Most of us have been to at least a few garage sales or thrift stores, so we know what a thrill it can be to make a good find. Some people get so into it, it becomes more of a hobby.
That may not have been true for TikToker Emmali Osterhoudt (@emmalifaith) before, but after her most recent find, it wouldn't be surprising at all if she starts frequenting the thrift and resale stores more often.
While shopping at Goodwill looking for picture frames, Osterhoudt made her purchases and was about to leave the store when she noticed a dress in the clothing section she hadn't yet passed through during her visit.
She went to examine the dress and discovered it was an incredibly beautiful wedding dress that appeared to be in her size. At only $25, it was an easy purchase decision to make.
But when she arrived at home and got a better look at the tags, a quick Google search revealed that she had not only found a Galia Lahav designer dress at Goodwill, but she had purchased what would normally be an over $6,000 dress for just $25.
And it just so happened to fit like a glove.
You can watch the video here:
Fellow TikTokers were shocked by Osterhoudt's lucky find, and they insisted they shopped at very different Goodwill locations.
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@emmalifaith/TikTok
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Others felt Osterhoudt was destined to find that dress, even if she wasn't engaged yet.
@emmalifaith/TikTok
@emmalifaith/TikTok
@emmalifaith/TikTok
@emmalifaith/TikTok
A few were left crossing their fingers to see Osterhoudt find "The One" and get married in the dress.
@emmalifaith/TikTok
@emmalifaith/TikTok
In a follow-up video, Osterhoudt shared more information about the dress, including confirmations that it was from Goodwill, that it was a genuine Galia Lahav design, and that while she wasn't engaged yet, yes, she would be keeping it.
The original video got millions of views and started to draw serious media attention as the world became invested in Osterhoudt's lucky find.
People magazine went so far as to cover Osterhoudt's story—and they even reached out to Galia Lahav herself to share the discovery.
Lahav was so touched by the story that she committed to donating several more of her designer dresses to Goodwills around the United States for a few more lucky brides-to-be to discover designer wedding gowns of their own.
Since Osterhoudt's story went viral, a pair of bridal dress shop owners came forward and stated that they had donated the dress to Goodwill.
Ramsey Sims, the owner of I Do Bridal Couture in Louisiana, originally had the dress, and she reached out to Meredith Carter, owner of a sample bridal shop called Bustle in Birmingham, Alabama, in the hopes that she could help her find "the perfect bride" to wear the Galia Lahav design.
After having no luck finding the perfect bride, the pair decided to give the dress another chance at an area Goodwill in Alabama, where Osterhoudt came across it.
We're looking forward to hearing more stories like this after Lahav makes her donations around the country, and hopefully more designers will start to make donations like this to make the wedding industry more accessible to more people.
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