repurpose or redesign. If this is something that you’re interested in, I suggest focusing on pieces that have an intact bodice in good condition because they are harder to mend. Also, your eye is naturally drawn to the face so if there are blemishes or stains on your bodice, it will be much more noticeable than if you had a small run at the bottom of your skirt. If your item has flaws, let them be lower down and out of eye shot so you can simply snip them away and convert your floor length gown into a cocktail crowd pleaser. Gowns like this are usually for special occasions and they deserve to be treated like it—love your gowns, gals!

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